Review: Heart of Fame Book 2
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 9, 2013
As posted on The Smutty Kitty reviewed by Wicked Whiskers4 out of 5 LicksMuscle for Hire by Lexxie Couper was a first for me since I never read anything by her prior to Heart of Fame series. When I read the title it automatically captured my attention but not in the context I was thinking ... insert dirty thoughts here ... LoL! After further details into this book I discovered it was the second in a series so naturally before I could dive into Muscle for Fire I had to read the first book Love's Rhythm ... sorry I'm kinda neurotic that way. Anywho, I adored Love's Rhythm and would gladly recommend reading it but as a warning I will tell you in that in my opinion it reminded me a little of Olivia Cunning's Sinners on Tour. So if you're a Sinner I think you would definitely enjoy reading Love's Rhythm.In Love's Rhythm we meet the hero of Muscle for Hire. We don't know much about him other then the fact that he is a former SAS Commander, currently the bodyguard for the infamous singer Nick Blackthorne and hates being called a Pom/Pommie Bastard by the nosy in your face paparazzi.In Muscle for Hire we discover what is hidden behind the shades of Aslin Rhodes and where his future may fall now that Nick Blackthorne has decided to trade fans for family. At first glance Aslin has a seriously stoic and intimidating demeanor but what everyone doesn't know is that this mean wall of muscle has a loving heart hidden beneath the guarded exterior that has a taste for a little pain and perhaps a touch of exhibition ... back alley against a wall, parking lot on the back of a motorcycle ... nothing adds anticipation like the chances of being caught (which is always delicious in my eyes).Aslin's unknown future is found on the set of Dead Evil in the surprising and unsuspected pint-size package of ... enter the heroine ... Rowan Hemsworth. She's a tough, kick-ass cookie who can roll with the punches but underneath the martial arts and the attitude lurks a vulnerable woman who isn't sure which path to follow. Naturally I loved her character from the beginning.Aside from the instant sexual tension between these two characters, this is a romantic suspense book that had me guessing who the villain really was up until the very end which is what I enjoy most from suspense romance. Well that and the smart-mouth banter of awesome one liners that leads to fight for dominant control that has these two bunting heads one moment and lip-locking the next. With equal parts stubbornness and determination Rowan and Aslin make a perfect match for each other. My only concern is that the romance was too instantaneous ... 3 days isn't enough to develop true feelings of love but then again if some was trying to kill me and I had a sexy dominant man wanting to protect and ravage me at the same time I could see myself confusing words of love too.Final Thought ...I hope Heart of Fame #3 continues on with Chris Huntley (Hemsworth  ... yeah Thor shout-out!), Rowan's younger brother so that I will not only get to see Chris struggled his way through love but also get to see glimpse of  where life has taken Rowan, Aslin, Nick and Lauren.