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Sophie Dempsey wants to help her sister film a video and then get out of Temptation, Ohio. Mayor Phin Tucker wants to play pool with the police chief and keep things peaceful. But when Sophie and Phin meet, they both get more than they want. Gossip, blackmail, adultery, murder, vehicular abuse of a corpse, and slightly perverse but excellent sex: all hell breaks loose in Temptation as Sophie and Phin fall deeper and deeper in trouble... and in love..
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annefenwood A lighter contemporary romance with a bit less 'bite' than Crusie
Member Reviews
Crusie's work is hot and sexy and funny, and this tale of a homecoming video turned porn and the small town outraged by Hollywood People, the paint job on the water tower, and upcoming mayoral elections, doesn't waver from her entertaining pattern. Yes, I’m giving it 4.5 stars, not because it’s Great Literature, but because it’s Great Fun.
Sophie Dempsey and her sister Amy run a small videography business in Cincinnati. Their up-until-now crowning achievement has been recording the marriage of a local network newscaster to a slightly fading Hollywood sexpot. And though the marriage didn’t last, the former bride’s memory of the video did, so when she plans to produce an audition tape for a comeback attempt, she taps the sisters show more and invites them to her small hometown – Temptation, Ohio. As if the arrival of a Genuine! Hollywood! Movie! Production! (it isn’t, but let’s not worry about the details) weren’t enough to throw the townspeople into a tizzy, the return of their Favorite (but slightly slutty) Daughter is. With a hotly contested mayoral race in the balance, the addition of scandalous goings-on at the filming site, and a sizzling romance taking off between Sophie and the town’s hunky mayor, things rapidly get out of hand.
Cruisie does a good job of keeping the whole many-legged plot moving, though things do get bogged down a bit toward the end when she’s trying to pull it all together. She has a wicked understanding of small-town politics, does a great job balancing humor with sizzling sex, and creates even supporting characters with complexity and compassion.
Romance may never be the same. show less
Sophie Dempsey and her sister Amy run a small videography business in Cincinnati. Their up-until-now crowning achievement has been recording the marriage of a local network newscaster to a slightly fading Hollywood sexpot. And though the marriage didn’t last, the former bride’s memory of the video did, so when she plans to produce an audition tape for a comeback attempt, she taps the sisters show more and invites them to her small hometown – Temptation, Ohio. As if the arrival of a Genuine! Hollywood! Movie! Production! (it isn’t, but let’s not worry about the details) weren’t enough to throw the townspeople into a tizzy, the return of their Favorite (but slightly slutty) Daughter is. With a hotly contested mayoral race in the balance, the addition of scandalous goings-on at the filming site, and a sizzling romance taking off between Sophie and the town’s hunky mayor, things rapidly get out of hand.
Cruisie does a good job of keeping the whole many-legged plot moving, though things do get bogged down a bit toward the end when she’s trying to pull it all together. She has a wicked understanding of small-town politics, does a great job balancing humor with sizzling sex, and creates even supporting characters with complexity and compassion.
Romance may never be the same. show less
Welcome to Temptation starts off with two cars colliding with each other; the characters bounce of each other, collide with others, who then again bounce, and in the end (almost) everyone lands in their appropriate pocket. In other words, the novel unfolds much like a game of billiard, and if you’ve ever read anything by Jennifer Crusie you will not be surprised to learn that pool billiard plays a major role here, because her novels just are clever that way.
