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Tumble Creek #3
Lead Me On
Raw, animal magnetism…
…is a big red flag to prim and proper office manager Jane Morgan. After a rough childhood with a mother who liked her men in prison-jumpsuit orange, Jane changed her name, her look and her taste for bad boys. So why is she lusting for William Chase with his tattoo-covered biceps and steel-toed boots? The man blows things up for a living!
She gives herself one explosive, fantasy-filled night with Chase. The next day it's back to plain Jane and safe men.
But when her beloved brother becomes a murder suspect, it's Chase who comes to her rescue. And Jane discovers that a man who's been around the block knows a thing or two about uncovering the truth….
…is a big red flag to prim and proper office manager Jane Morgan. After a rough childhood with a mother who liked her men in prison-jumpsuit orange, Jane changed her name, her look and her taste for bad boys. So why is she lusting for William Chase with his tattoo-covered biceps and steel-toed boots? The man blows things up for a living!
She gives herself one explosive, fantasy-filled night with Chase. The next day it's back to plain Jane and safe men.
But when her beloved brother becomes a murder suspect, it's Chase who comes to her rescue. And Jane discovers that a man who's been around the block knows a thing or two about uncovering the truth….
344 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 22, 2009
About the author
Victoria Dahl
62 books2,003 followersI have my mother to thank for my passion for writing. My mom is an avid reader of popular fiction, and I began reading highly inappropriate books around the age of eleven, I think. (Thanks, Mom, for always leaving those delicious books strewn about!)
To Tempt a Scotsman, a Golden Heart winning historical, was my first published book. Here I am signing the cover! A Rake's Guide to Pleasure (which was excerpted at the back of Scotsman) is my second.
Due to my all-around goofiness, my agent suggested I also try my hand at a contemporary romantic comedy. Boy, is my agent smart! I had a great time writing Talk Me Down, the story of a young woman who goes back to her small hometown in Colorado and causes a huge stir with her secretive career and her burgeoning relationship with the chief of police. Not only did I have a great time writing it, but Tara Parsons at HQN liked it too! So if you like cold weather, hot sex and dirty jokes, be sure to check out Talk Me Down (out in January 2009).
Speaking of cold weather, my family and I live in a beautiful ski town in
Utah. No, I don't ski. I prefer to sit inside with a hot toddy and a good
book while the snow falls. It's especially beautiful to watch when from the inside!
I have a wonderful husband and children, and the house is kind of crowded, what with the dukes, Scotsmen, police chiefs, and naughty ladies running around, but my family is very understanding about my imaginary friends. Good thing, since they refuse to leave!
To Tempt a Scotsman, a Golden Heart winning historical, was my first published book. Here I am signing the cover! A Rake's Guide to Pleasure (which was excerpted at the back of Scotsman) is my second.
Due to my all-around goofiness, my agent suggested I also try my hand at a contemporary romantic comedy. Boy, is my agent smart! I had a great time writing Talk Me Down, the story of a young woman who goes back to her small hometown in Colorado and causes a huge stir with her secretive career and her burgeoning relationship with the chief of police. Not only did I have a great time writing it, but Tara Parsons at HQN liked it too! So if you like cold weather, hot sex and dirty jokes, be sure to check out Talk Me Down (out in January 2009).
Speaking of cold weather, my family and I live in a beautiful ski town in
Utah. No, I don't ski. I prefer to sit inside with a hot toddy and a good
book while the snow falls. It's especially beautiful to watch when from the inside!
I have a wonderful husband and children, and the house is kind of crowded, what with the dukes, Scotsmen, police chiefs, and naughty ladies running around, but my family is very understanding about my imaginary friends. Good thing, since they refuse to leave!
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January 7, 2015
5 stars – Contemporary Romance
Dahl’s Tumble Creek is a fun, sexy contemporary romance series with quirky, realistically flawed heroines, totally delicious, to-die-for, yummy heroes, loads of sarcastic, witty humor, and smokin’ hot love scenes. Lead Me On is no exception and in fact, I think it just might be my favorite book in the series so far.
Prim, proper, polished, and proficient office manager Jane Morgan is looking for a secure relationship and a stable, neatly planned future with the “right” kind of man: educated, ambitious, successful, and refined (you know ladies...boring!). But then she meets Godiva hunk (and apparent) bad boy demolition construction worker Chase, who makes his interest in rumpling Jane’s coif, perfect appearance in between the sheets quite obvious. Jane’s recently broken up with her latest Mr. Perfect due to lack of chemistry and shall we say, less than stellar, sexual performance, so what better way to get over a dry spell than a fling with the bad boy hottie of your fantasies?
Jane makes it clear to Chase that sex is all she’s interested in, but of course, nothing is ever that easy or simple, and when it turns out there’s much more to both Jane and Chase than meets the eye, things get all kinds of complicated, especially when painful pasts are exposed, real emotions get involved, and deep feelings emerge that neither of them anticipated.
Jane has lots of issues and is one seriously complicated (and often frustrating) heroine. Even though she annoyed me at times (okay, a lot), particularly her “just a dumb piece of meat” treatment of Chase, I think her personal insecurities, neuroses, and relationship hang-ups, especially considering her past, are somewhat realistic, and I did empathize with her. And although it takes her waaay too long to “get a clue”, she does finally, thankfully, wise up, and move towards forgiveness and self acceptance.
Believe me when I tell you ladies that (supposed) bad boy with a heart of gold hero Chase, with his beat-up pickup truck, heavily muscled, ruggedly sexy build, wicked hot tattoos, tight fitting t-shirts, worn out but still snug in all the right places denim jeans, steel toed boots, devilish smile, affable, flirtatious demeanor, sweet, romantic, protective, passionate, fun, and caring nature, self-made success, and deliciously naughty (and generously talented) bedroom skills is more than reason enough to read this book! Y-O-W-Z-A! I know it’s still early in the year yet, but Chase has already secured a top spot in my ‘2010 hunkalicious, to-die-for, hero of the year’ awards!
So if you enjoy contemporary romance with flawed, difficult, yet all too real heroines, husband worthy heroes that will have you swooning in delight, laugh out loud humor, and steamy, need a glass of ice water hot, sex scenes, then this (and the entire Tumble Creek series) should be just what the romance doctor ordered! A big 5 stars!
Here are a couple of my favorite scenes/lines:
**********Possible spoiler alert**********
“Too warm?” he asked.
“Yes,” Jane answered. Apparently she was way past warm, because she stopped in the middle of the room and reached for the bottom of her shirt, not even pausing before she whipped it over her head. “You were right.”
“Oh?” He couldn’t say more than that. His throat was closing up as his eyes sent images to his brain. She reached for the side of her skirt and unzipped it.
“I do want you as my birthday present. Is that insulting?” The skirt dropped.
Chase felt his eyes bulge. Holy shit. Jane Morgan, Miss Prim and Proper herself, was fucking stacked.
Naked, she looked less like a wallflower and more like Jessica Rabbit.
“Is it?” supersexy Jane asked.
“Huh?”
“Is it insulting that I want you as my present?”
“No. No, it’s not.” In fact, his dick was showing interest in being the main showcase of the gift exchange. He’d seen a porno movie like this once. The serious-looking secretary who was suddenly overcome with lust that transformed her into a sexpot. Chase glanced at the door to be sure no camera crew had arrived.
Jane’s Grandma Olive’s assessment when she meets Chase:
“Well, ain’t he big as life and twice as natural.”
“He doesn’t look like he’ll be starring in one of those little-blue-pill commercials anytime soon, if you catch my drift.”
Loved it!!!! :)
Dahl’s Tumble Creek is a fun, sexy contemporary romance series with quirky, realistically flawed heroines, totally delicious, to-die-for, yummy heroes, loads of sarcastic, witty humor, and smokin’ hot love scenes. Lead Me On is no exception and in fact, I think it just might be my favorite book in the series so far.
Prim, proper, polished, and proficient office manager Jane Morgan is looking for a secure relationship and a stable, neatly planned future with the “right” kind of man: educated, ambitious, successful, and refined (you know ladies...boring!). But then she meets Godiva hunk (and apparent) bad boy demolition construction worker Chase, who makes his interest in rumpling Jane’s coif, perfect appearance in between the sheets quite obvious. Jane’s recently broken up with her latest Mr. Perfect due to lack of chemistry and shall we say, less than stellar, sexual performance, so what better way to get over a dry spell than a fling with the bad boy hottie of your fantasies?
Jane makes it clear to Chase that sex is all she’s interested in, but of course, nothing is ever that easy or simple, and when it turns out there’s much more to both Jane and Chase than meets the eye, things get all kinds of complicated, especially when painful pasts are exposed, real emotions get involved, and deep feelings emerge that neither of them anticipated.
Jane has lots of issues and is one seriously complicated (and often frustrating) heroine. Even though she annoyed me at times (okay, a lot), particularly her “just a dumb piece of meat” treatment of Chase, I think her personal insecurities, neuroses, and relationship hang-ups, especially considering her past, are somewhat realistic, and I did empathize with her. And although it takes her waaay too long to “get a clue”, she does finally, thankfully, wise up, and move towards forgiveness and self acceptance.
Believe me when I tell you ladies that (supposed) bad boy with a heart of gold hero Chase, with his beat-up pickup truck, heavily muscled, ruggedly sexy build, wicked hot tattoos, tight fitting t-shirts, worn out but still snug in all the right places denim jeans, steel toed boots, devilish smile, affable, flirtatious demeanor, sweet, romantic, protective, passionate, fun, and caring nature, self-made success, and deliciously naughty (and generously talented) bedroom skills is more than reason enough to read this book! Y-O-W-Z-A! I know it’s still early in the year yet, but Chase has already secured a top spot in my ‘2010 hunkalicious, to-die-for, hero of the year’ awards!
So if you enjoy contemporary romance with flawed, difficult, yet all too real heroines, husband worthy heroes that will have you swooning in delight, laugh out loud humor, and steamy, need a glass of ice water hot, sex scenes, then this (and the entire Tumble Creek series) should be just what the romance doctor ordered! A big 5 stars!
Here are a couple of my favorite scenes/lines:
**********Possible spoiler alert**********
“Too warm?” he asked.
“Yes,” Jane answered. Apparently she was way past warm, because she stopped in the middle of the room and reached for the bottom of her shirt, not even pausing before she whipped it over her head. “You were right.”
“Oh?” He couldn’t say more than that. His throat was closing up as his eyes sent images to his brain. She reached for the side of her skirt and unzipped it.
“I do want you as my birthday present. Is that insulting?” The skirt dropped.
Chase felt his eyes bulge. Holy shit. Jane Morgan, Miss Prim and Proper herself, was fucking stacked.
Naked, she looked less like a wallflower and more like Jessica Rabbit.
“Is it?” supersexy Jane asked.
“Huh?”
“Is it insulting that I want you as my present?”
“No. No, it’s not.” In fact, his dick was showing interest in being the main showcase of the gift exchange. He’d seen a porno movie like this once. The serious-looking secretary who was suddenly overcome with lust that transformed her into a sexpot. Chase glanced at the door to be sure no camera crew had arrived.
Jane’s Grandma Olive’s assessment when she meets Chase:
“Well, ain’t he big as life and twice as natural.”
“He doesn’t look like he’ll be starring in one of those little-blue-pill commercials anytime soon, if you catch my drift.”
Loved it!!!! :)
December 27, 2009
Even though the heroine of this book, Jane Morgan, at times drove me absolutely crazy, it didn't matter, because I loved this story! It was hot, cute, funny, sexy, frustrating, and somehow it even got me crying. A very enjoyable, thoroughly developed little romance, with characters you'll have no trouble picturing in your head, and featuring an awesomely sweet, sexy, to-die-for hero that you'll just want to...well, I'll leave that up to your imagination!
