From Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Review
Danger, romance, and sex are intertwined in Lori Wilde's new romantic tale of opposites attracting. In one corner: Cassie Cooper, a cute PR whiz with an active love life but spooked by the notion of "one man for the rest of her life." In the opposite corner: Dr. Harrison Standish, an Egyptologist with a nerdy, color-blind professor's wardrobe; he learned early on that love was for suckers. Naturally, these two are destined to clash early at a museum's masquerade ball organized by Cassie's firm. When the main attraction of the evening -- a legendary amulet -- is stolen, the two are forced to team up to find the jewel and defeat the bad guys. In between (you guessed it!), they fall head-over-heels. Like Janet Evanovich, Wilde knows how to give fast-talking, spunky heroines the sweet romance they deserve, but Wilde's love scenes are, well, a lot wilder. Ginger Curwen

From the Publisher

P.R. specialist Cassie Cooper loves the adrenaline rush of a well-planned party. And the masquerade ball at the museum is her best yet. But one minute she's chatting with a mummy, and the next a legendary amulet is stolen practically from under her nose. There are times when a woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do. To find the artifact and save her job, Cassie turns to her nemesis: Dr. Harrison Standish. Standoffish, as she likes to call him.

Archaeologist Harrison has all the intensity of Indiana Jones, but his no-need-for-romance attitude could use some adjustment. Who knew it would happen while he and Cassie are chasing leads, dodging bad guys, and racing against the clock? Just when he needs his full attention on their mission, he's having the damnedest time keeping his mind-and his hands-off her. They still have a shot at recovering the amulet, but when it comes to Cassie, Harrison's already a goner.

Publishers Weekly

PR specialist Cassie Cooper, who made trouble for her twin sister, Maddie, in Wilde's previous romantic adventure, Charmed and Dangerous (2004), has planned an Egyptian costume benefit at Fort Worth's Kimbell Art Museum to celebrate the reunion of the separated amulet that once belonged to Kiya and Solen, Egyptian lovers from 3,000 years ago. The benefit gets off to a bad start with the stabbing and disappearance of a man in a mummy costume and the theft of Kiya's part of the amulet. When Dr. Adam Grayfield fails to appear at the party with Solen's section of the amulet, Cassie's boss threatens to fire her. In a comical, if less than credible scene, Adam's nerdy archeologist brother, Harrison, saves Cassie's job by asserting that the theft of Kiya's amulet was staged and party-goers must try to solve the mystery. Cassie and Harrison's search for Adam and the pilfered amulet is coupled with overblown romantic tension and outlandish encounters with their pursuers. The imperfections of the protagonists (Cassie is not model thin, and Harrison isn't a fierce tough guy) add realism to the read, which, if nothing else, is adequate escapist fare. Agent, Karen Solem at Spencerhill Associates. (May) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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Mission: Irresistible

Warner Forever

Chapter One

"So? You've been drinking too and we've only had one shot of schnapps so it's not like we're snockered."

"I won't take advantage of you."

"Not even if I wanted you to?" She fluttered her eyelashes seductively.

"No!" he exclaimed, but she heard amusement in his voice. "Besides, I think you're just bluffing. You don't really want me to make love to you. You just like to tease."

Oh really? Is that what he thought of her? That she was all come on and no substance?

They stared at each other, eyes locked.

Her need for him was building faster than she could have imagined. Who'd have thought she'd be all hot and horny for ol' mismatched Harry?

But dammit she was.

The glimmer in his eyes sent goose bumps marching up and down her arms and she was wetter than a Slip-n-Slide. Need for him, for his kiss, his touch was a wild thing inside her, sending her heart thrashing wildly against her rib cage, thrusting out all common sense.

"You think you have me figured out?"

"I do, or as least as much as anyone will ever have you figured out, Cassie Cooper."

"Go ahead. Get it off your chest. Let's hear it." She jutted out her chin, daring him.

"You sure you're ready for this? You might not like what I have to say."

"Go ahead." She raised a hand. "I'm all ears."

"Remember you asked for it."

"Just shut up and analyze me."

"Here goes. You act like you're not afraid of anything. You hide behind your charm and your sex appeal and your gregarious talk. You have a hopscotch mind that often gets your body in trouble."

"Oh yeah?" she said because she did not know what else to say. It was true.

"Yeah. But in spite of your plucky personality, you really have a fear of exploring anything too deeply. You keep everything on the surface, which you mask by a fascination with many subjects. Your flirtation with pleasure is actually a flight away from pain. Ergo, your attempts to get me into bed are in reality, nothing but a bluff."

"Ergo? Who in the hell says ergo? It's little wonder why you get called Poindexter."

Cassie knew she was being defensive but she was unnerved that he had figured her out so easily. Not even her own twin sister, Maddie, understood her motivations the way Harry did. It was amazing and a little disturbing.

She didn't appreciate being dissected so accurately and she wasn't going to let him get away with it.

Cassie knew it was impulsive. She recognized that she was tipsy and that she was still vulnerable over her apartment break-in. And yes, maybe she was using pleasure to cloak her fears. She was on the verge of not only losing her job but potentially going to jail for the theft of a priceless artifact she didn't even steal.

But something deep inside her whispered that this time was different. Harry was an impulse worth acting on.

"Go ahead," she teased, reaching for the hem of her long-sleeved T-shirt. In one swooping motion she pulled it over her head. "Call my bluff."

(Continues...)

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