Title: Irresistible
Series: Something in Common Series # 4
Author: Talia Carmichael
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novella (143 pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (August 22, 2012)
Heat Level: Medium
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥2 ½Hearts
Blurb: A Something in Common novella
Del Jenkins prefers to be alone—or so he tells himself until his younger brothers try to make him a playdate with bookstore owner Harper Hillman. Del’s brothers just want him to make a new friend, but there is no way he can be friends with Harper. Not unless Harper’s definition of “friends” includes jumping into bed together and getting naked and sweaty. When Harper turns him down flat because he doesn’t sleep with strangers, Del shrugs it off and suggests they get to know each other better. He already sees something wonderful in Harper, and he won’t give up so easily.
Harper is still mourning his dead husband, and a casual sexual encounter with Del is the last thing he wants. But getting to know each other—platonically, of course—should be harmless. In no way is Harper getting close to another man. But as he and Del spend more time together, Harper realizes it’s too late—he’s already involved. His heart is set on Del, and Harper is powerless to resist.
Product Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3167
Reviewer: Any
Review: Not irresistible enough for me.
Firstly, keep in mind I haven’t read the author’s other stories, so this review is based on the book as a standalone.
I tried to get into this, I did, but I struggled. Some moments I got a feel for the story, but it didn’t ever quite stick. Though, I think there are many aspects of the book that have so much potential.
- There were moments of wit.
- Sweetness between Del and Harper (and the 6 year-old twins).
- Interesting backstories of both main characters.
- Moments of sexiness.
- I also liked the image Harper had of Del as a tiger.
However, these things were overshadowed by a lack of story focus. I didn’t find myself curious to find out answers to things (other than the band Del wore around his wrist), because there weren’t many questions raised. So the story had a slow feeling to it.
The biggest issue for me was there were too many characters in this book. So many were important to the main characters, but I didn’t get a feel for any of them, because there were simply too many to concentrate on. This would be less of a problem, I’m sure, for those who have read the other stories, but reading as a standalone, it was overwhelming and got confusing.
The other thing that felt off in this story was how things jumped so fast. From Del and Harper disliking each other to wanting each other; and when Del tells Harper his secrets—something he’d never been able to tell anyone before—and then suddenly, he was telling all his friends and family about it. I didn’t feel the struggle I should have for such an important turning point in the story.
However, these things aside, if you like to read about sweet everyday moments and if you like family and friend dynamics in your story, then you might enjoy Irresistible.