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Buchanans #3
Sizzling
A spiteful article about the former pitcher and current playboy questions his talent in the bedroom. And the newspaper's just the first bad news. Reid's grandmother Gloria's broken hip means she needs constant care but Reid hired Nurses 1 and 2 for their bedside manner with him. So for Number 3 he chooses Lori Johnson, the first candidate who seems immune to his brand of charm.
Lori's never wasted her time with amoebas like Reid Buchanan. So why are her well-fortified defenses starting to crumble under the force of his sexy smile and the kindness he shows her at every turn? There's only one explanation for the feelings flaring between them chemistry. Chemistry so hot, it's sizzling!
"
Lori's never wasted her time with amoebas like Reid Buchanan. So why are her well-fortified defenses starting to crumble under the force of his sexy smile and the kindness he shows her at every turn? There's only one explanation for the feelings flaring between them chemistry. Chemistry so hot, it's sizzling!
"
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
346 people are currently reading
2481 people want to read
About the author
Susan Mallery
839 books15.3k followers#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming and humorous novels about the relationships that define women's lives—family, friendship, romance. She's best known for putting nuanced characters into emotionally complex, real-life situations with twists that surprise readers to laughter. Because Susan is passionate about animal welfare, pets play a big role in her books. Beloved by millions of readers worldwide, her books have been translated into 28 languages.
Critics have dubbed Mallery "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!" It's no wonder that her books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list.
Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.
Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.
Critics have dubbed Mallery "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!" It's no wonder that her books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list.
Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.
Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
January 21, 2015
Almost 4 Stars
This is my favorite of the series thus far, and even though both the hero and heroine had their moments of indulging in martyrdom, they made for a great couple. The romance was more prominent in this book than in the first two, which made their love story more believable.
My only real complaint, other than wondering why Dani's side story took up so much page time considering her book is next, is the sleazy manwhore factor in which the hero was portrayed. My goodness, he came across more like a seedy porn star than the charming, sexy and famous ex-baseball player he was suppose to be.
Other than the YUCK factor of picturing porn star Ron Jeremy as the hero during the first portion of the book, which I doubt was the authors intent, I really did like his character.
The final confrontation between the two main leads was fantastic and essential to make me a believer of their HEA. The happy-for-now ending left a smile on my face and excited to read the final book in this series.
Note: The first three books in this series all have different narrators but unlike the second book's narrator, I really enjoyed this one. Having said that, it's always best to keep the same narrator throughout a book series.
December 5, 2023
Turbūt ši trečioji dalis man labiausiai patiko iš visų 😉 Lengva, šmaikšti, vietomis kikenau iš širdies, o keliose vietoje tokia jautri labai buvo.
January 5, 2014
Another great read by Susan Mallery.
I loved the changes in their witch of a grandmother, Gloria. Let's hope they stick around. She's been awful through the previous books. I didn't particularly love the main characters in here though. I've read plenty of books where the hero was a manwhore, but Reid took it to a whole new disgusting level. He even admitted to himself that he wouldn't be able to pick some of his partners out of a lineup o.O and Lori thought so poorly of herself all the way through the book. Even with is those complaints, I have to admit I enjoyed the book. Reading Susan Mallery is like snuggling with a comffy blanket...you know you'll enjoy it :)
I loved the changes in their witch of a grandmother, Gloria. Let's hope they stick around. She's been awful through the previous books. I didn't particularly love the main characters in here though. I've read plenty of books where the hero was a manwhore, but Reid took it to a whole new disgusting level. He even admitted to himself that he wouldn't be able to pick some of his partners out of a lineup o.O and Lori thought so poorly of herself all the way through the book. Even with is those complaints, I have to admit I enjoyed the book. Reading Susan Mallery is like snuggling with a comffy blanket...you know you'll enjoy it :)
January 1, 2019
Okay I think this was my favorite one so far. I loved Laurie from the beginning, she didn't take shit not even from Gloria. And I loved seeing Gloria finally admit she was a rude bitch, but not also give up completely on herself. Gloria never had it easy, but that also wasn't an excuse for how she acted at times. I loved seeing her bond with her grandchildren. They all deserved a chance to right the errors of their childhood. One thing I also loved was getting to see bits and pieces into Danny's life, I love her and I can't wait for her book. The only thing that irked me was how fast this book was wrapped up. A significant event occurs at like 90-95% and the resolution is rushed which didn't feel realistic.
February 2, 2023
Toks paprastas mielas romaniukas apie kietą slaugę ir žymų beisbolo žaidėją. Didžiausia intriga buvo kai ji bandė neįsimylėti, o kūnas neklausė ir virpėjo prieš didžiausia Sietlo mergišių. Bet kaip sakant jų kūnams susijungus viskas nurimo ir romanas toliau tęsėsi bendrom gyvenimiškom temom. Nustebino pabaiga, nes nėra labai jau viskas lengva ir paviršutiniška, kabinamos ir rimtos temos, mirtis, donorystė, netektis...
May 8, 2009
I found this one at the second hand book store and I was really surprised and delighted with what I found. This is going to start something new for me, I'm totally hooked on Susan Mallery now.
Reid Buchanan is a retired baseball star with nothing to do. When he picks up the newspaper one morning he finds that he is again in the news, but this time it is questioning his prowess in bed. What? Disgusted with the way things are going in his life, and trying to hide from the press he seeks a refuge at his grandmothers home where she is recovering from hip surgury. He has hired three nurses to care for her and at their interviews two of them come on to him and he takes advantage of their willingness. The third is different. Smart, funny and up front about life, Lori is something new to Reid.
Lori has just been hired to care for Gloria while she recovers from her surgury. To bad that the most handsome and charismatic man she has ever met hired her and is now living where she works. Lori is definately drawn to Reid, but why would he be interested in a plain, curly top, red headed nobody? Only in her dreams.
Reid and Lori's confrontations at the house are funny and start to heat up after he asks her opinion about the article and his life. He can't beleive how candid she is, but he thinks he kinda likes it. Nobody has ever told him the truth before. They usually are just star struck. Hummm...
This book surprised me when it was not only touching and funny, but completely heart wrenching as well. There a a couple of twists to the story that you don't expect but will definately love.
Reid Buchanan is a retired baseball star with nothing to do. When he picks up the newspaper one morning he finds that he is again in the news, but this time it is questioning his prowess in bed. What? Disgusted with the way things are going in his life, and trying to hide from the press he seeks a refuge at his grandmothers home where she is recovering from hip surgury. He has hired three nurses to care for her and at their interviews two of them come on to him and he takes advantage of their willingness. The third is different. Smart, funny and up front about life, Lori is something new to Reid.
