SURE THING - Lorie O’Clare

Ellora’s Cave - www.ellorascave.com

ISBN: 978-1-41991-482-9

November 2007

Erotic Romance -- Single title

Rated: S-ensuous

Seattle, Washington; Seward and Anchorage, Alaska - Present Day

After ten years of marriage and only days shy of the anniversary cruise to Alaska she had planned, Joanie Showalter’s husband announces he wants a divorce. Then the jerk has the nerve to ask for the tickets so he can take his girlfriend. As if! Joanie tears up his ticket and embarks on the cruise by herself, quickly discovering that there are many men who actually believe she’s attractive. But a native woman in a small café disabuses Joanie of the notion that all of the men who express interest in her are genuine. She accuses Joanie of using a sex charm (a simple souvenir necklace bought aboard the cruise ship) to entrap them. Distraught, Joanie rushes from the café only to bang into the most virile man she’s ever seen, Corbin Silver, the native woman’s grandson.

Corbin has just arrived in Seward to check on his grandmother and niece, and he’s shocked to discover that his grandmother is terrorizing a cute tourist. Surely Joanie doesn’t believe the claptrap his grandmother is spewing? With her generous curves and beautiful hair, why would she need a sex charm to get a man? When Joanie fails to get back on board her cruise ship before it departs for the next port, Corbin decides to offer his hospitality, as well as prove to Joanie that she’s eminently desirable. After all, he’s “helpless” under the effects of the charm.

Could a souvenir necklace really be a powerful sex charm in disguise? You’ll have to come along on Joanie’s trip to find out if love is a SURE THING.

Okay, so a character finding love within days of finding out her husband wants a divorce seems somewhat unrealistic, possibly even skanky. But Joanie is certainly not a skank, and frankly, her marriage wasn’t all that hot to begin with. Her husband is arrogant, deceitful, obnoxious, and basically used her as a stepping stone to the career and life he really wanted. And love does sometimes happen in the blink of an eye, or, at least the beginnings of love helped along by innate chemistry. If anyone deserves a sex charm to help her find love, Joanie does. Her husband did a number on her self worth during their marriage, and recent events have only enforced her beliefs, but somehow Corbin manages to make her accept that she is a sexy, lovable woman, even without a love charm. Corbin learned long ago to hold his emotions in check since women have a tendency to be grasping and sneaky, so he’s managed to evade any long term relationships. But Joanie is different, and Corbin is also different when he’s around her. He finds himself opening up, sharing his feelings, and becoming altogether too possessive and protective of a woman who’s surely destined to head back to the lower forty-eight in a very short while. Can love bloom in only seven short days? Perhaps with a little bit of magical help it can.

Corbin’s grandmother, Zoie, is gruff, bossy and loves her family with a fierceness that must be admired. Sure, she’s a bit of a pain in the butt, and yes, she is very hard on Joanie, but underneath her bristly exterior beats the heart of a truly good woman. Corbin’s niece, Tory, is a teenager with a lot on her shoulders. She helps out in the café so much that she rarely gets to relax and enjoy being a teenager. A father that was never in the picture, and a mother who left her to live with her grandmother, has left Tory with a bad taste in her mouth and the attitude to match. But don’t misunderstand, Tory is a good girl, she just hides it well sometimes. Teddy Bahr (interesting name huh?) is one of Corbin’s best friends and he’s more than willing to help when needed. Joanie’s sister, Jenny, is a happily married woman who wants the best for her, and always knew that Joanie’s husband wasn’t the man she should be with.

Realistic and charming characters, a beautiful setting, and a story laced with just a hint of magic ensure that SURE THING is well worth your book buying dollars. Stop by Ellora’s Cave today to get your copy.

Lori Ann