This is the third book in Victoria Dahl's Tumble Creek series, and it can be read as a stand alone, even though the character of Jane was first introduced in the previous book. This book delves into the character of architect Quinn Jennings's (Start Me Up) 29-year-old office manager/right hand (wo)man Jane Morgan, and oh boy, what a complicated woman she is! I don't really know where to start, and I definitely don't want to give away any spoilers, because half the fun of reading this book is finding out all about Jane's wild, rebellious past. To say that prim, proper, cool and efficient Jane is nothing like she was as a teenager, is an understatement. Jane is neurotic, passionate, funny, frustrating, and just about drove me crazy with all her 'issues' about her past, and many times throughout the book I wanted to say "Forgive yourself already, give yourself a break...you were young...get over it". Thank God she had a really decent, patient, mature, level-headed (and oh-so-sexy) great guy who wanted to be in her life, excavation company owner Billy Chase (or "Chase" as he liked to be called).
Jane was dead set on turning herself into the opposite of the person she used to be, even to the point of practically cutting her family out of her life, and trying to make herself want a safe, educated, boring, successful man in her life, but one look at the big, tattooed hunk who walked in the office for an appointment with her boss, and "oh crud", Jane wanted him. But she doesn't want a bad boy type anymore, or does she? And is Chase what he appears to be, or is he something more?
Well, Jane isn't able to resist Chase, and tells him up front that there can never be anything serious between them. Basically she just wants to use him for sex, and at first Chase is okay with being just her 'booty call'. But then he starts to have feelings for her, and it hurts him that she won't consider him for more than being her boy toy. This is when I started getting frustrated with Jane and feeling bad for Chase. Chase was a really great guy with so much to offer, and why couldn't Jane see that? And why didn't he just walk away? But then little by little, Victoria Dahl reveals more and more about Jane, peeling away all her layers, and the reader gets to see the real Jane, and why she acts the way she does. So then my irritation turned to sorrow for her--I was sorry that she couldn't forgive herself for her past, and sorry that she couldn't open her eyes and see the best thing that could ever happen to her was patiently waiting for her to make peace with her past.
There's so much more in this book that I could go into: Jane has a younger brother who ends up in serious trouble with the law, and Chase is right there to help; Jane has a family who she's a little ashamed of and a mother who she's angry at; Jane has a grandmother who's a real character and is quite a hoot (she has some of the funniest lines in the whole book!); Chase has his own sad past and a father with an alcohol problem; Jane has an ex who's trying to blackmail her...it's hard to believe that this book is only 344 pages, because there's plenty of background material here. But Ms. Dahl is such an excellent storyteller and things move along so quickly with no dead spots at all, that the book seems like it's only 100 pages in length.
Now, the loves scenes...there was a handful, and each and every one was smokin' hot. No disappointments there! Jane and Chase were very passionate, and sweet Chase was not afraid of using the "L" word. And Jane's fascination with Chase's tattoo...you'll just have to read it.:)
The ending...very sweet and satisfying, as Jane finally, bravely faced her past, putting it in the past, and fought for the future she wanted to have. The final page where Chase talked about the future he wanted with Jane made me smile, laugh out loud, and then had me tearing up. Fabulous ending to my favorite book in the series. A big 5 stars.
This is the third book in Victoria Dahl's Tumble Creek series, and it can be read as a stand alone, even though the character of Jane was first introduced in the previous book. This book delves into the character of architect Quinn Jennings's (Start Me Up) 29-year-old office manager/right hand (wo)man Jane Morgan, and oh boy, what a complicated woman she is! I don't really know where to start, and I definitely don't want to give away any spoilers, because half the fun of reading this book is finding out all about Jane's wild, rebellious past. To say that prim, proper, cool and efficient Jane is nothing like she was as a teenager, is an understatement. Jane is neurotic, passionate, funny, frustrating, and just about drove me crazy with all her 'issues' about her past, and many times throughout the book I wanted to say "Forgive yourself already, give yourself a break...you were young...get over it". Thank God she had a really decent, patient, mature, level-headed (and oh-so-sexy) great guy who wanted to be in her life, excavation company owner Billy Chase (or "Chase" as he liked to be called).
Jane was dead set on turning herself into the opposite of the person she used to be, even to the point of practically cutting her family out of her life, and trying to make herself want a safe, educated, boring, successful man in her life, but one look at the big, tattooed hunk who walked in the office for an appointment with her boss, and "oh crud", Jane wanted him. But she doesn't want a bad boy type anymore, or does she? And is Chase what he appears to be, or is he something more?
Well, Jane isn't able to resist Chase, and tells him up front that there can never be anything serious between them. Basically she just wants to use him for sex, and at first Chase is okay with being just her 'booty call'. But then he starts to have feelings for her, and it hurts him that she won't consider him for more than being her boy toy. This is when I started getting frustrated with Jane and feeling bad for Chase. Chase was a really great guy with so much to offer, and why couldn't Jane see that? And why didn't he just walk away? But then little by little, Victoria Dahl reveals more and more about Jane, peeling away all her layers, and the reader gets to see the real Jane, and why she acts the way she does. So then my irritation turned to sorrow for her--I was sorry that she couldn't forgive herself for her past, and sorry that she couldn't open her eyes and see the best thing that could ever happen to her was patiently waiting for her to make peace with her past.
There's so much more in this book that I could go into: Jane has a younger brother who ends up in serious trouble with the law, and Chase is right there to help; Jane has a family who she's a little ashamed of and a mother who she's angry at; Jane has a grandmother who's a real character and is quite a hoot (she has some of the funniest lines in the whole book!); Chase has his own sad past and a father with an alcohol problem; Jane has an ex who's trying to blackmail her...it's hard to believe that this book is only 344 pages, because there's plenty of background material here. But Ms. Dahl is such an excellent storyteller and things move along so quickly with no dead spots at all, that the book seems like it's only 100 pages in length.
Now, the loves scenes...there was a handful, and each and every one was smokin' hot. No disappointments there! Jane and Chase were very passionate, and sweet Chase was not afraid of using the "L" word. And Jane's fascination with Chase's tattoo...you'll just have to read it.:)
The ending...very sweet and satisfying, as Jane finally, bravely faced her past, putting it in the past, and fought for the future she wanted to have. The final page where Chase talked about the future he wanted with Jane made me smile, laugh out loud, and then had me tearing up. Fabulous ending to my favorite book in the series. A big 5 stars.
April 15, 2014
“Jane Morgan had ruined him. Ridden him hard and put him up wet. He might never recover.
Mentally he was even worse off. Who was this girl?”
Jane Morgan is prim and proper. Someday, she wants to marry well, live in a nice house and raise a nice family. She doesn’t do bad boys, she shouldn’t do bad boys but she cannot help being attracted to what looks to be a bad boy, Chase.
Raw, animal magnetism......is a big red flag to prim and proper office manager Jane Morgan. After a rough childhood with a mother who liked her men in prison-jumpsuit orange, Jane changed her name, her look and her taste for bad boys. So why is she lusting for William Chase with his tattoo-covered biceps and steel-toed boots? The man blows things up for a living!
She gives herself one explosive, fantasy-filled night with Chase. The next day it's back to plain Jane and safe men.
But the attraction is too strong to be ignored, try as she might. Will she let her defences down and allow herself some happiness in life?
Liked catching up with the characters from the previous books.
May 25, 2010
I think that the question of whether or not someone will like this book depends on how they read romance.
If you read a romance for the hero and like to place yourself in the heroine's shoes, or if you like to imagine the heroine could be your best girlfriend, then this book would be a stinker for you. If they read romance with an equal eye towards the hero and heroine for the story rather than the escape, then the heroine becomes a complex character rather than an exasperating head case you want to cut out of the loop.
Jane Morgan is a secretary. She is currently the fierce gatekeeper for and partner in Quinn Jennings' architectural firm in Aspen. Armed with a conservative hairstyle and a no-nonsense sweater twinset, she is the very embodiment of respectability and upward mobility.
Which is why the blue-collar excavator Billy Chase is intrigued by Jane at first. Why is Miss Prim and Proper staring at his tattoo and checking out his chest? When he asks her out to dinner and she eventually accepts he figures she's slumming it and he'll get to show her how to let loose.
As it turns out, however, Jane is not at all what she seems, or what she wants people to see. Her brother's been arrested on a DUI, is caught with the contents of a few women's purses and subsequently ends up a murder suspect. Supporting her mom and ex-felon stepfather through this ordeal is the first chip in her middle-class facade. She can't support them and pretend she's not descended from what she considers trailer trash.
So, the focus of the novel is not the mystery plot (and thank god) or even the romance, really, it's about Jane learning to love herself. Because she truly does hate herself and you can't love someone else when your head's in a bad place like that. She starts off blaming her mother for being a prison groupie, moving town to town marrying men in prison for life and conceiving Jane in a conjugal visit trailer. Then she blames her convict father for promising the world in his letters to her, then never making contact with her after he was released when she was 12. And, finally, she blames herself for being a trashy pre-teen and teen attention starved slut who drank, drugged and indiscriminately fucked her way through her teen angst.
While watching her treat Chase like meat was exasperating at times, it was still understandable. She hadn't forgiven herself for her young mistakes. Jane Morgan wasn't comfortable being Dynasty MacKenzie and accepting that who she was then was part of who she is now. Pushing Chase away as marriage material because he's blue collar is wicked snobby, but if she still blames her working class life for all her problems, how could she react any other way?
As a result, Chase ends up playing the role traditionally occupied by the romance novel heroine. He's the patient lover willing to wait her out while helping her conquer her demons with the Power of Love®. We see through his relationship with his alcoholic father that Chase is no stranger to complicated people and dependent behavior. He's not Jane's doormat, but he's laid back enough to give her the space she needs while she figures her own head out, and that means letting her use him sometimes.
This was definitely the strongest book in the trilogy. There's no real suspense sub-plot to detract from the deeply emotional plot. The focus is squarely on Jane and her romance with Chase. I didn't like Jane, she was definitely too tough and broken for me to want to befriend her, but she was a fully-formed character and I enjoyed reading about her redemption all the same.
If you read a romance for the hero and like to place yourself in the heroine's shoes, or if you like to imagine the heroine could be your best girlfriend, then this book would be a stinker for you. If they read romance with an equal eye towards the hero and heroine for the story rather than the escape, then the heroine becomes a complex character rather than an exasperating head case you want to cut out of the loop.
Jane Morgan is a secretary. She is currently the fierce gatekeeper for and partner in Quinn Jennings' architectural firm in Aspen. Armed with a conservative hairstyle and a no-nonsense sweater twinset, she is the very embodiment of respectability and upward mobility.
Which is why the blue-collar excavator Billy Chase is intrigued by Jane at first. Why is Miss Prim and Proper staring at his tattoo and checking out his chest? When he asks her out to dinner and she eventually accepts he figures she's slumming it and he'll get to show her how to let loose.
As it turns out, however, Jane is not at all what she seems, or what she wants people to see. Her brother's been arrested on a DUI, is caught with the contents of a few women's purses and subsequently ends up a murder suspect. Supporting her mom and ex-felon stepfather through this ordeal is the first chip in her middle-class facade. She can't support them and pretend she's not descended from what she considers trailer trash.
So, the focus of the novel is not the mystery plot (and thank god) or even the romance, really, it's about Jane learning to love herself. Because she truly does hate herself and you can't love someone else when your head's in a bad place like that. She starts off blaming her mother for being a prison groupie, moving town to town marrying men in prison for life and conceiving Jane in a conjugal visit trailer. Then she blames her convict father for promising the world in his letters to her, then never making contact with her after he was released when she was 12. And, finally, she blames herself for being a trashy pre-teen and teen attention starved slut who drank, drugged and indiscriminately fucked her way through her teen angst.