Lori has just been hired to care for Gloria while she recovers from her surgury. To bad that the most handsome and charismatic man she has ever met hired her and is now living where she works. Lori is definately drawn to Reid, but why would he be interested in a plain, curly top, red headed nobody? Only in her dreams.
Reid and Lori's confrontations at the house are funny and start to heat up after he asks her opinion about the article and his life. He can't beleive how candid she is, but he thinks he kinda likes it. Nobody has ever told him the truth before. They usually are just star struck. Hummm...
This book surprised me when it was not only touching and funny, but completely heart wrenching as well. There a a couple of twists to the story that you don't expect but will definately love.
February 8, 2013
IT SIZZLES
Lori Johnson has been hired to look after Gloria Buchanan, who is to recuperate at home after an operation. Gloria is a very difficult patient. But Lori is a competent nurse and takes no nonsense even from the matriarch of the Buchanan's.
Lori does the day shift, and is surprised when Reid Buchanan Gloria's grandson, moves in to avoid the press, who are on his trail after a women had given an interview saying how he was rubbish in bed. Lori has no time for this handsome but spoilt ex-baseball player. Lori finds him compelling and she cannot help but be attracted to him. But she's just a plain Jane, Reid would never look at her.
I have not read many M&B lately but I liked the sound of this. I was not disappointed. The characters are brilliantly drawn. Lori was a take charge no nonsense woman, she certainly held her own against Reid. I liked Reid, he did have a couple of icky moments, but the reader is only told about those, thank goodness. But I did like him as well. With sensuous love scenes, this is a real treat. Longer than the normal M&B this is over 300 pages long. There is plenty happening elsewhere in the story as well. Recommended.
Lori Johnson has been hired to look after Gloria Buchanan, who is to recuperate at home after an operation. Gloria is a very difficult patient. But Lori is a competent nurse and takes no nonsense even from the matriarch of the Buchanan's.
Lori does the day shift, and is surprised when Reid Buchanan Gloria's grandson, moves in to avoid the press, who are on his trail after a women had given an interview saying how he was rubbish in bed. Lori has no time for this handsome but spoilt ex-baseball player. Lori finds him compelling and she cannot help but be attracted to him. But she's just a plain Jane, Reid would never look at her.
I have not read many M&B lately but I liked the sound of this. I was not disappointed. The characters are brilliantly drawn. Lori was a take charge no nonsense woman, she certainly held her own against Reid. I liked Reid, he did have a couple of icky moments, but the reader is only told about those, thank goodness. But I did like him as well. With sensuous love scenes, this is a real treat. Longer than the normal M&B this is over 300 pages long. There is plenty happening elsewhere in the story as well. Recommended.
December 16, 2011
Another good one! This one was particularly Christmas oriented, as we can see that a horrible grandmother becomes a warm and caring person! Besides we can see more about another brother Reid, who has to defend his skill in bed, after some journalist put some doubts about it!
This series is really great and I love all the family interactions. I'm a bit sad because I'm already onto the last one :(
This series is really great and I love all the family interactions. I'm a bit sad because I'm already onto the last one :(
October 28, 2018
2.5 stars ⭐️
September 26, 2015
Reid Buchanan, an ex-baseball ball star and hasbeen celebrity, is humiliated when some chick writes an article insulting his beautiful penis.
"Not good in bed? NOT GOOD IN BED?...
...He was better than good, he was a god."
Lori Johnson, was never interested indouchebags bad boys like Reid.
But when Reid's grandmother Gloria breaks her hip, Lori, being a constant care provider, is sent to help Gloria recover.
Cue the "sizzle".
I actually really liked Lori. She was snappy and smart and quick witted.
Until Reid walked in, his virile sexuality seeping from his pores.
One day while caring for his grandmother, Reid's sensuality makes Lori's blood sugar drop.
When she starts fainting and swooning over Reidsmagical penis sensual power, he makes her a quesadilla.
So while she watches this beautiful man make her a quesadilla right in his kitchen instead of doing her job, I realize that maybe I'm really enjoying this terrible book... and also starting to wonder what happened to her brain.
"He gave her a a slow sexy smile, one that gave a whole new meaning to the phrase 'Blown way'. If he'd shown her the slighest bit of interest. she would have ripped off her clothes and done it with him right there on the kitchen table."
Eventually Reid has somereal character developement revelations, and decides to start being charitable and not a dick. Then the story took a turn for the more serious and I actually kinda felt something for the characters.
Fuck
Yeah, I really liked this and will probably read more Susan Mallery...
"Not good in bed? NOT GOOD IN BED?...
...He was better than good, he was a god."
Lori Johnson, was never interested in
But when Reid's grandmother Gloria breaks her hip, Lori, being a constant care provider, is sent to help Gloria recover.
Cue the "sizzle".
I actually really liked Lori. She was snappy and smart and quick witted.
Until Reid walked in, his virile sexuality seeping from his pores.
One day while caring for his grandmother, Reid's sensuality makes Lori's blood sugar drop.
When she starts fainting and swooning over Reids
So while she watches this beautiful man make her a quesadilla right in his kitchen instead of doing her job, I realize that maybe I'm really enjoying this terrible book... and also starting to wonder what happened to her brain.
"He gave her a a slow sexy smile, one that gave a whole new meaning to the phrase 'Blown way'. If he'd shown her the slighest bit of interest. she would have ripped off her clothes and done it with him right there on the kitchen table."
Eventually Reid has some
Fuck
Yeah, I really liked this and will probably read more Susan Mallery...
May 5, 2017
I absolutely loved Lori; she was strong, sarcastic, funny, patience, insecure. I laughed every time she was a smartypants with Gloria. I love that she got Gloria to realize she needed to be nicer to her family. I loved her sassy banter with Reid, even if it irritated me sometimes when she insulted him (I did agree with her sometimes, though). I hated when she sent Reid away after her sister died and cried when she told him she'd believed he just wanted her for now, not forever.
I loved Reid, too, and loved when he started making things right in all the ways they had gone wrong under his manager. In the beginning, he was self-absorbed and selfish, but he changed because he was about to see his problem with Lori's help. I thought it was hilarious when the two women were in his bed and he went to Lori to get them out because he was freaked out. I love that he was a playboy brought to his knees by one woman. I love that he helped Lori's sister and his family was there for her with him, but I hate that he felt it was his fault that she died.
Poor Madeline! I was really, really hoping that the transplant was going to work and I was crushed when she died because of heart complications.
Gloria was hilarious and I loved her. I loved when she and Lori "argued" and then when they just talked. I was glad when they finally became friends.
I loved Dani, Cal, Walker, Penny, and Elissa, too, and I need to read all their books, too. Oh, and I loved that Walker is an ex-Marine.
