Training Wheels

My Mission: A Man For The Night by Miranda Lee

Harlequin Connection: #64 in the Harlequin Blaze line.

Publication Date: November 2002

How Long It's Been In My TBR: A long time. So long I can't remember where or when I actually purchased it. It looks new, but that doesn't mean anything.

Plot: Josie Williams has just found out her new boyfriend likes guys just as much as she does. This is a deal breaker, so she has no choice but to dump the guy on the eve of her high school reunion. This is a real pickle for Josie, since she so wanted to show up at the reunion with a gorgeous hunk on her arm and show up her nemesis, Amber, who is now married to a gazillionaire. No sweat! Josie's friend and business partner tells her about an exclusive escort service. She has just the hunk in mind, a gorgeous struggling actor. The actor in question is Callum McCloud's baby brother. His brother has agreed to Josie's job, only to get the opportunity to attend a party hosted by some Hollywood big wigs. Could Callum please step in and bail him out? Certainly! What are brothers for?

Of course one thing leads to another, with Callum and Josie agreeing to a "fling" until Callum has to leave for a business trip. Can they keep it strictly an affair without falling in love?

My Verdict: I would recommend this story to anybody who thinks the Blaze line is "all sex with no plot." This story actually reads like a Harlequin Temptation with a longer word count.

I'm a sucker for the high school reunion storyline, mainly because I think it's an accessible and believable scenario. That said, I did find Josie to run hot and cold for the entire story. One moment I thought she was a prude, the next I thought "You go girl!" Then I allowed myself to remember what it was like to be single and dating ::shudder:: and the "hot and cold" behavior started working better for me. Callum is one of those no-commitment types and I liked that he was up front with Josie and that his Big Secret (taking his baby brother's place) is out in the open by the time the second half rolls around.

What doesn't work so well? We get a Big Commitment in the final chapter which frankly didn't work for me. The story takes place in one week and I'm sorry - a Mr. No Committment Leopard doesn't change his spots that quickly. I don't care how fantastic the sex is.

Final Grade = B-. Besides the rush to commitment, I also thought this story was a bit slow to get moving. We don't actually get to the high school reunion until Chapter 7. Less on the beginning and more on the middle and end would have been good.