New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson brings you a brand-new story in the Forged of Steele series. Perfect for fans of the popular Westmoreland series and readers of passionate contemporary romances!
When the 'thief' caught driving his stolen vintage car turns out to be a stunning runaway heiress, Mercury Steele is conflicted. On the one hand, Sloan Donahue, broke and on the run from her tyrannical family, triggers the billionaire playboy's protective instincts. But she also triggers red-hot desire. Mercury refuses to think his simple seduction is becoming something deeper, especially when Sloan is keeping secrets...
Mills & Boon Desire -- Indulge in secrets and scandal, intense drama and plenty of sizzling hot action with powerful and passionate herces who have it all.
MY THOUGHTS:
Title: Seduced By a Steele
Publisher: Harlequin Desire
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle ARC
No. of Pages: 224
Date of Publication: April 2, 2020
My Rating: 4 Stars
Having reported his vintage car stolen, Mercury Steele cannot believe it when he catches an apparent thief, Sloan Donahue, driving it. Mercury quickly learns why Sloan has is precious car. What is more is that Sloan is running away from a controlling family. Mercury offers Sloan protection. I loved how Mercury recognized Sloan's reason for distress, and then took her home to his loving parents, particularly his mother, a character I thoroughly enjoyed while reading this book.
It soon becomes apparent that both Mercury and Sloan have feelings for one another. However, Mercury is acting with caution, especially when he finds that Sloan is keeping someone from him. It certainly becomes quid pro quo in this book because Mercury has issues and doesn't communicate well with Sloan at times. This was an enjoyable conflict to read in this book, and it was a delight to see how things worked out, especially as the sizzle of attraction turned into a flame.
It soon becomes apparent that both Mercury and Sloan have feelings for one another. However, Mercury is acting with caution, especially when he finds that Sloan is keeping someone from him. It certainly becomes quid pro quo in this book because Mercury has issues and doesn't communicate well with Sloan at times. This was an enjoyable conflict to read in this book, and it was a delight to see how things worked out, especially as the sizzle of attraction turned into a flame.
Seduced By a Steele is the 12th book in the Forged By Steele series. However, I hadn't read the previous titles. While this does more than well as a standalone novel, I did feel a connection with several side characters that I am sure were from previous books in the series. This delightful book was a quick, sexy read and gave me the opportunity to read a book by Brenda Jackson, something I've wanted to do for quite some time.
Many thanks to Harlequin Desire and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Many thanks to Harlequin Desire and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy the following excerpt:
A feeling of relief swept through Mercury when he located his car. Parking in the space beside it, he quickly got out and glanced around the shops in the mall, wondering where the driver had gone.
He was pissed when he pulled his phone out of his jacket to call the police again to give them his exact location. Putting his phone back, he walked around his car and was glad not to see any dents. Other than need-ing a good wash job, the old girl looked good. Deciding to check the interior, he pulled his car keys out of his pocket to open the door.
“Get away from my car!”
Mercury snatched his head up and was instantly mesmerized by the beauty of the woman’s dark brown eyes, shoulder-length curly hair that cascaded around an oval face, high cheekbones, the smooth and creamy texture of her cocoa-colored skin and one pair of the sexiest lips he’d ever seen on a woman.
He immediately flashed her one of his wolfish smiles and was about to go into man-whore mode until what she’d said stopped him. Then he became blinded to all that gorgeous beauty. “Your car?”
“Yes, my car. Now get away from it before I call the police.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “This is my car. It was stolen from me three nights ago.”
“You’re lying,” the woman snapped.
Calling him a liar was a big mistake. The one thing he despised more than anything was for someone to question his integrity. “If you think that, then by all means call the police. However, you don’t have to call them since I already have. You’re the thief, not me.”
“I am not a thief,” she said, feeling brave enough to step closer and glare at him.
“Nor am I a liar,” he said, glaring back. Suddenly a police cruiser with flashing blue lights pulled up and two officers quickly got out. One was Sherman Aikens, one of Jonas’s old high school friends. “I see you’ve found your car, Mercury.”
Mercury frowned over at him. “No thanks to you guys who should have been looking for it. And my car was never lost, it was stolen, and she’s the person who has it.”
“It’s my car!”
Both officers glanced over at the woman and Mercury glowered. Instead of saying anything, they just stared at her, male appreciation obvious in their gazes. “For crying out loud, aren’t you going to ask to see her papers on the vehicle since she claims to be the owner?” he snapped out at the officers.