I loved Reid, too, and loved when he started making things right in all the ways they had gone wrong under his manager. In the beginning, he was self-absorbed and selfish, but he changed because he was about to see his problem with Lori's help. I thought it was hilarious when the two women were in his bed and he went to Lori to get them out because he was freaked out. I love that he was a playboy brought to his knees by one woman. I love that he helped Lori's sister and his family was there for her with him, but I hate that he felt it was his fault that she died.
Poor Madeline! I was really, really hoping that the transplant was going to work and I was crushed when she died because of heart complications.
Gloria was hilarious and I loved her. I loved when she and Lori "argued" and then when they just talked. I was glad when they finally became friends.
I loved Dani, Cal, Walker, Penny, and Elissa, too, and I need to read all their books, too. Oh, and I loved that Walker is an ex-Marine.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2021
Saldu taip, kad šią knygą, hipoglikeminės komos metu, galima būtų naudot vietoj gliukagono injekcijos.⠀
⠀
Trečioji Buchananų serijos dalis, atvedė mus į dar vieno brolio, Reido, gyvenimą ir lovą. Senelei susirgus, vaikinas gavo užduotį, surasti jai slaugytoją. Keista, bet į savo efektingų, didžiakrūčių blondinių kolektyvą, Reidas išrinko ir visiškai jam simpatijos nejaučiančią, bei gana neįsipūdingą Lorę.⠀
⠀
Lorė - kiek atmestinai sukurta, bjauriojo ančiuko kopija. Šiek tiek prajuokino faktas, kad jos įspūdingam atsivertimui į gulbes, pakako tik išsileisti plaukus, nusiimti akinius ir atnaujinti garderobą. Kur dingo senieji, gerieji manikiūrininkai, statybinėm dildėm, zulinantys nagus ir suprakaitavę depiliacijos meistrai, lupantys kailį, iš nepasiekiamiausių vietų? 💇♀️💅⠀
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Didžiulė antipatija, turėjusi būti istorijos ašimi, taip pat skystoka. Laukiau to lėto pokyčio - iš nekenčiu į myliu. Deja, deja. Jau pirmose skyriuose, Lorė drėko ir lydėsi, dėl Reido tobulumo.. 🤷♀️⠀
⠀
Aha! Skundžiuosi, bet vistiek, skaitau toliau.. Nes kažkuo kabina. Gal ta, restoranų imperijos, užkulisių vietuvė smagi? O gal, paperka nuoširdus brolių ir sesers ryšys? Ir naujai, į šeimą įsiliejusių, antrų pusių ryšys? Smalsumas, kuo gi baigis, visa serija? Nežinau. Bet tikrai išsiaiškinsiu 😀⠀
⠀
Trečioji Buchananų serijos dalis, atvedė mus į dar vieno brolio, Reido, gyvenimą ir lovą. Senelei susirgus, vaikinas gavo užduotį, surasti jai slaugytoją. Keista, bet į savo efektingų, didžiakrūčių blondinių kolektyvą, Reidas išrinko ir visiškai jam simpatijos nejaučiančią, bei gana neįsipūdingą Lorę.⠀
⠀
Lorė - kiek atmestinai sukurta, bjauriojo ančiuko kopija. Šiek tiek prajuokino faktas, kad jos įspūdingam atsivertimui į gulbes, pakako tik išsileisti plaukus, nusiimti akinius ir atnaujinti garderobą. Kur dingo senieji, gerieji manikiūrininkai, statybinėm dildėm, zulinantys nagus ir suprakaitavę depiliacijos meistrai, lupantys kailį, iš nepasiekiamiausių vietų? 💇♀️💅⠀
⠀
Didžiulė antipatija, turėjusi būti istorijos ašimi, taip pat skystoka. Laukiau to lėto pokyčio - iš nekenčiu į myliu. Deja, deja. Jau pirmose skyriuose, Lorė drėko ir lydėsi, dėl Reido tobulumo.. 🤷♀️⠀
⠀
Aha! Skundžiuosi, bet vistiek, skaitau toliau.. Nes kažkuo kabina. Gal ta, restoranų imperijos, užkulisių vietuvė smagi? O gal, paperka nuoširdus brolių ir sesers ryšys? Ir naujai, į šeimą įsiliejusių, antrų pusių ryšys? Smalsumas, kuo gi baigis, visa serija? Nežinau. Bet tikrai išsiaiškinsiu 😀⠀
July 19, 2011
I am torn with this book. I really liked it, liked how Reid was able to change, but I still have a big problem with him and his man-whore ways. Maybe it was the way that he was so nonchalant about it, but it bugged me. I sort of liked it when the reporter laid out the story with not good news about him, he really needed to be taken down a peg. I also found it interesting how Lori seemed to really accept this part of his past, maybe that makes her a better (yet still fictional) person than me.
I loved Lori from the start, she put up with no crap and called Reid and Gloria on it. She also had the whole ugly duckling thing going on, which I am not sure if I liked. She seemed comfortable with herself, but once she attracted Reid's attention she felt the need to change.
Gloria did creep me out with her new niceness, but it has been a long time coming. The side stories with Lori's sister and Dani were interesting. I thought things would end better for both of them. Although Dani's additional dating adventures had me laughing.
With what Dani learned of her father it will be very interesting to see what the next book brings.
I loved Lori from the start, she put up with no crap and called Reid and Gloria on it. She also had the whole ugly duckling thing going on, which I am not sure if I liked. She seemed comfortable with herself, but once she attracted Reid's attention she felt the need to change.
Gloria did creep me out with her new niceness, but it has been a long time coming. The side stories with Lori's sister and Dani were interesting. I thought things would end better for both of them. Although Dani's additional dating adventures had me laughing.
With what Dani learned of her father it will be very interesting to see what the next book brings.
July 23, 2008
I am not a big contemporary fan... but this one caught my eye... and I read it before any in this series... another shocker LOL... what I found is that it really almost felt like a Regency Historical. He would have been a rake and she would have been the strong, kind of plain heroine that doesn't take any crap. I really enjoyed this book. Who knew!?
July 1, 2016
This book could have been so great but was executed poorly-- I'll explain later. I know this book is old but I'm so disappointed with the outcome I could just cry. I had such high hopes for the heroine.
December 20, 2014
Two-haiku review:
He's womanizer
She's nurse for his grandmother
Is he bad in bed?
Didn't love this guy
But he turned his life around
Third book in series
He's womanizer
She's nurse for his grandmother
Is he bad in bed?
Didn't love this guy
But he turned his life around
Third book in series
November 15, 2017
Do you feel unfulfilled? "Average" looks and insecure about them? Feel the need to haughtily project said insecurities on more successful/attractive/not-bitter-all-the-time people in a convoluted effort to make them feel bad about making you feel bad for just being themselves? Does the line "He hadn't seduced her with his body- he'd seduced her with his soul" really get you hot under the collar?
Then this book is most definitely for you!
