Double the Pleasure

Lori Foster, Deirdre Martin, Jacquie D’Alessandro, Penny McCall

Publisher:
Berkley Sensation

Release Date:
December 2, 2008

Genres:
Contemporary Romance
Anthology

ISBN:
Print
9780425224069

Bookmark Rating:

Reviewed by
Daria Wright

Review Posted:
November 2008

DOUBLE THE PLEASURE is quadruple the fun with four sexy stories that together will make for fun holiday reading. High bookmarks for all four stories! 

DEUCES WILD by Lori Foster 

Knockout, mirror-image hunky identical twin brother’s Dex and Hart Winston have been playing jokes on girls for as long as they can remember, each twin pretending to be the other and none of the girls able to tell them apart. Now Hart wants them to try and fool their neighbors and family too.  

Hart Winston, a well-known painter, has a dream of becoming an ultimate fighter and now has an opportunity of securing a contract with Supreme Battle Challenge. But he doesn’t want his family to know that he is pursuing this. Hart calls on his twin Dex, who is a writer, to come and pretend he is Hart while Hart is gone. Dex reluctantly agrees and goes about pretending to be Hart. 

Everything was going fine until Dex meets Hart’s cute next-door neighbor Christy Nash. Christy stops Dex dead in his tracks, something no other woman has been able to do. Christy is stunned because Hart, who she has lusted after, never gave her the time of day. The passion explodes between Christy and Dex, who she thinks is Hart, and this comedic romance takes off. 

I just adored this story! DEUCES WILD by Lori Foster is just wonderful. So many of my friends kept recommending I read Lori Foster but I had not had a chance until this anthology, and I must say I am hooked! After reading this story I want to go and get the rest of the related Winston books by Ms. Foster.  

The twins hooked me right from the beginning. Both are handsome, strong, athletic and very talented. Dex is a writer who has never found a woman that loves him for him and could tell him apart from Hart. Hart is a talented painter going after his dream. They are different yet very similar. Dex is just a bit more ready to find the woman of his dreams. 

Christy is a tough cookie. Reserved school secretary by day that has it bad for her hot sexy neighbor, and she is not fooled. She knows there is something different about Hart but since she has lusted after him for so long she jumps in when he starts pursuing her and goes for what she wants. The comedy she provides when trying to get Hart (Dex) in bed is priceless. And oh boy can the couple burn it up. 

With DEUCES WILD, Lori Foster has penned a funny romance that has captured me and left me wanting Hart’s story as well. I think it will find a permanent home in readers’ hearts.  

THE LUCK OF THE IRISH by Deirdre Martin 

Feisty Maggie O’Brien has had it with men. Her jerk of an ex-husband has left her with a bad taste when it comes to guys. Trying to get her life back together she has come home to live and work in the heart of New York City at the family pub, the Wild Hart. Surrounded by a large Irish family whose every member is blessed and cursed with traditional Celtic traits, Maggie has vowed to them she is done with men. That is until a gorgeous Irishman named Brendan Kelly walks in to the pub to do some remodel work for her parents. They can’t keep their eyes off each other and Brendan is out to make Maggie his. While falling for Maggie, Brendan has some tough choices to make about his life back in Ireland and his newfound ladylove. 

I am a huge Deirdre Martin fan. I love her New York Blades hockey stories, have read every one of them, and was anxiously awaiting this new novella. THE LUCK OF THE IRISH is the first story kicking off Ms. Martin’s new series, The Wild Hart Saga. I enjoyed THE LUCK OF THE IRISH and as always Ms. Martin weaves a tale of love and romance around an incredible family. They are a passionate and loyal Irish clan filled with drama and romance. So when traditional Irishman Brendan Kelly comes to the pub everyone thinks he is perfect for Maggie. Brendan is handsome and Irish. He has worked hard in the states for his uncle and is close to getting his US citizenship and his uncle’s business when his uncle retires. He seems like a great catch and packed with sex appeal, but gun shy Maggie has been burned before and has a hard time allowing Brendan to get close. Things get strained when everything is not what it seems and skittish Maggie has to make a decision.  

THE LUCK OF THE IRISH is a great introduction to Ms. Martin’s new series. I look forward to her next book, hoping for some men in kilts and maybe some surprise visits by a few NY Blades. 

