TOO HOT TO HANDLE (Romancing the Clarksons #1) by Tessa Bailey-Review and Book Tour
TOO HOT TO HANDLE
Romancing the Clarksons #1
by Tessa Bailey
Release Date: May 17, 2016
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic,romance
Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /Google Play
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 17, 2016
When rescue looks like a whole lot of trouble . . .
The road trip was definitely a bad idea. Having already flambéed her culinary career beyond recognition, Rita Clarkson is now stranded in God-Knows-Where, New Mexico, with a busted-ass car and her three temperamental siblings, who she hasn’t seen in years. When rescue shows up—six-feet-plus of hot, charming sex on a motorcycle—Rita’s pretty certain she’s gone from the frying pan right into the fire . . .
Jasper Ellis has a bad boy reputation in this town, and he loathes it. The moment he sees Rita, though, Jasper knows he’s about to be sorely tempted. There’s something real between them. Something raw. And Jasper has only a few days to show Rita that he isn’t just for tonight—he’s forever.
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REVIEW: TOO HOT TO HANDLE is the first installment in Tessa Bailey’s contemporary, adult ROMANCING THE CLARKSONS erotic, romance series focusing on the four Clarkson siblings. This is chef Rita Clarkson, and bar/restaurant owner Jasper Ellis’s story line.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Jasper and Rita) TOO HOT TO HANDLE follows the Clarkson siblings-Rita, Aaron, Peggy and Belmont as they take off on a cross country adventure. One year earlier, following their mother’s death, Rita Clarkson took over the family restaurant, but a fire destroyed everything they had built. It was then that Rita produced their mother’s journal asking that her children seek out what is important in their lives, and thusly the cross country trek began. When the car in which they were driving breaks down near a small New Mexico town, Rita will come face to face with her future-restaurant and bar owner Jasper Ellis-a man who has sworn off women for close to two years.
TOO HOT TO HANDLE covers approximately three days in th life, and is an insta-lust/love story line between two people who are unable to let go of the past. Jasper’s history as a bit of a man-whore finds our hero immersed in self-loathing, insecurity and unable to accept that any woman would want him for himself. He is an alpha male with a vulnerable side that is exposed in Rita’s presence. Rita’s low self-esteem comes from a series of mistakes and failures, and rejection by Jasper adds one more failure to her list of many. The $ex scenes are erotic and intimate. The sexual energy, attraction, and chemistry is palpable. There is plenty of passion (good and bad) between our leading couple.
We are introduced to Rita’s siblings-Aaron, the politician; Peggy the ‘beautiful’ one; and Belmont-a man so caught up in his own mind that no one is aware of what is going on in his life. Aaron’s story will be told next in TOO WILD TO TAME.
The world building focuses on the dysfunctional nature of the estranged sibling’s relationships. It is readily apparent that something happened in the past to destroy what was once a close-knit family but present day sees the siblings as strangers with the same last name.
Tessa Bailey writes a story about family and loss. She will captivate your imagination as four siblings struggle to communicate, to get along, to cooperate with the smallest of ventures. The premise is entertaining; the characters are likeable and colorful; the romance is fated and heartwarming.
Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley
Reviewed by Sandy
“If—if—we need to stay overnight—”
“You will.”
“—then I might see you at the bar.” She wedged a hand between them and separated their bodies. “I’d rather see someone’s worst than their best. Saves time.”
Jasper heard the tow truck pulling into the garage parking lot and cursed. Not even remotely confident that his first attempt at polite conversation with an available woman had been successful, Jasper walked her backward until they were hidden behind a rusted pay phone. She’d broken away from his touch, so he was careful to respect that. He dropped his mouth to an inch above hers and said, low, “I didn’t get near enough time with you, Rita. If you don’t show up tonight, don’t be surprised if I come looking.” He laid his palms against the warm building, above her head, watched her gaze dip to his stomach. His lap. “And if I have to come looking, I’ll be twice as determined to get that kiss.”
Her head came up. “W-what kiss?”
Jasper lowered his mouth until their lips brushed. He listened to her breath accelerate, watched her wet her lips. “The one I want to give you right now.” He allowed himself to linger another few seconds, then, with the effort of ten oxen, Jasper stepped back. “Tonight, beautiful.”
On his way to his bike, Jasper tipped his hat at Rita’s gaping siblings
Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high
school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.
Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.
She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eight years and four-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.
Connect with Tessa Bailey
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