Sizzling started off interesting enough with the tried-and-tested formula of unwanted lust for the douchey yet handsome employer. Along the way however, the book somehow turned into the script for both She's All That and Not Another Teen Movie, complete with a makeover, several hysterical breakdowns, and a subplot that veers into the strange and absurd.
Lori is fantastically capable as a nurse, easily wrangling in a strangely infantile Gloria and defying everyone's expectations. It's baffling, then, how her maturity quickly regresses as she becomes more and more obsessed with everyone's appearances, even as Reid supposedly becomes less interested. It's just convenient that when Reid decides to go for her, Lori suddenly turns into a hot girl with curves who gets Lasik on a whim (I know this is nitpicky but literally the day after deciding to get it, when the average wait time between consultation and procedure is a week to over a month). She drops outrageous amounts of money on clothes, salon visits and the aforementioned surgery. Wasn't the whole point of this nursing job to save up money?
In terms of character development, nobody came out the winner here. I think Madeline was lucky dying as she was; compared to how all the other characters are butchered it seems the better fate. Gloria goes from a powerful misanthropic matriarch with deeply held prejudices to this happy old biddy, just like that. Just from Lori snapping at her. Her intense hatred and past actions are explained away as those of a grandma who just struggles to show how much she loves her grand-kids. This woman emotionally neglected her granddaughter, threatened to ruin the life of a woman who was at the time only tangentially attached to her grandson, and created so much stress for another grandson that it helped tear apart his marriage, and now the audience is expected to believe her actions were motivated only by love. That kind of extreme delusion is more Master of the Game than a regular romance novel.
Lori slowly deteriorates into an emotional mess who struggles to look at her sister as a regular human being and not a competitor in the game of life. Lori constantly victimises herself, which I get is the point to show her insecurity and reasons for being an uptight prude, but this behaviour only increases throughout the story. It does not taper off at all. Even two pages from the end of the book Lori is still complaining about living in her (now dead) sister's shadow. This leads to a rushed confession right at the end to explain her childlike insistence that it's the world at fault for dealing her a shitty hand, and not hers for refusing to look at it any other way.
Reid is so two-dimensional I can barely say anything about him. It's interesting seeing the man as the bland, virtually unchanging half of the couple after so long reading romances from the other side. After enduring the requisite identity crisis to cover character development, Reid becomes a pulpit for advocating monogamy. Lori hurls abuse at him and his sex life constantly. Now, I don't expect a romance novel to be a bastion of social justice and equality, but imagine if a man railed against a woman for how many men she had slept with? Imagine a man saying "On the one hand, you have moments of kindness and intelligence. On the other hand, you seem willing to have sex with mostwomen men in this country. Or any country, I'm guessing." Mallery conflates sex and morals for some inexplicable reason that is never dealt with. Reid just accepts this is somehow wrong and settles down, and Lori only feels guilt when she hears the sob story about Jenny. But rather than learn from that, she goes on to say "I'm offended by the stupidity of women who walk around offering [sex]."
This isn't the first time this strange dichotomy appears in the Buchanan series. It seems almost every girl is either a nymphomaniac uninterested in depth, or the perfect person with enough emotional scope and intelligence for a Buchanan to marry. After all, Reid doesn't normally dally with articulate women: "I prefer my women simple."
Remember that subplot? I want to cover one more hysterical yet horrible character. From the ruins of her life emerges Dani. She's been emotionally beaten black and blue by the men in her life- as well as her sociopath of a grandmother- and once again is willing to take a chance in life. But nothing seems to work out for this poor child. Not a job, and not relationships. It can't be that she refuses to think of anybody else but herself, surely? Surely this stranger sitting in a cafe listening to her life's woes is fine with it. He's not feeling any attraction to her, that's absurd! After all: "He was gay. All the signs were there. His low-key occupation, the perfect grooming, his interest in actual conversation, the lack of any sexual spark."
Bear in mind, this book was written in the ancient year of 2006. Heterosexual men and women weren't able to be friends without wanting to get into each other's pants. It was a really tough time and I'm glad humans have evolved beyond that primitive stage.
Of course Mallery loves pulling the rug out from under her readers. Reid has substance! Lori has emotions! Gloria's not a huge bitch! And now, drum roll, Gary is NOT ACTUALLY GAY.
You mean he's not Dani's gay best friend, I hear you cry. But he dresses well! And he has a...job? And a woman doesn't want to have sex with him! These are all the hallmarks of a gay man! It's written right there in the compendium of tropes and cliches!
Oh, but it gets better. Not only is he not gay, he used to be a priest. I don't know what Mallery intended with this new plot twist, but I was crying my eyes out laughing. If the intention was to create a wacky parallel story line to cut through the grim mess that was Lori's insecurities, it certainly succeeded. It also led to the best rejection in any romance I've ever read:
"I have the most uncomfortable feeling that God is sending me a really big message. He's telling me I'm not supposed to be with anyone right now...For once, I think I'm going to listen."
After completely annihilating Gary's self-esteem, Dani swears off romance. The entire thing is so strange I almost expected Carrie Bradshaw to appear and wrap the story up:
“I started to wonder, In a city as cynical asNew York Seattle, is it still possible to believe in love at first sight?”
Then this book is most definitely for you!
Sizzling started off interesting enough with the tried-and-tested formula of unwanted lust for the douchey yet handsome employer. Along the way however, the book somehow turned into the script for both She's All That and Not Another Teen Movie, complete with a makeover, several hysterical breakdowns, and a subplot that veers into the strange and absurd.
Lori is fantastically capable as a nurse, easily wrangling in a strangely infantile Gloria and defying everyone's expectations. It's baffling, then, how her maturity quickly regresses as she becomes more and more obsessed with everyone's appearances, even as Reid supposedly becomes less interested. It's just convenient that when Reid decides to go for her, Lori suddenly turns into a hot girl with curves who gets Lasik on a whim (I know this is nitpicky but literally the day after deciding to get it, when the average wait time between consultation and procedure is a week to over a month). She drops outrageous amounts of money on clothes, salon visits and the aforementioned surgery. Wasn't the whole point of this nursing job to save up money?
In terms of character development, nobody came out the winner here. I think Madeline was lucky dying as she was; compared to how all the other characters are butchered it seems the better fate. Gloria goes from a powerful misanthropic matriarch with deeply held prejudices to this happy old biddy, just like that. Just from Lori snapping at her. Her intense hatred and past actions are explained away as those of a grandma who just struggles to show how much she loves her grand-kids. This woman emotionally neglected her granddaughter, threatened to ruin the life of a woman who was at the time only tangentially attached to her grandson, and created so much stress for another grandson that it helped tear apart his marriage, and now the audience is expected to believe her actions were motivated only by love. That kind of extreme delusion is more Master of the Game than a regular romance novel.
