Saturday, May 25, 2013

Tempting the Billionaire (Love in the Balance #1) by Jessica Lemmon

Crickitt Day needs a job . . . any job. After her husband walks out on her, she's determined to re-build her life and establish a new career. When swoon-worthy billionaire Shane August hires her as his assistant, she jumps at the chance to prove herself. Despite her growing attraction to her boss, she vows to keep things strictly professional. No flirting. No kissing. Definitely no falling in love...

Shane August is all business, all the time. He's a self-made man who's poured his heart and soul into his company, and he'd never allow himself to get involved with an employee. Then he hires sweet, sexy Crickitt-and he can't keep his mind or his hands off her. But no matter how much he wants Crickitt, Shane fears that painful secrets from his past will always come between them. With fate working against them, can these two lonely hearts learn that sometimes mixing business with pleasure is the perfect merger?

Type: Contemporary Romance
Heat: 3 out of 5 (but not too detailed)
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Tempting the Billionaire turned out to be a little bit of a surprise. And a nice one at that. I was expecting your typical billionaire story. Hero's richer than sin, damaged, has some kinky fetishes and is a bit of a jerk. But that's really not Shane at all. Thank goodness. Instead Lemmon brought together two very likable and wonderful characters and created a romance that felt like real life. One that was full of passion, insecurities, hopes and fears, strength and in the end love.

Shane and Crickitt (yep that's her name but it fits her) have a bit of a problem. They met at a bar and instead of picking her up Shane hires her to be his personal assistant and off they go on a torturous stretch of time when they're having a bit of a lusty problem and resisting... for the most part.
"Maybe it's hormones," he heard her say, which almost made him laugh out of solidarity. "Or maybe I'm lonely." Her voice grew farther away, then closer, like she was pacing the floor.

"Or desperate," she continued.

Well, that wasn't very flattering.

"It was bound to happen," she said. "Could have been anyone. Given the chances, I may have kissed Townsend."

Shane cringed. "I certainly hope not," he said through the door.

Silence. Then, "You weren't supposed to hear that."

He smiled at the floor and leaned a palm on the door frame. Could she be more adorable? "Open the door, Crickitt. You can't hide in there until morning."

"Actually, I could," her muffled voice pronounced. "It's plenty big, and I can make a bed out of these fluffy towels."
These two did an admirable job holding out and resisting even if it drove them a little batty. Hell by the time they finally made it to a bed I was frustrated for them. lol It was worth the wait though. It's not terribly graphic but the passion behind everything really is delicious.

I really did like these two together and actually liked that they didn't jump right into bed (or a romantic relationship) but that they got to know each other and respect each other. And that they started becoming friends. There's really not too much outside of their relationship and work to the story but it works and I loved watching things grow and change between them. And just getting to know them. They're both stand up people with good hearts that I could see actually wanting to be friends with.

They both have a good bit of emotional trauma to sort through that's rather heart-breaking and really makes you feel for them and understand their hesitance at jumping right into things. Things aren't smooth sailing for them and while I understand some of the blow ups it didn't stop me from wanting to do a little pinching or lessen the urge to lock them in a closet until they talked it all the heck out. Because come on you two! You're perfect for each other! lol

In the end I really enjoyed Tempting the Billionaire. It was an easy read that moved quickly and left me smiling. A little cheesy at times and every once in a while the dialog isn't entirely smooth but it's entertaining none-the-less. I'll definitely be checking them out the next book in the series. If you're looking for a light summer read I'd say give this one a go.

Have you read Lemmon? What did you think? 
How do you feel about billionaires? Are they all the same? Have you met one like Shane?


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