Bring the Heat

Cute; nothing special, but good. I really dislike insta-love, but in some cases, like for this couple, they were so sweet and good for each other that it worked. The plot included a little mystery, a stripper and a cop...just like a line from the book, "sounds like a B movie." But the focus was definitely on Riley and Dane, and it didn't devolve into silliness or obvious clichés--besides some of the dialogue. The point-of-view switched back and forth between them, letting us into both their minds for this short read, which is what made this story and those two likable and endearing. They were very sugary sweet together and just made me smile at their idealized relations (once I suspended my usual criticisms and decided to read it with show more a grain of salt). It's worth it if you want to blow an hour or so on a very romanticized story that leaves you all smiley at its end. I kind of want a glimpse into their future. Kids? House? Dog? show less

Bring the Heat is the classical cop and stripper story with a twist. And the twist is not that the stripper is a man, at least this is not the original thing, but that the cop, Riley, is a shy good boy next door type who falls in love with model turned stripper for fun, Dane.

Riley was always a shy boy, and even a little skinny and nerd type. For all his youth he was scorned for being gay and this led him to choose to be a police officer more for the desire to help others like him than for a real sacred inner fire for justice. Riley comes from a middle class family, they have money and possibility, and his job as a cop is seen as something under class and not suitable. So to the shame he suffered when he was a teenager, now it is added show more also the scorn from his family for having an unsuccessful career. All of it makes Riley a man with big self-esteem issues and with him being so shy, it leads also to him being a single without hope.

Then at the coffeshop where he goes every morning he catches the eyes with Dane, a very handsome man; Dane is nice and flirting, and even if they have never shared a word, Riley knows that Dane is a man he would like to know better. Problem is that Riley is hopelessly shy and has no courage to pick up a line to approach Dane. Dane, on the other hand, is drawn to Riley above all for his shyness: Dan is a former professional model who still works sometime, but above all he is comfortably living with his savings. He also strips some nights a week, more for the fun that for real money need. As a model Dane was used to be judged and judging more for physical appearance than for having a working brain, and being Dane a man with a perfectly working brain, that didn't suit him well. So he took up the sad event of his father's illness to leave that world. And now he is attracted by Riley since he recognizes in him a man who will be nice and sweet, loving and caring, and who will not disappear when the beautiful facade of Dane's body will decay.

Everything is perfect, Dane is also planning his subtle seduction, but Riley's work as a cop comes in the middle: a fellow stripper of Dane is killed and Riley as to question Dane as possible witness. Dane and Riley are suddenly nearer than ever before, and the passion fights with the code of honor of a cop. Dane doesn't help, since he is tempting as devil and falling in hell seems very good.

Both characters are really good, they have deepness and the reader feels for them. Where maybe Riley is not exactly a stereotype, he is not at all the strong and silent cop type, he is coherent: Riley is not a leader, nor in life or at work; Riley is faithful and clever, but he searches the leading of other men, as lovers and coworkers. In a classical cop novel, Riley would have been the best friend of the main hero, the good cop by the book. And when chances make him going against his principles, Riley is full of remorse and fears, but still he is stable enough to face it in the right way.

On the other hand, even if the stereotype of a model is to be frivolous and fickle, Dane is instead the strong core of this couple. Even as a model he is a white fly, he earned good money and he saved them, avoiding the easy temptation of the glittering show business life. He is clever and gentle, and also generous; but not stupid. In all his acts, towards his father and brother, Dane proves to be able to take the right decision, not letting his heart leads completely the way, but hearing also to his brain. Only with Riley, and their first encounter, he maybe lets his passion takes the hand of the situation, but honestly at that moment he didn't think it was a bad thing. Otherwise, he is always ready to comprehend and forgive, and even to wait for Riley and his slower pace. And having a working brain, he is also able to counter to Riley's remonstrances with right and squared facts.

Bring the Heat is the proof that opposite attracts, even when you change the table, making the cop the submissive side of the couple. It's also more a romance than a cop novel, the mystery is not at all the main argument, it plays only a supporting role to the romance.

http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/753447.html show less

Fast and very likable.
The part I liked the most was. without a doubt, the "silent flirting" between Riley & Dane at the beginning of the book...Riley commentary was hilarious!

This was really sweet, without crossing the line into sappy. I have learned, I can always count on ML Rhodes for feel good, sweet, sexy stories.

I didn't like this one.
It started with the sexy, but "nerdy" (?) cop seeing the gorgeous guy in a coffee shop and sharing glances - but then nothing comes out of it and sexy cop who is totally insecure about himself, although he has a killer body and is very good looking - really? - meets the gorgeous model/stripper as an witness in a stripper-killer-case - really?
They have sex and they are so sweeeet together - it is nearly unbearable - after the first sex they moved into sappy land and never left - and gorgeous guy wants a relationship, cop says no, because "someone as gorgeous like you cannot want somenone like me"...really? Gorgeous guy is hurt, but tries to understand and fight for the "relationship" - really? If I had sex with show more someone and heard this kind of speach afterwards, I'd kick them good bye - I mean this whole "you are too good for me" is one thing, but here the cop basically implies that gorgeous guy is shallow. Not nice, especially because gorgeous guy has a lot of books and a summa cum laude degree from an ivy league college and is a loving and caring person...(I think his picture is in the dictionary under "too good to be true").

Anyway - this book was not good at all imo, not funny, not interesting, and also the crime/cop part was not very present and not interesting at all.
Too much discussing the "relationship" for my taste, insta-love, which I hate in books, "relationship" drama and angst and nothing to redeem the story. show less

Not perfect, but darned nera.

3.5 stars