Customer Reviews

Hot As Hell

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Lexy Stuart has had it with her fiancé, Noah Paxton. He may be smart and insanely gorgeous, but he keeps secrets from her; secrets like the fact that he was married once before. With that not-so-little straw breaking the camel's back, Lexy packs up and heads off to a fitness spa in southern Utah. Fortunately, or unfortunately for Lexy, Noah is hot on her heels. He's determined to bring her back with him, and he's not leaving until she agrees to marry him again. Arguments lead to heightened sexual tension and when a dead body turns up in Lexy's room at the resort she has no choice but to ask for Noah's aid in discovering who the killer is. Being in close quarters leaves little room for resisting old passions and emotions that never did die. Lexy and Noah's time in the desert is about to get a whole lot hotter.

I have a confession to make: I picked up Hot as Hell because I liked the cover. Happily, this book proves that you sometimes can judge a book by its cover. HenlenKay Dimon has penned a sexy, exhilarating tale with a hero who is, indeed, hot as hell.

I love Noah. He was intelligent, protective, and sinfully good looking. Yet Noah isn't perfect. His past has left its mark on him, and while it causes Noah to make mistakes in his relationship with Lexy, my heart broke for him all the same. Lexy, however, took a while to grow on me. While I understood why she left Noah in the first place, after a while her words and actions were not only desperate, but felt unreasonable as well. Perhaps this is because I also saw things from Noah's point of view, but nevertheless I was impatient with Lexy at times. Yet, the end, her love for Noah won me over and I was unable to put Hot as Hell down because I wanted to see the two find happiness with one another.

Danger around every corner lends excitement to the tale. It also brings in a few intriguing characters, one of whom is Lexy's brother, Gray. I hope Ms. Dimon writes a book for Gray one day, particularly if the sparks between him and a certain blonde police detective lead anywhere. Overall, I enjoyed Hot as Hell. It's a wickedly sensual, action-packed romance that is truly entertaining.

Shayna
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

HelenKay, I'm rootin' for ya, I truly am. But this book left me wanting more as I read it.

There was a lot of TALK about Noah's past; just not enough detail. I kept waiting for some deeper insight and it never came.

And what was Lexy's job? I hardly knew until the end when her brother finally started to play hardball with her.

I felt like the book was written in a hurry. There were a few small errors that no editors picked up on. That's not really a big deal. But it is a big deal when the characters don't know what they are saying. There was a section where Lexy was having some thoughts on a subject; then suddenly they were Noah's thoughts. That was confusing and just made me feel like you were writing the book to meet a deadline.

There also could have been more depth into the Noah/Grey/Dex relationship. I would've liked to get to know them better so that I would have a vested interest in the story when Dex turned out to be a dick.

To sum it up, the book lacked depth and, as a result, realism. All of this doesn't mean I won't read future books; I will. Because HelenKay has lots of potential. I just think she needs to get under the surface a bit more.

Description from the back of the book:
She's mad as hell.
He's hot as hell.
The desert may not be big enough for both of them...

Tell me more...
Lexy Stuart is nobody's fool...not since she wised up to the fact that her fiancé, Noah Paxton, wasn't just sporting the hardest bod this side of the Ironman competition. No, he was also harboring enough secrets to make a CIA operative blush. Little things he never thought worth mentioning like, oh, a previous marriage. So, Lexy gave back the ring--with extreme prejudice--and made sandy tracks straight to a remote desert spa. Problem is, with a man like Noah, a girl can run, but she can't hide. Nor does she particularly want to...

Alexa Annabeth Stuart. The stuffy name couldn't be less suitable for a woman as fiery and free as Noah's Lexy. And Lexy is his--always will be--the tricky part will be getting her to realize it. Of course, Noah's always up for a challenge. Which is a good thing, since between the crazy heat at this god-forsaken "retreat" and the looks Lexy's shooting him (not to mention the shockwaves he's getting from her hot-pink bikini), winning his ex back could be one dangerous mission. But if Noah doesn't survive it, well, he intends to die a very satisfied man...