And Welcome to Temptation is one of her best – the plot zings ahead, moves along several deft bankshots and finally is pocketed elegantly. There is host of characters all of which are credible enough to remain plausible even through the occasional spin towards caricature or show more satire, the writing is polished and hits the spot precisely, and the story packs quite the emotional punch. In other words, this is about as good as Romance fiction gets, is both witty and emotional, funny and moving. Jennifer Crusie is often (and, I think, rightly so) mentioned as the Romance author to recommend to people who do not read Romance fiction; and the reason most frequently cited for that is along the lines of “you don’t even notice you’re reading Romance.” Which, while not completely wrong, is still somewhat off, at least the way I see it – Jennifer Crusie’s novels (even the later ones that branch off into different genres) are deeply rooted in Romance and never pretend to be otherwise; they’re simply not what most people (those not reading Romance fiction, anyway) expect Romance to be. They are neither soppy nor clichéd, they are well written in a snappy, fast-moving language, and above all they are fiercely intelligent, juggling, in the case of Welcome to Temptation, a plot involving a dozen major and minor characters, mayoral elections, gender politics, a murder case and wall painting. And pool billiard. And there’s a dog, too. It still is fluff, of course, but does not want to be anything else, and it excellent fluff that is smart and entertaining and does not presume its readers to be stupid. In other words, it is a huge lot of fun and among the most entertaining novels I have read in 2014. show less
And Welcome to Temptation is one of her best – the plot zings ahead, moves along several deft bankshots and finally is pocketed elegantly. There is host of characters all of which are credible enough to remain plausible even through the occasional spin towards caricature or show more satire, the writing is polished and hits the spot precisely, and the story packs quite the emotional punch. In other words, this is about as good as Romance fiction gets, is both witty and emotional, funny and moving. Jennifer Crusie is often (and, I think, rightly so) mentioned as the Romance author to recommend to people who do not read Romance fiction; and the reason most frequently cited for that is along the lines of “you don’t even notice you’re reading Romance.” Which, while not completely wrong, is still somewhat off, at least the way I see it – Jennifer Crusie’s novels (even the later ones that branch off into different genres) are deeply rooted in Romance and never pretend to be otherwise; they’re simply not what most people (those not reading Romance fiction, anyway) expect Romance to be. They are neither soppy nor clichéd, they are well written in a snappy, fast-moving language, and above all they are fiercely intelligent, juggling, in the case of Welcome to Temptation, a plot involving a dozen major and minor characters, mayoral elections, gender politics, a murder case and wall painting. And pool billiard. And there’s a dog, too. It still is fluff, of course, but does not want to be anything else, and it excellent fluff that is smart and entertaining and does not presume its readers to be stupid. In other words, it is a huge lot of fun and among the most entertaining novels I have read in 2014. show less
It’s marvellous to love a book as much on a re-read years later as much as when first read. This is one of those. I still rank this as Crusie’s best book. A steamy small town romance and mystery perfectly blended. This is a rare book where not one sentence seems out of place. With a perfect balance of characters (especially Sophie and Phin), and an ending that still made me laugh and smile, this book brings a bright meaning to carrying on family traditions. Top marks.
I don't know how to say this without saying it in this way . . . there are no books like Jennifer Crusie books. There's a rhythm, a beat, a tempo and it's easy to find yourself out of sync with her if you're not paying attention. I mean this as a compliment: like, there is a precision to the timing of her dialogue and it feels like a well-crafted screenplay. A bit of a, "stay in your seats so you don't miss out on the action."
some cw's: death of spouse (MMC's wife dies, historical), death of parent (MMC's father dies, mother of MMC's daughter dies both historical), cheating (FMC is in a relationship with someone when she begins a sexual relationship with the MMC, so technically cheating however it was clear the FMC was trying to break show more up with this person for a while - and even on page tried to break up with them over the phone but they were trying to manipulate her - long story long, cheating in books isn't an issue for me and the cheating in this book didn't bother me since imo it was a gray area), drugging (FMC's brother drugged someone in high school), on-page sex, difficult family dynamics show less
some cw's: death of spouse (MMC's wife dies, historical), death of parent (MMC's father dies, mother of MMC's daughter dies both historical), cheating (FMC is in a relationship with someone when she begins a sexual relationship with the MMC, so technically cheating however it was clear the FMC was trying to break show more up with this person for a while - and even on page tried to break up with them over the phone but they were trying to manipulate her - long story long, cheating in books isn't an issue for me and the cheating in this book didn't bother me since imo it was a gray area), drugging (FMC's brother drugged someone in high school), on-page sex, difficult family dynamics show less
This was sexy and fun and entirely satisfying. Yes, the plot was silly, and what I think was supposed to be the big reveal at the end was so obvious and telegraphed before hand that I had to sigh a little. But the characters were fun, the dialogue witty and snappy, and for all that we didn't see many of Temptation's inhabitants, I thought Crusie did a good job of capturing that familiar feeling of small town claustrophobia. Sophie was a solid main character, and I appreciated that Crusie wrote her as strong, not as a Strong Woman; not to mention that she was introduced to better living through mild kink, which was yum :> I'll be keeping an eye out for the loose sequel to this, which is Faking It, I believe.
