Too Hot to Handle
Art-gallery administrator can't believe she slept with her deceased BF's look-alike right after they met at her sister's wedding & that she actually enjoyed it. Lung-doctor Hero can't believe how strong the attraction he shares with heroine & wants the pursue their r/s fully. But heroine treads cautiously b/c she's not exactly sure what her motives are for being with Hero & is reluctant to share any info about her deceased BF. As their friends & family get involved, the truth about Hero & heroine's former BF complicates matters even more. Overall, I liked this Kaye book. It was sensual, funny, & sweet at times. I really liked the Hero. He was open about his devotion, lust, & love for heroine. He was an alpha-male with a penchant for cleaning & cooking (*sigh*). He didn't have any problems committing to heroine & was patient with her reticence.
My problem with this book is the heroine's emotional state. She was very hung-up on her 1st BF who died of cancer 2 years prior. She repressed her feelings about him & felt guilty for their secret r/s. The next 2 serious r/s she had were tainted by her unresolved issues with her ex. Her initial interest in Hero was b/c he looked like the spitting image of her ex-BF. In most of the book, I wasn't sure whether she was in love with Hero or b/c he reminded her of her ex. She was confused. I was confused. It was disturbing. It distracted from the emotional feel of the book. The only time I thought that she was fully present with the Hero & knew it was him she was with was when they were having sex. The other times she seemed to be comparing him to her ex or hiding herself from Hero b/c of her issues with her ex. Even at the end, when heroine professed her love for Hero (which I believed), I thought that she seriously needed therapy to find closure over her ex-BF & solidify her identity issues.
Limited recommendation.