Sherman broke eye contact with the woman to frown at Mercury. “I was going to get to that.” In a voice Mercury felt was way too accommodating, considering the circumstances, Sherman said, “Ma’am, I need to see papers on this vehicle, because it resembles one reported stolen three nights ago.”
“It is the one that was stolen three nights ago,” Mercury snapped while ignoring Sherman’s frown. As far as Mercury was concerned, Sherman could become smitten with the woman on someone else’s time.
“Stolen! That’s not possible, Officer,” the woman said, looking alarmed. “Why would anyone want to steal that car? Look at it. It’s old.”
Mercury glared at her while Sherman and the other officer unsuccessfully tried hiding their grins. “It’s a classic, and if it’s so old for your taste, why did you buy it like you claim you did?” Mercury asked her.
“Because I needed transportation and it was in my budget,” she said, pulling papers from her purse. “I just bought it yesterday.” She handed the papers to Sherman.
Mercury thought it took Sherman longer than necesary to switch his gaze from the woman to the papers. He then said in a too-apologetic voice, “Sorry, ma’am, but these papers are fake.”
Shock flew to her face. “Fake? But that’s not possible. A nice gentleman sold the car to me.”
“That ‘nice’ man conned you into buying a stolen car,” Mercury said, ignoring Sherman’s narrowed gaze as well as the woman’s thunderstruck expression.
Switching her gaze from Mercury to Sherman, she said, “Please tell me that’s not true, Officer. I gave him three hundred dollars.”
“Three hundred dollars?” Mercury asked, not believing what she’d said.
Lifting her chin, she added, “Yes, I knew the car wasn’t worth that much, but the man looked a little down on his luck and needed the money.”
Mercury shook his head. “You got that car for a steal, no pun intended. Do you not know the value of that car? It’s worth over two hundred thousand dollars easily.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous.” Ridiculous? She had bought a stolen car from some-one who she thought was a nice man, and she thought he was being ridiculous? He was about to give her a scathing reply, but Sherman’s look warned him not to do so.
“Yes, ma’am, unfortunately that man did run a scam on you,” Sherman said. “I hate you lost all that money. I need you to come down to police headquarters and give us a statement, including a description of the man who sold you the car. We will be on the lookout for him.”
“Like you guys were on the lookout for my car?” Mercury said under his breath, but when Sherman shot him a disapproving glare, he knew he’d been heard regardless.
Sherman turned to him. “We’re going to have to impound the car. You and Miss Donahue need to come down to police headquarters to give statements.”
“But I’m on my way to a job interview,” the woman said, suddenly looking distressed.
Mercury refused to feel an ounce of sympathy for her since he too would be late for an interview with a potential new client. Now he would have to reschedule. Every sports agent alive would want to sign on Nor-ris Eastwood, but the parents of the high school senior with plans to go straight into the NBA had sought out Mercury. He hoped being a no-show this morning wouldn’t be a negative against him. If it was, then he had this woman to blame.
“Are you okay with that, Mercury?”
When he heard his name, he glanced up. “Am I okay with what?” He saw the other officer had pulled the woman off to the side to take down some information. “Giving Miss Donahue a ride to the police station,” Sherman said.
“Don’t you have room in the police car? That’s the normal way you transport criminals, isn’t it? For all we know, she could be in cahoots with the person who stole my car.”
Sherman rolled his eyes. “You don’t believe that any more than I do, Mercury. It’s obvious she’s an innocent victim who doesn’t belong in the back of a patrol car. She’s no more a thief than we are. Look at her.”
Mercury didn’t want to look at her, but he did any-way. He immediately thought the same thing he had when he’d first seen her. She was a very beautiful woman. Her features were just that striking. And then there was that delectable-looking figure in a navy blue pencil skirt and white blouse. Sexy as hell. But still…
DESCRIPTION:
This Steele man is always in the driver’s seat…but is this playboy ready for the wildest ride of his life?
