"Nothing better than a sexy, hardworking man."

What's better than a hardworking man? How about a sweaty, sensual and sweet hardworking man? They're tops in my book, and I'm sure you'll find one of these to your liking in this delightful anthology.

SLOW HANDS by Janelle Denison - Tess Monroe is back in Wynhaven (temporarily) to get her grandmother's big, rundown house ready to sell while she figures out what she's going to do now that she's unemployed and unengaged. Eight years ago, she'd been neither strong enough nor bold enough to follow what her heart wanted instead of what was expected of her. She'd left Morgan Kane behind to head for Atlanta to pursue her dreams without him. Morgan still wants Tess and eight years is way too long to let a woman have a hold over him. So, when Tess asks him to help her restore her grandmother's house, he thinks it's the perfect time to coax her back into his bed, have a temporary, mutually pleasurable affair and finally get her out of his mind and heart. It will be just a brief summer fling, nothing more. That's what he thinks! This wonderful story is sure to please everyone with a romantic heart. It sizzles, seduces and is pure reading enjoyment.

COLOR ME WICKED by Nina Bangs - Sparkle Stardust specializes in hooking up couples who are completely wrong for each other and guides them gently toward sexual nirvana. She's just bought a theme park, envisioning a place where adults can role-play wild adventures. She renames it Live the Fantasy, zeroes in on her first couple and turns up the heat. Amanda Harcourt has spent 10 years in New York honing her interior designing skills and is now in Texas ready to decorate the Castle of Dark Dreams. She must blend form and function projecting an aura of towering strength with an intriguing touch of dark and dangerous. It's ironic that as she gazes at the painter she'll be working with, who's on a ladder showing only his backside, he encompasses all of that and more. Amanda is sure she's been away from Texas too long and has forgotten how much heat Texas men can generate. As she hears his husky, darkly compelling voice, Amanda recognizes something familiar. As he steps off the ladder and faces her, she knows she's not forgotten anything. Mandy will be working with Con Maguire, her first love. He is smoke, fire and unresolved dreams. Mandy likes to decorate in neutrals. Con likes colors that make him burn. Can Con and Amanda work together without igniting the fire burning inside them? Enjoy this passionate and sizzling adventure of the heart. It's a hot, exciting journey you'll be glad you experienced.

THE FIXER-UPPER by MaryJanice Davidson - After years of saving, making a pair of shoes last two years and a suit last four, it's finally paid off -- Cathy Wyth is a homeowner. It's an old home, in need of work, but with a lot of character. All this and a yummy next-door neighbor, too. Oh lucky, lucky day! Wrong. Ken Allen, her new neighbor, turns out to be vulgar, overbearing, obnoxious, negative, unreliable and a royal pain. Great, just great! And then oddities start occurring. Cathy, first thinking they're practical jokes, realizes that her new, old house is haunted. Perfect, just perfect! Ken wants to make amends for his atrocious behavior, so he offers to fix Cathy's 123-year-old chandelier. She politely refuses, but he sneaks in when she's gone. Startled when she arrives home, his screwdriver slips and electric currents slam through him, toppling him off the ladder. The doctor says that Ken was clinically dead for a good minute. Feeling responsible, Cathy moves him into her house temporarily to take care of him. But the man who returns is polite, pleasant, complimentary and mesmerizing. What the heck? Who is this imposter? This is a light, fun story with plenty of humor and a delightful twist. You'll enjoy it immensely.

Reviewed by Suzanne Tucker
Posted November 17, 2004

Summary

Three fabulous authors dish out the hottest stories of blue- collared hunks who have a serious work ethic-in the bedroom. These guys know how to get the job done and are not just into quick fixes. Readers will find themselves having a hard time resisting these hard working men who hold more than a few surprises in their tool belts. Written by bestselling authors and hot up-and-comers in the romance field, this collection is brimming with the irrepressible sensuality that can only lie in the heart of a working man.