HOT PROPERTY

Author: Susan Johnson ISBN: 9780425221730 8/2008 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: BERKLEY TRADE

To finish writing her exposé on art collectors, Zoe Chandler has fled to a secluded lake house where a muscle-bound neighbor in cargo shorts catches her attention. The problem: he likes seclusion too. Haunted by his past in the CIA, he isn’t looking for company. But when Zoe’s controversial book brings a threat to her door, she begs Nick to protect her from danger…and keep her close. With his own trouble brewing, he’s not sure he can trust her—but she’ll do everything in her power to persuade him.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Susan Johnson delivers with her usually steamy tale in her latest release, HOT PROPERTY.

Author Zoe Chandler is struggling to finish her latest book about the back door dealings in the world of art and artifacts when she stumbles upon information that some nefarious people do not want to get out. Feeling threatened, Zoe seeks protection from her hermit neighbor, Nick Mirovic. Nick is enjoying his secluded life after years spent working for the government as an interpreter. He likes his privacy and is not at all happy when Zoe asks for his help. In fact, he believes her to be sent by his nemesis who Nick believes is trying to kill him. And so begins HOT PROPERTY, as Zoe and Nick are thrown together to try and evade killers, even as he believes her to be a killer too.

I liked the premise for this story. Nick is tall, dark, gorgeous and smart to boot, as he's fluent in many languages. He's also suspicious of Zoe from the get go and doesn't mind using force to find out if she is, indeed, a killer. There was a particular scene while the two were in the throes of passion, which turned my stomach and left a bad taste in my mouth towards this hero. Though in the end, he was able to redeem himself in my eyes, I wish he could have gathered his information on whether or not Zoe was out to get him in a less physical manner. I mean, I understood where he was coming from, but the actions that he took left a lot to be desired.

On the other hand, Zoe is maybe a little too trusting of people and has no idea what she has gotten herself into pairing with Nick. As they try to evade killers that they are unsure of as to their source, the two start a very sexy, no-holds-barred physical relationship. I'm familiar with Susan Johnson's novels, so I knew what to expect and even was looking forward to it, and let me tell you, I was not at all disappointed on that aspect. I also enjoyed the honest, frank way Zoe and Nick dealt with each other throughout the book. There was no beating around the bush for either character, and I found it moved the story along at a nice pace.

I believe HOT PROPERTY is being marketed as a contemporary romance, but it probably is more of an erotic romance as the sex scenes between Zoe and Nick are detailed and explicit. So if you don't like your romances with extra steam, you might want to pass on this one. Barring the scene that I didn't like so much—and you'll know when you read it yourself—I enjoyed HOT PROPERTY. Full of action, both in and out of the bedroom, Zoe and Nick are two opposites that find they attract very well over the course of the novel. Readers who enjoy previous novels from Susan Johnson will not want to miss this one, as the story falls in line with her usually hot and sexy stories.

Maame Kanbi