Agreeing a PR stunt would be good for business, trucking CEO Gannon Steele invites reporter Delphine Ryland to hitch a ride cross-country. Soon, he’s keeping his eyes on his sexy passenger instead of on the destination ahead, and when the trip turns from strictly business to strictly pleasure, the consequences might be more than this rough-and-ready bachelor can handle…
Agreeing a PR stunt would be good for business, trucking CEO Gannon Steele invites reporter Delphine Ryland to hitch a ride cross-country. Soon, he’s keeping his eyes on his sexy passenger instead of on the destination ahead, and when the trip turns from strictly business to strictly pleasure, the consequences might be more than this rough-and-ready bachelor can handle…
Purchase links:
Amazon | B&N | Google IndieBound | Harlequin.com
Title: Claimed By a Steele
Publisher: Harlequin Desire
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle ARC
No. of Pages: 224
Date of Publication: March 5, 2020
My Rating: 5 Stars
Gannon Steele is the youngest of six brothers. The eldest five are now married and are starting families. Gannon is tickled pink...more women for him. He plans on spending at least ten years playing the field.
Gannon is a CEO for his trucking business with plenty of drivers to do whatever jobs head their way. But Gannon enjoys the open road and often takes on a long trip. When he learns that freelancer Delphine Ryland wants to write an article about his company, Gannon knows the publicity would do a lot of good for his company. So, he invites Delphine on a road trip so that she can easily interview him while learning about the trucking business.
Although Gannon is rather drawn to Delphine, his mind is on business. Delphine pretty much feels the same way that Gannon does, but with her difficult past with her family and having recently been dumped, she tries hard to guard her heart. However, the pair share an intense chemistry, so any ideas they had about keeping things on task eventually goes right out the window.
With Claimed By a Steele being the 13th and last book in the Forged By Steele series, I felt a twinge of regret that I only read the previous book in the series. I loved how Brenda Jackson provided enough of a back story with previous characters so that this book could easily be read as a standalone. There is something of a side story in this book involving another character, and I feel that story really did a fine job of bringing this series to a close.
Many thanks to Harlequin Desire and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Please enjoy the following excerpt:
“Mr. Steele has arrived, Ms. Ryland, and he’s ready to see you.”
Delphine smiled over at Gannon’s secretary, not sure if she was ready to see him. “Thanks.”
In reality, she’d already seen him. From where she sat in the lobby, she had a good view of the parking lot. She had known the exact moment Gannon had parked his car in his designated CEO spot, and later entered the building through a side door.
She had sat there fascinated by seeing him wearing a dark suit and could barely keep her heart from racing. The man looked good no matter what he wore. Drawing in a deep breath, she stood and headed down the long corridor to his office. When she reached the closed door bearing his name in huge print, she in-haled and then exhaled before knocking.
“Come in, Ms. Ryland.”
He’d called her “Ms. Ryland” instead of “Delphine.” Did that mean they were back to being for-mal again? Was that how it was supposed to work when he was in more businesslike attire? she wondered. She would find out soon enough and decided to follow his lead.
When she opened the door, their gazes connected.
For a second, Delphine felt weak in the knees. He stood when she walked in and she immediately noticed that he had removed his jacket and loosened the tie around his neck. And, of course, she didn’t miss the one button at the top of his white dress shirt that was undone. Why did seeing him so relaxed have an effect on her?
But then, she could say the same for him. He was staring at her the same way she was staring at him. She knew she was fully dressed and the last time she checked her hair was in place. What was going on here?
She knew the answer. Lust. Something she definitely wasn’t used to. It was kicking both their butts. Lustful vibes had been strong yesterday, but they were even stronger today.
That wasn’t good. Whenever he looked at her, she got overheated. Today his look was almost setting her on fire. This was her last day and she needed to take control of the situation or burn to a crisp right in front of him.
Clearing her throat, she said, “I hope things went well at the meeting you had this morning with your shipper.”
As if the sound of her voice broke whatever spell he’d been in, he blinked and then said, “Yes, they did.” Then, shoving his hands into his pockets, he added, “However, there’s a matter I need to handle.”
She nodded. “I understand. I can come back—” “No. Let’s wrap things up with the interview now because I’ll be busy for the rest of the day.”
Was that his way of letting her know he was tired of this process? Tired of her doing the interview? More than anything, she wanted to believe his change in attitude had nothing to do with her, but was connected somehow to that meeting he’d had earlier.
“I’ll be quick,” she said, taking the chair in front of his desk. The same one she’d sat in yesterday. “I just have a few more questions.”
“Fine,” he said, moving to sit down at his desk. “Ask away.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
These seem like books I would like.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a good series. I'm glad you are enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteNot my kind of read but glad you like the series. Great review.
ReplyDelete