
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Michelle
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Tessa Bailey once again proves to her readers that she can deliver a romance that is sexy, funny, witty, and ridiculously entertaining!!! And in her newest release Too Hot to Handle, Tessa opens this book with a fiery explosion. Literally, the roof is on fire and I’m not kidding. Sparks are flying and Rita Clarkson just burned down her mother’s Michelin star restaurant and the only thing that she could do was watch it go up in smokes.
With a whisk and her mother’s notebook in hand, Rita Clarkson just watched the restaurant that she inherited from her mother burn to the ground and her career go up in flames. And to make matters worse, her siblings shows up. Rita loves her siblings but they get on each other’s nerve and haven’t kept in touch. And so when Rita shows them their mother’s dying wish that each of them travel to New York and jump into the ocean on New Year’s Day, Rita decides that this must be something that they must all do. And so begins the crazy adventures of the Clarkson siblings, Belmont, Rita, Aaron and Peggy.
Like any typical family, you put four strong personalities in one car traveling from California to New York, you would expect lots of bickering and for the Clarkson clan, there is no shortage of that. But one thing is for certain when trouble arises, the Clarkson siblings have each other’s back. And so when their Suburban breaks down somewhere in New Mexico, a good samaritan comes to the rescue.
When Jasper Ellis spots the Clarkson family stranded, he decides to help them out and also catches the eye of Rita. Right off the bat, Jasper is intrigued with Rita and tries his best to charm her. Since the car will take a day to be fixed, Rita and her siblings are stuck in this small town. And so when Jasper invites Rita to his bar, sparks and sexual tension is in the air.

As Rita and Jasper gets to know each other, it was only a matter of time these two finally acted on their sexual attraction. Knowing his time with Rita is short, Jasper tries his best to keep Rita and her siblings to stay longer in town even if it means delaying the repair of their car. As much as Jasper wants to keep Rita in town, he knows the choice lies solely on her. Will Rita realize love when it’s standing right in front of her? Or will she let her fears stop her from truly living the life she wants?
Too Hot to Handle was one of those sweet romantic reads that weaves elements of family, understanding and second chances. Tessa Bailey not only gave readers a love story but she allowed readers to feel the depth of a family coming together. So if you are looking for a story filled with humor, honesty, romance, and second chances then I would recommend you give this book a try and I seriously can’t wait for Aaron’s story and his trek in finding love and new beginnings.

Tessa Bailey
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