Lori slowly deteriorates into an emotional mess who struggles to look at her sister as a regular human being and not a competitor in the game of life. Lori constantly victimises herself, which I get is the point to show her insecurity and reasons for being an uptight prude, but this behaviour only increases throughout the story. It does not taper off at all. Even two pages from the end of the book Lori is still complaining about living in her (now dead) sister's shadow. This leads to a rushed confession right at the end to explain her childlike insistence that it's the world at fault for dealing her a shitty hand, and not hers for refusing to look at it any other way.
Reid is so two-dimensional I can barely say anything about him. It's interesting seeing the man as the bland, virtually unchanging half of the couple after so long reading romances from the other side. After enduring the requisite identity crisis to cover character development, Reid becomes a pulpit for advocating monogamy. Lori hurls abuse at him and his sex life constantly. Now, I don't expect a romance novel to be a bastion of social justice and equality, but imagine if a man railed against a woman for how many men she had slept with? Imagine a man saying "On the one hand, you have moments of kindness and intelligence. On the other hand, you seem willing to have sex with most
This isn't the first time this strange dichotomy appears in the Buchanan series. It seems almost every girl is either a nymphomaniac uninterested in depth, or the perfect person with enough emotional scope and intelligence for a Buchanan to marry. After all, Reid doesn't normally dally with articulate women: "I prefer my women simple."
Remember that subplot? I want to cover one more hysterical yet horrible character. From the ruins of her life emerges Dani. She's been emotionally beaten black and blue by the men in her life- as well as her sociopath of a grandmother- and once again is willing to take a chance in life. But nothing seems to work out for this poor child. Not a job, and not relationships. It can't be that she refuses to think of anybody else but herself, surely? Surely this stranger sitting in a cafe listening to her life's woes is fine with it. He's not feeling any attraction to her, that's absurd! After all: "He was gay. All the signs were there. His low-key occupation, the perfect grooming, his interest in actual conversation, the lack of any sexual spark."
Bear in mind, this book was written in the ancient year of 2006. Heterosexual men and women weren't able to be friends without wanting to get into each other's pants. It was a really tough time and I'm glad humans have evolved beyond that primitive stage.
Of course Mallery loves pulling the rug out from under her readers. Reid has substance! Lori has emotions! Gloria's not a huge bitch! And now, drum roll, Gary is NOT ACTUALLY GAY.
You mean he's not Dani's gay best friend, I hear you cry. But he dresses well! And he has a...job? And a woman doesn't want to have sex with him! These are all the hallmarks of a gay man! It's written right there in the compendium of tropes and cliches!
Oh, but it gets better. Not only is he not gay, he used to be a priest. I don't know what Mallery intended with this new plot twist, but I was crying my eyes out laughing. If the intention was to create a wacky parallel story line to cut through the grim mess that was Lori's insecurities, it certainly succeeded. It also led to the best rejection in any romance I've ever read:
"I have the most uncomfortable feeling that God is sending me a really big message. He's telling me I'm not supposed to be with anyone right now...For once, I think I'm going to listen."
After completely annihilating Gary's self-esteem, Dani swears off romance. The entire thing is so strange I almost expected Carrie Bradshaw to appear and wrap the story up:
“I started to wonder, In a city as cynical as
August 30, 2022
I've been enjoying this series so far. With Sizzling I both liked it and didn't. Or I should say that at times I had a few issues with it. I loved how much this family sticks together. They truly love each other no matter what's thrown at them.
Out of all the brothers, Reid is the biggest player. I sometimes think it's because he acts the way he thinks he should act. He doesn't want to grow up and face life. Then again who cares how many people he slept with? It's one of the things that bugged me with the story.
I at times enjoyed Lori. I understood she is under a ton of pressure and has a lot going on in her life. She's dealing with a sick sister and a mother that she hasn't gotten over her childhood. What I didn't like about her is the way she judged Reid and really the whole family. She felt that they weren't good to a woman that was old and needed them. She judged without knowing the facts. She was also very hard on Reid. I didn't like that. At times she treated him very badly. I felt like she acted the way she did with him because of how she really felt about him.
Lori brings out the best in Reid. He wants to be the best he can be because of her. When she's at her lowest he does all he can do to help her. Even though there are moments I wasn't totally happy with in this book I did enjoy a ton of it and wouldn't have missed reading it.
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July 16, 2025
This is the third book in the Buchanan series. This book was spicy 🌶️ 🌶️
This book is about a guy named Reid Buchanan. He has always been a fan favorite on the baseball diamond ⚾️. What about between the sheets ????
A spiteful article about the former pitcher and current playboy questions his talent in the bedroom. The newspaper’s just the first bad news. Reid’s grandmother Gloria’s broken hip means she needs constant care. Reid hired nurse #1 and 2 for their bedside manner with him. So for number 3 he chooses a woman named Lori Johnson. The first candidate who seems immune to his brand of charm.
Lori has never wasted her time with amoebas like Reid Buchanan. Why is her well-fortified defenses starting to crumble under the force of his smile and the kindness he shows her at every turn ?? There’s only one explanation for the feelings flaring between them…..chemistry and its sizzling. This book was fun to read and it was a cute romance story with lots of humor. I enjoyed reading this book.
This book is about a guy named Reid Buchanan. He has always been a fan favorite on the baseball diamond ⚾️. What about between the sheets ????
A spiteful article about the former pitcher and current playboy questions his talent in the bedroom. The newspaper’s just the first bad news. Reid’s grandmother Gloria’s broken hip means she needs constant care. Reid hired nurse #1 and 2 for their bedside manner with him. So for number 3 he chooses a woman named Lori Johnson. The first candidate who seems immune to his brand of charm.
Lori has never wasted her time with amoebas like Reid Buchanan. Why is her well-fortified defenses starting to crumble under the force of his smile and the kindness he shows her at every turn ?? There’s only one explanation for the feelings flaring between them…..chemistry and its sizzling. This book was fun to read and it was a cute romance story with lots of humor. I enjoyed reading this book.
April 17, 2020
I wasn't looking forward to Reid's story, because I wasn't sure I liked him much from the other two books in the series, but Ms. Mallery does a great job of humanizing him. Lori, his grandmother's nurse, was a masterstroke. I could have wished a little more time had been spent in Gloria's turn around, but the slippages were amusing. Both Reid and Gloria had a lot of changing to do, not an easy task at the best of times.
August 20, 2010
This is my first Susan Mallery book and I'm not sure I'm going to be giving her another try. I'm almost tempted to give Sizzling 2.5 stars, but it wasn't absolutely horrible and Mallery is a good writer, technique-wise; I mean, there are no run-on sentences, her punctuation is correct, she writes good romance scenes, the characters are pretty interesting ... I don't know, the story just wasn't as compelling as other romances I've read. I was actually anxious to finish the book, but only because I wanted it to be done already (once I pick up and start a book, I have to finish it - it's sometimes a curse).