DOUBLE THE DANGER? By Jacquie D’Alessandro 

Sexy Jack Walker was hired as the new CFO of Java Heaven a few months ago to turn things around after the former CFO and controller had been arrested for fraud and embezzlement. All was going well until Jack’s boss decides to bring in an outside consulting firm to make sure Jack and his accounting department employees are all bonding with each other or if some need to go, something Jack wants no part of. From the beginning Jack and the new consultant Madeline Price are at odds. Jack believes Madeline is an interference and an additional cost the company doesn’t need.  

Madeline has a job to do, to evaluate the accounting staff at Java Heaven, and that includes the bane of her existence, tall, dark and sexy Jack Walker. She thinks Jack is a playboy who takes long Wednesday lunches and leaves early on Friday nights. Little does she know how wrong she is about him.  

Madeline has arranged a weekend team-building event for the accounting staff at the Casa di Lago resort where she can closely evaluate everyone. On her best friend’s insistence she is to also pursue a one night stand, something Madeline hasn’t had in a long time and desperately needs, since a golf tournament for fireman will be held at the resort. Maddie figures she can work during the day and play at night and packs for her weekend accordingly. 

When a mix up occurs with Maddie and Jack’s luggage they each uncover secrets about the other that attracts them like nothing else.   

I LOVED YOUR ROOM OR MINE? by Jacquie D’Alessandro! The first story I have read by this author and I am HOOKED. I will be reading more by Jacquie D’Alessandro for sure. I just fell in love with Jack. He is hardworking, devoted, sexy and a guy with a big heart. As the story progressed, he just reeled me in. He puts his heart into his job, his staff and family and really struggles with having a consultant come in to spy on him. He is not happy that Madeline is accompanying the staff on the team-building weekend. 

When Madeline and Jack find out Jack’s boss has scheduled them for a one on one orienteering session at the retreat, they confront each other and the chemistry and fire between the two explodes front and center. Cool and all business Madeline can’t deny her attraction towards Jack but tries to put a lid on the heat Jack is giving off. 

After arriving at the resort their luggage is mixed up and they each get the others suitcases. Discovering what is in each other’s luggage is priceless and funny. The story is delightful and entertaining and I found myself smiling as Madeline attempts to seduce firefighters when Jack is really who she wants. Lucky for us Jack thinks he needs to save her from the firefighters even if it means cozying up with a possible company spy. 

The heat between Jack and Maddie is scorching HOT! Add in the depth of love that becomes evident between the two and you have a winner of a story.    

DOUBLE THE DANGER by Penny McCall

It has been over ten years since Dr. Abigail West has laid eyes on Drake. They’d met and fell in love while in college. But the day after graduation Drake left, and shortly there after all contact stopped.  Her heart had been crushed but work and becoming a doctor had saved her. 

Now working as a small town doctor and living with her once estranged grandfather she is trying to make a normal life for herself. But Abby doesn’t realize that her grandfather has been in the witness protection program for many years. He had contacted her thinking that he was no longer in danger and wanted to spend time with her. But by contacting her he has put both of them in danger and in the line of some hit men.  The FBI sends in one of its operatives to protect Abby and her grandfather. When Abby and FBI operative Drake come face to face after all these years sparks fly as they try to avoid the hit men sent out to kill her grandfather.

A blinding snowstorm, hit men out to get you, and the return of a long lost love set the stage for a fun action packed romance in Penny McCall’s DOUBLE THE DANGER.  When we meet Abby she is working in her office as the town coroner. Not happy with the way the town treats her, she is still thankful that her grandfather invited her there and that she is no longer alone, even though her love life has been pretty much non-existent. At least she has her grandfather who appeared out of the blue to contact her.

Drakes surprise appearance in her office brings her face-to-face with her long lost love. She must confront her feelings for Drake and he must confront his feelings for her. The chemistry between the two still sizzles and is unavoidable even when being chased by killers. Drake is a tough FBI agent who thought he wanted the wild exciting life that would provide. But coming face to face with Abby after all these years, he questions his decision. He still has deep feelings for her and will stop at nothing to protect her. Will he choose his job or her this time around is the big question and Abby has to watch her heart where Drake is concerned. I found this a funny cute action packed story and a nice addition to the anthology.

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