Customer Reviews

Too Hot to Handle

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

 

 

Cheryl Holt is known for her passionate love stories that almost always revolve around the most decadent of hero's. Her characterization almost always included a sassy, smart lady who knows her heart. Sadly, this is lacking in Ms. Holt's latest effort. The reader will be introduced to basically two different romances, two brothers, two sisters...happy endings for all...except perhaps for the reader.

Michael Farrow is Earl of Winchester and he makes a career of living life as recklessly as possible. He is about to make his first mistake. He is shopping for a new mistress when one applicant is introduced to him. He thinks she's there to apply for mistress when in fact she's actually there to apply for the post of governess to his two new wards. After this one misunderstanding you'd think that he'd stay clear of this obvious upright lady. But problem is he feels bad about the misunderstanding and sets out to make right this wrong. This is the first time he's ever felt compelled to fix things and it just doesn't sit well with him. Nor can he overlook the attraction that sparks between them. He's going to get Emily into his household one way or the other. After all he always gets what he wants.

Emily Barnett is responsible for her blind older sister, and her niece. She has no practical experience but sets out to win the position of governess to the Earl of Winchesters new wards. The fact that Michael has awakened the sensual feelings of attraction can't be ignored. For good or ill she will take whatever he's willing to give her. After all he won't marry her she's beneath his station in life. But the longer she spends time with him, the harder it is to remember why she can't love him on her own terms. Will Michael allow Emily into his heart or will he run the other way and away from the happiness that Emily promises.

Emily and Michael are singularly uninspiring as lead characters. Perhaps this is due to the fact that there truly wasn't any "tension" between the two. What Michael wanted...Michael got, not very romantic. The secondary storyline of Alex, Michael's brother with emotional and physical scars paired with Mary, Emily's blind sister was another attempt at drawing the reader in with the acceptance of loving a person regardless of their physical appeal. Alex though was so obnoxious that when he did finally warm up it was only to lukewarm. I would have like to have seen Emily and Mary both being portrayed as having a tad more self-confidence. Overall this was an okay read but not the strongest effort Ms. Holt has ever offered readers. I hope that her next effort is better and look forward to reading it.

Official Reviewer for Romance Designs

I found this book very difficult to finish because I was so tired of the characters. I am a great fan of stories with the hero beginning as a disolute rake and then reforming, however I like my heroes intelligent, and I'm afraid I found Micheal lacking.
Most rakes have redeeming qualities that draw their heroine to them. This was more like "oh wow, your cute and I like to kiss you.... so I must love you," on the heroine's part. I didn't believe ethier of the character's really cared about the other. In fact the most interesting character in the book, with the most honest feelings was Alex Micheal's brother. I felt there most more to be redeemed in him than his idiot brother.
I agree with a previous reviewer, go read Love Lessons if you want a hot, and entertaining read about a rake who is both sexy and intelligent.

Oh where oh where as Cheryl Holt's talent gone? The last several books have been so lackluster but this one by far is the worst I have read! I agree with the other reviewer who said this book was the worst read of 2005. I disagree with the reviewer who said the cover was the only good thing - this cover doesn't even look like it belongs to a regency historical but a cowboy contemporary.

I don't want to bore everyone with the details of the book just that the characters were all a bunch of idiots - not one was likeable.

I can't even believe that I finished this ridiculous book. Cheryl has been taken off my must buy list and now on my purchase with caution list.

In her latest Regency historical, Cheryl Holt goes for the governess turned mistress theme. Harriet Klausner already summarized the book (even adding a spoiler), so I will tell you what I thought of it.

The heroine, Emily was an obnoxious would-be governess hired by and the hero (and of course rake), Michael for his new wards.

I felt no love at all between the two. There was virtually no sexual tension or chemistry. Nothing to keep you up all night till you finish. I felt the subplots with Pamela were superfulous and added just to make the book longer. I found myself skimming through because I already knew the conclusion. And I'm no mystery reader.

It was a very predictable read. What saved it from being a complete dud was the hot sex scenes for which CH is known for.

If you are just experimenting with CH's work, try "Love Lessons" instead.

I'm desperately trying to find a redeeming quality for this book, and there just isn't one. There wasn't a single likable person above the age of ten. And those two had about fifteen lines of dialogue between them. The two sisters and their respective love interests were just ridiculous. They didn't deserve their happy ending.

Given the genre, I could buy the whole governess mistaken for a mistress idea, but for Emily to fall instantly in love with Michael, given the circumstances, makes no sense at all.

Emily and Mary are so desperate and gullible, I wanted to feel sad for them, but time after time they were such pushovers without pride or self-respect that I finally couldn't believe their supposed sterling qualities. As for Michael and Alex, they may have had a trying childhood, but the fact that they know they're being selfish jerks with no spine, doesn't excuse the fact that they keep proving it again and again. If only the author could have started their moral transformation earlier in the story, we might have cared when their lives became a complete disaster.

