Heat of the Moment [Mass Market Paperback]

Jessica Hall (Author), aka S. L. Viehl (Author), aka Lynn Viehl (Author), aka Gena Hale (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 5, 2004

A serial arsonist has struck again, torching a New Orleans bar and killing fifteen people, including the wife of a Mafia crime boss. His next victim is a beautiful socialite set aflame in her Mercedes. Detective Teresa Vincent is assigned the case and she teams up with Fire Marshall Cort Gamble, the sexy creole who is tops on the list of New Orleans most eligible bachelors. Cort is rumored to have mob connections, but it's his connection to Terri that's too hot to forget-a past as sultry as a Louisiana summer night. Now they're shadowing a killer with an unfathomable motive of revenge: to finish off every woman Cort ever loved in a trial by fire.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Hall returns to New Orleans with a great story involving Cort Gamble, brother of policeman J. D. from Into the Fire [BKL F 15 04]. J. D.'s partner, Terri Vincent, is forced to work with fire marshal Cort, the last man she wants to see after a night of passion both would like to, but cannot, forget. But there's no escape once Terri is transferred to the organized crime unit, where the unit commander wants to use her to nail Cort for suspected Mob activity. Soon they're dealing with a vicious serial arsonist who deliberately targets women, and not only is Terri tapped to play Cort's girlfriend as bait, worse yet, she has to look like a society debutante. Hall's latest is an irresistible, if dark and violent, story of tormented protagonists from opposite sides of the tracks with an overwhelming sexual attraction, an action romance featuring a wildly implausible but thrilling sex scene involving a speeding motorcycle. Hall leaves readers wanting more as fast as she can write them. Mary K. Chelton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Jessica Hall has something magical (Linda Howard) Steamy. (Lisa Jackson) Soul-deep...and wild. (Catherine Coulter)

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 294 pages
• Publisher: Onyx (October 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451411587
• ISBN-13: 978-0451411587
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #320,763 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What can I say, Terri and Cort are.....explosive together!!, October 18, 2004

By 

S. Trezvant "Book Addict" (Mississippi) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heat of the Moment (Mass Market Paperback)

I couldn't wait until this book was released, the first book "Into the Fire," featuring Cortland's brother J.D. was equally as good, all because of the love/hate relationship between Terri and Cort. Cort couldn't deny his feelings for Terri in the first book and Terri couldn't deny the love she's had for Cort since she met him when she graduated the police academy with J.D. In the "Heat of the Moment," literally, the "sparks" continue as Terri and Cort team up to catch a serial arsonist. Terri as tough as ever, and butts head with Cort once again, but they soon learn to trust one another. Terri having sex with Cort on her Harley motorcycle! Now, how trusting can you get! All I can say is Wow!! Terri also undergoes a makeover from head to toe, which all I could say was "It's about time!" She needed it "bad" in my opinion. Overall the book was exceptionally good, from the drama to the suspense to the romance. This book keeps you on the edge of you seat. Ms. Hall, I can't wait for the your next book!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Heat Is Explosive And You Won't Want To Miss It!!!, December 16, 2004

By 

Kristi Ahlers (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heat of the Moment (Mass Market Paperback)

This is the first time I've ever read anything by Ms. Hall, and needless to say I've gone and ordered her entire backlist after reading this story. I came to this story not being aware of the foundation that had been laid in the previous title "Into The Fire" so I was unaware of the previous relationship between our hero Cort and our sassy heroine Terri. This was not a problem and in fact was what prompted me to purchase her other books.

Cort and Terri have a certain chemistry that pulls them together even though they try so hard to fight what they both want. Terri is a first rate police detective and Cort is the fire marshal they are brought together yet again due to the case that they are both working on. Ex-girlfriends of Cort's are finding themselves being killed by a serial arsonist. Why is he targeting Cort? Terri is assigned to act as his "fiancée" and this is going to be easier said than done. Terri rides a Harley and fishes. She is not into the clothes, make-up, and hair that good society girls are into. This could be a problem...a big one.

Cort and Terri are wonderfully complex characters. I truly enjoyed how their story unfolded. There is a section of the book that reminded me of a portion of "Miss Congeniality" and was a wonderfully funny part of the story that truly showed us Terri at her best. The suspense portion of the story was very intense and managed to keep the reader in the dark until the final unveiling. If you like authors such as Linda Howard, and Julie Garwood, than you are going to like Ms. Hall. This is one author that I have no trouble recommending.

Official Reviewer for www.romancedesigns.com

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Really 4 1/2 stars, January 7, 2006

By 

Idalis "Bookalicious" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heat of the Moment (Mass Market Paperback)

Just think Miss Congeniality and this is what youve got. Terri is a humorous smart ass, tomboy cop who comes from the Bayou and Cort is a reserved Alpha Male who comes from a wealthy family. Both try to fight their feelings for each other between finding a murderer and having sexy interactions.

I love love love Terri, she is sooo damn funny, (and not in that generic humorous way that most authors try to fork off on readers , this is good writing)I found myself trying to remember her wisecracks and saving them for myself. Hall is able to develop such a rich character in Terri when it seems some authors dont bother with the effort. Usually you get the virtuous cinderalla who says and does all she needs to do in order to keep the story going. Terri's character was not like that, youll love this story not only for its sexual chemistry and action but also for Terri, great `character, my favorite.