I did like Reid a lot and I kind of went back and forth on Lori. Reid was an interesting hero and very engaging; I think that the way he changes his behavior was very believable and I liked his honesty and straight-forward manner. The scene where Reid walks in to find two surprisingly naked girls in his bedroom and then runs off to get Lori to kick them out was very funny.
MAIN PROBLEMS
(1) I felt like we're plopped into the story too quickly, since we don't get to see the hero and heroine's first interaction - it's only referenced by them both.
(2) Lori is pretty harsh with Reid at times. At first, she only sees him as a pretty-boy all-around-charmer ex-baseball player who gets everything he wants very easily and her opinion changes as Reid himself changes, but ... well people's essentials don't change that much, and in this case, I think Reid's change was believable because he always had that potential there, but just wasn't fully expressing it. Lori was unduly mean in certain scenes, in ways that Reid definitely didn't deserve.
(3) I love stories where the heroine is a shy-wallflower-type, but here, that point was stressed a little too much by Lori herself - it got kind of tedious.
(4) Something like 30 pages before the end, the book takes a very unhappy twist and it kind of puts a damper on the whole happy-ending thing. Really caught me off guard, too.
(5) This is party of Mallery's Buchanan family series and unlike most romance books I've read that are part of a series, the fact that I hadn't read the previous ones left me somewhat at a loss at times. Reid's family is pretty front and center and there often wasn't enough of an introduction to who these people were or what the back story was.
(6) As much as I wanted some more context for Reid's family, I thought the book focused way too much on Dani, the Buchanan sister. She's the heroine of the next book, Tempting, but there were huge chunks of pages in this one that were only about her and I was very tempted to skip them.
(7) Totally minor, but the scene where Penny (Reid's sister-in-law) says she loves cooking (she's a chef) more than her daughter or her husband really bothered me. I'm not a mother or a wife, but when I become either of those things I hope that I don't love my job more than my children/husband!! And I'm not saying this in a 1950s-sexist-wife thing - my husband better feel the same way, lol.
BOTTOM LINE
So yeah ... wasn't a total waste of time, but I still don't know whether or not I'll be giving this author another try. Glad I got the book from the library!
(Written on August 28, 2009)
I did like Reid a lot and I kind of went back and forth on Lori. Reid was an interesting hero and very engaging; I think that the way he changes his behavior was very believable and I liked his honesty and straight-forward manner. The scene where Reid walks in to find two surprisingly naked girls in his bedroom and then runs off to get Lori to kick them out was very funny.
MAIN PROBLEMS
(1) I felt like we're plopped into the story too quickly, since we don't get to see the hero and heroine's first interaction - it's only referenced by them both.
(2) Lori is pretty harsh with Reid at times. At first, she only sees him as a pretty-boy all-around-charmer ex-baseball player who gets everything he wants very easily and her opinion changes as Reid himself changes, but ... well people's essentials don't change that much, and in this case, I think Reid's change was believable because he always had that potential there, but just wasn't fully expressing it. Lori was unduly mean in certain scenes, in ways that Reid definitely didn't deserve.
(3) I love stories where the heroine is a shy-wallflower-type, but here, that point was stressed a little too much by Lori herself - it got kind of tedious.
(4) Something like 30 pages before the end, the book takes a very unhappy twist and it kind of puts a damper on the whole happy-ending thing. Really caught me off guard, too.
(5) This is party of Mallery's Buchanan family series and unlike most romance books I've read that are part of a series, the fact that I hadn't read the previous ones left me somewhat at a loss at times. Reid's family is pretty front and center and there often wasn't enough of an introduction to who these people were or what the back story was.
(6) As much as I wanted some more context for Reid's family, I thought the book focused way too much on Dani, the Buchanan sister. She's the heroine of the next book, Tempting, but there were huge chunks of pages in this one that were only about her and I was very tempted to skip them.
(7) Totally minor, but the scene where Penny (Reid's sister-in-law) says she loves cooking (she's a chef) more than her daughter or her husband really bothered me. I'm not a mother or a wife, but when I become either of those things I hope that I don't love my job more than my children/husband!! And I'm not saying this in a 1950s-sexist-wife thing - my husband better feel the same way, lol.
BOTTOM LINE
So yeah ... wasn't a total waste of time, but I still don't know whether or not I'll be giving this author another try. Glad I got the book from the library!
(Written on August 28, 2009)
February 7, 2017
Buku #3 ini adalah yang ter-favorit di antara serial Buchanans. Kali ini giliran Reid Buchanan yang menjadi tokoh utama. Reid mantan pemain bisbol terkenal yang terpaksa pensiun dini karena cedera bahu. Reid juga mencintai wanita... banyak wanita tepatnya. Jika ada yang "menyerahkan diri" padanya, dengan senang hati Reid akan melayaninya. Tidak ada yang meragukan kemampuannya, sampai sebuah artikel yang ditulis oleh seorang jurnalis wanita yang tentu saja pernah tidur dengannya, mengatakan bahwa Reid tidak hebat di tempat tidur. Artikel itu menjadi viral dan tentu saja mengganggu Reid. Akhirnya untuk menghindari pers, Reid terpaksa pindah ke rumah Gloria, neneknya.
Seperti yang diceritakan di buku Irresistible - Memikat, Gloria Buchanan mengalami patah pada pinggulnya ketika mendengar kabar tentang Walker Buchanan. Gloria harus menjalani serangkaian perawatan, dan Reid yang bertugas mengatur perawatannya itu. Reid juga yang memilih perawat untuk neneknya. Salah satu perawat yang terpilih adalah Lori Johnson. Jika dilihat dari penampilannya, Lori Johnson mungkin termasuk kriteria wanita yang tidak akan dilirik Reid. Tetapi kualifikasi Lori sangat meyakinkan. Dan itu terbukti hanya Lori yang bisa menaklukkan keangkuhan Gloria. Lori bahkan bisa mengubah Gloria menjadi pribadi yang ramah.
Karakter Lori sendiri cukup unik. Lahir sebagai anak yang tidak diharapkan kehadirannya, membuat Lori selalu mendapatkan perlakuan tidak menyenangkan dari ibunya. Apalagi kakaknya, Madeline adalah sosok yang sempurna. Lori tumbuh dengan keyakinan bahwa dia tidak akan pernah mampu bersaing dengan Madeline. Tetapi Lori adalah wanita yang bisa membereskan segala hal. Dia menjaga keluarganya agar tetap bersatu, dia pula yang membuka rumahnya ketika Madeline mengalami penyakit parah dan ditinggalkan suaminya. Lori berusaha mencari uang lebih agar bisa menabung untuk liburan di saat-saat terakhir dengan kakaknya. Tetapi Lori juga wanita biasa yang tidak bisa lepas dari pesona Reid. Sadar bahwa Reid tidak akan meliriknya, dia sering bersikap sinis pada Reid. Meski jauh di dalam dirinya, dia menyadari bahwa dia juga ingin menikmati pelukan hangat seorang Reid. Apalagi ketika dia tahu bahwa perawat lain yang direkrut oleh Reid pernah tidur dengan reid, hatinya menginginkan hal yang sama. Lori perpaduan sosok altruis dan egois.
