"When a pro baseball pitcher is stalked, will he fall for the woman hired to protect him?"

Security expert Shelby Allen really, really doesn't want to take this latest assignment. She cannot stand professional athletes after her disastrous relationship with one ended on a sour note. But Shelby needs the money to bail out her sister from vicious loan sharks. At first, Corey Evans lives up to her expectations as a man who thinks he's "all that".

Pro baseball pitcher Corey Evans is tired of schemers and users. All he wants to do is play ball, eventually coach. The groupies were a novelty at first, but now he wants to be desired for the man inside, not the professional athlete that he is. Does even such a woman exist? To this end, Corey decides to run off the security expert his manger has hired. A deranged stalker is nothing to worry about right? He can protect himself.

When Corey and Shelby meet, sparks fly. After Corey fails in driving Shelby away, he decides to act on their mutual attraction. He's going to have a hard time convincing her that he's not another spoiled pretty boy player. His initial attitude doesn't help matters, unfortunately. Can this woman be the one for whom Corey has been so desperately waiting?

When the stalker ramps up the phone calls and mischievous events, Corey begins to worry for Shelby's safety. Sure, she can take care of herself, but shouldn't he, as the man, protect his woman? When Corey's pitching career is threatened, he worries that Shelby will leave him as other users would have done. Can Corey get over his fears and let Shelby in? Or will his paranoia drive away the only woman he's ever loved?

Ms. Jones has penned another romantic suspense featuring a stalker. This time, the stalkee is a male, and the protector a female. The role reversal is an interesting twist. TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT is a quick, enjoyable read that fans of the genre should enjoy. I look forward to the next offering from this emerging author.

Sensuality: Explicit sex; sexually explicit scenes: 6

Reviewed by Denise Powers
Courtesy Sensual Romance Reviews
Posted March 13, 2004

Summary

Shelby Allen's company has been hired to protect Pro-Baseball pitcher Corey Evans from an obsessed stalker.Only she doesn't like athletes, having a bad past with one and only takes the job as a favor to Corey's manager.

Corey Evans is feeling used and abused, having had his fame bubble burst as he realizes everyone sees him as a commodity. Especially women.

When the two come together its like fire and ice. One minute they argue, the next they can't keep their hands off one another. Now, thrown together by circumstances, they must decide if they can trust one another, as they battle a stalker who as a hidden agenda.

One that could turn deadly.