While watching her treat Chase like meat was exasperating at times, it was still understandable. She hadn't forgiven herself for her young mistakes. Jane Morgan wasn't comfortable being Dynasty MacKenzie and accepting that who she was then was part of who she is now. Pushing Chase away as marriage material because he's blue collar is wicked snobby, but if she still blames her working class life for all her problems, how could she react any other way?
As a result, Chase ends up playing the role traditionally occupied by the romance novel heroine. He's the patient lover willing to wait her out while helping her conquer her demons with the Power of Love®. We see through his relationship with his alcoholic father that Chase is no stranger to complicated people and dependent behavior. He's not Jane's doormat, but he's laid back enough to give her the space she needs while she figures her own head out, and that means letting her use him sometimes.
This was definitely the strongest book in the trilogy. There's no real suspense sub-plot to detract from the deeply emotional plot. The focus is squarely on Jane and her romance with Chase. I didn't like Jane, she was definitely too tough and broken for me to want to befriend her, but she was a fully-formed character and I enjoyed reading about her redemption all the same.
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January 5, 2024
I've read this book at least twice before, but that was years ago. I decided to give it another shot and was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable it is.
Basically, we have 29-year-old Jane Morgan, who seems to be your standard prim-and-proper miss; she's even a secretary at an architecture firm. Buried under her carefully pressed suits, though, is a terrible secret. Jane wasn't always a good girl, and she had a real thing for bad boys (tattooed, booted, muscled, the works) in her misspent youth. When 34-year-old William Chase comes her way she realises she's totally not over this weakness.
They end up having a sort of friends-with-benefits relationship, on Jane's terms. Chase wants more, but Jane is still deeply scarred from the reputation she gained as a teenager, and it was fascinating to see the author delve into her shame and prejudices. As a 13-year-old she was out having sex with whoever would have her, usually completely hammered, and (as Jane acknowledges) it's a miracle she wasn't murdered. She turns her life around, but at the cost of cutting herself off from her roots.
This is basically Jane's story of self-discovery and coming to terms with who she is. Not to downplay Chase's cuteness (and the tattoo Jane is entertainingly obsessed with) but he's very much a good guy, notwithstanding his ink and buzzcut, and often lets her walk all over him - knowing, at the same time, that he's breaking his heart.
The ending is sheer adorableness. No wonder I've read this book so many times.
Basically, we have 29-year-old Jane Morgan, who seems to be your standard prim-and-proper miss; she's even a secretary at an architecture firm. Buried under her carefully pressed suits, though, is a terrible secret. Jane wasn't always a good girl, and she had a real thing for bad boys (tattooed, booted, muscled, the works) in her misspent youth. When 34-year-old William Chase comes her way she realises she's totally not over this weakness.
They end up having a sort of friends-with-benefits relationship, on Jane's terms. Chase wants more, but Jane is still deeply scarred from the reputation she gained as a teenager, and it was fascinating to see the author delve into her shame and prejudices. As a 13-year-old she was out having sex with whoever would have her, usually completely hammered, and (as Jane acknowledges) it's a miracle she wasn't murdered. She turns her life around, but at the cost of cutting herself off from her roots.
This is basically Jane's story of self-discovery and coming to terms with who she is. Not to downplay Chase's cuteness (and the tattoo Jane is entertainingly obsessed with) but he's very much a good guy, notwithstanding his ink and buzzcut, and often lets her walk all over him - knowing, at the same time, that he's breaking his heart.
The ending is sheer adorableness. No wonder I've read this book so many times.
March 19, 2010
This is the best book in this trilogy! You could even read it as a stand alone, since there is no on going story threading between them. Here we meet Jane, the very uptight admin at an architecture firm. Or is she? One day, in walks Chase, a sub contractor. A 6’4” tattooed hunk of man that makes her heat up on sight. Chase senses her attraction to him, but she refuses to go out with him.
We slowly learn about Jane and her past. She tries to keep her family hidden because she is ashamed of them and where she comes from. Her mother married a string of prisoners, and Jane herself was a product of a conjical visit. Her stepfather is an ex-con (tho reformed), and her brother is in some serious trouble with the law. When Jane was a teen, she became very angry with her mother for her lifestyle, and lashed out by seeking the attention of men at a young age. She was the girl that every one talks about, and snickers at. She threw herself at any guy willing to take her, and she was also drinking and doing drugs. As an adult, she tried to erase this past by changing her name and trying to block out the shameful memories. These are some of the issues that she has that keep her from going for a real relationship with Chase.
Chase is my favorite hero, I’ve read in a very long time. He appears every bit the alpha, but on the inside, he is a gooey soft beta that just made me melt. He’s so caring and patient, and smoking hot on top of it. He understands Jane, and why she keeps pushing him away. His feelings do get hurt, but he lets her know he cares about her and doesn’t care about her past. He’s there whenever she is ready. There are a few funny moments, and we get a sweet HEA. This is just a great book!
We slowly learn about Jane and her past. She tries to keep her family hidden because she is ashamed of them and where she comes from. Her mother married a string of prisoners, and Jane herself was a product of a conjical visit. Her stepfather is an ex-con (tho reformed), and her brother is in some serious trouble with the law. When Jane was a teen, she became very angry with her mother for her lifestyle, and lashed out by seeking the attention of men at a young age. She was the girl that every one talks about, and snickers at. She threw herself at any guy willing to take her, and she was also drinking and doing drugs. As an adult, she tried to erase this past by changing her name and trying to block out the shameful memories. These are some of the issues that she has that keep her from going for a real relationship with Chase.
Chase is my favorite hero, I’ve read in a very long time. He appears every bit the alpha, but on the inside, he is a gooey soft beta that just made me melt. He’s so caring and patient, and smoking hot on top of it. He understands Jane, and why she keeps pushing him away. His feelings do get hurt, but he lets her know he cares about her and doesn’t care about her past. He’s there whenever she is ready. There are a few funny moments, and we get a sweet HEA. This is just a great book!
January 8, 2019
You know when you start reading something not expecting it to be much and you end up really liking it? Lead Me On has been like that for me.
I've read the previous two books in this series and liked them enough to continue. There are a bunch of lovely characters and it's been a wonderful way to pass the time.
Lead Me On's heroine is snobbish and pretty judgemental and it's - this is going to sound weird - one of the reasons I liked the way she's written. Usually when you get this type of character the author tries his or her best to get the heroine some kind of justification so you can think 'oh, it's because of this she's doing the thing' and by the end of the story all the bad things are gone. Here the author leaves the heroine with all her emotional or psychological problems and the only things she offers her is a way to deal with them, not erase them completely.
The hero, on the other hand, couldn't be any better even if he tried.
I've read the previous two books in this series and liked them enough to continue. There are a bunch of lovely characters and it's been a wonderful way to pass the time.
Lead Me On's heroine is snobbish and pretty judgemental and it's - this is going to sound weird - one of the reasons I liked the way she's written. Usually when you get this type of character the author tries his or her best to get the heroine some kind of justification so you can think 'oh, it's because of this she's doing the thing' and by the end of the story all the bad things are gone. Here the author leaves the heroine with all her emotional or psychological problems and the only things she offers her is a way to deal with them, not erase them completely.
The hero, on the other hand, couldn't be any better even if he tried.
January 31, 2010
I'd decided not to buy this book because I knew the heroine was going to royally tick me off, but then I was poking through the books at K-Mart and figured I might as well read it. I ended up liking the book a lot more than I thought I would. Which is not to say that I liked the heroine...cuz I didn't...but I liked everything else about the story. And I loved Chase.
Series Note:
This is the third book in Dahl's "Tumble Creek" series, but this book can probably be read on its own.
Summary:
Jane Morgan has spent the last ten years or so of her life trying to redeem herself for a less than stellar adolescence. She's turned herself into the perfect prim and proper woman. All she wants is to do good at her job, find an appropriate man to marry, and avoid the pitfalls of her old life. Then William Chase walks in to her life, and her brother is arrested and her new life starts to fall apart.
First she must confront the family she is ashamed of and the mother she has never really forgiven. She comes face to face with a past that continues to haunt her. Then there's Chase. He's exactly the kind of man she wants to avoid. The kind of man she went after as a wild teen. She tells herself to stay away from him, but his bad boy aura, tattoos and scruffy looks draw her. She can't stay away and decides there's nothing wrong with a little play time, as long as that's all it is.
Problem is that Chase isn't really a bad boy. He's a genuinely good guy she develops feelings for...and he in return for her. Still, Jane won't let herself give in. She won't let her plans for her life be shoved aside. Chase is just not the right kind of man for her. Or so she thinks. Chase will do anything to prove otherwise and Jane will have to finally put her past behind her if she wants to keep Chase in her life.
Review:
If I had liked Jane at all, I could have easily given this book 5-stars. It was a fast, sexy, easy read that kept me coming back for more. But the fact of the matter is, I couldn't stand Jane and I really surprised I liked the book as much as I did considering how much I wanted to shove Jane off a cliff. The woman annoyed the hell out of me! I kept hoping Chase would tell her to fuck off, but he never quite went that far. For what he put up with from her...Jane telling him that should couldn't see him because he'd ruin her reputation when the only thing scandalous about him was his tattoos...Chase was a bit of a masochist to keep coming back for me. Jane was just down right nasty and mean to him for most of the book. The only time she appealed to me was when she reverted back to her old self once or twice in the book.
Sure, I get the whole thing that she's got scars from her past to get over. And kudos to her for turning her life around and all that. That still doesn't mean she had the right to treat Chase the way she did. It was hypocritical. I just wanted her to shut up.
So considering how much I disliked Jane, I'm not sure why I liked this book so much. Maybe it was Chase's tatt, LOL. I am a sucker for guys with hot tattoos. Plus, he was just an all around good guy. Kind, caring, persistent. What was there not to like about him?
There was just something about the book, though, that kept me reading despite annoying, obnoxious, neurotic Jane. I've tried to figure out what exactly I liked about the book, and I just don't know. Just the way it was written, the storyline, the hot sex all had me sucked in to see how it would all work out.
If only I'd liked Jane, this would have been a really fantastic book. As it is, solid 4-stars.
WARNING, this book contains: mildly explicit sex and language.
Series Note:
This is the third book in Dahl's "Tumble Creek" series, but this book can probably be read on its own.
Summary:
Jane Morgan has spent the last ten years or so of her life trying to redeem herself for a less than stellar adolescence. She's turned herself into the perfect prim and proper woman. All she wants is to do good at her job, find an appropriate man to marry, and avoid the pitfalls of her old life. Then William Chase walks in to her life, and her brother is arrested and her new life starts to fall apart.
First she must confront the family she is ashamed of and the mother she has never really forgiven. She comes face to face with a past that continues to haunt her. Then there's Chase. He's exactly the kind of man she wants to avoid. The kind of man she went after as a wild teen. She tells herself to stay away from him, but his bad boy aura, tattoos and scruffy looks draw her. She can't stay away and decides there's nothing wrong with a little play time, as long as that's all it is.
Problem is that Chase isn't really a bad boy. He's a genuinely good guy she develops feelings for...and he in return for her. Still, Jane won't let herself give in. She won't let her plans for her life be shoved aside. Chase is just not the right kind of man for her. Or so she thinks. Chase will do anything to prove otherwise and Jane will have to finally put her past behind her if she wants to keep Chase in her life.