Sementara Reid sendiri mengalami masa-masa terpuruk akibat perbuatannya yang sering tidur dengan banyak wanita. Reid melampiaskannya dengan membuat Lori semakin kesal. Tetapi ternyata interaksi dengan Lori selalu dirindukannya. Hanya dengan Lori dia merasa nyaman sekaligus berarti. Reid bahkan bersedia mencarikan donor bagi Madeline meski itu akan membuatnya harus berhadapan dengan pers yang menakutkan.
Serial ini semakin menarik, dengan menyisakan kisah Dani, anak tiri dari keluarga Buchanans. Dani ingin mencari ayah kandungnya setelah dia mengetahui bahwa tidak ada darah Buchanans mengalir di dalam dirinya. Selain itu dia juga bergumul dengan pekerjaan dan kisah cintanya. Semuanya itu ada di buku #4 sekaligus penutup dari serial The Buchanans.
Seperti yang diceritakan di buku Irresistible - Memikat, Gloria Buchanan mengalami patah pada pinggulnya ketika mendengar kabar tentang Walker Buchanan. Gloria harus menjalani serangkaian perawatan, dan Reid yang bertugas mengatur perawatannya itu. Reid juga yang memilih perawat untuk neneknya. Salah satu perawat yang terpilih adalah Lori Johnson. Jika dilihat dari penampilannya, Lori Johnson mungkin termasuk kriteria wanita yang tidak akan dilirik Reid. Tetapi kualifikasi Lori sangat meyakinkan. Dan itu terbukti hanya Lori yang bisa menaklukkan keangkuhan Gloria. Lori bahkan bisa mengubah Gloria menjadi pribadi yang ramah.
Karakter Lori sendiri cukup unik. Lahir sebagai anak yang tidak diharapkan kehadirannya, membuat Lori selalu mendapatkan perlakuan tidak menyenangkan dari ibunya. Apalagi kakaknya, Madeline adalah sosok yang sempurna. Lori tumbuh dengan keyakinan bahwa dia tidak akan pernah mampu bersaing dengan Madeline. Tetapi Lori adalah wanita yang bisa membereskan segala hal. Dia menjaga keluarganya agar tetap bersatu, dia pula yang membuka rumahnya ketika Madeline mengalami penyakit parah dan ditinggalkan suaminya. Lori berusaha mencari uang lebih agar bisa menabung untuk liburan di saat-saat terakhir dengan kakaknya. Tetapi Lori juga wanita biasa yang tidak bisa lepas dari pesona Reid. Sadar bahwa Reid tidak akan meliriknya, dia sering bersikap sinis pada Reid. Meski jauh di dalam dirinya, dia menyadari bahwa dia juga ingin menikmati pelukan hangat seorang Reid. Apalagi ketika dia tahu bahwa perawat lain yang direkrut oleh Reid pernah tidur dengan reid, hatinya menginginkan hal yang sama. Lori perpaduan sosok altruis dan egois.
Sementara Reid sendiri mengalami masa-masa terpuruk akibat perbuatannya yang sering tidur dengan banyak wanita. Reid melampiaskannya dengan membuat Lori semakin kesal. Tetapi ternyata interaksi dengan Lori selalu dirindukannya. Hanya dengan Lori dia merasa nyaman sekaligus berarti. Reid bahkan bersedia mencarikan donor bagi Madeline meski itu akan membuatnya harus berhadapan dengan pers yang menakutkan.
Serial ini semakin menarik, dengan menyisakan kisah Dani, anak tiri dari keluarga Buchanans. Dani ingin mencari ayah kandungnya setelah dia mengetahui bahwa tidak ada darah Buchanans mengalir di dalam dirinya. Selain itu dia juga bergumul dengan pekerjaan dan kisah cintanya. Semuanya itu ada di buku #4 sekaligus penutup dari serial The Buchanans.
July 24, 2014
This is the first Mallery book I've read where I truly didn't like the main female character. I've read other reviews and they've slammed the lack of backstory (don't start with the third book in a series), and the fact that Penny from Delicious "loves working more than her husband and child." (She never says this. She's a career woman who is anxious to get back to work. I know plenty of driven women who love their children, but are eager to return to work. Just as I know women who gave up the corporate world when they had a child. Neither one is "right" or "better.")
My problem with Lori is that she's downright nasty in an argument. I suppose this can be ascribed to being raised by a nasty drunk, but that's not how she's portrayed. She's supposed to be "above" that kind of behaviour, and super sweet, kind, and caring. But she always hits below the belt.
She's also a self-described plain Jane who lived in the shadow of her older, "perfect" sister. At least three times Mallery writes Lori talking about no longer being bitter, but if you have to keep repeating it, is it really true?
Another review states that there's "a surprise twist about 30 pages from the end." Well, I was reading the book on an eReader, so I don't know exactly what was being referred to (there are two non-standard developments), but I saw both things coming a mile away. No surprises here.
Finally, for some unknown reason, Mallery throws in a hint of a ghost. No, really. Instead of a feeling of warmth or peace settling on Lori, she feels something touching her arm and hears a soft "Be well." What the ever-lovin' heck? If I'd been reading an actual book I would have been tempted to throw it across the room at that point. Utterly ridiculous and unnecessary.
I certainly hope the fourth and final book in the Buchanan series can wash the memory of this book from my mind. Otherwise I'm going to be very disappointed.
My problem with Lori is that she's downright nasty in an argument. I suppose this can be ascribed to being raised by a nasty drunk, but that's not how she's portrayed. She's supposed to be "above" that kind of behaviour, and super sweet, kind, and caring. But she always hits below the belt.
She's also a self-described plain Jane who lived in the shadow of her older, "perfect" sister. At least three times Mallery writes Lori talking about no longer being bitter, but if you have to keep repeating it, is it really true?
Another review states that there's "a surprise twist about 30 pages from the end." Well, I was reading the book on an eReader, so I don't know exactly what was being referred to (there are two non-standard developments), but I saw both things coming a mile away. No surprises here.
Finally, for some unknown reason, Mallery throws in a hint of a ghost. No, really. Instead of a feeling of warmth or peace settling on Lori, she feels something touching her arm and hears a soft "Be well." What the ever-lovin' heck? If I'd been reading an actual book I would have been tempted to throw it across the room at that point. Utterly ridiculous and unnecessary.
