Customer Reviews

Hot Pink (Berkley Sensation)

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

 

 

I have been a huge fan of Ms. Johnson and her historical romances. They have always been page turners for me with just the right amount of sensuality and storyline. I was thrilled to find out that she was going to pen a modern day romance so I quickly preordered it from Amazon and patiently waited for it to be delivered to my box. I was so sorry to find out that this book had no redeeming qualities! NONE!

First off as other reviewers have stated the main characters Chloe and Rocco were pathetic. Where was the attraction, the honesty, the relationship? And if Chloe was sooooo attracted to Rocco why does she run off and start a fling with Colin the bartender? And don't get me started on Rocco or Amy the witch!

Personally I was totally confused as to how Rocco and Chloe ended up together and a lot was left unsaid or unasked as far as getting to know each other. Why did Chloe have pink hair? What besides having and enjoying sex did these two people have in common? NOTHING! I'm sorry I like my characters to be real, but at the same time when I read romance I want it to be reasonable as to why the characters are together. Sex does not keep a relationship together and outside of bed neither of these two people seemed to even like each other.

Do yourself a favor and borrow this book from a friend or the library or buy it second hand.

While Susan Johnson is known for her steamy sex scenes, this one relies a little too heavily on them to keep the reader's interest. As an added negative, the scenes found in this book are a little less steamy and not as entertaining as her earlier novels. The plot also lacks the interesting historical ties that she added to her other novels. In fact, pink's plot is so cursory over details that you never really get a feel for the characters or understand their motives. The "fiancé" gives up a little too easily. The two protagonists fall in love for no apparent reason other than some gut attraction. While the main characters seem like they are in-depth enough to be side characters in other novels, the supporting characters read like cardboard cutouts. Weird, out-of-place, completely useless cardboard cutouts. Best of all, the main character feels like a lush that the author switches between a free, independent women and a self-help addict. Overall it's a decent read that should have been fleshed out a lot more. Not really worth it for the [money] paperback version but an ok read if they reprint it for [less].

In Minneapolis, web designer Chloe Chisholm feels it is time to delete her latest male companion especially after the blind date fizzled over her pink hair. Leaving the dud behind, Chloe takes the elevator accompanied by tall, dark and handsome Rocco Vinelli. He too is frustrated over the machination of Amy Thiebaud, the younger sister of a friend. Though they went out on an occasional date in the past and he has escorted her to events, he never considered them to be more than friends. That does not stop Amy from hosting a surprise engagement party that Rocco walked out on for he has no plans to marry the witch.

Chloe and Rocco share the greatest sex weekend of their lives. As they begin to fall in love, she learns that he is engaged to Amy, which he denies. When Amy claims she is pregnant by him, Chloe drops him, but Rocco insists that if she is pregnant it cannot be his.

This erotic contemporary romance shows Susan Johnson at her hottest, which means the lead couple generates enough thermos heat to keep the Northeast warm in winter. Readers will want the hunk for themselves even when he utters perfectly understandable profanity. Though Amy is too much of a twit, the audience will relish HOT PINK.

Harriet Klausner

I actually read all of the customer reviews on here before I read the book, and if I had listened, I would have missed a really good book!! The plot is not stale or flat, its real and simple. Girl meets guy. Girl and guy have great sex. Guy reveals he has issues. Girl lets guy go. Girl attempts to move on. Guy resolves issues and subverts his substitute. Guy begs for another chance. Girl realizes that being happy is what's important. Obviously, the reviewers have never met a guy with a crazy ex that doesn't know the meaning of the words "restraining order" yet. KEEP LIVING! It is my opinion that the book is fresh and exciting. The reason the main characters are single is not because they are defective and neurotic, they just haven't found the person they want to share their lives with. There was plenty of romance. The reason her hair is hot pink is simple: She is a natural white haired blonde who tinted it red. (Did the other reviewer actually read the book?!!!) What there was not, was a lot of ridiculous psycho-babble about abandoned children, divorcees, and inferiority complexes that require medical help not a love-hate relationship with some equally neurotic person who analyzes everything to death. The sex is just plain good. What there was not, was a repressed virgin secretly into kink (ie Lori Foster), on going orgies (ie Thea Devine), or mixed threesomes (ie Emma Holly). Those looking for more depth should consult a sex manual or get an actual sex life. What it does have is an independent heroine who lives out every girl's fantasy of mr. right being the sexy guy you had the nerve to talk to in the elevator! Throw in the fling with the equally sexy Colin look-a-like and Famous Amos cookies, and we are ready to go. REAL WOMEN OF THE WORLD UNITE!