Review:
If I had liked Jane at all, I could have easily given this book 5-stars. It was a fast, sexy, easy read that kept me coming back for more. But the fact of the matter is, I couldn't stand Jane and I really surprised I liked the book as much as I did considering how much I wanted to shove Jane off a cliff. The woman annoyed the hell out of me! I kept hoping Chase would tell her to fuck off, but he never quite went that far. For what he put up with from her...Jane telling him that should couldn't see him because he'd ruin her reputation when the only thing scandalous about him was his tattoos...Chase was a bit of a masochist to keep coming back for me. Jane was just down right nasty and mean to him for most of the book. The only time she appealed to me was when she reverted back to her old self once or twice in the book.
Sure, I get the whole thing that she's got scars from her past to get over. And kudos to her for turning her life around and all that. That still doesn't mean she had the right to treat Chase the way she did. It was hypocritical. I just wanted her to shut up.
So considering how much I disliked Jane, I'm not sure why I liked this book so much. Maybe it was Chase's tatt, LOL. I am a sucker for guys with hot tattoos. Plus, he was just an all around good guy. Kind, caring, persistent. What was there not to like about him?
There was just something about the book, though, that kept me reading despite annoying, obnoxious, neurotic Jane. I've tried to figure out what exactly I liked about the book, and I just don't know. Just the way it was written, the storyline, the hot sex all had me sucked in to see how it would all work out.
If only I'd liked Jane, this would have been a really fantastic book. As it is, solid 4-stars.
WARNING, this book contains: mildly explicit sex and language.
February 18, 2019
A nice contemporary romance with themes of growth, forgiveness, and acceptance. I love this author’s writing style and really loved books 1 and 2 in the series. She is definitely someone I recommend for anyone that wants a sexy romantic comedy that isn’t cheesy.
Although I really enjoyed this book and love the writing, the reason I can’t give it 4 stars is because it was just too short. Because of the author’s talent and the great characters, the story should have been longer and more involved.
Although I really enjoyed this book and love the writing, the reason I can’t give it 4 stars is because it was just too short. Because of the author’s talent and the great characters, the story should have been longer and more involved.
February 19, 2010
Another great contemporary from Dahl.
So few times authors seem to get it just right but Victoria Dahl is very good at developing a real relationship. In this book Jane has a mess of a past that she is ashamed of and slowly (willingly and not so willingly) that past is revealed to Chase. It wasn't all revealed at once causing the "big conflict" that the characters have to get over right before the end of the book when everything is magically resolved. No. Here Jane is slowly revealed over time and amongst other struggles as her life falls apart around her. And it's great because it's believable. The affection that Chase feels for Jane is believable. At first, he sticks around for very different reasons (curiosity and sexual attraction) than he does in the middle and the end of the story. It's really nice to watch a relationship develop like that. In many romances the development of the relationship and the affection within the relationship can seem a little far fetched, but here it was fleshed out expertly. I loved reading this book.
** A lot of people don't like Jane. Chick's got issues, sure. But I can understand what she is going through. Sometimes it's hard to sort out the 'you, you' versus the 'you as people see you'. She has a terrible past and was considered the worst kind of female dirt. I can understand why she grips onto her good-girl-facade so hard. And of course, she stereotypes (of course she would seeing herself in such black and white terms "good-girl" "bad-girl dirt slut" she would see others in black and white too) which is why she needs to learn to see Chase properly. I understand this struggle, so I didn't hold it against Jane, she had a lot to learn and work through and sometimes that is the hardest when you think what you are doing and that your outlooks are what is "socially desirable". Dahl does a good job in showing that what is often considered social desirable isn't what is actually the best choice (Chase v.s. the lawyer). Jane's a good character! Don't be so down on her.
I am a big fan of the Tumble Creek Series and this book makes it official: Victoria Dahl you are now my #1 favorite author on good reads. I simply cannot wait for another Dahl contemporary!!
So few times authors seem to get it just right but Victoria Dahl is very good at developing a real relationship. In this book Jane has a mess of a past that she is ashamed of and slowly (willingly and not so willingly) that past is revealed to Chase. It wasn't all revealed at once causing the "big conflict" that the characters have to get over right before the end of the book when everything is magically resolved. No. Here Jane is slowly revealed over time and amongst other struggles as her life falls apart around her. And it's great because it's believable. The affection that Chase feels for Jane is believable. At first, he sticks around for very different reasons (curiosity and sexual attraction) than he does in the middle and the end of the story. It's really nice to watch a relationship develop like that. In many romances the development of the relationship and the affection within the relationship can seem a little far fetched, but here it was fleshed out expertly. I loved reading this book.
** A lot of people don't like Jane. Chick's got issues, sure. But I can understand what she is going through. Sometimes it's hard to sort out the 'you, you' versus the 'you as people see you'. She has a terrible past and was considered the worst kind of female dirt. I can understand why she grips onto her good-girl-facade so hard. And of course, she stereotypes (of course she would seeing herself in such black and white terms "good-girl" "bad-girl dirt slut" she would see others in black and white too) which is why she needs to learn to see Chase properly. I understand this struggle, so I didn't hold it against Jane, she had a lot to learn and work through and sometimes that is the hardest when you think what you are doing and that your outlooks are what is "socially desirable". Dahl does a good job in showing that what is often considered social desirable isn't what is actually the best choice (Chase v.s. the lawyer). Jane's a good character! Don't be so down on her.
I am a big fan of the Tumble Creek Series and this book makes it official: Victoria Dahl you are now my #1 favorite author on good reads. I simply cannot wait for another Dahl contemporary!!
June 26, 2016
This book blew me away; I loved the first two books and couldn't wait for this one to come out. I knew it was going to be a good read because Jane seemed so untouchable in book 2, but what I got was beyond good. Jane's character hit close to home for me even though our pasts weren't exactly the same in a lot of ways they were and I understood where she was coming from. It broke my heart actually, and maybe that's why I feel so protective over Jane. I know its silly to feel protective over a character in a book but it always seems that the Heroine gets verbally beaten by readers and this is especially true of Victoria Dahl readers. I can see why the Heroines in the first two books would and could be seen as annoying or hardheaded and I can even see why Jane would be described as hard headed, But Jane was a great girl, she had her moments where she wasn't nice to Chase and she felt horrible every time she wasn't and to anyone really who she wasn't nice to. She said she was sorry all the time and meant it every time. Jane in Short was an Amazing Heroine! I know what its like to feel you have to hide yourself because of your past and I know what’s its like to feel the desperate need for the past to be hidden and hopefully forgotten. Jane to me felt as real as me. I didn't feel as if I was reading a cheesy romance novel except for the fact that Chase was perfect (oh man was he ever perfect) but kind of a little to perfect. The kind of perfect that is almost too good to be true. The way he gave Jane what she needed and knew her and what she wanted and needed even when she didn't. He was patient and kind, the exact man I would like to find. I recommend this book and this series to anyone who loves Hot Sex with a does of real Characters.
July 9, 2010
4.5 stars
Victoria Dahl has a sense of humor that strikes a cord with me. Every. Single. Time. Every. Single. Book! With LEAD ME ON the giggles started at page 10 and set the pace for the most of the book!
Victoria Dahl had me laughing, panting, frowning and even tearing up right there in the end. All these feelings make for a great read and that is exactly what LEAD ME ON was for me. In this final installment of the Tumble Creek Trilogy Victoria Dahl puts it all out there for us to read, judge, challenge and enjoy.
Reading about Jane and how she wanted to separate her past from her present gave me the Superman vibe: Conservative business persona from the present by day, including the glasses and wild, wanton, dirty little sex pot by night, or let’s say with Chase! She has kept her good girl act up for 10 years but the right man, Chase, makes her want to drop her act, even if she has a really hard time actually doing that because she doesn't want to go back to being the girl she used to be and Chase makes her want to lose her self-imposed inhibitions. There was a moment I was a bit disappointed in Jane and though I understand why she did what she did in that scene and that it was part of her characterization but I still wanted to slap her silly.
Jane fits right in with Victoria Dahl's other heroines in the Tumble Creek Trilogy. I'll even go as far and say she's the boldest one of the three. Molly (heroine book 1) has nothing on Jane. I think people who didn't like Molly will like Jane even less, but since I loved Molly, I loved Jane too. Especially when she shed her "respectable" restrained persona and allowed the true Jane to surface and she finally embraced her past and stopped trying to hide the person she was and stopped trying to deny where she was from.
There will be readers out there who aren't going to like Jane because of some of her actions, her views on life and the things she sometimes does or says. I did like her, a lot. Fear, disappointment, and self-preservation drive her to overcome her crappy past. She is driven by ambition to leave a past she is not proud of behind her. Underneath that ambition she is vulnerable, caring and loyal. She may seem superficial, materialistic and snobbish and with her background, her high and mighty attitude seems wrong but Victoria Dahl pulled it off and made me like Jane as much as I liked her other heroines. Jane's fight with and ultimate surrender to love was beautifully written. Jane's groveling, which was totally justified and called for made me like her even more than I did before. And just when I thought I'd dodged the bullet on the emotional-make-me-cry stuff, the lovely and talented Ms. Dahl had me tearing up right at the end, with a smile plastered to my face.
As I am writing this review, I discovered that I didn't write down many notes on Chase. This doesn't mean Chase wasn't a very major factor in my liking this book. Chase is the man every woman dreams about, whether you're a good or a bad girl! What woman can resist that big, tattooed demolition man who gets excited when he blows things up and who knows how to make a woman feel like a woman? I sure couldn't and Chase has taken his rightful place next to Ben (hero book 1) on my favorite heroes list. Chase is a straight forward as they come. I love how Victoria Dahl switches the traditional roles in her books and puts the men in the position of wanting a decent, respectful relationship, whereas the women are only looking for a tumble in the bed. And without compromising femininity, masculinity and true romance she gives them all want they wanted and more!
In the secondary characters department Victoria Dahl scored once again too. I hated the ex, Greg, really he was the ass of all asses! But I loved Grandma Olive, Chase's dad, Jane's step dad Mac and of course Quinn and Lori. Even Molly, whom I really wasn't expecting to make an appearance, made it to this party, right at the very end and was her usual extravagant self.
As with the other books in this trilogy, there's a side plot next to the romance, this time it's the story thread of Jane's brother being arrested for something he didn't do. I liked that in all three books of the trilogy the sub plots are all different and tackle different subjects within law enforcement and suspense. A suspense writer Victoria Dahl is not but she does a great job in fusing the plot and the romance together. The balance is perfect for contemporary romance and since that is what she writes, no complaints or critique from me there.
This book had a bit of everything: humor, fun, emotional stuff, hot sexing and some soul searching. I really laughed out loud when the fry selection process came up. (OMG I eat my fries exactly like Jane does!). I got flustered at the scene on the biker bar parking lot and my heart ached for the stuff Jane went through as a child/teenager. I absolutely love the role that parents play in the formation of the characters in Victoria Dahl's Tumble Creek books. The parental influence, the way they were brought up, all contribute to the three-dimensional feel to the characters.
If you are tired of the fluffy and the PC you need a dose of Victoria Dahl’s Tumble Creek books. When you peal of the layers of humor and the hot sex you’ll find that each and everyone deals with real issues, real people and stuff we sometimes don’t want to deal with but have to. LEAD ME ON was the perfect example of this with serious emotional stuff seeping through next to the Victoria Dahl signature style of sharp, snappy and laugh-out-loud funny humor, proving that her writing is about more than naughty heroines, sex-on-a-stick heroes and salacious sex scenes.
Rating: 9.0 out of 10
Victoria Dahl has a sense of humor that strikes a cord with me. Every. Single. Time. Every. Single. Book! With LEAD ME ON the giggles started at page 10 and set the pace for the most of the book!
