Sally Clements

Under the Hood is a funny, romantic novella featuring three women that are setting up a garage staffed by female mechanics catering towards a female clientele. They are tired of men patronizing them & thinking there is no way they know about cars. This is Melody's story. Melody has decided that she doesn't believe sex is a necessary part of a relationship. After being hurt in the past, she wanted a comfortable loving relationship based on respect. When that falls apart, she isn't sure what show more to expect other than that she, herself, is unlovable. Enter Heath, Alice's brother who has come to fill in as mechanic since Alice is injured. Heath is out to prove Melody wrong & is ready to "let her practice" on him.

Sally has a very entertaining writing style that manages to hit the right tone between romance & comedy. In the short frame of the novella, she still manages to get us introduced to all of the partners & manages to get us all invested in them & their futures. The plot is simple but the journey leading to the finale is funny & enjoyable. Melody comes across as a tough strong woman but we get glimpses into her vulnerable side under that shell. Heath is secure in his confidence but is willing to give up the lead. show less

Under the Hood is a funny, romantic novella featuring three women that are setting up a garage staffed by female mechanics catering towards a female clientele. They are tired of men patronizing them & thinking there is no way they know about cars. This is Betty's story. Betty is the sweet but feisty friend that will do anything for the others. She feels guilty for letting her mom down when she needed her support. She is on a mission to take down the con man that preyed on her mom. Joe is an show more undercover FBI agent after the same man. He's trying to protect Betty & get her to leave it all to him. He's constantly frustrated, bemused & concerned with all that Betty is involved in. Will their chemistry survive the case?

Sally has a very entertaining writing style that manages to hit the right tone between romance & comedy. In the short frame of the novella, she still manages to get us introduced to all of the partners & manages to get us all invested in them & their futures. The plot is simple but the journey leading to the finale is funny & enjoyable. The chemistry between Betty & Joe is intense & hot. You find yourself rooting for them to not only break the case but also to find a way for their relationship to survive & flourish. show less

When this novella popped up as a freebie on Amazon, I had to snag it. I'm a sucker for Entangled romance novels, especially Bliss titles. They're always perfectly sugary and tame. You know, for those times when I don't want the heat, just the sweet!

Huge hugs to Sally Clements for writing a female character with a job not typically seen in romance novels. Alice is a mechanic, and she's damn good at what she does. I loved the idea of garage tailored to female patrons. Why not? Alice and her show more friends were a refreshing dose of women who don't have to fit where society thinks they should. I could have done without Alice wearing lingerie under her uniform though. After all, can't she be a woman and just wear plain cotton underwear? I don't think it makes her less feminine. Just my opinion, but it seemed a silly little addition.

The relationship between Alice and Mark was, in true novella form, a bit rushed. It was still adorable though. I liked that they were able to bond over their love of working on cars, that Mark was a gentleman, and that they didn't feel the need to hop directly into bed. The tension between them felt a little forced, but I let it slide. I was too happy that Alice's friends were her voice of reason when she was being irrational. No sweetheart, he can't call you about a client's case, even if it does indirectly involve you. Get over it. Mark is the type of guy you'd want to forgive anyway. I'm glad Alice agreed me with me in the end.

I guess what I'm trying to convey is that I'm in the middle on this one. Since I don't give half stars, I'll bump it up to a solid three. It's a short, sweet, romp into the lives of two people who are fairly meant for one another. If you're looking for something quick and sugary? This might satisfy your appetite. show less

Under the Hood is a funny, romantic novella featuring three women that are setting up a garage staffed by female mechanics catering towards a female clientele. They are tired of men patronizing them & thinking there is no way they know about cars. This is Alice's story. Alice has been hurt by men in the past & has a real hang up about complete honesty. She helps her neighbor Mark out when he has car trouble & operates on the assumption that he doesn't know about cars. Will their relationship show more survive when she finds out he hadn't been honest?

Sally has a very entertaining writing style that manages to hit the right tone between romance & comedy. In the short frame of the novella, she still manages to get us introduced to all of the partners & manages to get us all invested in them & their futures. Yes, the plot is simple & the outcome is not a surprise but the journey leading there is funny & enjoyable. Can't wait to read the others stories. show less