Slow Heat [Mass Market Paperback]

Samantha McNead, superstar publicist for the Heat, a professional baseball expansion team has been called upon to handle a very sticky PR nightmare. It involves Wade O'Riley, the best defensive catcher in Major League Baseball. Because of Wade's over abundant and very public playboy lifestyle, and being accused of fathering a child with a team groupie, Samantha has to do some major damage control. One of the corporations who endorses the Heat has a new conservative CEO with high family values who is more than upset with the scandal surrounding Wade, even though he is innocent of all wrong doing. Samantha's father is one of the owners of the Heat and wants her to be Wade's pretend girlfriend for a month until the scandal dies down. She's mortified by having to play this role, but because she takes her job seriously, she has no choice. Things would be a lot better if she hadn't made a major mistake where she and Wade spent a drunken night together stuck in an elevator having crazy monkey sex. But she'll make this sacrifice and make sure that Wade keeps his hands to himself from here on out.

Wade is over the moon at having Samantha as his mock girlfriend. He can't get over the incredible passionate night they shared and would love nothing more than to have many more nights with her. He'll try his best to seduce the very buttoned up and professional Samantha at his friend's upcoming wedding. But, Samantha is so stand-offish unless they are in public and surrounded by the paparazzi. If Wade has his way, he'll find another elevator and show her how explosive they can be together.

Samantha is close to her sexual breaking point because Wade is always right by her side, teasing, flirting and whispering sexual innuendos about their elevator ride to the point where she can't handle it. She does something very stupid at the wedding reception they attend together, where they act out another extended scene sex fest in a bathroom, of all things. Wade is ecstatic, while Samantha not so much. Because they must act like they are in love, she has no choice but to put up with Wade. His feelings for Samantha have changed and he wants to make their pretend relationship a reality.

Things become every stressful when Wade's alcoholic father shows up on his doorstep, as well as Samantha's ten-year-old nephew, Tag. With no other choice, both Samantha and Wade have a whole slew of new issues to deal with. Wade wants to work on things with Samantha, and even though she is all for spontaneous sex, he wants more than just a few weeks of mind blowing love making. He now wants forever with Samantha and has to figure out a way to show her.

It's been awhile since I've read such a combustible and sexy romance such as Slow Heat. This latest contemporary baseball romance is near perfect in its telling. If you love baseball, a hero who is an adorable take charge type of guy, and a heroine who tries her best to do the right thing, but can't help but fall for the charms of the playboy type hero who makes her all hot and bothered, you need to read Slow Heat.

What I adored most of all is the fact that even though Samantha constantly tries to keep Wade at arm's length, he keeps pushing in such a way that he isn't too aggressive or he-man forceful. Wade enjoys loving life, from playing baseball to having a bad fast food addiction. When he wants something as bad as he wants Samantha, he won't let her go. They are two very different sides of a coin because their outlook on life and personalities are the total opposite from one another. They should clash, but they don't. Wade is there to help Samantha loosen up and help her with Tag, a confused and lonely boy whose parents act like he doesn't exist. In turn, Samantha is there to show Wade the way he handles his drunk of a father. One of Wade's faults is that he's generous to a fault, but thinks as long as he hands out money, he's doing the correct thing. These two begin to lean on each other and from that they grow into better people.

The dialogue and secondary characters also make Slow Heat over all fun reading. The love scenes between Samantha and Wade are hot, sweet and so very addicting. You can't help but want even more between these two.

Jill Shalvis has written one very satisfying read with this second title in her baseball series. I would recommend you read the first book, Double Play where Samantha and Wade are introduced.

Katiebabs

Double Play (Berkley Sensation)

This is the the 2nd book about the Santa Barbara Heat baseball team following Double Play (Berkley Sensation). It is not necessary to have read the first book, but Wade & Sam were both introduced and Pace & Holly (couple from Double Play) are in this one.

Wade O'Reilly is a player--both on and off the field. He needs a better image for his sponsors, so in steps Samantha McNead, PR specialist for the Heat. They will play a couple for a month to tame his image down and get all the sponsors and media on board the "settled down Wade" train.

The problem is Sam & Wade have a history. Pretending isn't going to be easy for either one of them. And when life's complications get in the way, the relationship might be more real than either of them planned.

Jill Shalvis is probably my favorite author. She has a way of giving her characters depth and a realness about them. Their problems are real and not overblown. I'm never annoyed with the "how stupid can this character be?" thoughts...I loved both Sam & Wade. I laughed plenty and felt the chemistry between the two. The relationship developed at a nice pace and kept me interested. It was the usual witty, fun writing style I'm used to from Shalvis.

I had a hard time putting this book down when it was time for sleep. I finished it in just over a day (even with going to work and taking care of the house!). I'm looking forward to more from this series.

This is the second book in the Pacific Heat series, but can definitely be read as a standalone story. I loved the first book, and was very happy to discover this one is just as good.

Samantha works PR for the Heat baseball team - it's a family business, but she does not get on with her family. Wade is one of the team's stars, and they haven't been on speaking terms since an `incident' in an elevator some months earlier. But now Wade's in trouble in the media (through no fault of his own), and the two of them pretend to be dating to try and get the public to forget about the latest drama.

What Jill Shalvis does so well is create memorable and realistic characters. This is a character-driven story, and as always covers deep emotion at the same time as being laugh out loud funny. This book has some of Jill Shalvis' funniest writing (Wade trying to figure out how to stop fans writing on him was one of my favourites), and also two of her most likeable characters.

This is an excellent contemporary romance. It's about the way the characters find their way to each other rather than the action surrounding them, and it was such a great read. I haven't yet found a Jill Shalvis story I didn't love, and this one is up there with the Wilder Brothers books as one of the best

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