Customer Reviews

Twice as Hot (Hqn)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This books takes up about a month or two after the first book Playing with Fire (Tales of An Extraordinary Girl) leaves off. Belle is learning her powers and her new job as an investigative agent for the paranormal government agency is going well. She and Rome are still together and they are now engaged. While out on a mission, Rome didn't call her as planned so she is worried. At the same time, her friend and roomate Tanner is dumped and heartbroken by Lexis (who is also Rome's ex wife). Rome finally comes back from his mission, but he's been injured and his memory has been tampered with. All of his memories of Belle have been stolen! To Belle's horrified dismay, he thinks he is still with his ex wife. Lexis, who is a psychic forsaw this happening, so is trying to get him back. While dealing with all this, they must continue to work difficult cases and go after the bad guys.

I couldn't put this book down. With lots of twists and turns, the plot was very fast moving. The conflicts with that awful Lexis trying to take Rome away completely stressed me out and it was so upsetting what Belle was going through. But the trials made her stronger and I liked seeing her growth from the last book to this one. The ending was great. A very enjoyable read!

If you are on the hunt for more books like this, check out my list of paranormal romance favorites...
http://www.amazon.com/Paranormal-action-romance-must-reads/lm/R214ESW3HL12HM/ref=tag_lag_rb_munk_lmfull
(copy and paste into your browser window)

Twice as Hot, the sequel to Gena Showalter's Playing with Fire (Hqn), reintroduces her happy, happy readers to Belle Jamison, the feisty and fun and EXTRAordinary Wonder Girl, and her hunky love, the Cat Man Rome Masters, a few months further along in their lives from the end of the previous book.

Belle's happy world and dreams of a perfect wedding go up in an inferno of flames when her fiance and supernatural superagent Rome goes down in the line of duty - and when he gets up, its sans memories of anything and everything connected to Belle. Including Belle herself. And his manipulative ex-wife Lexis - psychic, mother of Rome's daughter, and major be-otch, takes full advantage to try insinuate herself right back into Rome's heart - and bed.

You know, of course, there just isn't any way Wonder Girl Belle's going to stand for THAT.

I fell for Belle and Rome in Playing with Fire, and I was thrilled when I heard there was going to be a sequel. I waited patiently and was fanstastically rewarded with the fast, sexy romp and many thrilling and fun twists and turns in Twice as Hot. Belle grows into her powers a bit and starts to find a balance within herself, always a favorite theme of mine, and I could NEVER be disappointed to see the sexy Rome Masters doing his thing. The strong supporting cast of Tanner, Cody, and more are back, and prepare to meet a few new and interesting - and in some cases deadly - faces.

I would LOVE to see this sequel be a stepping stone into a legitimate series, as I very much enjoy the characters and the world that Showalter has created here. It's not as darkly themed, perhaps, as her Lords of the Underworld series, but it's original and fresh and the characters really sparkle and shine...sometimes literally. Um...okay...MOST of the time literally.

Twice as Hot is a mostly light, always fun, sexy and exciting way to spend some time and I'd love to read more Tales of an Extra Ordinary Girl. Well done.

Loved this book. It was like reading a fun comic book about an adult fairy tale. I think you have to be open to the mindset required for these two types of reading materials to understand and enjoy this book. The characters - super heroes with super powers - were amusing and the story was fast paced and full of action from the first page. The sex scenes were just right - steamy and detailed but not too much, not too little. The romance between the two major characters, Rome and Belle, was very sweet and everything you could want in a fairy tale type romance. I had only read the first book (Playing With Fire) in the series half-way through so I was somewhat familiar with the background of the major characters. However, I don't think anyone will feel lost in the story if this book is the first one they read. If you're looking for a romance with deep, life altering meanings, it's not in this book. If you're looking to read just for fun, then this is the perfect book in my opinion.

I loved this book Belle's quirks and Romes strong personality. They are an adorable couple. After Playing With Fire, the first novel Belle can control earth, wind, water, fire and ice. She works with Rome at a supernatural police force. Rome comes back from a mission and encoutered a scrim, supernatural criminal, with memory erasing powers. This scrim wipped out every memory Rome had of Belle. When Rome awakes after the attack and is heart breakingly rude to Belle, due to the fact he doesn't know her. In the midst of planning her wedding Belle must deal with all the cancelations and still do her job. I admire how she took the bad news, it was devistating. Lexis, Rome's exwife, has super predicting powers. She could have prevented Rome's attack, but decided she wanted Rome back. When Rome awakes he knows lexis, but not Belle. Hell bent on getting him back, Belle trys her best all the while working a PSI, paranormal studies investigations, case. This book was a nail biter! It was fast paced and just as great as the first.

Paranormal investigator, Belle Jamison is still learning her new job while planning her marriage to shapeshifter Rome Masters whom she met when she was Playing with Fire. However since the mad scientist spiked her latte she can control, well almost control, the four elements. Of course putting your wedding dress ablaze makes life a wee bit difficult, but Rome is there for her; now that he is not trying to neutralize her.

However, the real calamity and not just minor roach stressors, is when Memory Man erases from Rome's mind that he even met Belle, let alone fell in love with her. Instead the only woman Rome remembers is his nasty former wife Lexie. Although hurting, Belle, accompanied by her empathic partner Tanner, plans to kick some butts starting at the top of her list with Memory Man.

The latest Tales of an Extraordinary Girl (see Playing with Fire) returns Belle, still hesitant about using her new powers especially as she learns frustration and anger could lead to out of control reactions. She is particularly upset with what has happened to her fiancé and their relationship which is so out of control due to Memory Man and Lexie. She has to keep the collateral damage to an absolute minimum; superhero gigs are not easy. Fans will enjoy Gena Showalter's latest amusing chick lit superhero romance as Belle's constantly changing list sums up how she feels.

Harriet Klausner

Loved it! If you liked part one, because yes there is a book before this one, then definitely read part two. I'd definitely recommend reading the first one before reading this one, because although she kind of goes over what happened in the first book, "Playing with Fire", it gives you a good base for this one. It also gets you an idea of her writing style, which reminds me of your friend talking to you at a coffee shop or over the phone. Tons of laughs and adventure Wonder Girl aka Viper style;)

this book is so good i can not wait to get the next one she is an very good author that makesz you want to foillow this girl/ woman to her very end of her journey

Belle is a paranormal investigator and Rome a sexy-hot operative who we were first introduced to in Gena Showalter's Playing With Fire. They both work for the same group and they are back living the fabulous life with Belle planning their wedding. That is when she's not accidentally starting fires, tripping over scary through and desperately working on controlling her superpowers. But when Rome returns from his last mission with no memory of Belle, is the wedding off or is this a momentary pause in the action?

Then there is Rome's ex-wife the unscrupulous Lexis who is at her manipulative best using Rome's memory loss to try and lure him back and convince Rome that they belong together. Can Belle make Rome remember her, the passion and lust filled days and night and have him fall in love with her again? Rome is trying and something is pulling him toward Belle with such intensity that he knows memory loss or not there is nothing that will keep him away from her no matter how much he tries. But the twist in all this is not just Lexis but a strange, mysterious man who is fascinated by the memories of Belle he stole from Rome and is now determined to have Belle for himself.

What an amazing book! Total page turner that you will not be able to put down so make sure you have enough time to read non-stop. You have the paranormal super-couple of Rome and Belle, mystery in the background and passion winning out over all forces trying to hold it back. Be sure you look up Ms. Showalter's other series, The Lords of the Underworld with more uber-possessive, sexy alpha males than you can handle! Muy caliente!

4.5 out of 5 stars!! I love Belle & Rome in the first book and this just sealed my love for them in this one!!! I really hope there's a book 3 since I could not get enough and I just wanted to find out what would happen to them and their friends next!!

Review By: From Me to You ... Book Reviews
(read more of this review and a teaser on my blog)

I don't entirely know if I'm going to properly express myself in this review. Frankly, I loved this book!

I don't think there was a part of this book that I didn't like. Ok, I'm gonna start with the characters. Even down to Lexis, I loved all the characters. Yes, I wanted to shove a flaming fire ball up her arse just as much as Belle did. However, what she did was needed. It was needed to humble Lexis and shows her that you can't force fate and destiny. You can't turn a bad situation to your own benefit, even when you can `see the future'. She used her power in the wrong way, and that storyline in general told a lesson. It was a whole `love conquers all'.

Belle evolved, and she grew into a woman that learned how to use her powers in the right way. She was determined without being impulsive. She made natural human errors and that is not only what made her as the heroine delightful, but also the storyline believable. I found myself cheering for her, crying for her, and ultimately salivating that perhaps Showalter would write just ONE MORE BOOK! It has been over a year, so I don't see it in the future, which sort of makes me pout.

The whole supporting cast just made me happy, even the slight X-Men, Elaine/Rogue rip off made me laugh so hard I almost hurt myself. However, unless you are a super nerd like me, you would not get how she not only created a Rogue; she found a work around for Rogue which I now wonder why the writer of the comic couldn't figure it out.

As a whole the story was fast paced, exciting, original, and it made you want more. It made you want to know what happen to Tanner and Elaine, what happen to the Doctor. Would Belle have super babies with Rome? I need to know and it is killing me! I think anyone that appreciates a good super hero story will thoroughly enough this series!