I certainly hope the fourth and final book in the Buchanan series can wash the memory of this book from my mind. Otherwise I'm going to be very disappointed.
November 17, 2012
After reading Delicious (Buchanans #1) I immediately read Dani's story because I thought Reid and Walker's stories weren't that interesting, but I was wrong. I loved Reid and Lori's book! It was so easy for me to connect to Lori, we have so much in common. First of all, were both nurses, I have experience with crabby patients and even crabbier patient relatives. If Gloria was my patient...asdjkfhsdjhgfgjdshgf... in other words, I'm amazed with Lori's nursing skills. =) It was her who cracked Gloria's tough shell and also assisted her in making her family love her. It was really nice to see Gloria trying to be pleasant and lovable for her family. Like Lori, I also have an older sister, I understand the feeling of living under someone else's shadow. However, I love my sister! I love reading her diaries and beating her accomplishments! LOL, just kidding! (well, I wasn't kidding about the diary though, she saw me, haha) I was really upset when Madeline (Lori's sister) died on the operating table. =( Reid was...Reid. LOL! In the first book we already know him as a celebrity and a playboy. The book starts with him finding his name flashed in the newspaper stating that he was lousy in bed.
Anyway, my questions in book 4 were answered here. We found out that the change in Gloria's behavior started here. Also, we learned that it was Gary (the ex-priest) who gave an idea for Dani to find her biological father.
I really enjoyed reading this series and I promise to read Walker's book (Buchanan #2).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2013
I'm wary of Susan Mallery, as I did not like very much the first book I read from her, number 1 in this Buchanan series. Following recommendations of a good friend, I had tried and liked another one.
When I stumbled across this one at my usual book thriftstore, seeing the hero was a former athlete, I decided to give it a chance.
Bad idea.
The hero is a perfect spoilt self-serving inconsiderate and immature person. His two brothers, one sister and two sisters-in-law are not better for not being able to have him take his head of his a.. It required a nurse who had not seen the series Ugly Betty and managed to dress-down and make herself look way uglier than she could have been to begin to set him straight. Begin only and without any real chance of success, as later on, after finding 2 fans naked in his bed, what did he do? He went all quivering and afraid that his belle should leave him for that and left her clean the mess and tell the girls to pack, dress and go. OMG, what a wimp.
The heroine was in fact not better: always the first to put the blame and find the many faults in any person she had to deal with, not that she was always wrong, but her way of putting it showed a real lack of delicacy or humanity. And obviously never looking at herself or even accepting to breach the topic of her own blemishes. Her main problem being her total lack of self-respect and confidence.
Last thing that might be only me, I really hate it when women not 30 yet start to complain all the time of the biological clock ticking.
Really not sure that I'll pick another one from her again.
When I stumbled across this one at my usual book thriftstore, seeing the hero was a former athlete, I decided to give it a chance.
Bad idea.
The hero is a perfect spoilt self-serving inconsiderate and immature person. His two brothers, one sister and two sisters-in-law are not better for not being able to have him take his head of his a.. It required a nurse who had not seen the series Ugly Betty and managed to dress-down and make herself look way uglier than she could have been to begin to set him straight. Begin only and without any real chance of success, as later on, after finding 2 fans naked in his bed, what did he do? He went all quivering and afraid that his belle should leave him for that and left her clean the mess and tell the girls to pack, dress and go. OMG, what a wimp.
The heroine was in fact not better: always the first to put the blame and find the many faults in any person she had to deal with, not that she was always wrong, but her way of putting it showed a real lack of delicacy or humanity. And obviously never looking at herself or even accepting to breach the topic of her own blemishes. Her main problem being her total lack of self-respect and confidence.
Last thing that might be only me, I really hate it when women not 30 yet start to complain all the time of the biological clock ticking.
Really not sure that I'll pick another one from her again.
June 5, 2011
Well, this third book in the BUCHANANS is definitely not "sizzling", but it sure is sweet.
SIZZLING is a feel-good romance about the plain jane and the celebrity playboy falling in love. If you have read the previous books in the series, you can appreciate the trials and tribulations family members have experienced at the hands of the bitchy matriarch of the Buchanan family...whew! She certainly is a handful, but she becomes somewhat more tolerable in this installment.
The plot in the series thickens and there are loads of new developments in this book. I highly recommend it! SIZZLING is a nice change of pace if you read a lot of naughty stuff and certainly no less satisfying. If a sweet romance read is what you are in the mood for, then snatch up this little gem and you are sure to enjoy it!
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
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SIZZLING is a feel-good romance about the plain jane and the celebrity playboy falling in love. If you have read the previous books in the series, you can appreciate the trials and tribulations family members have experienced at the hands of the bitchy matriarch of the Buchanan family...whew! She certainly is a handful, but she becomes somewhat more tolerable in this installment.
The plot in the series thickens and there are loads of new developments in this book. I highly recommend it! SIZZLING is a nice change of pace if you read a lot of naughty stuff and certainly no less satisfying. If a sweet romance read is what you are in the mood for, then snatch up this little gem and you are sure to enjoy it!
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
___________________________________________________
If you like this type of book, you might enjoy one of these groups. Check us out!
Menage Readers
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April 11, 2012
5 STARS
One Review, One Gif
(All my reviews will have a gif that represents my feelings on that book, followed by a brief(or not) comment)
My gif. review on Sizzling, by Susan Mallery
Susan Mallery is a GENIUS.
There are no words to describe how amazing this novel is. My absolute favorite of Mallery's so far. :)
5 stars is not *effing* enough for this book!
One Review, One Gif
(All my reviews will have a gif that represents my feelings on that book, followed by a brief
My gif. review on Sizzling, by Susan Mallery
Susan Mallery is a GENIUS.
There are no words to describe how amazing this novel is. My absolute favorite of Mallery's so far. :)
May 10, 2010
I won't give a full review here but I will say that this book was good. I liked this one the best so far out of the series. I thought Walker was the man but Reid was a hottie! More so I loved Lori. She was a great heroine. She was smart and funny. I liked how she dealt with Gloria so I knew Reid was going to fall hard for her. She had concerns with her appearance (it did get annoying after a while). My only problem was that they kept going to Dani and it annoyed me slightly. Though poor Dani, can never get a break. I don't want to give the end away but I actually had tears in my eyes, I totally did not expect that. Wow! Good read!
February 12, 2010
This is cute. I found the book a little easier to swallow than some of the bakery sisters books. It had everything you would want in a mainstream romance - sexy leading man (who is nice and caring from the get-go) and a relate-able heroine. What's not to love?
August 13, 2015
3.5 Stars
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