Tempted by Trouble By Susan Arden -a review

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About The Book:   Release Date April 1, 2013

When a woman is the magnet for the wrong man, it takes a bad boy to break old habits.

Carolina Rodriguez is a large-animal veterinarian on a mission to escape South Florida. Willing to do just about anything, she accepts a job in Annona, Texas over the internet from a family connection. At her cousin’s wedding, she runs into-literally-a handsome Texan in the parking lot. Matt McLemore is more than gorgeous, he’s Carolina’s new boss, and needs her help to determine why his cattle keep dying.

Matt proposes to introduce Carolina to his family as his girlfriend, giving her the opportunity to work and stay at his ranch without arousing his family’s suspicion. Only when she learns she’s the last chance to help save his family’s cattle reputation (given his father’s refusal to listen to reason and modern genetic testing) does she agree to act the part of his girlfriend.

Matt’s instantaneous attraction to Carolina is an excruciating temptation but a roll in the hay may prove too volatile to handle. He attempts to keep a hands-off relationship until she arrives on his ranch and she is too hot to resist.

Carolina refuses to admit Matt’s raw sexuality is more than overpowering or that she’s the least bit tempted by a smooth talking bad boy. By the time the lab reports comes back, they’ve explored every inch of each other. All of a sudden, this fiery affair is more than just a fling. When a past flame threatens to overwhelm their newfound romance, Matt must find a way to stake his claim to Carolina’s heart before it’s too late.

Review:

(fanning self with her cowboy hat) Matt McLemore is one damn fine cowboy and can be my bad boy any day!! If you are looking for a book with a drop dead gorgeous, swoon-worthy alpha male lead then Susan Arden’s Tempted by Trouble is just the book for you. Being a cowboy on top of all that is just the icing on the cake for this little cowgirl at heart. 😉 I must admit at first I thought Matt was going to be a real arrogant jerk-type character I would want to slap across the head at every turn. Boy was I wrong. That whole macho bravado act he first shows to Carolina is just that, an act. He’s hot, good looking and pretty much sex on a stick and knows it, so he uses it to protect his already damaged heart. It isn’t until we learn more about Matt that underneath it all he’s a good man, with a good heart and knows how to treat a woman. His past played a number on his heart and he doesn’t want to go down that path again, until he meets Carolina and everything in his world is turned upside down.

For this little cowgirl at heart this book hit all the high notes. I love a good story set on a ranch with good looking cowboys, a little drama and romance. It’s a quick read, but the drama begins on the first page, draws the reader in from the get go, and there’s no turning back till the last page. For me, that’s something I enjoy in my reads, being pulled into the story from the first page. When this happens I know I won’t be able to stop till I turn that last page. The one thing I was worried about was that the author wouldn’t have enough time to delve into everything(cattle/breeding issues, ex boyfriend, romance angst between the two leads, etc) However, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Ms Arden does a wonderful job of blending it all together to fit into a neat tidy story that just flows from beginning to end.

The issues with the cattle and breeding that Carolina is called into handle is well written and helps to draw the reader further into the story. Throughout the whole ordeal we get to see both Carolina and Matt try to come to terms with everything that is happening on the ranch and between them. There’s this push and pull chemistry between them that at times caused me some angst of my own, as I wanted to slap both upside the head and tell them; “look, stop being stubborn and just open your hearts to one another already” aaaaaaa!!!!. This whole back and forth thing can be a total pain in the butt sometimes for me as I read a book, but in this case only added to the already combustible chemistry between Matt and Carolina and gives us a clearer understanding of where to two characters are coming from.

It takes some time but finally, yes finally Matt and Carolina both are able to put their pasts to rest so they can have a future together. Let me tell you, Ms. Arden had me worried for a little while near the end, what, with the arrival of Carolina’s past flame, and neither Matt nor Carolina having the courage to own up to their feelings for each other, if it would all work out or not. Thankfully it did, but I would have preferred a little more after that final scene. Just something more to really tidy it up and make it more complete for my liking. It’s just how I’m wired when it comes to my books. Yes, I like a good declaration of love between the lead characters, but I also like a little more completion, like a short epilogue that shows them a few weeks, or months down the road etc. What can I say, I’m a sucker for romance and the happily every after stuff. 😉

Tempted by Trouble is a perfect title for this book. Carolina is definitely tempted by Matt, and he’s definitely trouble where she’s concerned thanks to her past relationships. However, it goes both ways as Carolina is also trouble for Matt and his already damaged heart. It’s a good, quick, fun, and steamy read. Both characters are well written and the chemisty between Matt and Carolina is off the charts. Keep a cold glass of water within reach well reading this one ladies. 😉 If you like a good romance, cowboys and alpha men, then this one’s a must read. Happy trails to you and happy reading.

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Marcie