The way the back of the book read, I thought this would be an amusing, strong romantic comedy. NOT!!! By the end of the second chapter, Chloe and Rocco were in bed together (I did not see any chemistry between them, and the sex scenes were really boring and stale. If I am going to read about it, I want it to be stimulating and well written, these were basic slam bam scenes where they describe her parts with the "C" word. Not a big fan of that word.

I kept reading, because I have really enjoyed Susan Johnson in the past and I knew that somewhere that I would like the characters. Never found that, and wish I hadn't wasted my money. They make no bones about the fact that Chloe likes sex, and she apparently can not go more than 2 days without it.

She has sex w/another guy named Colin, (also no chemisty, just a drunk bar p/u of a cute guy)

I didn't think the characters were good, I did not think this was well written. I read erotica, and this was not that!! If that is what you are looking for, get the Black Lace series.

If you are looking for a romance, you will hate this. They guy ends up with the girl, but I didn't think much of him, and I thought she would be as faithful to him as an alley cat. If you read the book you will see why. If you don't read it, consider it time well spent!!

Susan Johnson's sophomore take on chick literature turns out disappointingly cliche with a lack of emotional core in both of her protagonists, web-designer Chloe Chisolm and aspiring entrepreneur Rocco Vinelli. Johnson's trademark sensual scenes burn and smolder but do not quite attain the erotic virtuosity as in her historical novels like Sinful and Brazen. Chloe, along with her friends, ponder whether their happy ending exists when relationships go turbulent. The most devastating of all is when Chloe had a one-night stand with Rocco and discovers later that he is "engaged" to a malicious, wilful brat Amy whose father is the determining factor to his success in his nascent business operations. Clearly unfocused, Johnson adds in dramatic antics and a new lover boy to spice things up. Unfortunately, Hot Pink doesn't live up to its hype.

I loved this book b/c it's not like any other romance I've read. The heroine is as casual about sex as the typical romance hero. Not a virgin in site...how nice:)

It pains me to give a Susan Johnson book a one-star rating, but this book deserves it. Hot it ain't. Plot there isn't; in fact, the story is just peripatetic, wandering from point A to point B, with an antagonist who folds like a really band hand in a high stakes poker game.

The story line is credible but not very interesting; one gets the idea that the hero and heroine finally get their act together when nothing else can be done with the story line. There's no real tension, no real sturm und drang, no real anything that makes a Susan Johnson novel spectacular. The characters aren't particularly interesting, and their romantic situation is rather trite. All it took to solve the big issue in the story was a little honesty. Quite frankly, sex scenes weren't enough to carry the story, and they should not be.

If Blonde Heat was a fun summer read last year; Hot Pink isn't, this year. Blonde Heat was funny. Hot Pink isn't. More than that, the female protagonist of Blonde Heat pretty much kept herself to the same guy, and the one in Hot Pink was more free with her favors. That makes highly questionable the whole idea of true love at the end. Maybe she was compartmentalizing, who knows.

All I know is this, reading this book at Borders was enough for me to know I will not be adding it to my collection of Susan Johnson novels. Come to think of it, I'm suspending my purchases of Susan Johnson novels until I see her put out good stories, like she used to. Thank God for soft chairs at Borders, until then.

Sure its a very weak plot line involving instant attraction and first date sex (if you can call it a date) this book was super hot a perfect read before a hot date or home alone in bed. Note:Do'nt read this book in a public setting....I guarantee you'll blush.

Okay, so I read reviews of the book and how it wasn't her usual flair of erotic and plot book. But I just couldn't listen... I got the book and THEY WERE RIGHT!!!!!!!!! There was like two sex scenes that were okay and thats putting it mildly. The plot completely stunk. If you like the author, then by all means, get the book and add it to your collection. However, if you want a good book with a good plot mixed with eroticism look at her earlier books. For example, Outlaw, Tempting, Sinful, Siezed by love, Pure Sin, Brazen, Wicked or Taboo. You won't be disappointed.