My View:
For the most part, I liked this book. I could easily fall in love with Noah for the cover picture alone, but more to the point I liked his character and all the complexities that went along with him. I even liked Lexy's brother, Grey. He is someone I'd love to see in an upcoming book. Lexy, however, was a problem for me. Noah and Lexy were together for two years and she agreed to the marriage proposal and then decided she didn't like his secrets. At times during the story I wanted to shake her. The author gave her some great characteristics, and I liked the part about her messy lifestyle and even the history of her parents. The problem was she didn't just come out and tell Noah what her true problem was. The other thing I thought was unbelievable was that she didn't immediately go to her brother when she thought Noah had stolen from the client. It seemed out of character for her. The reason why I gave this book such a high mark was because the book was humorous, I loved the sex scenes, as well as the ending.

Things are definitely scorching in HelenKay Dimon's newest release, HOT AS HELL. Noah and Lexy are the perfect couple; or so they thought. Lies and secrets have tarnished their once blissful relationship and neither thinks that they will ever overcome their differences.

Noah Paxton has finally caught up with Alexa, his missing ex-fiancé. After a diligent search, he finds her vacationing at a fitness spa in the desert. Noah is HOT AS HELL, and he wants to get to the bottom of why Lexy left him and took important and confidential records with her. After all, he trusted her implicitly, and to find out he is wrong about her doesn't sit well with him.

Alexa Stuart has come to this desert spa with the hopes of finding out why Noah, her now ex-fiancé, kept important secrets from her. Lexy gave Noah many chances during their whirlwind relationship to tell her exactly what he was doing and why. When Noah wouldn't admit to his secret activities, Lexy had no choice but to end their engagement and their relationship. Returning his ring was one of the hardest things Lexy has ever done, but she had no choice. Though she loves Noah, without his trust - and her lack of trust in him - what kind of marriage could they possibly have?

When a dead body is found in Lexy's room, she has no choice but to involve Noah. Working to clear their names as suspects of this senseless murder, they will stop at nothing in order to find the true culprit. Who said anything in life is easy, right?

HelenKay Dimon once again has penned an extremely compelling and well written romantic suspense novel with HOT AS HELL. This talented author effortlessly combines scorching hot loves scenes, tender displays of affection, and wickedly funny humor. These elements smoothly blend together to make a compellingly addictive read.

Speaking of addictive - Noah Paxton has to be one of the finest, most sexy male characters I have read about this year. He loves Lexy - that isn't the issue. He is protective of her and does not want her involved in dangerous things. That's just Noah's character. While I agree that his heart is in the right place, I think his inability to trust Lexy at the beginning of the book is realistic to today's men, and therefore I knew it wouldn't sit well with Lexy. Noah has his reasons for not involving Lexy, most of which are he doesn't want her to see him as anything but the man she loves. Her safety means everything to him, and his ultimate goal is keeping the woman he loves safe.

Lexy is a stroke of pure genius on HelenKay Dimon's part. Her characterization is so witty and charming that she won me over in the first scene of the book. Lexy has her own reasons for breaking up with Noah though she continues to love him. She finds his inability to trust her so important that she risks her heart to somehow make him see that she is not a hothouse flower and that she is the woman who loves him no matter what.

HOT AS HELL combines powerful imagery and steamy love scenes to make for a sultry and sensual read. Having read Ms. Dimon before, I knew I was in for a witty and surprising read and I was not disappointed. I recommend fans running, not walking, to the nearest bookstore and quickly snatching this engaging and delightful novel off the shelf. They won't be sorry!

Natalie S.

I am amazed that the other reviewers liked this book. I have liked this authers books in the past, but I found it hard to stay awake for this one. The characters were childish and shallow. The plot was slow and uneventful. I was actually hoping that they would finally decide they were totally wrong for each other and put us all out of our misery. This book contains no interesting characters, no snappy dialog and no good plot. Save your money!

