fbpx

New York Times and USA Today Best-Selling Author

Reviews for JUST THE THING

The reviews are in for JUST THE THING! It’s a winner! But of course, I already knew that. And yes, I’m biased. LOL

An Amazon Best Romance Book of the Month for July

 

From RT Book Reviews, 5 Stars, Gold “The sultry sex and seduction scenes are just the icing on this incredibly rich and satisfying cake. Readers will sit down, read this book from cover to cover in one sitting, and then pick it up to read it all over again.”

 

“JUST THE THING is hands down my favorite book of 2017 so far.”
~ Under the Covers

 

“Excellent story that should be a must read.”  Night Owl Romance, 4 1/2  Stars, Night Owl Top Pick

 

I can’t say enough good things about Just The Thing or author Marie Harte, so I’m just going to say GO BUY THIS BOOK! ~ Slick, Guilty Pleasures 

 

An excerpt:

“Finally.” Gavin wasted no time in moving across from her. “Ah, now I can see you.”

“Sorry about that. Cleo dropped by unannounced, but Swanson cornered me into lunch.”

“Cleo’s right. He’s a dick. I don’t like him.”

“Really?” Shocker, because Gavin had been nothing but polite to the guy.

“He was eating you up, staring at your eyes and mouth like he wanted to plant one on you while I watched.”

“Mark Swanson,” she said for clarification.

“Mark,” he gushed in a high-pitched voice. “An asshole. And not your type.”

“Oh?” She didn’t know how to feel about Gavin being jealous. Her insides fluttered with happiness, while the rational being that was Zoe told her jealousy was a useless, negative emotion. “What’s my type, Gavin?”

He stretched his legs into the aisle and laced his hands behind his head. To her chagrin, she noted a few women glancing their way. “Your type. Hmm. You love a guy who works with his hands.”

“Mark is a high-ranking executive. He types a lot.”

Gavin’s expression darkened. “He should be charming, have a sense of humor.”

“Mark can be snarky. That’s kind of funny.”

“He’s not charming,” Gavin muttered. “And his ego is huge. You can just tell. I guarantee you he’s got a tiny dick.”

“Gavin.” She shushed him, especially when a few raised eyebrows swung their way.

“Sorry. But that’s a fact.”

“Fact?”

“When a guy has to prove how great he is, he’s compensating. And since all guys, no matter what they tell you, are dick-centric, it’s always about sexual expertise. I’m telling you. If he’s not so small you need a microscope to see it, he sucks in bed. Totally not your type. You need a man who can satisfy you, baby.”

“If she doesn’t, I do. Here’s my card.” A woman snuck it by him as she sauntered out of the sandwich shop.

“You’re married, Betty,” Zoe yelled after one of the cardiology MAs and tugged the card from Gavin. “You don’t need this.”

“Jealous?” His wicked grin startled her into laughing.

Then she forced a scowl. “I thought we said no one else while we’re being all friendly.”

His amusement left him. “About that. You know, it’s okay if you want to define me as your boyfriend to other people. I won’t take it the wrong way, and it might tell other guys to back off.”

“Oh? Is that what you’re calling me behind my back to other men at the gym? Your girlfriend?” she asked, expecting him to say no.

“Hell yeah. And it’s awesome, really. I’m a real stud now.”

“What?”

He nodded. “Everyone knows how focused and kind of snarly you are. Even Michelle has backed off on the flirting. Way to go, baby.”

She just stared. “So everyone thinks we have a thing going?”

“We do.” He toyed with his napkin. “Ah, did I do something wrong? I didn’t tell that many people, actually. Just the ones leering at your ass. It wouldn’t kill you to wear longer shorts, you know.”

It wasn’t as if Zoe was interested in anyone else. And Gavin’s declaration had put the gym bunnies off his tail. But now he seemed defensive. She loved it. “I don’t know. What if there’s a guy there I’m thinking about asking out? Now he’ll never go out with me because of you.”

Gavin leaned forward, no more teasing grin. “Is there?”

“Not right now.” When he relaxed, she added, “But there could be.”

“Sure, sure. When you find your next Mr. Right, let me know. Until then, you’re off-limits.”

“Okay, Tarzan” came out with more sarcasm than she’d intended.

“Ah, my woman knows her place. My Jane,” he said lovingly, his eyes limpid pools of longing.

“Ew. Sac up, Gavin.”

His guffaw turned several heads. “Man, I love that mouth. Sac up. Righto, sugar pants.” His phone rang, and he glanced at it, then quieted the phone.

“Do you need to get that?” Another woman, perhaps? His family? No one of importance, apparently.

“Nah. I’ll deal with it later. Now before I get to work, how about you show me your place? I mean, can I get a tour of the amazingly focused Zoe York’s office?”

She blinked. “You want to see where I work?” She stood to dispose of her plate, but Gavin beat her to it.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Is that a problem?”

“No, not at all.” A pleasant surprise. A man only interested in sex wouldn’t care about her workplace, her friends, or her feelings about her sister. Just what were she and Gavin, anyway? And why did the notion of them being close enough to be in a relationship make her so damn happy?

They crossed to her building, and she showed him around. As expected, her female coworkers gobbled him up with their eyes. Sweet smiles and lengthy handshakes abounded.

“Everyone is so nice here,” he said.

“Really? You’re buying all the insincerity?”

“Huh?”

“Gavin,” she said in a lower voice after pushing him past a gaping, blushing Ginny into her office, “they all want a peek at your tight abs and tighter ass. You’re man candy, and every woman out there knows it.”

He stared at her, and she wondered if she’d insulted him. She hadn’t meant to.

Then he walked toward her, took her chin in his hand, and kissed her. “You say the nicest things.” The kiss deepened, and she found herself clutching his waist, hoping not to fall into the river of lust she hadn’t realized she’d waded into.

A cleared throat showed Cleo at the door, not bothering to hide a smile. “I had one more question for you—about work, I mean—that I forgot to ask earlier.”

Gavin pulled away, caressed Zoe’s cheek, then groaned. “Guess I’d better go. See you later, Zoe.”

“Bye.” She dropped weakly into her chair and watched him leave.

JUST THE THING

4 Comments

  1. Was there ever another book about Cleo and Mark Swanson? In Just the Thing it sounded like there could be another story there..

    • Hi, Lisa. No, there wasn’t a book for those two, though I did try to write a new series just for Cleo and her brothers. Sorry! Note, however, I am circulating a cozy mystery starring Cleo and her brothers in a haunted inn in New Jersey. 🙂 Fingers crossed I hear back sometime in 2022 on it.

Leave a Reply to LynCancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *