Simon Says [Mass Market Paperback]

I am a huge Lori Foster fan, but this was not the best book of this series.

It was well written as always, and Simon is incredible, but I did not find Dakota likeable. I realize good characters have a past and baggage, but with Dakota it was almost too much and she had a chip on her shoulder the size of Texas. She was purposely rude, unfriendly, and combative the majority of the time, and I found myself not caring about her - hoping Simon would find someone else. She was physically strong and had knowledge of the SBC, but no other redeeming qualities.

Dakota Dream (you read that name right) can only get access to the letters her estranged mother wrote prior to her death if she reunites her evil stepfather with his biological son. But she soon discovers that introducing Barnaby and Simon will not be easy. Simon is an SBC trainer just getting over the betrayal of long time love Bonnie sleeping with another, and decides to re-ignite his career and starts training to return to the ring. When Dakota walks into his gym and gives him advice, he wants to send her packing, particularly when he learns that she's there for. He can live the rest of his life without ever meeting bio-dad. But an attraction between the two develops and his jealousy is piqued when she manages to attract just about every male within a 10-mile radius, including a cruel ex-husband.

I wanted to like this story, particularly since I liked its predecessor. But this one is all over the place. It's as if Foster wrote two different characters and merged them for Dakota. She just didn't make any sense from chapter to chapter, and I had a hard time figuring out why she was such a babe magnet considering she was slovenly most of the time, and just too young and immature for the hero. And I was tired of being hit over the head just how attractive Simon was. One aspect I liked is that Dean from "Havoc" plays a role in the novel, not just a walk on for the sake of linking the two novels. Just take it for what it is - a palate cleanser for the next SBC story, but a step above the "Law" series.

Simon Says is Lori Foster's latest release. What a heart tugging, suspenseful story it is, and a terrific read illustrating Lori's style of writing that we have all come to love and showing that family counts.

Simon Alexander Evans, a renowned trainer of SBC fighters, who's fight name had been Sublime decides to make a comeback into the fighting ring, after breaking up with his girlfriend of five years who had cheated on him. Trust, honesty and loyalty were the things that were important to Simon and she had failed them. Surprisingly he's able to walk away without a backward glance because he found that his heart had never been involved. Yeah he had planned to marry her one day, but the time was never right balking at the idea of tying himself down legally, emotionally and officially. Nope that was not for him, or so he thought.

Dakota Dream has had a life of hard knocks, some of them coming courtesy of her ex-husband. She has made mistakes, regrettable ones, and hates to be manipulated by her step-father who has always been trouble for her. When Barney demands her to bring his son to him, one that she never knew existed, Dakota has no alternative but to set out to do just that, hoping that finally she can put her past behind her. Naturally there are incidents and things that her step-father uses to manipulate Dakota to come around to his way of thinking guaranteed to keep her in-line. Dakota is determined to be successful, thankful for her skills honed working at her part-time volunteer job of locating missing people.

When Dakota arrives at the gym that Dean (Havoc) owns and operates in Harmony, Simon's attention is drawn to her from the very beginning. Dakota keeps him off balance, with her audacity to give pointers to the other fighters. He cannot figure out why, out of all the women in the country, he is drawn to Dakota. She stirs his blood like no one else has been able to do. Sparks fly, when Simon finds out the reason behind Dakota's appearance in Harmony, but above all the sexual tensions run hotter and higher and he has to have her. Simon finds her ballsy, smart, kind, caring and hot, but he can ill afford a distraction like her to his training for a comeback and yet he can't help himself. Dakota is stunned at the effect that Simon has on her and how hot he makes her. Simon experiences feelings he has never had before, anger, jealousy, lust for just Dakota no matter and something else, but what is it? When he finds out that she has not been totally honest with him can he overcome it?

How this story unfolds, just shows Lori's strength of pulling the reader in at the beginning and holding their attention to the last page. Mixing in an ex-husband, and the jilted girlfriend determined to win Simon back, there are many twists and turns on the trip to see how it all resolves. All blend together to make a suspenseful, hot read. We meet friends from Causing Havoc and also new ones. It shows how fighters ban together to protect one of their own when they are threatened, their love of family and what really matters. In the meantime, can Simon win the title fight and the belt back? Can Dakota put her past behind her? And after all is said and done is there a chance of Simon and Dakota working out the kinks in their relationship? So many questions penned in a wonderful story and resolved with a sigh ending that is Lori's strength. SIMON SAYS is a book not to be missed, and even if you haven't read Causing Havoc, this book is well worth picking up, I highly recommend it, and can't wait to hear more from the SBC fighters.