Hello, and welcome back! I feel like I'm living in a jungle, it's so hot and humid here lately. So I'm reading like a fiend again, both from my review stack and re-reading some favorites, like Harry Potter. I'm even getting a fair bit of writing done.

This time out, I have HelenKay Dimon's Hard As Nails (Brava), a trio of stories centered around the remaining three single men working at T. C. Limited. In 'This Old House', Cole Carruthers has to clear out the great niece of the woman his company bought the house from, but Aubrey Matheson can't clear out yet. She's on a mission, but the sexy architect keeps distracting her from it. 'All About Adam' pits partner Adam Thomas against Becky Carter, the one woman who ran after their spectacular time together, and Adam wants more. So does Becky, but she's not sure it can amount to anything more than hot sex. And in 'Man at the Door', Erin McHugh, Becky's sister, keeps job foreman Ray Hammond at arm's length for far longer than any sane woman would. Ray's wanted Erin since day one, but she's afraid of their age difference. And Ray's got a big, open secret in his past that might just put Erin off for good. Still, the chemistry between them is explosive. Might make a girl rethink secrets and numbers. I think I liked Cole and Aubrey the least of this group. His too-easy solution to her problem didn't ring true, and I couldn't quite buy into the quick about-face he did early on in the story. Adam and Becky's story was a bit better, though it seemed to take Adam an inordinate amount of time to figure out his feelings for the woman he's waited months to have again. And Erin and Ray, well, yes they generate some serious heat when they're together, but I didn't love them either; Erin's age hang-up is believable, but Ray's 'secret' seems like an after-thought to keep them apart just a little longer. So this one as a whole was just okay for me, not a keeper. But if you're looking for something that isn't going to tax your brain while sitting on the beach with a cold drink, you may enjoy this. I'm giving it only two and a half of Cupid's five arrows.

Until next time, happy reading!