Harlequin Blaze, $4.99, ISBN 978-0-373-79620-5
Contemporary Romance, 2011
Marissa Marshall has recently received her PhD in psychology from John Hopkins. She has put her expertise to good use by creating a popular blog, Mad Mari, that deals with relationship issues in a chatty manner and writing two popular relationship books under the pseudonym – rather cynical and humorous books that get men a little riled up. Now, however, she’s ready to hit the real world, by attending an interview at the US Naval Academy for the post of a guest lecturer. She tries to look professional for the gig, but a series of unfortunate wardrobe calamities (don’t ask) eventually put her in contact with the gorgeous Danny Wilkes, a navy pilot who is trying to enter the astronaut training program. These two hit it off well, and they are soon playing a most happy game of Buck Rogers, but will sexual chemistry be enough for these two?
Terms of Surrender has at best a lightweight plot with some rather predictable conflicts. The main course on the menu, so to speak, is definitely combustible sexual tension and potent chemistry topped with snappy banter, and the author definitely knows how to whip up an entire main course of the hot stuff here. Some of the events here can be on the unbelievable and even farcical side, but since they lead up to the hot stuff, I can’t exactly complain too much as I’m having fun here. Mari is a bit of a “fun-going heroine with Daddy issues” cliché and Danny is another hot guy in uniform, but they fit together nicely both in a dirty and non-dirty manner.
This one doesn’t break new grounds, but it is a nice light and frothy read that manages to entertain. Oh, and it has a pretty cover too. Nice.