Quote:
But even his promising career couldn't make her forget the fact that he made love like a rabbit. (...) She'd tried to let it go. She really had. A man couldn't be judged on the depth of his thrusts alone.
Victoria Dahl had me laughing, panting, frowning and even tearing up right there in the end. All these feelings make for a great read and that is exactly what LEAD ME ON was for me. In this final installment of the Tumble Creek Trilogy Victoria Dahl puts it all out there for us to read, judge, challenge and enjoy.
Reading about Jane and how she wanted to separate her past from her present gave me the Superman vibe: Conservative business persona from the present by day, including the glasses and wild, wanton, dirty little sex pot by night, or let’s say with Chase! She has kept her good girl act up for 10 years but the right man, Chase, makes her want to drop her act, even if she has a really hard time actually doing that because she doesn't want to go back to being the girl she used to be and Chase makes her want to lose her self-imposed inhibitions. There was a moment I was a bit disappointed in Jane and though I understand why she did what she did in that scene and that it was part of her characterization but I still wanted to slap her silly.
Jane fits right in with Victoria Dahl's other heroines in the Tumble Creek Trilogy. I'll even go as far and say she's the boldest one of the three. Molly (heroine book 1) has nothing on Jane. I think people who didn't like Molly will like Jane even less, but since I loved Molly, I loved Jane too. Especially when she shed her "respectable" restrained persona and allowed the true Jane to surface and she finally embraced her past and stopped trying to hide the person she was and stopped trying to deny where she was from.
There will be readers out there who aren't going to like Jane because of some of her actions, her views on life and the things she sometimes does or says. I did like her, a lot. Fear, disappointment, and self-preservation drive her to overcome her crappy past. She is driven by ambition to leave a past she is not proud of behind her. Underneath that ambition she is vulnerable, caring and loyal. She may seem superficial, materialistic and snobbish and with her background, her high and mighty attitude seems wrong but Victoria Dahl pulled it off and made me like Jane as much as I liked her other heroines. Jane's fight with and ultimate surrender to love was beautifully written. Jane's groveling, which was totally justified and called for made me like her even more than I did before. And just when I thought I'd dodged the bullet on the emotional-make-me-cry stuff, the lovely and talented Ms. Dahl had me tearing up right at the end, with a smile plastered to my face.
As I am writing this review, I discovered that I didn't write down many notes on Chase. This doesn't mean Chase wasn't a very major factor in my liking this book. Chase is the man every woman dreams about, whether you're a good or a bad girl! What woman can resist that big, tattooed demolition man who gets excited when he blows things up and who knows how to make a woman feel like a woman? I sure couldn't and Chase has taken his rightful place next to Ben (hero book 1) on my favorite heroes list. Chase is a straight forward as they come. I love how Victoria Dahl switches the traditional roles in her books and puts the men in the position of wanting a decent, respectful relationship, whereas the women are only looking for a tumble in the bed. And without compromising femininity, masculinity and true romance she gives them all want they wanted and more!
In the secondary characters department Victoria Dahl scored once again too. I hated the ex, Greg, really he was the ass of all asses! But I loved Grandma Olive, Chase's dad, Jane's step dad Mac and of course Quinn and Lori. Even Molly, whom I really wasn't expecting to make an appearance, made it to this party, right at the very end and was her usual extravagant self.
As with the other books in this trilogy, there's a side plot next to the romance, this time it's the story thread of Jane's brother being arrested for something he didn't do. I liked that in all three books of the trilogy the sub plots are all different and tackle different subjects within law enforcement and suspense. A suspense writer Victoria Dahl is not but she does a great job in fusing the plot and the romance together. The balance is perfect for contemporary romance and since that is what she writes, no complaints or critique from me there.
This book had a bit of everything: humor, fun, emotional stuff, hot sexing and some soul searching. I really laughed out loud when the fry selection process came up. (OMG I eat my fries exactly like Jane does!). I got flustered at the scene on the biker bar parking lot and my heart ached for the stuff Jane went through as a child/teenager. I absolutely love the role that parents play in the formation of the characters in Victoria Dahl's Tumble Creek books. The parental influence, the way they were brought up, all contribute to the three-dimensional feel to the characters.
If you are tired of the fluffy and the PC you need a dose of Victoria Dahl’s Tumble Creek books. When you peal of the layers of humor and the hot sex you’ll find that each and everyone deals with real issues, real people and stuff we sometimes don’t want to deal with but have to. LEAD ME ON was the perfect example of this with serious emotional stuff seeping through next to the Victoria Dahl signature style of sharp, snappy and laugh-out-loud funny humor, proving that her writing is about more than naughty heroines, sex-on-a-stick heroes and salacious sex scenes.
Rating: 9.0 out of 10
December 29, 2009
I remember Stacy talking about a Victoria Dahl book recently on Twitter, and she messaged me and told me she thought I would really like her style of writing. When Lead Me On was offered as an ARC on NetGalley, I was more than eager to try Victoria Dahl for the first time. Stacy was right – Victoria Dahl writes the kind of book I love – sexy, romantic and funny. An overall story that entertained me the entire time, and added a new boyfriend to my list (and he entered quite high on the list I must say ;)
Jane is at lunch and annoyed by the man sitting across from her, chewing rather loudly. This man also happens to be Greg, her current boyfriend of four months, and one she doesn’t think she can be with a second longer. On paper, he is great – successful attorney, caring, would make a great father. But in reality, he sucks in bed and likes to try to make all the decisions for her. Jane puts an end to the relationship right then and there, and Greg is none to happy.
Later that same day, Mr. hunky, blue collared, tattooed (up his neck onto his skull *drool*) explosion expert William Chase come sauntering into her office. Jane works for Quinn Jennings, a residential Architect. Although Chase normally takes on commercial jobs, he is excited to start working for Quinn, and even more excited to meet the prim and proper Jane. Although she is strictly business, he notices her stealing glances at him and there is something about her cold demeanor that excites his blood. He asks her to dinner but Jane declines. She not only just broke up with Greg, but Jane feels her life is a fraud. Growing up her family never had much money, and her mother consorted with lower class men. Now that Jane has a respectable job, and a new life, she is scared to fall into that pattern. She is living a very deliberate life. One that is not the real Jane, but the one she thinks she should be living. But Jane is also days away from turning twenty-nine, and tired of the boring, safe men she always chooses. With a little bit of liquid courage, she decides she can give into temptation for just one night.
Chase is excited to be propositioned and ready to mess up the prim and proper good girl vibe Jane has going on. He doesn’t know that she has led a very wild life a long time ago. Jane is ready to be very naughty for one night – even though she has done this before.
That proposition turns into an amazing night of sex – hot, steamy, oh my god can Victoria Dahl write a sex scene. How have I lived my smutty life not reading her before? Right, so back to the sex – Chase thinks he is living “in an alternative dimension”. HA! He is super shocked Jane is the take, charge, girl in the bedroom. And if the sex is not amazing enough, Victoria Dahl puts amusing lines in there:
“Is it insulting that I want you as my (birthday) present?”
“No. No, it’s not.” In fact, his dick was showing interest in being the main showcase of the gift exchange.
After the one night stand Jane has bigger issues to deal with – like her brother in jail, which falls on her shoulders since her mother is too dramatic and her father, who is ex-convict himself can’t get too involved. There is also that small issue of Chase, who is a bit pissed Jane snuck out after their amazing night together.
I loved Lead Me On. Loved it! Is it the most perfect book in the world – no. But it is it a damn good romance book – yes. Period. Chase is sexy as hell – built, tattooed, gets giddy and horny after blowing things up on his job. Loves to have a good time with a woman, but doesn’t take crap from her. Victoria Dahl takes two people and writes their spark and immediate attraction to each other very well. It makes total sense for them to meet and have a one night stand. She can write attraction, and flirting, and verra good love scenes.
“Jane,” he groaned. “You’re the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”
She was. She was hot and slutty and she didn’t care who might walk by and see her doing Chase in his truck.
For as much as I love Chase (and there is a lot of love going on) I really enjoyed Jane too. For as much as she tried to hide from her past, when she was with Chase and forgot about her past, she let go and embraced her sexuality. She is confident and funny. I was definitely ready for Jane to give up her hold on the past and move forward with Chase towards the end of the book, and I didn't always love that Jane wanted to use Chase for just sex. Chase held his ground though - demanding dinner or a walk in the park, instead of just booty calls.
I also loved Mac, Jane’s step-father since she was seven. An ex-convict, he has lived a hard life, but a respectable one since he has been out of prison. He still looks and acts menacing, but the thought of Jessie in prison kills him and he feels he let him down. Although Jane also went through a very rebellious period, it was Mac who saved her and got her through it. While he doesn’t show his tender emotions, his intense feelings are just under the surface and he is a character that you can’t help but love.
As I said, this book is sexy and romantic.
Lead Me On had let me straight to the Victoria Dahl fan club where I intend to stay.
Rating: 4 1/2 Stars
February 7, 2010
This is the third and final book in the Tumble Creek Series. You can read this easily without having read the first two, I did and didn’t feel lost at all.
Jane Morgan has worked hard to put her ugly past behind her. Keeping her both her clothing and her manner reliable, appropriate and always business like, Jane has made her self indispensable to her boss. She loves her job and the feeling of accomplishment it gives her.
When tattooed and rugged William Chase steps into her office, she sees a man her body wants, but her brain is telling her to stay far far away. Fortunately for Jane, Chase has his own ideas about her and he is not about to walk out of her life. When Jane’s brother gets in trouble with the law the one man she can depend on is Chase and that has her body and brain at constant battle with each other.
This was a fantastic book! I laughed my butt off, out loud, several times. Jane’s Grandma Olive is a nut job and had me in hysterics. The chemistry between Jane and Chase is off the charts and the pages practically sizzle with the heat these two generate. Jane is a multidimensional character with some serious flaws and issues, but that doesn’t detract from her appeal, it just makes her real. I could Chase with a spoon; he is smart and sexy, tough and tender, tattooed and delicious. He has a wicked sense of humor and plenty of charm.
This book evoked a lot of emotions. I laughed throughout it, but also found myself tearing up a time or two. This was my first book by Victoria Dahl, but it won’t be my last. After closing this book, I went ahead and ordered the first two from this series. I can’t wait to revisit Tumble Creek. I highly recommend this story!
Cherise Everhard, February 2010
Jane Morgan has worked hard to put her ugly past behind her. Keeping her both her clothing and her manner reliable, appropriate and always business like, Jane has made her self indispensable to her boss. She loves her job and the feeling of accomplishment it gives her.
When tattooed and rugged William Chase steps into her office, she sees a man her body wants, but her brain is telling her to stay far far away. Fortunately for Jane, Chase has his own ideas about her and he is not about to walk out of her life. When Jane’s brother gets in trouble with the law the one man she can depend on is Chase and that has her body and brain at constant battle with each other.
This was a fantastic book! I laughed my butt off, out loud, several times. Jane’s Grandma Olive is a nut job and had me in hysterics. The chemistry between Jane and Chase is off the charts and the pages practically sizzle with the heat these two generate. Jane is a multidimensional character with some serious flaws and issues, but that doesn’t detract from her appeal, it just makes her real. I could Chase with a spoon; he is smart and sexy, tough and tender, tattooed and delicious. He has a wicked sense of humor and plenty of charm.
This book evoked a lot of emotions. I laughed throughout it, but also found myself tearing up a time or two. This was my first book by Victoria Dahl, but it won’t be my last. After closing this book, I went ahead and ordered the first two from this series. I can’t wait to revisit Tumble Creek. I highly recommend this story!
