Hot to Trot

Review

HOT TO TROT - Barrie Abalard

ISBN: 978-1-59632-665-1

April 2008

Erotic Contemporary Romance

Somewhere in Boston – Present Day

Unemployed for almost a year, Patti is anxious to get back to work. She is a gifted technical writer and has landed an interview at the prestigious DD Technology group. During the interview process, a gorgeous man with captivating green eyes and a tight butt stops in to ask a question to the interviewers. Patti is in shock as she recognizes Dylan, the man she divorced five years ago. She is even more surprised when she realizes that he is one of the founders of the company! He gets the information he needs and immediately leaves the office, never even acknowledging her presence. Seeing Dylan brings back some painful memories of his cheating and the reason they divorced after just three years of marital bliss. Even though he hurt her, Patti still remembers the steamy sex and his willingness to oblige her need to be spanked when naughty.

Dylan wastes no time recommending his qualified ex-wife for the position and she is promptly hired. He's regretted how he treated Patti five years ago and has never really gotten over her leaving him. Determined to win her back, he makes some changes to her work schedule as a new hire and takes her to lunch to apologize for his past behavior. Hoping to persuade Patti to forgive him, he offers her a purely sexual relationship with no strings, as long as they remain professional in the office.

This author cleverly causes the characters to toy with us throughout the story. Initially, I sympathized with Patti's hurt and anger over a cheating husband. Dylan, while tremendously sexy, did not seem sincere until a little later. As the tale goes on, we realize that Patti may have some serious anger management issues, causing her to instigate a few outrageously aggressive acts toward the man she still loves. Dylan, on the other hand, has gained some cool points by remaining outwardly calm while attacked either professionally or in public by the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Ms. Abalard engages us in this book about coping with a loved one who cheats because it can happen to anyone, and we do wonder how it all ends. Just wished the temperament of the characters would have been a little more appealing.

Allegra Alston