Steam Bath by Suzanne Carey

Steam Bath by Suzanne Carey is the third story in the Summer Sizzlers and involves Mel and Joe dealing with the blackout in a very steamy office.

This blackout story has a tad more story before we get to the blackout. We follow Mel with her misadventure to go on a date with Joe that her friend won in an auction.

Fun story but no one I would have picked out if it wasn't included with the Linda Howard story. As I wrote when I blogged about Overload by Linda Howard, I debated if I should blog the three stories as one or as individual books.

3 out of 5

February tally
Harlequins - 8 (1 SE, 1 RS, 1 Blaze, 1 HP(M&B Sexy), 1M&B Sexy Sensation, 3 S)
Non- Harlequin -
Sub - Total - 8

January tally
Harlequins - 11
Non- Harlequin -2
Sub-Total - 13

Total -21

Hot Copy by Carole Buck

Hot Copy by Carole Buck is the second story in the Summer Sizzlers. I loved the two major characters - Mitch Nelson, a news director, and Christy Kavanaugh, one of the news anchors. The pair have a past relationship that started with a blackout which makes for an interesting story.

We follow them through the blackout of the summer with their past history woven into the events. Christy needing her space and Mitch ready to commit to a future together. Was Christy ready to commit almost 20 years later or did she still have doubts?

This was the strongest of the three stories in the Summer Sizzler.

4 out of 5

February tally
Harlequins - 7 (1 SE, 1 RS, 1 Blaze, 1 HP(M&B Sexy), 1M&B Sexy Sensation, 2 S)
Non- Harlequin -
Sub - Total - 7

January tally
Harlequins - 11
Non- Harlequin -2
Sub-Total - 13

Total -20

Overload by Linda Howard

Overload by Linda Howard is part of a three book compilation, Summer Sizzles '93 (also published several other ways and separately.) The background is a widespread blackout that leaves Elizabeth Majors and Tom Quinlan alone in a locked office building. This gives Tom time to find out way Elizabeth ran from their relationship 6 months earlier.

Ninety-five percent of the book the focus is on Elizabeth and Tom with no other characters in the scene. Howard does a great job of following their story with POVs from both characters. While there is a hint of what Elizabeth is hiding in not wanting a relationship with Tom, when she tells her story you are sympathetic to her reasons for needing space.

I loved the bio that is included at the end of the story. That was as much fun to read as the book.

(I debated about blogging this as a book or part of a novella but I noticed that it has been sold as a solo book.)

4 of 5

February tally
Harlequins - 6 (1 SE, 1 RS, 1 Blaze, 1 HP(M&B Sexy), 1M&B Sexy Sensation, 1 S)
Non- Harlequin -
Sub - Total - 6

January tally
Harlequins - 11
Non- Harlequin -2
Sub-Total - 13

Total - 19