Customer Reviews

Hard to Handle (SBC Fighters, Book 3)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Harley Handleman has built his entire life to the end goal of being the SBC extreme fighting champion. He has been close, but life always interferes with his plans. After his latest disappointment, he rents a remote cabin to rehab and get his head together.

Life Coach Anastasia Bradley is Harley's landlord. They have met in passing several times, but after an unexpected encounter, he is seeing her in a new light. She is reluctant to get involved with him because his womanizing ways are legendary. Women flock to him, and she is determined not to be one of them.

When an attempt is made on Stasia's life, Harley makes it his mission to keep her safe. While he refuses her help to gain focus and get his life in order, she inadvertently has an effect on him.

I liked this book - well written! Harley is all alpha male, strong and sexy. Stasia is also strong, focused, and unpredictable. I really like that she doesn't fall at his feet, and remains her own person. That is sometimes difficult to do when surrounded by such a commanding presence like Harley. I also am glad that Barber, Dean, Eve, and the gang were involved in the story. It wouldn't be the same without them.

After reading 'Simon Says', I was quick to pick this one up. 'Simon Says' was a great book: good primary and secondary characters, believable plot, etc... I was excited to find out what happened to Harley Handleman and Barber but this book fell very flat in telling both of their stories. After many stops and starts, I finally managed to finish the book and was left with the same ugh feeling I had when I started it. Without much dexterity, this book intertwines the story of Harley+Stasia and Barber+Jasmine.

In a nut shell... Stasia was fairly annoying, and the resolution of her stalker situation was quick, pat and totally out of left field. Harley's bondage fetish wasn't overdone (thank goodness), but his total about-face from male ho to one-woman-man was too abrupt. I was most disappointed by the secondary plot with Barber - he was one of my favorite characters from 'Simon Says', definitely excellent trashy romance novel hero material. In this book, he starts out sleeping around as much as humanly possible (he and Harley could compete in a sluttiest man contest), whines a little bit about losing Dakota to Simon, then meets Jasmine and promptly forgets both the male slut contest and Dakota. Jasmine wasn't much of a character; if she'd had more page space I probably would have liked her. I haven't read 'Causing Havoc' so I can't say how that compares, but this book was definitely not a good follow-up to 'Simon Says'.

Harley "Hard to Handle" Handleman is determined that nothing is going to stop him this time from achieving his ultimate goal of gaining the SBC title belt. In the past, personal misfortunes have kept him from even entering the ring for a title fight. This time nothing, absolutely nothing is going to stop Harley, especially not trouble with women... But when Harley meets Anastasia, all his plans are thrown out the window because as much as Harley would like to forget Anastasia, she seems to have taken permanent residence in his brain and in his fevered dreams.

Anastasia Kelley has known Harley casually for a long time, since she has been renting him a cabin during the winter months for several years. Even though Anastasia is really attracted to Harley, she knows his reputation and isn't eager to become another notch on his bedpost. Still, when chance throws them together and Anastasia sees a way to be close to Harley and help him reach his goals, she jumps at the chance.

As fate brings Harley and Anastasia closer together by chance and manipulation, they must battle against an unknown person threatening Anastasia and Harley's tendency to rigidly control his emotions... Will they ever manage to come together and make it work?

Hard to Handle is another fun romp into the SBC and the community of fighters that band together like a brotherhood when the need arises outside of the ring. As we have come to expect, Ms. Foster delivers characters who are flawed, but appealing, and a light plot full of humor and wit that will keep you entertained from start to finish. Harley is the ultimate Alpha male who will delight, entertain and frustrate you by turns while keeping the sexual tension high enough to singe you. Anastasia, on the other hand, is not your typical woman. She refuses to trip over herself in an effort to capture Harley's attention, which in itself serves to catch Harley's eye. These two spend a large part of the book dancing around each other and the attraction they feel, but when they finally come together, it will leave you sweating and reaching for a drink to cool down! However, there are some parts of the plot that are slightly predictable, but as always, Lori Foster will have you too busy with her characters' foibles and witty secondary characters to care too much for the flaws of the book. Pick up Hard to Handle for a funny and entertaining read that will leave your romantic heart well satisfied!