Noah Paxton has finally caught up with Alexa, his missing ex-fiancé. After a diligent search, he finds her vacationing at a fitness spa in the desert. Noah is HOT AS HELL, and he wants to get to the bottom of why Lexy left him and took important and confidential records with her. After all, he trusted her implicitly, and to find out he is wrong about her doesn't sit well with him.

Alexa Stuart has come to this desert spa with the hopes of finding out why Noah, her now ex-fiancé, kept important secrets from her. Lexy gave Noah many chances during their whirlwind relationship to tell her exactly what he was doing and why. When Noah wouldn't admit to his secret activities, Lexy had no choice but to end their engagement and their relationship. Returning his ring was one of the hardest things Lexy has ever done, but she had no choice. Though she loves Noah, without his trust - and her lack of trust in him - what kind of marriage could they possibly have?

When a dead body is found in Lexy's room, she has no choice but to involve Noah. Working to clear their names as suspects of this senseless murder, they will stop at nothing in order to find the true culprit. Who said anything in life is easy, right?

HelenKay Dimon once again has penned an extremely compelling and well written romantic suspense novel with HOT AS HELL. This talented author effortlessly combines scorching hot loves scenes, tender displays of affection, and wickedly funny humor. These elements smoothly blend together to make a compellingly addictive read.

Speaking of addictive - Noah Paxton has to be one of the finest, most sexy male characters I have read about this year. He loves Lexy - that isn't the issue. He is protective of her and does not want her involved in dangerous things. That's just Noah's character. While I agree that his heart is in the right place, I think his inability to trust Lexy at the beginning of the book is realistic to today's men, and therefore I knew it wouldn't sit well with Lexy. Noah has his reasons for not involving Lexy, most of which are he doesn't want her to see him as anything but the man she loves. Her safety means everything to him, and his ultimate goal is keeping the woman he loves safe.

Lexy is a stroke of pure genius on HelenKay Dimon's part. Her characterization is so witty and charming that she won me over in the first scene of the book. Lexy has her own reasons for breaking up with Noah though she continues to love him. She finds his inability to trust her so important that she risks her heart to somehow make him see that she is not a hothouse flower and that she is the woman who loves him no matter what.

HOT AS HELL combines powerful imagery and steamy love scenes to make for a sultry and sensual read. Having read Ms. Dimon before, I knew I was in for a witty and surprising read and I was not disappointed. I recommend fans running, not walking, to the nearest bookstore and quickly snatching this engaging and delightful novel off the shelf. They won't be sorry!

Natalie S.

When Alexa "Lexy" Stuart breaks her engagement with security specialist Noah Paxton, it isn't strictly because he has secrets he won't share, although the fact that he evidently forgot about having been married before remains a bit of a sore spot. She goes to a spa to get away and do some investigative thinking of her own only to have Noah follow, trying to talk her back. When a dead body shows up in Lexy's room and she finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation, Noah sticks by her. Noah knows about and accepts Lexy's weaknesses and insecurities from being raised by parents who are hoarders, and he goes above and beyond to make her feel safe and secure. The inexplicable need to be surrounded by her belongings is something Lexy battles constantly, sometimes more successfully than others. If only Noah could see that Lexy needs some truths from him before her mistrust will be completely set aside so they can return to the loving, passionate relationship they had before.

Noah has secrets, yes, but Lexy is being plenty secretive herself, breaking their engagement and then inexplicably bringing some of his work files with her to this Godforsaken health spa, where he's forced to eat sprouts and go on endless hikes in the scorching sun. When the subject of those files is found murdered in Lexy's room, Noah's instincts are to keep her safe while doing his own investigation. Lexy is the most intriguing yet frustrating woman he has ever known and he knows that being the one steady constant in her life is his only hope for recapturing their relationship, despite the craziness surrounding them.

