"A fun second chance at love romance"

After assigning her the Mogul Ryders marketing campaign, her Westwood Marketing boss Ines Cordova bets Tessa O'Neal that she cannot stay out of Mitch Ryder's bed for a week. Ines knows it is a sure bet because she has heard enough times how Tessa measures all males against her yardstick, Mitch, her first love. No one including an ex-husband and the nice Rob she just ended her engagement to has come close to living up to Tessa's memory of Mitch though he deserted her.

Tessa plans to do the job and escape Lake Placid, New York with her soul and heart intact because she knows based on what happened eight years ago that Mitch cannot commit. Mitch anticipates sharing sex once they finish his business requirement though he also plans to split as he did once before. However, when he learns she intends to stay for only a week with no sex, he elevates the game of love.

Readers will enjoy reading the heated TALL, DARK, AND DARING, a fun second chance at love romance. The story line emits heat through Mitch even as Tessa tries to avoid being burned again. Though readers might not like Mitch's cavalier approach to relationships, the audience will agree that Joanne Rock paints a compelling realistic look at modern day coupling.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted September 28, 2002

Read the online sequel

Joanne is doing an eHarlequin Daily Online Read in conjunction with Tall, Dark & Daring. INDULGE ME starts in October and is a sequel to this Temptation.

Marketing guru Tessa O'Neal has somehow agreed to a challenge—take on her sexy old flame as a client and stay out of his bed for one week. Sounds simple enough. That is, until she comes face to face with the man who has starred in all her steamy fantasies. Mitch Ryder every bit as tempting as he once was...and suddenly Tessa thinks this is one challenge she won't mind losing!

Summary

Her Dare....

Tessa O'Neal has taken on her sexy old flame, Mitch Ryder, as a client. That means she has to spend the next seven days in this man's constant company and not fall into his bed. No problem. They may have once set the sheets on fire but she can definitely resist him. After all, that was then, this is now and she got him out of her system long ago.

His challenge....

Mitch has never forgotten the passionate time he spent with Tessa. And he wants to relive it. So before the week is up, he's going to use every sensual secret he knows to seduce her back into his arms. But their hot embraces are more powerful than ever and now they'll have to decide if they're daring enough to extend their week....