Cherise Everhard, February 2010
February 19, 2010
This will be the last book I read by Victoria Dahl I think. I loved Talk Me Down. It was fun and silly. Start Me Up wasnt that good, but I liked Quinn ok. This book was just stupid. Jane treated Chase awful and he hung around her like a love-struck, neutered puppy. No Balls.
May 16, 2012
A Great finale to the trilogy!
August 24, 2016
No ha estado mal. En algunas partes ha ido un pelín lento pero lo compensaba en otras.
Creo que el que más me ha gustado de la serie es el segundo, seguido de esta novela.
Creo que el que más me ha gustado de la serie es el segundo, seguido de esta novela.
July 5, 2015
Es una historia sencilla, que se lee en un suspiro, pero muy bonita. ¡Adoré a Chase!
October 29, 2015
This review was originally posted on One Curvy Blogger
3.5 starsI have been a fan of Victoria Dahl’s Tumble Creek series for years, so when I stumbled upon a copy of Lead Me On, in my favorite used book store, I was quick to snap it up. It was the only book in the series I had yet to read and I had a great time.
Jane Morgan is the uptight and in-control office manager at Jennings Architecture. She and Chase meet as he comes to pick up some project materials from his latest excavation project. Jane is instantly attracted to the Chase, but is firm to dismiss as a blue-collar worker and wants nothing to do with him. She is determined not to be like her mother – a woman who spent Jane’s childhood chasing after long-term prisoners as husband material.
I’m not going to lie, Jane was not my favorite character – at first. She begins as the type of main character I cannot stand – preachy, snobby and discriminatory against everything low-class, even her own family. The only person she looks down on more is herself. She’s trying to be someone she’s not, someone “respectable” and spends a lot of time beating herself up about things she can’t change. It’s sad how hypocritical she is, but her saving grace is she shows tremendous growth throughout Lead Me On, thanks one tender-hearted bad boy named Chase.
Once her past is finally revealed, I began to understand why she is so hard on herself and why she’s judgmental. It takes a while, but she slowly learns grows past her fears and pain and develops into a woman who I could adore. And Jane sure is a sexy woman when she stops acting like the woman she thinks she should be and learns to be herself, no matter what. :)
“Too warm?” he asked. Apparently she was way past warm, because she stopped in the middle of the room and reached for the bottom of her shirt, not even pausing before she whipped it over her head. “You were right.”
“Oh?” He couldn’t say more than that. His throat was closing up as his eyes sent images to his brain.
She reached for the side of her skirt and unzipped it. “I do want you as my birthday present. Is that insulting?”
The skirt dropped. Chase felt his eyes bulge. Holy shit. Miss Jane Morgan, Miss Prim and Proper herself, was fucking stacked.
Chase is not fooled by Jane’s prim clothing and haughty demeanor. He thinks she’s intimidating as hell and for some reason it really grinds his gears in all the right ways. He takes her rejection well but can’t help but flirt every time he comes in to the firm. He’s ecstatic when Jane seems to have changed her mind about seeing him and boy do they heat up the sheets together!
“Damn,” Chase repeated, this time with a smile. “You should be arrested for hiding under all those clothes, Miss Jane. You look like a wet dream walking.”
“Oh yeah? So you think it’d be a good idea to show a little cleavage to the surveyors. You think they’d like the view?”
“Um… Okay, you’re right. Stay buttoned up.”
She curved her hands over her breasts and squeezed lightly. “What about the contractors? You think they’d like the view?”
“Yeah, I think I’m gonna buy you some baggy cardigans for your birthday.”
I loved everything about Chase. He has that sexy bad boy swagger that pushes all of my buttons, but he’s also a sweetheart and way more sensitive than you’d usually see in a bad boy character. And the best thing about him? He always calls Jane on her shit, even though he sympathizes with why she’s the person she is today. It’s refreshing to see a hero not take any crap because he cares about his woman.
“…you were right about one thing. Nothing’s changed. The way you feel about me hasn’t changed, and I still love you. But that doesn’t mean I have to take this kind of shit. I’m going to go and you can call me when you’re ready to talk like a grown up, all right?”
While I initially had some issues with Jane, she wormed her way into my heart and made me change my mind. Lead Me On turned out to be a sexy, surprisingly heartbreaking read and I can’t wait to read more from Victoria Dahl!
April 18, 2014
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Meet Jane, plain Jane. Once a bad girl gone wild, now she is the epitome of prim and proper. As a secretary her work is without fault, her business clothes tailored to hide everything, hair done up in a severe style. She only dates eligible bachelors: veterinarians, dentists and lawyers. Surely nothing can go wrong there? But her life lacks the excitement and passion that she is so addicted to.
In comes Chase, the man who refuses to be called by his first two names. He has nothing to hide. Tattoos that go on for miles long, a buzzed haircut, callouses on his hand that catches on her hair, big shoulders and tall. He is everything Jane wants wrapped in a bow...
Literally.
He becomes her 29th birthday present to herself.
It was obvious from the get go that Chase was completely in over his head with Jane, in a wonderful way. At first, he is really eager:
AH, CHRIST. Chase slapped down the visor of his truck in a burst of panic. He’d forgotten to shave.
“Shit,” he muttered at his reflection, swiping a hand over his prickly jaw. He popped the visor back up with another curse. There was no time now. Jane Morgan had called and asked him to meet her. Even the quick shower had been a risk. He’d half expected to come out of the bathroom and find that she’d left a message calling it off. Now that he was only steps away from the bar he wasn’t turning back.
He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he damn sure wanted to find out. Chase slammed the door of his pickup and rushed across the street to the bar.
Secondly, he thinks he knows what he is getting: a prim and proper secretary wanting a ride on the wild side:
“Let’s go,” Chase said, holding out a hand as he stood. If this sweet little secretary wanted a good time, Chase was damn sure going to do his best to give her one.
Except, Jane is wilder than he could ever imagine and it's him who gets a ride on the wild side.
Chase shifted, rolling his shoulders back. He felt…strange. Uneasy. As if someone had slipped something into his drink and, well…taken advantage of him.
Ridiculous, of course. He’d been fully aware and more than willing the whole time.
And so the chase is on.
There is no way a man like Chase would be willing to let go of a woman like her. He is so sweet on her and completely head over heels for her.
It was refreshing to read about a heroine who is wilder than the hero. A heroine who knew what she was getting into more than the hero.
This book was a perfect mixture of funny and deep. The characters were intriguing and lovely to read about. I only wish that Jane hadn't "used" him for so long. Especially when she, herself, was so into him. I felt quite sorry for Chase.
Meet Jane, plain Jane. Once a bad girl gone wild, now she is the epitome of prim and proper. As a secretary her work is without fault, her business clothes tailored to hide everything, hair done up in a severe style. She only dates eligible bachelors: veterinarians, dentists and lawyers. Surely nothing can go wrong there? But her life lacks the excitement and passion that she is so addicted to.
In comes Chase, the man who refuses to be called by his first two names. He has nothing to hide. Tattoos that go on for miles long, a buzzed haircut, callouses on his hand that catches on her hair, big shoulders and tall. He is everything Jane wants wrapped in a bow...
Literally.
He becomes her 29th birthday present to herself.
It was obvious from the get go that Chase was completely in over his head with Jane, in a wonderful way. At first, he is really eager:
AH, CHRIST. Chase slapped down the visor of his truck in a burst of panic. He’d forgotten to shave.
“Shit,” he muttered at his reflection, swiping a hand over his prickly jaw. He popped the visor back up with another curse. There was no time now. Jane Morgan had called and asked him to meet her. Even the quick shower had been a risk. He’d half expected to come out of the bathroom and find that she’d left a message calling it off. Now that he was only steps away from the bar he wasn’t turning back.
He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he damn sure wanted to find out. Chase slammed the door of his pickup and rushed across the street to the bar.
Secondly, he thinks he knows what he is getting: a prim and proper secretary wanting a ride on the wild side:
“Let’s go,” Chase said, holding out a hand as he stood. If this sweet little secretary wanted a good time, Chase was damn sure going to do his best to give her one.
Except, Jane is wilder than he could ever imagine and it's him who gets a ride on the wild side.
Chase shifted, rolling his shoulders back. He felt…strange. Uneasy. As if someone had slipped something into his drink and, well…taken advantage of him.
Ridiculous, of course. He’d been fully aware and more than willing the whole time.
And so the chase is on.
There is no way a man like Chase would be willing to let go of a woman like her. He is so sweet on her and completely head over heels for her.
It was refreshing to read about a heroine who is wilder than the hero. A heroine who knew what she was getting into more than the hero.
This book was a perfect mixture of funny and deep. The characters were intriguing and lovely to read about. I only wish that Jane hadn't "used" him for so long. Especially when she, herself, was so into him. I felt quite sorry for Chase.
September 26, 2010
Prim and proper woman tries to hide her white-trash past. She rejects a great guy because of his looks. I loved the ending.
STORY BRIEF:
Jane’s mother had relationships with men in prison. Due to father problems, Jane bleached her hair, wore lots of black eyeliner and slept around. At age 18 she transformed herself. She changed her name to Jane and became an office manager for an architect. She now acts prim and proper and only wants to date guys in business suits. Chase shows up at the office with tattoo-covered biceps and steel-toed boots. He blows things up for a living – construction site excavations. Jane is attracted to him only as a fling. He wants more. She is having a hard time resisting him. Her problem is that he reminds her of her past which she wants to forget. When Jane’s brother becomes a murder suspect, Chase helps Jane.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
Above average for romance. I loved the character Chase. Jane used him for sex, insulted him and kept pushing him away. He kept asking her out and was there for her when she needed him, but he stood up for himself. In his words, she only saw him as “a slab of meat.” Much of the story was Jane hiding from herself and her past. She didn’t recognize what a great guy he was and what a great relationship they could have. Her recent boyfriends were a dentist and a district attorney. Those relationships didn’t work, but that’s the kind of guy she thought she wanted, not a tattooed construction guy. I didn’t enjoy reading about some of Jane’s actions. Much of the book was a 3-star story, but the last 30 or so pages were 5 stars.
The following were in the last part of the book which I loved. I loved the insight about the mother and what she did. I loved the conversations and interactions between Jane and Chase. I liked seeing Jane’s actions and acceptance of her past. These subjects were thought provoking. I felt great at the end.
DATA:
Story length: 336 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 5. Total number of sex scene pages: 24. Setting: current day Aspen and Carbondale, Colorado. Copyright: 2010. Genre: contemporary romance.
OTHER BOOKS:
I’ve reviewed the following Victoria Dahl books.
4 stars. Lead Me On. Copyrt 2010. Review Date 3-23-10.
3 stars. A Rake’s Guide to Pleasure. Copyrt 2008. Review Date 12-4-08.
2 ½ stars. Start Me Up. Copyrt 2009. Review Date 3-29-10.
2 stars. To Tempt a Scotsman. Copyrt 2007. Review Date 5-10-10.
STORY BRIEF:
Jane’s mother had relationships with men in prison. Due to father problems, Jane bleached her hair, wore lots of black eyeliner and slept around. At age 18 she transformed herself. She changed her name to Jane and became an office manager for an architect. She now acts prim and proper and only wants to date guys in business suits. Chase shows up at the office with tattoo-covered biceps and steel-toed boots. He blows things up for a living – construction site excavations. Jane is attracted to him only as a fling. He wants more. She is having a hard time resisting him. Her problem is that he reminds her of her past which she wants to forget. When Jane’s brother becomes a murder suspect, Chase helps Jane.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
Above average for romance. I loved the character Chase. Jane used him for sex, insulted him and kept pushing him away. He kept asking her out and was there for her when she needed him, but he stood up for himself. In his words, she only saw him as “a slab of meat.” Much of the story was Jane hiding from herself and her past. She didn’t recognize what a great guy he was and what a great relationship they could have. Her recent boyfriends were a dentist and a district attorney. Those relationships didn’t work, but that’s the kind of guy she thought she wanted, not a tattooed construction guy. I didn’t enjoy reading about some of Jane’s actions. Much of the book was a 3-star story, but the last 30 or so pages were 5 stars.