HelenKay Dimon always gives readers the most fascinating characters. Her storylines are always fresh and new and I have yet to not enjoy one of her books. Lexy is a wonderful heroine who is an interesting mix of strength, self-sufficiency and vulnerability and while she may think she doesn't need Noah, the truth is she's incomplete with him. Noah, on the other hand, readily admits that he wants and needs Lexy and that his life is empty without her. I find the hoarding issue to be especially interesting and think it goes far in making this story incredibly realistic. Kudos to HelenKay for daring to bring this topic to light in a romance! I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoys contemporary romance with a touch of humor and mystery.

Lexy Stuart gave her ex-fiancée every chance to come clean with her about his secrets. When it became clear Noah never would, she returned his ring, broke the engagement, and high-tailed it to a fitness spa seven hundred miles away.

She should have known he would follow her.

Being a security specialist means Noah Paxton can find his wayward fiancée no matter where she runs, and he is determined to bring her home for good. OK, so there is that pesky little detail about her breaking up with him, but he doesn't accept that she no longer loves him as much as he loves her.

The state of their relationship is the least of their worries, however, when a dead body turns up in Lexy's room at the spa. Now they must work together to clear themselves as murder suspects and find the real killer before it is too late.

The cover of HelenKay Dimon's novel HOT AS HELL is enough to make me pick up this book - talk about drool-icious! The fact that this author consistently releases books that are entertaining and suspenseful - two things I love in romance novels - makes this book a must-have for me.

Fans of this author have become accustomed to her blend of wit, suspense and romance all bound together in a steamy story, and HOT AS HELL more than lives up to this expectation. Ms. Dimon weaves a mystery throughout the story that is as important as the romance - indeed, it acts as a catalyst to the reunion of this broken couple.

Of course, getting back together isn't quite as simple as that. While the murder certainly serves well to push them back into each other's arms temporarily, when the dust settles, Noah and Lexy still must deal with the real problems in their relationship, with each party accepting responsibility for their part in the disconnect that drove them apart in the first place. Love and desire is never a problem for them - trust and communication are the issues at the heart of all their trouble.

Noah is a man of many secrets, something that drives Lexy crazy. But he is also a man with intense loyalty and passionate love - for Lexy. As we learn more about this complicated man, it is easy to see why Lexy became frustrated enough with him to break up in the first place. As we get to know him up close and personal, it is even easier to see why she might take him back.

For Noah's part, it is not difficult to understand why this hero would fall in love with a spirited, warm, and intelligent woman like Lexy. He trusts her as he never has another, but her lack of belief in him has him understandably hesitant to completely open up lest the truth of his past drive her away.

In the end, readers will be swept up in Noah's and Lexy's happy ending - one that is real and healthy, full of true love and understanding. HOT AS HELL is more than a sexy little contemporary romance, it is a story with a moral to it - one that many of us can undoubtedly apply to our own relationships.

**Courtesy of Wild on Books**

Alexa "Lexy" Annabeth Stuart is confused so she decides to break the engagement with her fiancé Noah Paxton. Her bewilderment does not improve with her act of defiance as she remains perplexed about his behavior. She decides time away to meditate is the thing and knows just the place to go; so she leaves California for a Utah health spa to ponder whether Noah stole money from the company as alleged and why she still wants him; the prime reason is to meet someone who claims insider information.

Lexy is shocked to find her contact lying dead in her spa room. Meanwhile Noah knows he loves his Lexy and needs to keep her safe even before he proves he is innocent. He follows her to Utah, but she now wonders if her heart is insane as the evidence points to him being a killer, but she refuses to believe it.

Lexy and Noah are two of the best characters of the year as both are fully developed with multiplicity and emotional complexity. The mystery is superb due to Lexy who initially believes her ex sole money, but changes her mind when she finds her informer dead as she knows he would not commit homicide. The heat is on as HelenKay Dimon makes Utah as HOT AS HELL with a fabulous amateur sleuth romantic suspense.

Harriet Klausner