Romance Witch's Reviews: ARC Mini-Review: Hot Mess

Hot Mess (Hostile Operations Team #1.5)

by Lynn Raye Harris

Blurb:

English professor Dr. Georgeanne Hayes has a problem. Her star pupil, an Army sergeant who works in a Top Secret government program, is missing—and someone tried to push her in front of a train last night.

Sam “Knight Rider” McKnight is used to looking out for Georgie. When they were kids, she was just his best friend’s baby sister. But Georgie’s not a baby anymore and Sam is getting some very male—and very dirty—thoughts about the girl he knows he can never have.

When someone threatens Georgie’s life again, Sam will do anything necessary to keep her safe. Even if it means spending the next few days locked up in a remote house on Maryland’s Eastern Shore with her.

Sam might be used to denying himself what he wants, but he’s about to find out that being cooped up with Georgie will push him to the limit. And maybe beyond.

Review:

The newest installment of the HOT series, Hot Mess, is a fun short story to tide us over until the next full length novel. Being a relatively new reader of this author, I have been taking the series one story at a time, but I am really enjoying everything I’ve read so far. Based in the shadowy world of dark military operations, HOT is full of sexy alpha men who live dangerous and adrenaline packed lives. Getting to see each of them meet their match in a strong and passionate woman will be wonderful, and this short story where we meet one of the relatively new members of HOT was no exception. Another great story by Ms. Harris to be sure, though I definitely wish it had been longer!

Georgeanne finds herself in intense and dangerous circumstances and she’s completely out of her depth. Her friendship and worries over a friend have turned the eyes of the wrong people her way. But when her girlhood love, Sam, returns to her life, it throws her for even more of a loop. Determined to uncover the men after Georgie, Sam enlists the aid of the other members of HOT and they discover the danger to Georgie is even more complicated. When their forced seclusion brings all the passion and desire they’ve been resisting to unbearable levels, there is no option for them but to explore the heat that is flaring between them. Georgie has always held a special place in Sam’s heart and though he has resisted her all these years, he’s never forgotten the feel or taste of her and having her—fully—leaves him with no chance of keeping himself away from her. When the danger is over and their lives return to their separate worlds, can they both accept the inherent danger and fears that come along with Sam’s job as a HOT operative, or will they forgo their chance for an HEA?

Sam was one of those sexy alpha males that I find myself wanting to reach into the book and shake. Yes, Georgie is his best friends little sister. Yes, there is an age difference. But damn man, when a woman tells you she wants you, loves you, and needs you, just trust her to know her own heart and mind! Eesh. Only when he can finally overcome his hang-ups and admit that they are good together, can they begin to build a relationship. Georgie is definitely a woman I can relate to. She is strong and knows when she has met her match, and she’s known for years that Sam is the man she wants. Though life forced her to move on many years before, seeing Sam again reminds her that the love and desire she’s always had for him never faded. When she decides that she is no longer going to settle for him pushing her away and denying their attraction things heat up pretty fast.

Overall this was a very good story. There was heat between the H/H from start to finish, action, mystery, and glimpses of future heroes for this series. The underlying plot to the story was interesting, though it ended rather suddenly and was a bit anticlimactic for my tastes. Maybe had it been a couple of chapters longer, that part of the story could have been more fleshed out. The love story between Sam and Georgeanne was memorable, with his sweet, sexy, alpha nature butting against her stubborn and determined spine of steel at every turn. I cannot wait for what’s next for these HOT guys and to get to see where this new author will take me. Congratulations Ms. Harris you have earned yourself a new dedicated fan. Just keep the wonderful stories coming down the line.

Rating: 3.5 stars