Sabella
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

I love Lori Foster's books and this one doesn't make me change my mind. But I've noticed a trend recently that is prominent in this book. And that is the trend of having multiple story lines going in one book. Sometimes it works, most times it doesn't. And, for me, I'd have to say it doesn't really work in this one. Not because any of the stories are bad, but because I think Barber should have had his own book. And so should Anastasia and Harley, the main characters of this book. There were several chapters where they didn't show up at all. Of course, this is not the first time she's done this, but it's the first time that it bothered me. I think the problem here was it was carried just a little bit too far and too much time was spent with other couples. And as good as the stories may be or as much as I like the characters, when you jump from one story to another I really do think it can take something from the main story. Perhaps they think readers will be bored with just one story line and they feel they have to cram two or three plots in one book. Some might like that, but I'm getting a bit tired of it myself.

As for Harley Handleman being a bit unpleasant or the stories being told from the male perspective, I can go with that fine. This whole series is basically about the SBC and the world of fighters. I actually find that aspect of the books intriguing even if I don't always find the things they say or do agreeable. And eventually they do become one woman men. At least to the end of the book.

It was nice seeing all the characters from previous books and catching up with how they're doing. I really do love Ms. Foster's writing. She can do a love scene like nobody's business. I just wish it hadn't taken quite so long for Harley and Stasia to get together. Maybe because of Harley's hangups that was required, but it was as frustrating for me as it was for him to wait that long. And I didn't feel like we got any resolution to the Uncle Satch problem of trying to run Harley's life. Seems to me that things were pretty much going to continue to be the same. Which is actually kind of novel since most things get resolved in romance books, but again...a bit frustrating.

So all in all, another good Lori Foster novel but with enough problems I had to take away some stars. If you like Lori Foster books you'll like this one too, but some of you might not like it quite as much as her other books. But that's fine. She's so good that even a book with problems is heads above most of the other books out there.

Normally I love Lori Foster, but this book is just bad. There's no romance between the characters, you don't feel a connection between them at all. This book seems to be more about the hero's career as a fighter than his romance with the heroine. Not a romance novel at all...

I love Lori Foster and the other books about the SBC have been really fast and enjoyable reads. I was really looking forward to reading this book, the teaser chapters on her website made this book a must buy for me. However, I found myself flipping through the book trying to get to places with Anastasia and Harley in it. I did not like the fact that the book titled Hard to Handle, was mostly about Barber and his love life. I agree with other reviewers that the book loses its focus on the main characters. If you flip almost to the end of the book, you can see where Anastasia and Harley finally get together, and it only took about 200 pages or so. I did not like this book at all and am sorry I rushed to the bookstore to buy it.

Lori Foster delivers an all out sexy one two punch in Hard To Handle.

Harley Handleman, an extreme fighter hasn't had many breaks in his fighting career. He retreats to his rental cabin in the mountains for training and some much needed R&R. Harley has always enjoyed the give and take of conversations with his landlady, Anastasia Bradley. He has always put the attraction he feels for her on the back burner but this time something has changed.

Anastasia Bradley, a life couch has taken some down time to reflect after trouble with her last client. Stasia has always looked forward to Harley being back in town but up until this visit she has ignored her feelings for him. When some startling close calls happen to her Harley becomes her shadow. As Harley tries to keep Stasia safe their attraction cannot be denied. They both are strong people who have overcome diversity to excel but the past does linger in them.

Hard to Handle is another exceptional story by Lori Foster. Harley and Stasia are compelling characters that you really want to get to know better. They will touch your heart with their love for their friends and family. Their chemistry is smoking hot and their conversations are lighting quick. I always count the days till the next Lori Foster book comes out on the shelves.

I just started reading romance books in general last year because of Lori Foster. I picked up Causing Havoc at my Target and really have liked her work and have become a bit of a romance addict. I have gone back since then and have read a bunch of her earlier work.

