Review: The Heat is On by Jill Shalvis

The Heat is On
by Jill Shalvis

Genre: Sensual Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Blaze
Cost: $5.12

What I Liked:
First, I have to say that my friends have been telling me to read Jill Shalvis ever since I sat next to her at the RWA PRO luncheon that I won with HelenKay Dimon (who is also amazing!). I picked up her book at the Harlequin booksigning, and am just now getting to it in my TBR pile. But I wish I would have taken the time to read it at Nationals, because I so would have liked to have had the chance to tell her to her face what an amazing writer she is, and how much I liked her book.

I have been enjoying my trek through Harlequin Blaze land quite a bit, but I must say that this is by far my favorite of them all. Jill Shalvis writes with a quick wit that is so natural to her characters, it feels like they are real people. Her heroine is one of the few (in any romance novel) that I can say I would honestly like to get to know as a friend. Of course, being that I also write foodie romance, the whole pastry chef angle was right up my alley, and I found myself more than once wanting to go down to my local bakery to pick up a fresh croissant.

But where Jill Shalvis really sparkles is in writing romantic tension. She is truly a master. Her characters ooze, and talk about, and experience, and laugh at (and did I mention OOZE) sexual tension. From the absolute first line until the last. And what's amazing is that even though they've already had sex, they still manage to keep that tension alive. It was truly a pleasure to read.

I am now officially a Jill Shalvis fan, because if (as my friends insist) the rest of her books are as good as this one, I need to read them right now. Additionally, I hope she keeps up this American Heroes line and continues to write about some of Jacob's friends... of course, I have my preferences, but I'm sure whatever she comes up with will be infinitely better than anything I could imagine. Jill Shalvis, my hat goes off to you. You are a warm, kind person, and you write hot, smexy books! There isn't more crackerjack combo!

~Rebecca Lynn

Book Blurb:
Oh, dear. Bella Manchelli is so not having a good day. First, she's deliciously exhausted from last night's sizzling one-night stand. Second, there's a (gulp) dead body at her back door. Third...um, that scrumptious one-nighter is at her front door... and he's wearing a badge!
Police Officer Jacob Madden is all about duty. Until he shows up looking for a homicide...and runs right into last night's slice of sexy heaven! Damn, he just can't think straight when he's around Bella. All he wants to do is lick her up one side and down the other....

Can duty and smoking-hot sex blend for a while? Definitely! Until Jacob discovers that several of the guys Bella's dated have turned up dead. Jacob loves being around Bella. But is he ready to be used as target practice?