The following were in the last part of the book which I loved. I loved the insight about the mother and what she did. I loved the conversations and interactions between Jane and Chase. I liked seeing Jane’s actions and acceptance of her past. These subjects were thought provoking. I felt great at the end.
DATA:
Story length: 336 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 5. Total number of sex scene pages: 24. Setting: current day Aspen and Carbondale, Colorado. Copyright: 2010. Genre: contemporary romance.
OTHER BOOKS:
I’ve reviewed the following Victoria Dahl books.
4 stars. Lead Me On. Copyrt 2010. Review Date 3-23-10.
3 stars. A Rake’s Guide to Pleasure. Copyrt 2008. Review Date 12-4-08.
2 ½ stars. Start Me Up. Copyrt 2009. Review Date 3-29-10.
2 stars. To Tempt a Scotsman. Copyrt 2007. Review Date 5-10-10.
March 28, 2015
Lead Me On
4.5 Stars
Due to her troubled past, Jane Morgan has changed her name and created a new life for herself. The only thing missing is a man to share it with, but Jane is weary of the staid men that she has been dating. Enter William Chase, a physically intimidating and tattooed demolitions expert, who rings all of Jane’s bells, but epitomizes everything that she has renounced in her life. Can Jane accept who she truly is in order to be with the love of her life?
Barring one or two small issues, the first two books in the Tumble Creek series are fun and entertaining. Lead Me On, however, takes things to a whole new level.
Jane’s past has caused her to be wary of a certain type of man and some readers my find her snobbish persona off-putting. Nevertheless, for me she is a very sympathetic heroine who becomes even more so once her traumatic history is revealed. Chase is simply scrumptious; a gentle giant who realizes that Jane is "the one" from their first meeting, now if only he can convince her of that fact. Their chemistry sizzles and fans of steamy romance will not be disappointed.
The suspense plot is minor but that doesn’t matter as the secondary characters from Jane’s overprotective stepfather to her irresponsible brother and her eccentric grandmother are responsible for many of the sweet and humorous moments in the book.
All in all, an exceedingly entertaining book and I’m going to read more of Dahl’s contemporary works.
4.5 Stars
Due to her troubled past, Jane Morgan has changed her name and created a new life for herself. The only thing missing is a man to share it with, but Jane is weary of the staid men that she has been dating. Enter William Chase, a physically intimidating and tattooed demolitions expert, who rings all of Jane’s bells, but epitomizes everything that she has renounced in her life. Can Jane accept who she truly is in order to be with the love of her life?
Barring one or two small issues, the first two books in the Tumble Creek series are fun and entertaining. Lead Me On, however, takes things to a whole new level.
Jane’s past has caused her to be wary of a certain type of man and some readers my find her snobbish persona off-putting. Nevertheless, for me she is a very sympathetic heroine who becomes even more so once her traumatic history is revealed. Chase is simply scrumptious; a gentle giant who realizes that Jane is "the one" from their first meeting, now if only he can convince her of that fact. Their chemistry sizzles and fans of steamy romance will not be disappointed.
The suspense plot is minor but that doesn’t matter as the secondary characters from Jane’s overprotective stepfather to her irresponsible brother and her eccentric grandmother are responsible for many of the sweet and humorous moments in the book.
All in all, an exceedingly entertaining book and I’m going to read more of Dahl’s contemporary works.
January 26, 2021
It's been years since I first read Lead Me On and I remembered little about it, other than that I loved it. Fortuntely, that's still the case. Jane is a complex, well-developed character with a history that causes her lots of hangups in present day. One of these hangups is her attraction to, but utter disdain for, big, tattooed "bad boys."
And then Chase walks into her office. He is, obviously, one of the aforementioned bad boys. Or so Jane thinks. And while they hit it off imediately, Jane has a plan for a life that does not include men with neck tattoos who blow things up for a living.
Fortunately for us, Chase is much more than that. And Lead Me On is much more than an odd couple romance. Both the main characters have grit and believability to their personailities, their backstories, their struggles. This book touches on fraught family dynamics, overcoming regrets and the bad choices of one's past, learning to love yourself, and learning not to judge anyone (positively or negatively) based on outward appearances. If that's not enough to intrigue you, there's also a murder mystery subplot.
So glad that I still enjoyed this one just as much, nine years later.
4 stars
And then Chase walks into her office. He is, obviously, one of the aforementioned bad boys. Or so Jane thinks. And while they hit it off imediately, Jane has a plan for a life that does not include men with neck tattoos who blow things up for a living.
Fortunately for us, Chase is much more than that. And Lead Me On is much more than an odd couple romance. Both the main characters have grit and believability to their personailities, their backstories, their struggles. This book touches on fraught family dynamics, overcoming regrets and the bad choices of one's past, learning to love yourself, and learning not to judge anyone (positively or negatively) based on outward appearances. If that's not enough to intrigue you, there's also a murder mystery subplot.
So glad that I still enjoyed this one just as much, nine years later.
4 stars
December 1, 2014
4/5; 4 stars; A-
This review is for the audiobook. I had read the story before but enjoyed the audiobook just the same. The author manages to tell a funny and touching story and at the same time explore some of the very real damage that can be unwittingly be done to kids by parents as well as how hard it is to shake off the past. I thought the narrator, Savannah Richards, did a good job with the story and the characters.
If I hadn't read the book before I don't know if I would have stuck it out when the Jane, main female character lets herself be judgmental and rude to Chase, just based on his clothes and tats. She was really hateful. Its worth sticking with the story though because Dahl manages to bring the reader around to a position of understanding and empathy for a woman living with a poor messed up girl inside her.
I think this is the best of the Tumble Creek trilogy but they are all good.
This review is for the audiobook. I had read the story before but enjoyed the audiobook just the same. The author manages to tell a funny and touching story and at the same time explore some of the very real damage that can be unwittingly be done to kids by parents as well as how hard it is to shake off the past. I thought the narrator, Savannah Richards, did a good job with the story and the characters.
If I hadn't read the book before I don't know if I would have stuck it out when the Jane, main female character lets herself be judgmental and rude to Chase, just based on his clothes and tats. She was really hateful. Its worth sticking with the story though because Dahl manages to bring the reader around to a position of understanding and empathy for a woman living with a poor messed up girl inside her.
I think this is the best of the Tumble Creek trilogy but they are all good.
July 17, 2014
When taken for what it is (literary smut), this book, within its genre, isn't terrible. It isn't, however, anything mind blowing. The sex is fairly standard, though the situations are fairly unique. The characters are cookie-cutter cutouts. Chase is rather shallowly depicted, and Jane is... Well, Jane is just plain annoying. I get the whole plot line about her wanting to run away from her past, but did she have to be QUITE such an uncompromising, snobby bitch? Few authors are capable of crafting characters who are believably flawed and also sympathetic. So maybe I shouldn't be so harsh about Jane. But reading this book was difficult merely because I hated the main character so, so much.
April 14, 2017
4 Dirty Romance Stars
I would not recommend listening to this one while you drive your daily commute. You run the risk of swerving and speeding yourself into a reckless driving situation. You have been warned.
I would not recommend listening to this one while you drive your daily commute. You run the risk of swerving and speeding yourself into a reckless driving situation. You have been warned.
March 9, 2010
If you've read the previous book "Start Me Up" you'll recognize Jane as Quinn's ultra professional secretary. She's just as organized and cool as she seemed in the last book, but now we get a little insight into what makes her tick.
Chase is working with Quinn on a residential project and meets Jane when he goes to the office. He hits on her as a whim but Jane turns him down. He ends up giving her his business card in the hope she might change her mind and give him a call. When Jane gets a little tipsy out with a friend she ends up giving herself an early birthday present and gives him a call.
Jane was an interesting character. Her snobbery and prejudices made her a little hard to like, but the way that she owns up to her views and admits they're not valid made it easy for me to sympathize with her. She had a really hard time growing up and started acting out as soon as she hit puberty. At the time she didn't care what she was doing or what people thought, but after she changed her life she hid who she used to be and didn't want to be involved with anyone or anything that might associate her with the kind of girl she used to be.
The author definitely didn't spare Jane from her mistakes growing up. Her actions were described but they were never excused. It was up to the reader to decide their own opinion of it. I cannot think of a single other heroine I've read with a past quite like this. I loved that the author a chance and didn't sugarcoat Jane. I really liked her character and appreciated what she was able to build after having sunk so low.
Chase was a less in depth (though no less endearing) character. Even though he had a past of his own and issues with his dad he was a much more stable adult. He moved past the problems that he had in life and became comfortable in his own skin. I was pretty surprised about Chase and Jane's past association. How hard to be around someone who hasn't just heard about your worst but has seen it in person. I was glad they were able to move past it.
Chase and Jane were pretty perfect together. They really seemed like they fit together. I liked that Chase finally drew the line and wouldn't let himself be used anymore. I liked that he was able to indulge her wild behavior but also able to help her finally move past her low opinion of herself. This book really did a good job illustrating that you can't judge a person by how they look on the outside. I loved every time Chase popped up with another fact about himself that made Jane feel foolish for her assumptions.
I do have to mention one thing that bothered me though. What was the deal with everyone thinking that someone with a tattoo had to be low class? I totally understand Jane's view on it, and she admits that she has issues that make her classify people like that, but what about everyone else? When Jane starts having issues Quinn immediately jumps to some pretty harsh conclusions about Chase that seem to be based on how he looks. Also when Ben (hero of "Talk Me Down") meets him at the end it makes mention of him reacting to the tattoos. Where exactly are they living that tattoos are only on criminals and poor/low class people? I just find it odd that everyone in the book seems like they would be shocked if a rich person in a suit flashed a tattoo.
Great book and I can't wait to read another by this author!
Chase is working with Quinn on a residential project and meets Jane when he goes to the office. He hits on her as a whim but Jane turns him down. He ends up giving her his business card in the hope she might change her mind and give him a call. When Jane gets a little tipsy out with a friend she ends up giving herself an early birthday present and gives him a call.
Jane was an interesting character. Her snobbery and prejudices made her a little hard to like, but the way that she owns up to her views and admits they're not valid made it easy for me to sympathize with her. She had a really hard time growing up and started acting out as soon as she hit puberty. At the time she didn't care what she was doing or what people thought, but after she changed her life she hid who she used to be and didn't want to be involved with anyone or anything that might associate her with the kind of girl she used to be.
The author definitely didn't spare Jane from her mistakes growing up. Her actions were described but they were never excused. It was up to the reader to decide their own opinion of it. I cannot think of a single other heroine I've read with a past quite like this. I loved that the author a chance and didn't sugarcoat Jane. I really liked her character and appreciated what she was able to build after having sunk so low.
Chase was a less in depth (though no less endearing) character. Even though he had a past of his own and issues with his dad he was a much more stable adult. He moved past the problems that he had in life and became comfortable in his own skin. I was pretty surprised about Chase and Jane's past association. How hard to be around someone who hasn't just heard about your worst but has seen it in person. I was glad they were able to move past it.
Chase and Jane were pretty perfect together. They really seemed like they fit together. I liked that Chase finally drew the line and wouldn't let himself be used anymore. I liked that he was able to indulge her wild behavior but also able to help her finally move past her low opinion of herself. This book really did a good job illustrating that you can't judge a person by how they look on the outside. I loved every time Chase popped up with another fact about himself that made Jane feel foolish for her assumptions.
