Hot Item (Hot Zone, Book 3) [Mass Market Paperback]

Carly Phillips (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2006

Seen On The Sidelines

What star quarterback has been spotted with a new flavor of arm candy? It's notorious bad boy Riley Nash, but his newest flame is the last person this reporter could imagine -- none other than Sophie Jordan, beautiful, buttoned-down co-owner of The Hot Zone, the industry's top sports management agency.

What's behind this unlikely team? Some say it has to do with the sudden disappearance of superagent Spencer Atkins. Could there be a connection between the red-hot quarterback and the missing dealmaker? Or has the famous groupie magnet simply met his perfect match in cool, collected Sophie? Watch this space, because the resulting news is bound to be one Hot Item.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Saving her best for last, Phillips wraps up her jocular Hot Zone trilogy with Sophie, middle sister of the Jordan clan and co-owner of the prestigious Manhattan-based sports management agency (and family business) the Hot Zone. After a gossip columnist reveals him as gay, big-time sports agent Spencer Atkins, whose PR firm recently merged with the Hot Zone, goes MIA—just three weeks before the pro football draft. With her entire family on leave (big sister Annabelle on maternity, little sister Michelle on her honeymoon and Uncle Yank Morgan after eloping with his assistant Lola), Sophie must deal with the crisis on her own. Enter star quarterback Riley Nash, Uncle Yank's client and Spencer's son from a failed marriage. Riley wants his biological father to keep their familial ties under wraps, and Sophie wants to ensure they don't lose any of Spencer's clients. Together, they track Spencer to Florida, while Sophie tries to suppress her attraction to "jock nightmare" Riley and things go haywire back at the agency—giving a Hot Zone adversary the upper hand. Followers of this smart series will slip right into this final book, but newbies might want to check out the earlier two first. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

In the concluding title in Phillips' Hot Zone trilogy, Sophie Jordan has learned to cope with life's stresses by compulsively immersing herself in the routine of her high-profile sports agency, and never more so than when dealing with Riley Nash, a hotshot quarterback notorious for his romantic escapades and rule-breaker attitude. When Riley's biological father, who is also Sophie's courtesy-title uncle, is outed for being gay, the repercussions will be devastating for both the Hot Zone agency and Riley's family, which includes his stepfather, a conservative senator about to run for the presidency, and his teen daughter. Can Sophie and Riley conduct some sleuthing and get the help they need to limit possible repercussions? Phillips has penned a charming, fast-paced contemporary romp-through-the-sheets starring two likable, if conflicted, characters and dealing sensitively with the political and social fallout of homosexuality, emotional rejection, and peer pressure in an enjoyable, upscale New York setting. Lynne Welch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: HQN Books (June 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373771223
• ISBN-13: 978-0373771226
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 3.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #769,130 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips tossed away her legal briefs and a career as an attorney to become a stay at home mom. Within the year, she turned her love of reading into an obsession with writing. Over 25 published novels later, Carly writes sexy contemporary romances, striking a balance between entertainment and emotion, and giving her readers the compelling story they have come to expect and enjoy.

Carly is a New York Times bestseller, USA Today Bestseller and Publisher's Weekly bestseller. The triple play earned her a spot on Romance Writers of America's coveted Honor Roll. In 2002, Carly's novel, The Bachelor, became Kelly Ripa's "Reading with Ripa" pick on Live with Regis and Kelly, making it the first romance ever chosen on a nationally televised bookclub.

Carly received her undergraduate degree from Brandeis University and is a graduate of Boston University School of Law (J.D.). To date, Carly has over twenty-five novels to her credit, all available wherever books are sold.

When not writing or playing online, Carly loves to read, to knit, and to spend time with her family. She lives in Purchase, New York with her husband, two daughters and two soft-coated wheaten terriers who act like their third and fourth children.

For more information, visit Carly's always updated web site at www.carlyphillips.com where she has monthly contests, excerpts and much more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Last Jordan Sister Book, June 4, 2006

By 

M. Nix - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hot Item (Hot Zone, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)

Sophie Jordan, the last unmarried Jordan sister and co-owner of The Hot Zone sports management agency, isn't looking for love. When the sparks explode between Sophie and quarterback Riley Nash, it's a toss up to say who's more stunned. Both Sophie and Riley carry baggage from their pasts and neither wants to risk their hearts. Now they must face the feelings that won't go away, along with a stalker who seems determined to bring The Hot Zone to its knees. More problems arise when Riley's daughter is less than happy with the appearance of a serious love interest in Riley's life and has no qualms about letting her displeasure be known. With all these forces working against them, can Riley and Sophie take a chance on love?

Hot Item is the third and final book in the Jordan sister's trilogy and I had been waiting impatiently for it. Without a doubt I wasn't disappointed! Hot Item delivers exactly what I am looking for in a contemporary romance. Sophie and Riley steam through the pages while Sophie's Uncle Yank appears to add his unique humor and follblies to the story. Readers who loved the first two Hot Zone books as much as I did will want to immediately pick up and devour Hot Item. Readers can't go wrong with any of the Jordan sister's trilogy and readers who haven't read them yet have missed three wonderfully romantic and sexy stories.


Melissa
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best of the series!, April 9, 2008

By 

Tracy Vest (Northern California) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hot Item (Hot Zone, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)

Successful sports PR agent Sophie falls finds herself in hot water when she is flying solo at the agency during the NFL draft and her "uncle" Spence is outed by a reporter and goes on the lam. Further complicating matters is her attraction to star quarterback Riley Nash who is Spence's long lost son and wants his parentage kept secret to protect his adoptive father's political career. When the two take a road trip, sparks fly with the most unlikely duo.

"Item" marks the third installment in Phillip's "Hot Zone" trio featuring a family run sports PR agency owned by orphaned sisters raised by their bachelor uncle. It's also the best of the series, packing an emotional wallop that started in the first ("Stuff") was lacking in the last one ("Number").

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Cute Chick Lit - Fun Summer Read 3-1/2*, May 29, 2006

By 

M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hot Item (Hot Zone, Book 3) (Mass Market Paperback)

In the final book of Phillips' HOT ZONE trilogy Sophie, the last of the Jordan sisters has finally met her match. It's not as if Sophie hasn't noticed the very handsome NFL quarterback Riley Nash, oh she has! Unfortunately, his devil may care life style is simply not compatible with the always in control co-owner of THE HOT ZONE, the industry's top sports management agency.

When a news leak sends top agent and family friend Spencer Atkins into hiding and the agency into a tailspin, Sophie not only has to contend with the fallout of his disappearance but Riley Nash's very personal reasons and insistence on sticking to her like glue until he's found! Incompatible or not, the rush Sophie feels at Riley's nearness is raising havoc with trying to remain cool and in control. Before she knows it losing control with Riley's arms around her is definitely something she could get used to.

The third book in a sports themed trilogy it is completely stand alone with on going references early on of sisters Annabelle and Mikki. This reviewer was quickly brought up to speed and not left floundering to fit pieces together because of not having read the first two books.

I liked that each of the protagonists problems of commitment was out in the open with regard to giving in to the passion they felt for one another and helped to keep this perfectly paced romance from going stale. Their love scenes and physical reaction to each other was hotly sensual and passionate even though Sophie's concerns of allowing herself to love someone before she loses them gets straightened out in good time. The mystery of who was sabotaging the agency was interesting but I found I had figured out it out very early in the read. Bottom line, I imagine most would find this to be a pleasant read to enjoy while soaking up the sun on the beach this summer.

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization