BOOK INFORMATION
Turning it
On
Red Hot Russians # 2
Red Hot Russians # 2
By: Elizabeth Harmon
Releasing June 29, 2015
Carina Press
FOLLOW THIS TASTY BOOK TOUR HERE!
BOOK SUMMARY
Book editor Hannah Levinson couldn’t be happier. This “Nice
Jewish Girl” is ready to marry the man she’s longed after for half her life.
When her fiancé suggests they audition for Last Fling, a steamy new reality
show for engaged couples, she lets herself be swayed. Maybe she’ll learn a
thing or two.
Vlad
Shustov’s fall from a once-bright career as a competitive figure skater was
swift. Now trapped by a shameful past and an uncertain future, “Vlad the Bad”
strips for cash. Joining the cast of Last Fling could earn him a fortune—or at
least enough to finally leave stripping. But to win the show’s prize, he must
seduce an engaged woman, something he can't even bear the thought of.
Hannah's
not like any woman Vlad's met before. Betrayed by the man she thought she loved
and relegated to the ugly-duckling role she’d worked so hard to shed, can she
trust there’s more to Vlad than meets the eye? With sleazy TV tactics
shattering the last shreds of the contestants' confidence, they'll have to
believe true happiness is not only possible...it may be looking right at them.
TBR/BUY LINKS
EXCERPT
Hannah
sighed and shook her head. “I’m not usually such an emotional mess. It’s just
this show. This whole situation! Back there…” she flung her arm wide, in the
direction of the mainland. “I’m successful. Accomplished. I have a great job. I
live in New York City. Here, all anyone cares about is how hot I am. Or more to
the point, how hot I’m not!”
Vlad nodded sympathetically. “It’s TV.
Unfortunately, sex sells better than other good qualities.”
“Exactly! I can’t compete. I’m not
like those other women, and I don’t even want to be. But I have no choice. Not
unless I want to lose my fiancé to a scheming bimbo and have the entire nation
talking about what a pathetic loser I am. It’s humiliating.”
“You can always learn to be sexy.”
Vlad looked her over. “You’ve got the right equipment. All you need is to learn
to use it. I am around sexy women all the time. I could coach you. You
know…sexy lessons.”
“Sexy lessons?” She had to laugh at
that. “I’ve never thought of sexy as a learned skill.”
“It is, though. All about how you
carry yourself.” He adjusted his posture and the set of his broad shoulders conveyed
a confidence that was undeniably hot.
“And who better to teach me than a
guy named Vlad the Bad who takes off his clothes for a living?”
“As Uncle Ivan used to say, it pays
to work with best coach you can find.”
She laughed again, but didn’t
entirely dismiss the idea. Putting a little strut in her stuff held surprising
appeal. Yet what was the catch? A guy who willingly signed on for a trashy show
like Last Fling must want something. “And
in return?”
He thought a moment and Hannah
tensed, afraid of what he might ask. Then he gave a decisive nod. “I want you
to read my book. Not just query, synopsis, “sorry not right for us,” but the
whole thing. You don’t have to buy, but I want honest, professional critique of
how to make it better.”
Honest and professional? Yikes. What
would she say if the book was god-awful, which it likely was? He’d pinned so
much hope to it, she couldn’t bear to be the one to discourage him. On the
other hand, at least she would be gentle and constructive. And if it was good,
this was a chance to help him achieve his dream. She imagined taking the book
to her boss. Sales and Marketing would drool over this hot Russian male
stripper–turned-literary sensation. As would everyone else. And if it kept Jack from Robynne’s clutches,
it was worth the risk.
Vlad narrowed his eyes. “So do we
have a deal?”
A bit more certain,
Hannah laughed and stuck out her hand. “Deal.”
CAT'S REVIEW
"Turning It On" by Elizabeth Harmon. This tells the story of Vlad and Hannah. They meet on a reality show. Being honest, I wasn't overly thrilled with the reality show concept, especially with this one dealing with infidelity. Sadly, it's not so far fetched from shows that are on TV currently. Hannah, a shy, sweet girl, gets caught up in the show with her fiancé. While I liked Hannah, at times she irked me. She isn't a very strong person and is extremely vulnerable. I like a heroine to be stronger emotionally and mentally. Vlad is a true Hero in that he looks to rescue Hannah. And rescue him he does. I did enjoy how he reaches out to help her grow into her own. Other than the main characters, I didn't really care for the other players of the "show" and story. Which, I suppose was the point of the author. since it is a reality tv show storyline. However, I did like watching the relationship between Hannah and Vlad. It was a joy to see them develop and grow. After reading the first book of the series (which isn't a necessity to read this one), I was a bit disappointed with this one. I will still continue to read Ms. Harmon because, although this might not be a favorite, it is still well written and I have faith that the next one will be better. (received copy for honest review)
★★★.5
AUTHOR INFO
I love stories that give a fresh take
on classic themes, and feature characters and locations not often seen in
romance. Give me a lovable, if less-than-perfect heroine, a gorgeous hero with
a heart of gold, take them a little off the beaten path and I'm a happy girl.
I read a variety of genres-- romance to
horror and just about everything in between. I am a member of Romance Writers
of America. I have worked as a freelance journalist for a number of local
publications and am a contributing writer to Romance Writers Report.
When I'm not writing, I love to ice skate, bike ride, hang out at the
beach or on my front porch. I love vintage homes, adventurous cooking, spending
time with my family and traveling.
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Cat- thanks for hosting my blog tour and for your review of TURNING IT ON. The book was a blast to write and to research, as I learned a lot about how reality TV works behind the scenes and enjoyed incorporating some of those details into the story. I'm also glad you liked Vlad and Hannah's relationship. I'm a big fan of the "opposites attract" trope and loved having a sexy male stripper with a heroine you wouldn't expect. In honor of Magic Mike and all things male stripper, I'll share one of Vlad's strip songs, Hard to Handle by The Black Crowes. Picture a steamy tropic night, a deserted beach front bar, and enjoy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Acmb6tk0Yj4
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