Too Hot to Handle releases tomorrow, 5/17!
Synopsis:
When rescue looks like a whole lot of trouble . . .
The road trip was definitely a bad idea. Having already flambéed her culinary career beyond recognition, Rita Clarkson is now stranded in God-Knows-Where, New Mexico, with a busted-ass car and her three temperamental siblings, who she hasn’t seen in years. When rescue shows up—six-feet-plus of hot, charming sex on a motorcycle—Rita’s pretty certain she’s gone from the frying pan right into the fire . . .
Jasper Ellis has a bad boy reputation in this town, and he loathes it. The moment he sees Rita, though, Jasper knows he’s about to be sorely tempted. There’s something real between them. Something raw. And Jasper has only a few days to show Rita that he isn’t just for tonight—he’s forever.
My Review:
Too Hot to Handle is the first book in a new series by one of my fave authors of all time: Tessa Bailey. You know, I always get a little nervous excitement when an author I love starts a new series. I mean, what if the dynamic between the characters that I’ve grown to love over other series isn’t the same or what if the chemistry between the hero and heroine isn’t as hot an all-consuming? I now know that I should never worry about that when it come to Tessa Bailey. This book was freaking amazing and kicks off a series I am already dying for more of.
Since you can get a synopsis of what this book is all about above, I’ll dive right into what I loved about this story…
First off, I’m the oldest of four and I certainly know my fair share of sibling dysfunction, and we are all considered close by sibling standards. But sometimes time and life and feelings get in the way and you end up not really knowing the people you shared life and a home with for too many years to count. On that level alone I connected deeply with this story. But going beyond that, I loved the two main characters in this book: Rita and Jasper. Two strangers almost destined to meet. Each running away from their pasts and looking for a new start, but not really knowing how to get one, or even if they deserve it. They are both at a crossroads: Jasper looking to shed his reputation as a ladies man and aiming to be a serious business owner and Rita looking to just find direction in her life, whether it be in the kitchen doing what she’s trained to do or finding something entirely different. Both of them just want to be happy and content and at peace for once. Comfortable in their own skin, if you will. Fate really knew what she was doing when she put these two on a collision course and I couldn’t have loved their story any more if I tried. From start to finish their relationship is a journey of self discovery and learning how amazing the connection they’ve found is. Oh, there are stumbles along the way, but it just reinforced how amazing they are together. When one of them stumbles, the other person is there to pick them up, wipe off the dirt, and start again. Truly, they are an amazing couple.
Now, onto the rest of the Clarkson crew. I can’t get enough! They’re all different colors making up the same rainbow and each painted with their own shade of screwed up and I am in love with each one of them. As I said earlier, this is a series I am DYING for more of!
I also have to give mention of how amazing Miriam, the Clarkson sibling’s mother, is. She may not be with them in the physical sense any longer, but her journal and the thoughts she shares with all of them had me sobbing like a complete loon and I loved it. The legacy and gift she is leaving with them is incredible (and yes, I’m crying again just thinking about it).
Just when I think I know Tessa’s writing style like the back of my hand she goes and switches things up a bit and it makes me appreciate her stellar writing skill that much more. Make no mistake, her signature heat and dirty talk is still there but there’s a different feel to this book that I just loved. It’s like with each new series she dreams up, there’s an individual feel and I am blown away anew.
Thank you, Tessa, for this amazing kick-off to another must read series of mine!
Five Loves
Book links:
About the author:
Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.
Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.
She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eight years and four-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.
Visit her website for more info
Thanks for the review. Going to have to have this one!
You’ll LOVE it 🙂
Can’t wait to read this one! ❤️ One of my favorite authors and she never disappoints!
I can’t wait to hear what you think when you read it. I loooove me some Tessa, too! Thanks so much for stopping by, btw. It means a lot <3
The course of true love never did run smooth. – William Shakespeare