"Leto lights the fireworks again!"

When Readers last saw Samantha Devereaux, estranged twin- sister of sexy Serena Devereaux, she was badgering Brandon Chance, her brother-in-law to be, to let her work for him. She was ready for a career change, having just made the move from California to New Orleans so this seemed the perfect opportunity for the former stunt girl. Due to vision problems stopping him from being an elite pilot, Chance had just retired from the Nightstalkers, and had set up a private bodyguard service. His first customer was old girl friend, Serena (Silhouette Desire PURE CHANCE).

Since Chance could find no reason not to take on Samantha as partner in the agency, he has let her go ahead and get her license while he and Serena are away on their honeymoon. Only, the joyful bliss led Chance and Serena to say away for a month longer than intended, leaving Samantha to grow antsy. She has gone gung-ho in this new line of work, and spent more than Chance's petty cash allows on new 'toys' for the business, so she kills time, gets a little experience, and replenishes the money flow by hiring on as security for a business expo.

The first day, she is assigned to a detail to provide security for the CEO/Model of a family-run spaghetti sauce corporation. Dominick Larocca loves fine food, is very family oriented, and is sexy male personified. But when his two grandmothers decide it is past time for him to settle down, they take matters into their own hands and announce nationally that Dominick is looking for a bride.

When a man who looks like every woman's dream is coupled with a spiraling fortune, it seems every woman is ready to jump Dominick as if he is a rock star. This is very distressing to the arrogant, hard-edged, but slightly stuffy CEO, for he cannot even take a shower without someone crawling out from under the bed and trying to convince him how she deserves to be the next Mrs. Larocca, let alone carry on the business he came to New Orleans to handle.

Nearly going into meltdown, Sam has spent hours staring at the huge display of the bare-chested man on the spaghetti sauce presentation, but she is unprepared for the reaction of the wild women chasing Dominick, just as she is unprepared for the man himself. What kept her fantasies in check was her firm belief any man who put himself bare-chested on his own product was likely very narcissistic. But as she learns more about him she begins to feel sympathy for him. So when he mentions he will need to hire a personal bodyguard while in New Orleans, she jumps at the chance, despite her misgivings due her personal attraction to him. Surely, she is professional enough to handle it and keep their business impersonal....isn't she?

Things soon steam up as Dominick makes it clear that he wants her not only as a bodyguard, but also for her to pretend to be his girlfriend, hoping to stop the mobs of marriage hungry females. So instead of standing in front of him as a bodyguard, she is standing at his side while he hints they are in love and will be married soon. And much to her sadness, Sam finds herself wishing it were true.

What I adore about Leto's writing is she presents strongly developed good-girls-do women, ladies who are not afraid to face romance and go after it, instead of blushing and denying... Her men are sexy, to die for, yet are very down to earth, family men...yeah, they are pure alpha males, but they are mannered, raised well gentlemen who respect women of all ages. She sprinkles her books with quirky characters, spices it with sizzling & steamy love scenes, and knows the difference between romance & sex and how the two go together. She breathes vibrant life into her writing, while drawing on her love of New Orleans and ethnic backgrounds.

It is quite clear Leto LOVES to write romance...and you cannot ask for more than that!!!

A super follow up to PURE CHANCE!!

Reviewed by DeborahAnne MacGillivray
Posted April 1, 2003

Summary

HE WAS WICKEDLY DELICIOUS... CEO Dominick LaRocca loves fine food and even finer women. Only ever since his grandmothers put his photo (not to mention his income and marital status) on the label of the family pasta sauce, he hasn't been able to enjoy either! Now that he's become a wanted man, he needs a bodyguard. And sexy security guard Samantha Deveaux appeals to his tastes in every way....

Samantha Deveaux needs this job--and she's going to make sure she does it right! Only how is she supposed to guard Dominick's body when she can't keep her hands off herself? The intensity of his gaze intoxicates her, his touch leaves her craving more. Can she satisfy her hunger without compromising Nick's safety? After all, one little taste never hurt anything....