Sophie is a straight-laced thirtysomething who is happy with the success of her wedding filming business and less than excited to head to Temptation to make a movie with Clea, a former porn star who has connections with her brother. Amy, Sophie’s sister, is thrilled, and try as she might, Sophie can’t really deny her little brother and sister much of anything because she wants to protect them and help them be successful. The mayor, Phineas Tucker, is in for it when Sophie and Amy arrive in town. He’s young, attractive, and rich, which to Sophie sends warning signs every time. He can’t help his attraction, though, and in the end, neither can she.
What I really liked about this book is that there is so much more to it than the show more romance. The romance becomes comfortable because the other issues are a little stressful, like Phin’s difficult mother, adorable child, and struggle to remain mayor and somehow keep his town happy, as well as Sophie’s trust issues and family hang-ups. There is a lot of sex, but unusually it actually furthers the plot, reveals a whole lot of Sophie’s problems, and once the first couple of scenes are past we don’t get much more description; they think about it, though. I guess that’s normal, but this is one of the racier romances I’ve read lately.
Once Sophie and Phin have a thing going on, the book sort of switches over to a murder mystery and all the small-town rivalries and obsessions are revealed in the search to figure out who did it. Sophie is victim of a few attacks and that only complicates matters more. Like I mentioned earlier, I was actually quite into the plot of this one and not just because I wanted to see how the couple got together in the end. We knew that was going to happen, but we didn’t know who was a murderer. I even enjoyed the little side story with Rachel and her struggle for her own independence.
Best of all, this book is funny! I’ve found that my favorite romance authors are those who can pull off banter between the two main characters and leave me smiling, too.
“I love this,” Sophie said, beaming at him. ”I look like hell and you’re chasing me around the kitchen. This is great.”
“I am not chasing,” Phin said.
Sophie undid the top button on her blouse.
“I’m chasing,” Phin said. - p. 190
It’s just cute! I did have trouble picking an excerpt, though, because there are a lot of expletives in this book. Not used in a derogatory way, but they’re there. It’s very playful, like the rest of the book, but it’s definitely there.
I’d recommend this absolutely. I’ll also recommend this even if you’re not looking for a romance. I think there is enough here to make it a great, fun summer read beyond that. It’s flirtatious, witty, endearing fun.
http://chikune.com/blog/?p=968 show less
What I really liked about this book is that there is so much more to it than the show more romance. The romance becomes comfortable because the other issues are a little stressful, like Phin’s difficult mother, adorable child, and struggle to remain mayor and somehow keep his town happy, as well as Sophie’s trust issues and family hang-ups. There is a lot of sex, but unusually it actually furthers the plot, reveals a whole lot of Sophie’s problems, and once the first couple of scenes are past we don’t get much more description; they think about it, though. I guess that’s normal, but this is one of the racier romances I’ve read lately.
Once Sophie and Phin have a thing going on, the book sort of switches over to a murder mystery and all the small-town rivalries and obsessions are revealed in the search to figure out who did it. Sophie is victim of a few attacks and that only complicates matters more. Like I mentioned earlier, I was actually quite into the plot of this one and not just because I wanted to see how the couple got together in the end. We knew that was going to happen, but we didn’t know who was a murderer. I even enjoyed the little side story with Rachel and her struggle for her own independence.
Best of all, this book is funny! I’ve found that my favorite romance authors are those who can pull off banter between the two main characters and leave me smiling, too.
“I love this,” Sophie said, beaming at him. ”I look like hell and you’re chasing me around the kitchen. This is great.”
“I am not chasing,” Phin said.
Sophie undid the top button on her blouse.
“I’m chasing,” Phin said. - p. 190
It’s just cute! I did have trouble picking an excerpt, though, because there are a lot of expletives in this book. Not used in a derogatory way, but they’re there. It’s very playful, like the rest of the book, but it’s definitely there.
I’d recommend this absolutely. I’ll also recommend this even if you’re not looking for a romance. I think there is enough here to make it a great, fun summer read beyond that. It’s flirtatious, witty, endearing fun.
http://chikune.com/blog/?p=968 show less
Welcome to Temptation
4.5 Stars
Invited to Temptation, Ohio to shoot a short film, Sophie Dempsey wants nothing more than to finish the job and get out of town as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, events and sexy mayor, Phin Tucker, conspire against her. Before she knows it, Sophie is embroiled in a multitude of mayhem including blackmail. adultery and murder.
