Customer Reviews

The Heat Is On (Harlequin Blaze)

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Jill Shalvis pens another sultry read in The Heat Is On.

Bella Manchelli thought she could handle a smoking hot one night stand. She would have if a body hadn't appeared the next day outside her place of employment. To make matters even worse is her one nighter is the cop assigned to the murder.

Detective Jacob Madden was still thinking of the woman that rocked his world when he shows up to a dead body at Edible Bliss Cakes and Pastries. Sitting in the middle of it all is delectable Bella Manchelli. Jacob knows Bella is innocent but something is going on with the men that Bella had previously dated.

Jacob bows out as the lead detective on the case in order to protect Bella. Spending so much time with her makes him realize that she may be the one he has been looking for all his life. But Bella is a rolling stone can he be enough to make her stay?

As the bodies start to pile up will their new found relationship survive?

The Heat Is On is packed with sizzling heat and heartfelt emotions. Jill Shalvis seamlessly blends the romance with the suspense. This book will keep you guessing until the very end. I am looking forward to the other Madden brother's stories.

Let me get this random thought out of the way first...the character's names. Bella...Jacob; Bella...Jacob...Whaaaa??? Wait was I reading Twilight this week LOL? You think this means Ms. Shalvis is Team Jacob?

In this day and age of social networking and hooking up, on-line dating seems like the perfect way for Bella Manchelli and Jacob Madden to meet. In The Heat is On, Bella's experience can best be summed up by: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

The Good:

As someone who never stays in one place long enough to get bored, you meet a group of guys (no last names required), have fun and then move on since you have no interest in any long term commitment to tie you down. If you're really lucky, you meet a tall, dark and drop-dead sexy guy, get your freak-on on the first date and slink away before that morning after awkwardness descends. Saving the best for last...date #8 was GRRREAT!

The Bad:

The men of dates #1-#7 are getting shot at and when one of them is discovered murdered at the back door of your place of employment...turns out they weren't quite so lucky and now neither are you.

The Ugly:

You have a deranged stalker after you determined to eliminate the competition for your affections so he can have you all to himself.

Back to The Good: The cop investigating the murder? Well it's none other than Jacob Madden...hot, sexy date #8. Imagine his surprise when he turns up in cop mode the "morning after" only to discover you really weren't planning on moving to Siberia like you told him and are in fact, at the center of his police investigation.

The Heat is On is a quick easy read, with lots of sizzle and a nice balance between the romance and suspense action. Shalvis' trademark witty style of writing is of course always a plus.

Got a few hours to kill? Don't spend it trolling those on-line dating sites...read The Heat is On!

I am a big Jill Shalvis fan and have read quite a few of her books. This latest book is about a pastry chef Bella who lives a nomadic life from place to place. Her current destination is Southern CA. Because of her moving, she doesn't have many friends and accepts to go on a series of blind dates. Eight dates in Eight Days.... after 7 unsuccessful dates, she is about to give up when her Date 8 or Jacob turns out to be great! The attraction is hot between them and they have a one-night stand. The next morning after Bella sneaks out of Jacob's house, a dead man is on her front steps. Detective Jacob AKA Date 8 shows up to investigate. A string of dead people start showing up and Bella is the common factor. Can they they find the person responsible for all the murders? Is Bella a victim or the killer? Will Jacob act on his attraction towards Bella even though she seems to be complete opposite of what he is?

This was a very quick read. Highly enjoyable! Hot!

Bella Manchelli is used to moving from place to place, and that is how she has chosen to live her life, never putting down roots. Too bad it feels like the little California town she has found herself in just might be the place. Especially if she has more dates like she did last night. In the realm of one-night stands this might be the best one ever. Now she is at work, wearing a huge smile on her face, and looking for the caffeine. What happens next will change her life though. While working, she hears a noise out back and finds a dead body. The day could only get better right? Well it turns out her scrumptious one-night stand is none other than a local detective.

Detective Jacob Madden is all about his job, to the detriment of his love life. So when he gets set up with the date with Bella he goes through with it. The fact he had fun and they had serious chemistry is just a bonus. That is, until he sees that the person who found the dead body is Bella. Now he can't seem to concentrate on anything but keeping Bella safe, and in his bed.

When it is determined that the killer wants pieces of Bella's "eight dates in eight nights", is Jacob ready to be the next target? More importantly can either face the feelings they are developing for each other and what it will mean to their lives?

Another fantastic offering from Ms. Shalvis is the first thing that came to me after listening to The Heat is On. In Ms. Shalvis's normal crisp writing style her characters have spunk and you can almost see them as if you were watching their lives from afar. You are given a couple of clues in the `who done it' part of the story, but overall it is paced fast enough I just wanted to hear what would happen next. I Joyfully Recommend listening to, and or reading, The Heat is On.

Tanya

Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed