New review now up.

*****

This is the second story about a pretend relationship that I’ve reviewed this week and both were a lot of fun.  Both Harris and Bielman (with Her Accidental Boyfriend) did a great job of giving us couples who had their reasons for avoiding commitment but fell in love anyway.

One bad boy. One good girl. One unforgettable week.

Angelle Prejean is in a pickle. Her family is expecting her to come home with a fiancé—a fiancé who doesn’t exist. Well, he exists, but he definitely  has no idea Angelle told her mama they were engaged. Tattooed, muscled,  and hotter than sin, Cane can reduce Angelle to a hot mess with one  look—and leave her heart a mess if she falls for him. But when she ends  up winning him at a charity bachelor auction, she knows just how to  solve her fiancé problem.

Cane Robicheaux is no one’s prince. He  doesn’t do relationships and he doesn’t fall in love. When sweet,  sultry-voiced Angelle propositions him, he hopes their little fiancé  game can finally get her out of his head. He doesn’t expect her to break through all his barriers. But even as Angelle burrows deeper into his  heart, he knows once their seven days are up, so is their ruse.

Meet Cane …. Typical bad-ass with a soft heart that he hides from everyone, except his sisters and closest friends of course – has tattoos and muscles, wears leather and rides a motorcycle, and is a legendary lover.   He’s convinced that marriage is not for him.  And then cupid smacks him upside the head.

Meet Angelle … She’s sheltered but has escaped to try her wings – beautiful, a little bit clumsy, smart, and innocent.  She’s no match for Cane in bed but she’s going to give him a run for his money when it comes to the heart.

I loved these two.  We first met them in Taste the Heat, the first book of the “Love and Games” series, and you knew then that the showdown was coming.  But even though we could see the outcome a mile away, Cane fought it with everything he had – it is so much fun to see a big, bad man brought to his knees by a sassy woman and Cane does it with grace and style.

We know that Harris is going to bring us the story of Cane’s sister, Sherri, but I’m also hoping she extends it to include some of the people we meet in Bon Terre (as well as Jason’s firemen friends from the first book).  There is a lot of potential for entertaining stories with Angelle’s ex, Brady, and her cousin, Lacey.  Not necessarily together but I’d definitely like to see them get their happy ever afters.

Like in Taste the Heat, Harris has a fun writing style and gives us intriguing characters and cute interactions, in a story full of humor and emotion.  It’s a great light read with hidden heart, sure to please romance junkies everywhere.