Sizzling by Susan Mallery

The books in Susan Mallery's Buchanan series just get better and better. Sizzling is the third book in the series and follows the story of Reid Buchanan and Lori Johnson.

A quick overview from Susan Mallery's website: Reid Buchanan was always a fan favorite on the baseball diamond. A spiteful article about the former pitcher and current playboy questions his talent in the bedroom. And the newspaper's just the first bad news. Reid's grandmother Gloria's broken hip means she needs constant care--but Reid hired Nurses 1 and 2 for their bedside manner with him. So for Number 3 he chooses Lori Johnson, the first candidate who seems immune to his brand of charm.
Lori's never wasted her time with amoebas like Reid Buchanan. So why are her well-fortified defenses starting to crumble under the force of his sexy smile--and the kindness he shows her at every turn? There's only one explanation for the feelings flaring between them--chemistry. Chemistry so hot, it's sizzling!

When Reid was introduced in the first book of the series, Delicious, I couldn't wait to get to this book. I liked Reid from the very beginning. Granted he is a ladies man but through the first and second book you were able to see the way he interacted with his family as well as his brother's wife and his best friend Penny. You could see that there was more to him than just the label he had acquired.

After moving into his grandmother's house to avoid the paparazzi he is reunited with the nurse he chose for his grandmother, Lori Johnson. From the minute these two are on a page together the tension is thick. Lori might fall for Reid's charm but unlike the rest of the population she doesn't show it. On the outside Lori is tough with great one-liners that really help put Reid in his place. On the inside she is completely self conscious and constantly compares herself to others especially her "perfect" sister.

At first I thought it was a little annoying how Lori constantly questioned her ability to attract a man like Reid and how she compared herself to other woman. But then I realized that is what goes on in some girls heads. The constant criticism of themselves and the feeling that they just aren't good enough.

Reid and Lori are a perfect match because they balance each other out. He takes her up a notch while she takes him down a few. 

Gloria, The Buchanan's matriarch, is back in this installment but this time around Lori helps her see the light and she slowly starts to shed her harsh personality. I loved reading as she made amends with all the characters that she trashed in previous books. I also loved that she had a soft spot where Lori was concerned.

This book made me laugh and cry. The ending is harsh, but it was the perfect combination for a great book. I just ordered the fourth in the series, Tempting, and can't wait to see how it wraps up.

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