"A very emotionally satisfying Blaze -- and keep the ice bucket handy!"

Grey Masterson needs a vacation from his life! He's the conservative, responsible, hard-working, and very private CEO of his family's newspaper business, but suddenly everything is going wrong. The paper is not doing well and circulation is down, someone is sabotaging the equipment at the newspaper, and worst of all, a former lover has published a tell-all book about their relationship and a beautiful woman is stalking him. So when his identical twin brother, Zane, suggests that they switch places like they used to do as kids, Grey jumps at the chance to spend some time in Zane's no-commitment, no-work, party-hearty life. There's only one thing -- a friend has asked for Zane's help with some problem, and he's supposed to meet with her to find out what's going on. Grey feels pretending to be Zane and solving his friend's problem, whatever it is, can't be much trouble compared to what else he's had to cope with recently.

Reina Price is a designer of erotic jewelry and owns a gallery for erotic art. She's the daughter of a famous (or infamous) stage actress who has always refused to tell her who her father was. She has lived all over the world, has varied and plentiful sexual experience of her own -- and has learned to use her sensuality as a guard to keep most men at a distance. Unfortunately, two recent robberies at her art gallery have endangered the success of Reina's business and put her in a precarious financial position. All indications are that the thefts of jewels from her office safe were an inside job, but neither she nor the police can find any evidence to implicate her employees or the artists that work and show at the gallery. Reina has had to turn down commissions to create jewelry for patrons because she cannot guarantee the safety of the jewels and precious metals, often supplied by the client, that she uses in her pieces. But now she has been offered the profitable opportunity to recreate the erotic jewelry and sex toys designed by il Gio, a sixteenth-century Italian jeweler, for his mistress. This would be a tie-in to the recent wildly successful publication of il Gio's erotic diaries. So she calls on her friend Zane for help in ensuring the safety of the antique jewels supplied by il Gio's descendant and in finding the thief. Zane may come across as irresponsible and undependable, but he has always been a supportive friend and she trusts him more than any other man she knows, in part because there is no sexual spark between them. He owns the gallery and house she rents and they have had a comfortable relationship, almost like siblings, for several years -- so she doesn't understand why she is suddenly attracted to him in a very sensual way. Of course, having him constantly around in his new role of protector and investigator, it doesn't take her long to realize that Zane is not really Zane . . .

Ooh, the descriptions of the erotic jewelry and art! And the passages from the secret diary of il Gio's mistress! I was reaching for a glass of ice water while I was still on the first page of the book! And when Reina and Grey get to trying out il Gio's designs -- well, have the whole ice bucket handy.

There are unexpected and very satisfying depths to the personalities of Reina and Grey. She's got a lot of issues with relationships -- with her mother, with her non- existent father, with men in general. And Grey, smarting from the recent published revelations of his private sexual practices, is not quite ready to trust a woman or give his heart. But they are both very perceptive in recognizing their feelings and the attraction between them, and in supporting and helping each other deal with the emotional problems in their lives. Whenever Reina withdraws emotionally and shuts him out, Grey shows her that he understands her pain and is there for her. And in dealing with his own feelings, Grey also comes to see his relationship with his brother in a new light that makes him feel much closer to his sibling.

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end -- one of the most emotionally satisfying Blazes so far.

Reviewed by Raelene Gorlinsky
Courtesy Sensual Romance
Posted August 5, 2002

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Summary

The Man

Newspaperman Grey Masterson. He's responsible, conservative . . . and he's at the end of his rope! Only, little does he guess that when he and his brother, Zane, switch places, he's in for even more excitement.

The Woman

Jewelry designer Reina Price. She's smart, she's sexy and she knows it. She uses her sensuality to keep her where she wants to be--in charge. Only, with her friend "Zane" she's suddenly lost her edge--and her control. And she's liking it far too much.

The Pleasure

After a sexy tell-all book by his former lover hits the stands, Grey Masterson discovers he's suddenly notorious. He's even acquired a stalker! "Becoming" his reckless, wild, identical twin brother, Zane, for a while might be just the break Grey needs. Only, once he meets Zane's friend, sultry Reina Price, he discovers there's no rest for the wicked. Luckily, Grey's planning to be very bad.