So, as soon as it the new SBC book came out, I bought it the first day and she does not disappoint. If you like Lori Foster and like the SBC stuff you will love this book. Kind of a likely story. Harley has been burned and is afraid to open himself up. But Stasia is refreshing and trying to be independent. The old gang is back together and its fun to see what happened to Simon and Dakota and Dean and Eve. The Barber stuff was entertaining as well. Overall, even though its a basic romance plot, Lori Foster makes it pop and I stayed up till the wee hours finishing it.

The only critism I have is I wasnt entirely conviced of the reasoning and the timing of the threats against Stasia. Based on who is revealed as the culprit, it seemed off and splotchy (I dont want to give anything away in a review). And the ending seemed a bit rushed. But that is the way some of these books are, its all build up (and good build up for this one) and then bam its over.

HARD TO HANDLE is the story of Harley Handleman, yet another gorgeously beefy SBC fighter who has taken some time off from fighting to strengthen himself mentally and physically after three failed title attempts and the untimely death of his mother. Harley rents an isolated cabin from Anastasia Bradley, but has never really paid much attention to his landlady. That is, until he sees her out of the bulky coats and heavy clothing that she usually dons, and then every inch of him stands up and takes notice. Stasia knows of Harley's wild ways with women and although she finds him very attractive, being the wise woman she is, refuses to be taken in by his charm. When Stasia is the victim of an unknown attacker, Harley is determined to keep her safe, but he refuses to get close enough to let her get a read on him.

Anastasia is a professional life coach, guiding her clients through difficult situations and helping them discover the best direction for their future. She finds Harley in serious need of guidance and understanding and offers assistance, but he dismisses her, unwilling to share that part of his life. When threats are made against Stasia, she reluctantly accepts Harley's offer of protection, but only to a degree that allows her to maintain independence and control. Harley's Uncle Satch, his manager and the person closest to him, requests her help and she reluctantly agrees, not realizing that she has been misled. It's a given that Harley and Stasia will become intimate, but immediately after they do so, a serious misunderstanding erupts, dividing them. Stasia then realizes that she's in love with Harley. The trouble is, she knows that he has no interest in sharing his feelings, or his life, with anyone else.

Lori Foster fans practically hyperventilate over any upcoming release; this one will have them grabbing for paper sacks. This series has been incredibly popular, whether readers are ultimate fighting fans or not. I think it's Lori's eager to please "I know what you want" heroes, and her no nonsense "But I don't need you" heroines. It's a potent combination that readers simply can't seem to get enough of. Harley and Stasia are excellently written, and visits from characters of the previous books are great fun. The side romance of the ever popular Barber is heady stuff - an especially sweet little bonus. Lori's regular readers most likely already have this book on order or in their hot little hands, but in the event you haven't - what are you waiting for?

I really liked the first couple of chapters. If you've dated around you've met a Harley or twenty. He's a totally believable character for the sport. I knew a welter weight boxer for a while in my twenties. The man would leave a party after two beers to go home and sleep because it was time for sleeping. He studied his opponent's style but not his opponent. Anastasia is a little more fantasy-inspired I think. In the first scene between the two you get a glimmering of what attracts Harley's attention to her, but it never gets fleshed out. The reason this book gets 4 stars not 5 is that I'm so utterly disappointed that Anastasia got underdeveloped as a character. I couldn't ever really seem to get to know her or what made her tick. I liked her at first, was interested in getting to know her. Confident. Sure of herself -but NOT a tomboy? Tell me more! Then everyone in the SBC world shows up on the scene and Harley and Stasia blend into the scenery until it's time for the love-story wrap-up. Yawn. Read that a thousand times before. Oh well. Foster writes well. You don't want to get out your red pen and it never made me want to scream don't you have an editor?!?! as I read pages on end of who-cares-about-this drivel. It's worth a Saturday afternoon of your time. Little too steamy for the airport or the pool lounger imho.

In all, I think I might get the previous two books. If only to figure out who all the other people in the story were and why I had to read about how much the bartender digs his wife for a couple chapters. (I was irritated but the guy catches you up in his enthusiasm. You are distracted from the main plot, but you don't mind it.)