THE REAL DEAL

Lucy Monroe

Kensington Brava

ISBN 0-7582-0860-X

September 2004

Erotica

Amanda Zachary's determined to concentrate on her business career after her divorce. Her rat of an ex-husband ruined her feminine self-image and esteem, so instead of putting effort and energy into a relationship, she's totally focused on her career instead. That's why it's important that she convince the reclusive Simon Brant on the merits of merging Brant Computers with the Extant Corporation. Once she clinches the deal, her career will be on the fast track, on target for her five year plan. But Simon Brant, the brilliant former child prodigy who graduated from college at 15, the eccentric inventor with poor social skills doesn't want the merger, so Amanda agrees to visit his Washington State island home and make her presentation...and to try to convince him to see the benefits of the merger. Once the two are together on Simon's island, thoughts of a successfulbusiness merger begin to be replaced by the desire, then reality, of a more personal merger.

THE REAL DEAL is category romance author Lucy Monroe's debut single title contemporary. Ms. Monroe's definitely a fresh new voice in contemporary romance. As the tag line at Monroe's website says, her romances are 'not your grandmother's romance.' All I can say after reading THE REAL DEAL, is hoorah, thank goodness! The book almost bursts into flames in your hands, so, if you like intense sexual tension and well-written, explosive love scenes, THE REAL DEAL delivers. And delivers! Simon and Amanda are extraordinarily well-written characters, wounded innocents new to love. Monroe manages to make Simon and Amanda innocent yet experienced in life with skillful, believable characterization. THE REAL DEAL has one of the best, funny, opening scenes that I've read in a long long time that still makes me chuckle whenever I think of it!