The Guy to be Seen With - Fiona Harper (HK #7 - Mar 2013)

Series: Valentine's Day Survival Guide (Book 2)

London's most eligible guy-finally snared?

Who can forget gorgeous adventurer Daniel Bradford? Especially after this commitment-phobe's on-air rejection of his girlfriend's marriage proposal sparked a scandal! But some people love a challenge. With Daniel suddenly back on the market, all of London's single ladies are on the lookout. Yet he's shown no inclination to get caught by anyone...until now.

So just who is special enough to catch his attention? Our sources reveal she's strong-willed blonde bombshell Chloe Michaels, orchid specialist and Daniel's new colleague. And rumor has it that with this tough cookie, London's very own Indiana Jones is in for the-romantic-adventure of a lifetime! 

Very good book. There was a lot of emotion flying around that did much to counteract my feelings about Daniel.  Daniel has had to cope with unwanted fame after he rejected his girlfriend's proposal.  The single women are stalking him and he wants nothing to do with them.  When he meets Chloe there is an immediate attraction between them and he starts to pursue her.  She really doesn't want to get involved with him but he doesn't give up.

I thought Daniel was a jerk through most of the book.  Even though Chloe had told him she didn't want to get involved with him he kept pushing.  There was a lot about her that appealed to him but it all appeared to be superficial - he never really seemed interested in what was beneath the surface.  Even when he finally got her to go out with him he was still only interested in the physical.  His reaction when he found out about her past acquaintanceship with him was harsh and cruel and totally unfair.   I thought he was unreasonably angry for too long.  He eventually told her why he doesn't intend to fall in love ever again and I understood his reasoning, but that was still no excuse for the way he treated her.  I liked the fact that he eventually saw what a jerk he had been and apologized and wanted to be friends again, but I was glad that Chloe didn't cave in.  It took a long while for him to realize just what he had done and accept what an idiot he had been.  I loved seeing him on the receiving end of the embarrassment at the end.  I loved the ending but still feel that Daniel has more changing to do.

I liked Chloe better.  She had been a geeky student with a huge crush on Daniel ten years earlier.  When she made a fool of herself with him he rejected her bluntly, with no kindness at all.  She took that event as a catalyst to change some things about herself and became much more confident as a woman.  When she met Daniel again she discovered that he didn't recognize her and decided to leave the past where it was.  She realized she was still attracted to him but didn't want to risk her heart again and tried t discourage him.  When they got thrown together while trying to counteract some of the negative publicity from his rejection of his former girlfriend they started to develop a friendship that grew to be more on her part.  She was devastated by his accusations when he discovered their previous connection, but had no problem letting him know that he had it wrong and why.  I loved seeing her stand up for herself.  When he finally apologized she accepted it but told him to leave her alone.  I liked the way that Chloe looked at her own actions and realized that the "New Chloe" still hadn't been the real her and made the effort to find her real self.  Their tentative return to friendship while they worked on the exhibit was good.  I completely understood her actions at the ceremony, but also liked what she did after.  I did like the ending.

How to Get Over Your Ex - Nikki Logan (HK #3 - Feb 2013)

Series:  Valentine's Day Survival Guide (book 1)

Being rejected is one thing. Being rejected live on radio takes it to a whole new level!

After her on-air proposal is turned down by her commitment-phobe boyfriend, Georgia Stone must learn to survive singledom. Unfortunately, thanks to a clause in her contract, she has to do it under the watchful gaze of brooding radio producer Zander Rush.

And so begins the Year of Georgia! Lurching from salsa classes to spy school, Georgia discovers a taste for adventure. Her biggest thrill so far? Flirting with danger -- aka the enigmatic Zander. But admitting she's ready for more than just a fling…? Definitely Georgia's scariest challenge yet!

Good book.  When Georgia's on-air proposal is rejected by her boyfriend, she flees the studio in humiliation.  Then she finds out that she still needs to honor her contract with the radio station even though there is no wedding and honeymoon to cover.  So the station manager, Zander, comes up with the idea of the Year of Georgia, where she takes that time to do the things she has always wanted to do and reinvent herself.  I liked both Georgia and Zander.  Georgia started out wondering what was so wrong with her that her boyfriend didn't want to take the next step with her.  But when Zander came up with the idea of reinventing herself she didn't much care for that, not feeling that there was that much wrong with her.  I liked the way that she started out by trying things that they thought she ought to try, but gained enough confidence in herself to start going after things she wanted to do.  I liked the way that each adventure showed Georgia something else about herself that added to her emerging confidence.  I also enjoyed the developing relationship with Zander.  They started out very professional, but the more things they did together the more the lines blurred.  Georgia also started to see past the walls that Zander kept up to keep people at a distance and to fall for the man behind those walls.  I liked the way she started trying to get to him.  Her belly dancing lesson was fantastic and I loved the description of what she did.  

Zander was an interesting guy.  I loved the empathy he showed Georgia immediately after the radio fiasco when he helped her get out of the building.  Besides needing to save his job by rescuing the radio promotion he also wanted to help Georgia get through this experience.  Having suffered a similar humiliation he had a great deal of sympathy for her.  He coped by shutting down emotionally and not allowing anyone to get close to him. He works longs hours and spends his free time doing long distance running.  He doesn't expect to find his time with Georgia starting to chip away at those walls.  When Georgia shows up at one of his races he is stunned and doesn't know quite what to do.  He also finds that his attraction to her gets a little out of hand which scares him into withdrawing again.  He also finds that he can't forget the feelings she has stirred up, but is still afraid to risk himself again.

I loved seeing how, over the course of the year, both Georgia and Zander learned more about each other and themselves.  I liked the fact that it was Georgia who had the courage to be the first to go after what she wanted and risk it all.  I really loved Zander's big moment at the end and how he finally had the courage to go after what he really wanted.