The supporting cast was slightly demented. The adolescent ward, the ex-mistress and the childhood fiancé were included to add some spice or something, but they were just disturbing, and not even a good sort of disturbing like you get in a truly chilling suspense novel. I have no idea why the butler was so loyal, a past anecdote showing the boys in a better light might have been a good idea. The fact that they used to be dashing just doesn't cut it for me. They need to have at least SOME strength of character. Working hard on the estate, taking care of his people, a spy for his country, ANYTHING!! A hero needs something to give his character some depth and make him more appealing. At least Alex was in the army, but we never learn how he got the scar. Was he a heroic soldier or a coward on the battle field? All those little hints that tell you that the protagonist is going through a rough patch, but is someone worthy of love in the end, were completely absent from this book.

I was completely disappointed with this book. There was no wit, no spark, no intelligence, no intrigue, and no suspense. After a while I began to believe that this was a bad eighties reprint, but it was published this year for the first time. This book has run out of excuses, SAVE YOUR MONEY.

. . . and even then, this book is still tough to digest. I didn't feel that there was any relationship development between Michael & Emily. It seemed like there were huge chunks of the book missing - the parts where they actually had a meaningful conversation or some interaction that would generate feelings of love, or even like for that matter.

I have enjoyed Ms. Holt's previous books - Complete Abandon, More Than Seduction, etc - but I felt that reading Too Hot to Handle was more of a chore. I like the words used by other reviews: unremarkable & lackluster. I'm not sure that Too Tempting to Touch holds much appeal for me either. The back cover summary makes the "hero" seem like a total slime. I don't know if I'll be able to get into that book either.

Don't give up on Ms. Holt, but you might want to start with her earlier books.

Cheryl Holt and I are dancing to a very long song, entitled "This Time." This time - Ms. Holt will write THE BOOK. This time - Cheryl will reach her potential. This time - Holt will release her MASTERPIECE. This Time? Nope, no way, nada! TOO HOT TO HANDLE is dreadful.

Miss Emily Barnett will not stand around and watch her despicable cousin commit a loved one to an asylum. Her widowed sister, Mary, may be blind, but she is not insane. Emily feels she must protect her and her niece, Rose! Therefore, off to London they go, to begin a new life. Now, Emily must find a job - perhaps a position as governess. She has no experience, but she is willing and although a 2 a.m. interview appointment is strange, she desperately needs the work!

Michael Farrow, the Earl of Winchester, is conducting interviews, but not for a child's teacher. He is evaluating the skills necessary in a mistress. And oh, how he likes the idea of role-playing with Miss Emily Barnett! A governess, no less? How unique!

Cheryl Holt casts her heroine, Emily Barnett as haplessly weak and foolishly naive - in other words - not a good feminine star. Michael Farrow, the Earl of Winchester, comes through as an oversexed pig and not very likeable - in other words - not a decent romance hero. Moreover, Holt's secondary characters lack charm and their actions are too predictable - in other words - there is no decent subplot. In brief, TOO HOT TO HANDLE has a nonexistent plot, weak dialogue, and silly sex scenes.

Instead of banging out her books (no pun intended), perhaps Ms. Holt should take a breather, reflect on her talent, and redirect her goals. You can do it Cheryl! Obviously, you can write, but take your time, review your skills, write THE BOOK! Cruel words, yes, but . . . This time TOO HOT TO HANDLE moved to an awkward rhythm and the Holt Orchestra banged out a very sour note! Oh well - maybe Next Time?
Grade: D

MaryGrace Meloche.

Best part of the book was the cover. Not one likable character in the whole novel. Holt's worst novel by far. It was impossible to love Alex or Micheal. No two more selffish men have I ever come across in a book. Emily and Mary needed a good dose of self-esteem, self-worth or just maybe an introduction to the word, NO. Say no to spending your money on this novel.

About halfway through this novel, I came to believe that almost every last character in the book was insane, to some degree or another. With the sole exception of the heroine's cliche of a villainous relative, they all seem to reach sanity by the end of the novel, without any sign of a motivation for this miracle except, perhaps, lots of sex. They aren't painted as falling in love, as much as catching it like a household contagion.

I have to agree with the reviewers who found the tortured, secondary romantic couple more intriguing than the hero and heroine.

This isn't a bad read. I just could have been quite a bit better.

I like Cheryl Holt. I'm not ashamed. Her books are consistantly charming and funny and hot. It's just sometimes I wish that she would stretch a little. Find some new angle, some new way of presenting a story. I need something more than this book. It is the same story that she has come out with for the last 3 books. If she writes one more virginal ignorant woman in her books I will scream. She was just too simple. The hero is kind of stupid as well, so yeah I didn't really like either of the main characters. I read the book and it was OK, but I am kind of sad that I spent the money on it and didn't check it out from the library.