I do have to mention one thing that bothered me though. What was the deal with everyone thinking that someone with a tattoo had to be low class? I totally understand Jane's view on it, and she admits that she has issues that make her classify people like that, but what about everyone else? When Jane starts having issues Quinn immediately jumps to some pretty harsh conclusions about Chase that seem to be based on how he looks. Also when Ben (hero of "Talk Me Down") meets him at the end it makes mention of him reacting to the tattoos. Where exactly are they living that tattoos are only on criminals and poor/low class people? I just find it odd that everyone in the book seems like they would be shocked if a rich person in a suit flashed a tattoo.
Great book and I can't wait to read another by this author!
April 17, 2011
This wasn't my favorite book of the series, but I definitely still enjoyed it!
Jane is Quinn's (from Start Me Up) assistant in his architectural firm. She keeps him organized & is good at her job - because her job is her life. She chooses to keep it that way though, because she wants to be a regular Jane, hide from her past, her family, & the secret of who she used to be. When the sexy Chase walks into her office though, her world is turned upside down & she can't get him out of her mind - but he's so not what she wants! She feels she needs aboring respectable man, & with his big work boots, ripped jeans, & incredibly hot ass, he's an unwelcome distraction. Can she deny their chemistry & hide her past? Will Chase let her?
I really wasn't a huge fan of Jane for most of the book. I liked it when she just let herself be, but she spent SO long trying to be something she wasn't & hiding from her family & what she used to be, it was incredibly annoying. I wanted to smack her more than once. BUT, eventually she gets over herself & her absurd prejudices about "less respectable" folk.
I LOVED Chase, I wondered at how long he held on, dealing with her neurosis, but glad that he did. He really helped Jane come to appreciate her family & herself. I loved their feisty scenes together!
Red spots appeared high on Jane's cheeks. "I don't want to be rude, but...Get. Off. Him." The words were surprisingly clear considering her teeth hadn't unclenched the whole time.
Chase was starting to feel nervous. "Jane, it's fine. Just...Lady, you'd better go on."
The woman tossed her hair over her shoulder, whacking Jane in the face with it. "I'll go on when I'm ready to go on. She ain't the kind of woman who can satisfy a man like you, baby." Her breasts slid over his arm when she wiggled against him.
Jane drew a deep breath, her nostrils flared and he saw the flash of rage in her eyes as she went to the dark side. "Get your tits off him, you heifer!"
"Jane!" Chase coughed, a shocked laugh choking off his voice. But the woman finally let him go.
Also, any girl would love to get flowers with a card saying, "You make my heart go boom. Love, Chase (he was an explosives expert). Completely swoonworthy!
The nefarious plot line with Jane's brother being framed for murder wasn't as interesting as the stalker plot in Molly's book, but it still took a good few twists & turns & I enjoyed reading it.
Overall, I love this series & I'm glad Jane got over it! Don't know if there are any more books planned in this series, but I'd love to read them!
Jane is Quinn's (from Start Me Up) assistant in his architectural firm. She keeps him organized & is good at her job - because her job is her life. She chooses to keep it that way though, because she wants to be a regular Jane, hide from her past, her family, & the secret of who she used to be. When the sexy Chase walks into her office though, her world is turned upside down & she can't get him out of her mind - but he's so not what she wants! She feels she needs a
I really wasn't a huge fan of Jane for most of the book. I liked it when she just let herself be, but she spent SO long trying to be something she wasn't & hiding from her family & what she used to be, it was incredibly annoying. I wanted to smack her more than once. BUT, eventually she gets over herself & her absurd prejudices about "less respectable" folk.
I LOVED Chase, I wondered at how long he held on, dealing with her neurosis, but glad that he did. He really helped Jane come to appreciate her family & herself. I loved their feisty scenes together!
Red spots appeared high on Jane's cheeks. "I don't want to be rude, but...Get. Off. Him." The words were surprisingly clear considering her teeth hadn't unclenched the whole time.
Chase was starting to feel nervous. "Jane, it's fine. Just...Lady, you'd better go on."
The woman tossed her hair over her shoulder, whacking Jane in the face with it. "I'll go on when I'm ready to go on. She ain't the kind of woman who can satisfy a man like you, baby." Her breasts slid over his arm when she wiggled against him.
Jane drew a deep breath, her nostrils flared and he saw the flash of rage in her eyes as she went to the dark side. "Get your tits off him, you heifer!"
"Jane!" Chase coughed, a shocked laugh choking off his voice. But the woman finally let him go.
Also, any girl would love to get flowers with a card saying, "You make my heart go boom. Love, Chase (he was an explosives expert). Completely swoonworthy!
The nefarious plot line with Jane's brother being framed for murder wasn't as interesting as the stalker plot in Molly's book, but it still took a good few twists & turns & I enjoyed reading it.
Overall, I love this series & I'm glad Jane got over it! Don't know if there are any more books planned in this series, but I'd love to read them!
May 4, 2017
Si señoras y señores 0.1 star!
Por donde comienzo con este libro... Veamos la principal, es molesta, superficial, antipática, grosera, ególatra, si narcisista (todo soy yo), si tuvo una infancia fea ok ,de adolecente ella decidió ser ligera de pensamiento y moralidad (digámoslo así), pero el punto es que de grande decide que NO, no más seré alguien respetable y recatado, seria de carácter, me vestiré de forma modesta, no reiré, no dejare que nadie sepa quien es mi familia, los negaré y no visitaré a menos que ocupen algo de mi para hacerme la hija buena. El principal tranquilo, directo, con tattos, actitud y al parecer físico envidiable (ya saben lo de siempre (esos que son un mito y sabes que no existen en la vida real.. si esos)).
Ahora si chica conoce a chico pero ella a primera vista decide que no es para ella porqué el no usa traje y corbata y no tiene mucho dinero o status..... (ven por donde va mi molestia), chico decide que quiere salir con ella porque es linda y le intriga (lo normal), tras una serie de altercados la chica entra en una etapa de voy a darme un gusto y dejar a "la libertina" y voy a llamar al chico para tener una noche de sexo sin compromisos.
Mi punto es que en el libro llegamos a un momento en que cada vez que lo llama es porque se quiere que la ayude en algo o para acostar con él (lo más común) para olvidarse de su vida que se viene en picada.... noooo no se esta desmoronando solo esta teniendo un contratiempo que la esta haciendo interactuar más con su familia, lo cual conlleva a que se le caiga la farsa de niña buena y "sofisticada". No tolera que los vean en publico ya que ella quiere un hombre respetable de buena familia que le levante el "status" y le mejore la vida, que le de una famosa casa con verjas blancas y 2 niños respetables y como el simplemente trabaja en construcción no encaja jamás en la descripción.
Bueno sorpresa sorpresa se da al darse cuenta que el joven es dueño de una compañía y además es graduado en geología en la U... si es predecible lo que sigue, ella después querer esconder "su relación" descubre que realmente lo quiere y que desea ser su novia......... REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Creo que eso compacta todo palabras más, palabras menos, mi punto es que este libro me arruino la serie completa, los dos primeros libros los lei hace bastante tiempo y me gustaron mucho los disfruté aún con su drama, pero este lo deteste completamente.
NO LO RECOMMIENTO PARA NADA, en todo caso si quieren leerlo estan en su libertad
Por donde comienzo con este libro... Veamos la principal, es molesta, superficial, antipática, grosera, ególatra, si narcisista (todo soy yo), si tuvo una infancia fea ok ,de adolecente ella decidió ser ligera de pensamiento y moralidad (digámoslo así), pero el punto es que de grande decide que NO, no más seré alguien respetable y recatado, seria de carácter, me vestiré de forma modesta, no reiré, no dejare que nadie sepa quien es mi familia, los negaré y no visitaré a menos que ocupen algo de mi para hacerme la hija buena. El principal tranquilo, directo, con tattos, actitud y al parecer físico envidiable (ya saben lo de siempre (esos que son un mito y sabes que no existen en la vida real.. si esos)).
Ahora si chica conoce a chico pero ella a primera vista decide que no es para ella porqué el no usa traje y corbata y no tiene mucho dinero o status..... (ven por donde va mi molestia), chico decide que quiere salir con ella porque es linda y le intriga (lo normal), tras una serie de altercados la chica entra en una etapa de voy a darme un gusto y dejar a "la libertina" y voy a llamar al chico para tener una noche de sexo sin compromisos.
Mi punto es que en el libro llegamos a un momento en que cada vez que lo llama es porque se quiere que la ayude en algo o para acostar con él (lo más común) para olvidarse de su vida que se viene en picada.... noooo no se esta desmoronando solo esta teniendo un contratiempo que la esta haciendo interactuar más con su familia, lo cual conlleva a que se le caiga la farsa de niña buena y "sofisticada". No tolera que los vean en publico ya que ella quiere un hombre respetable de buena familia que le levante el "status" y le mejore la vida, que le de una famosa casa con verjas blancas y 2 niños respetables y como el simplemente trabaja en construcción no encaja jamás en la descripción.
Bueno sorpresa sorpresa se da al darse cuenta que el joven es dueño de una compañía y además es graduado en geología en la U... si es predecible lo que sigue, ella después querer esconder "su relación" descubre que realmente lo quiere y que desea ser su novia......... REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Creo que eso compacta todo palabras más, palabras menos, mi punto es que este libro me arruino la serie completa, los dos primeros libros los lei hace bastante tiempo y me gustaron mucho los disfruté aún con su drama, pero este lo deteste completamente.
NO LO RECOMMIENTO PARA NADA, en todo caso si quieren leerlo estan en su libertad
April 29, 2014
I agree with some of the other reviews on here, this is not a book where you can instantly connect with the heroine Jane Morgan. From the blurb I was expecting a goodie two shoes secretary that wanted to experience a ride on the wild side with a bad boy but what you get is a bad girl disguised as a good girl. Jane is a girl trying hard to reinvent herself and leave her bad girl image dead and buried. She's had to live through some pretty harsh realities and has made some really effed up mistakes but now feels she will never completely be free from that life unless she has a stable normal life. This includes a staid educated husband. Definitely not someone like our hot construction working, tattooed bad boy Chase.
I instantly liked Chase, he was honest and accepting and so damn understanding, even when Jane was being a total pain in the ass, he always managed to stay true to himself and her. Jane took a little more time for me to really connect with her. Yes she is damaged and she had a shitty life when she was younger but it took her soooo LONG to realize that she is not that misguided girl anymore. Eventually she does realize that she is strong enough and loved enough to overcome her fear of reverting back to the past.
Eventually it all resolves itself and of course these two get their HEA, I just wish we could have seen more of Jane being nice and accepting of Chase, rather than her obsessive need to put him down at every opportunity and only using him for meaningless sex. It was refreshing to see the guy realize his feelings before the girl here, just wish he hadn't had to suffer so much rejection and for such a shallow reason.
I instantly liked Chase, he was honest and accepting and so damn understanding, even when Jane was being a total pain in the ass, he always managed to stay true to himself and her. Jane took a little more time for me to really connect with her. Yes she is damaged and she had a shitty life when she was younger but it took her soooo LONG to realize that she is not that misguided girl anymore. Eventually she does realize that she is strong enough and loved enough to overcome her fear of reverting back to the past.
Eventually it all resolves itself and of course these two get their HEA, I just wish we could have seen more of Jane being nice and accepting of Chase, rather than her obsessive need to put him down at every opportunity and only using him for meaningless sex. It was refreshing to see the guy realize his feelings before the girl here, just wish he hadn't had to suffer so much rejection and for such a shallow reason.
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