While this is a delightful small town romp with well-developed characters and an engaging storyline, it is also a product of its time (the early 2000s) in terms of the portrayal of and expectations from women in a small town.
Sophie and Phin's opposites attract romance is very appealing and they have fantastic chemistry. The only issue here is that he sometimes comes across as a show more preppie jerk who needs a good kick in the pants, but he does grovel quite well when necessary.
The murder and mayhem plot is reminiscent of a good British who-dun-it ala Midsomer Murders. There are numerous suspects as almost everyone in town wanted the victim dead, and the entire scenario is laigh-out-loud ridiculous.
All in all, a fun way to spend an afternoon and the book is recommended for fans of Rachel Gibson, Victoria Dahl, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. show less
4.5 Stars
Invited to Temptation, Ohio to shoot a short film, Sophie Dempsey wants nothing more than to finish the job and get out of town as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, events and sexy mayor, Phin Tucker, conspire against her. Before she knows it, Sophie is embroiled in a multitude of mayhem including blackmail. adultery and murder.
While this is a delightful small town romp with well-developed characters and an engaging storyline, it is also a product of its time (the early 2000s) in terms of the portrayal of and expectations from women in a small town.
Sophie and Phin's opposites attract romance is very appealing and they have fantastic chemistry. The only issue here is that he sometimes comes across as a show more preppie jerk who needs a good kick in the pants, but he does grovel quite well when necessary.
The murder and mayhem plot is reminiscent of a good British who-dun-it ala Midsomer Murders. There are numerous suspects as almost everyone in town wanted the victim dead, and the entire scenario is laigh-out-loud ridiculous.
All in all, a fun way to spend an afternoon and the book is recommended for fans of Rachel Gibson, Victoria Dahl, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. show less
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Author Information
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Jennifer Crusie was born Jennifer Smith in Wapakoneta, Ohio in 1949. She received a bachelor's degree in art education from Bowling Green State University, a master's degree in professional writing and women's literature from Wright State University, and an MFA in fiction from Ohio State University. Before becoming a full-time romance author, she show more was an art and English teacher. Her first book, Manhunting, was published in 1993. Her other works include Strange Bedpersons, What the Lady Wants, Charlie All Night, Anyone but You, The Cinderella Deal, Trust Me on This, Crazy for You, and Maybe This Time. She has received several awards including the Romance Writers of America RITA Award for Best Contemporary Single Title for Bet Me and the RITA Award for Best Short Contemporary for Getting Rid of Bradley. She wrote several collaboration novels including Don't Look Down, Agnes and the Hitman, and Wild Ride all with Bob Mayer, The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes with Eileen Dreyer and Anne Stuart, and Dogs and Goddesses with Anne Stuart and Lani Diane Rich. She also wrote a book of literary criticism on Anne Rice, published under the name Jennifer Smith. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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- Canonical title
- Welcome to Temptation
- Original title
- Welcome to Temptation
- Original publication date
- 2000
- People/Characters
- Sophie Dempsey; Phineas Tucker; Davy Dempsey; Amy Dempsey
- Important places
- Temptation, Ohio, USA
- Epigraph
- I wrote the story myself. It's about a girl who lost her reputation and never missed it.
- Mae West - Dedication
- For
Meg Ruley,
the world's greatest agent,
who believed in this book
when it was called Hot Fleshy Thighs;
and for
Jennifer Enderlin,
the world's greatest editor,
who said, "Why... (show all) don't we get another title?"
and then waited with the patience
of a thousand saintsuntil it was done. - First words
- Sophie Dempsey didn't like Temptation even before the Garveys smashed into her '86 Civic, broke her sister's sunglasses, and confirmed all her worst suspicions about people from small towns who drove beige Cadillacs.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"It sounds...." she looked at the ring again "...powerful."
- Publisher's editor
- Enderlin, Jennifer
- Original language
- English
- Canonical DDC/MDS
- 813.6
- Canonical LCC
- PS3553.R7858
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- 2,416
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- 8,042
- Reviews
- 71
- Rating
- (3.93)
- Languages
- 8 — Dutch, English, German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Swedish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 40
- ASINs
- 13