Beyond Seduction

by Kathleen O'Reilly

Despite the success of her sultry Red Choo sex blog, it would take serious buzz to put Mercedes Brooks's first book of erotic fantasies on the bestseller list. And that meant agreeing to another showdown with her nemesis, the super-sexy TV pundit Sam Porter. This time, though, the on-air innuendos were just a dress rehearsal. What happened later between the sheets was actually the main event. If the tabloids got wind of their night together, Sam's...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373793251
• ISBN13: 9780373793259
• Release Date: April 2007
• Publisher: Harlequin Blaze
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.6"

Customer Reviews

third in the series

This is the third book of a series--something I wasn't aware of, though I believe the others are in my TBR pile. Oh, well. I didn't get the feeling I was missing anything. It seemed like a win-win situation. Mercedes Brooks's first book of erotica needed some publicity if it was to become a success, and Sam Porter's talk show needed a guest. Except that Sam prefers a little more seriousness to his topics, and Mercedes has been on his show before (ah--obviously something I did miss, in the earlier books), and it ended in disaster. But part of the reluctance on both sides was their uncomfortable attraction for each other, and after a sexually-charged show, they act on that attraction. Unfortunately, Mercedes's book came about because of her very popular sex blog, and even though she changes the names and identifying details, she blogs about their encounter the next day. Which causes Sam no little consternation. Particularly since he's decided to run for congress. This is a fun and sexy story with a serious side, as Mercedes and Sam's lifestyles conflict and they have to make some difficult decisions. Mercedes's slew of posts after she realized she'd been modeling all her heroes after Sam were hilariously sexy... or sexily hilarious. And it's poignantly sweet how they're both willing to give up their dreams for each other. It's not easily resolved, and the solution takes courage and determination from both of them, but the tension persists until the last page. I believe I have all of Kathleen O'Reilly's books in my TBR pile. I'm looking forward to finding the first two of this series... and maybe reading them in order this time.

LOVED it!! Hated to say goodbye to these awesome characters!!

The third and last installment of the Red Choo Diaries rounds out this amazing trilogy that leaves a reader breathless. Mercedes was a heroine to identify with and love. Kathleen O'Reilly has a great gift for creating heroes and heroines that readers will surely love and remember. Mercedes was such a character whose wounds needed to heal, she needed to find herself and live her own dreams. Sam Porter is just the man for her. Though many a hurdle stood in their way, his own blossoming into realizing what he wanted in life, the future he needed to grab onto, was a sight to behold. Their chemistry smolders off the page and their connection is instantaneous. Beyond Seduction made me laugh, cry and I dreaded having to say good-bye to these characters. Each one - from all three books - were like friends that were so identifiable, so realistic, it was easy to see their hopes and dreams through the heart of the writing by this greatly talented author. Ms. O'Reilly delivers a delightful, energetic and heartfelt story in Beyond Seduction, and the series itself is a powerful example of romance at its best.

Book 3

Mercedes Brooks writes eroticas. She is most famous for her online blog, "The Red Choo Diaries". Mercedes writes about people she, and most of New York, knows well; however, Mercedes never tells names. Two of the people Mercedes previously wrote about were her own brothers. The blog has caused more than one big splash with the public, especially on Wall Street. But this time around Mercedes is writing about herself! Since the time she was on the "Sam Porter Show" one year ago, Mercedes has had her first book of erotica published. Sam Porter, the talk show host, calls for a second interview. Neither Mercedes, nor Sam, has been able to forget the other. This time, however, Mercedes makes sure that neither of her brothers are around to punch Sam out on live television. After the segment is complete, Mercedes and Sam spend a memorable night with each other. Mercedes begins using Sam's likeness as the model for all the heroes in her blog entries. She did not realize it though. The truth hit home after a furious Sam phones about it. In her defense, Sam's pair of "green (not hazel) eyes" melt way too many of Mercedes's brain cells for her to think clearly while writing. Mercedes stresses that her work is only "fiction" and makes sure not to repeat the error. Thus the REAL story of the main couple begins! Sam Porter is asked to step in, at the last minute, to run for a seat in the House. If he wins, Sam will become New Jersey's Fifteenth District congressman. Finally, Sam would no longer simply TALK about political problems on his show. Sam would be able to DO something; to make a difference. Mercedes is happy for Sam, but fears her writing would ruin his chance of winning. Sam insists that he did not care to win if it means losing her. Yet Mercedes cannot help but think that Sam would be better off if she was not around to spoil his chances. ***** This is the third in a trilogy. In the first book, readers read about Mercedes's oldest (and rich) brother, Andrew. In the second novel, readers watched as Mercedes's other older brother, Jeff (who works in public relations), went about taming a wild socialite. Now this trilogy comes to a close with the baby sister's tale. It seems to me that the author has saved the best for last! I warn you, this Harlequin series is called BLAZE for a reason, and this novel has even more hot romance scenes than the previous titles in the trilogy. Avoid the entire BLAZE line if you do not want most, if not all, of the juicy details. If you DO want those details, or do not care either way, then pick up this title! All the characters are well developed and seem to have their own personalities. I came to understand the characters so well that I could predict what each would do (in certain situations) before the author revealed it. It was like watching people I knew in reality. This is a stand-alone novel, so you do not HAVE to read the first two titles to enjoy it; however, the main characters from the two previous title