Tango Love
Nicole Flockton
Harlequin Escape
2014, eBook
Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Melinda has been in love with her housemate James for about as long as they’ve lived together. However she’s never had any indication from James that he might feel the same way and so Melinda has no intentions of ever telling him the way she feels. They’ll just continue on as housemates and friends, each of them minding their own business when the other brings someone home for the night.
But then one night Melinda is out with her friend at a club and when a man is about to make his move on her, James cuts in and asks her to dance. He takes her out to the dance floor and the tango they dance sets both of them on fire. Before they know it they are back at their shared house and tumbling into bed for a different sort of dance.
What follows is a night straight out of Melinda’s dreams. But then she wakes up alone the next morning and she wonders whether or not she’s just make a big mistake. Maybe to James it didn’t mean as much to him as it did to her and this is his way of telling her that he wants things to go back to the way they were so that there’s no awkwardness. She’s hoping James feels the same way she does and that he has a good explanation for up and leaving her after their night of passion.
Is it hot in here or was it just this book? Okay, so it’s 44 degrees (Celsius, for the Americans that’s about 110F) so it is actually hot. But this little novella might be short in length but it certainly knows how to use it. This is a pretty steamy read – if you like your romance hot and spicy then you might want to jump on board this one. Melinda is a girl who knows what she wants and she’s not afraid to get it. She’s wanted James since he moved in but a night out at a club some two years later is the first indication she gets from him that he really wants her just as well. From there it’s just a short cab ride back to their shared house.
However, as I mentioned it is very short so I feel like the story could’ve been fleshed out just a little more. I’d have liked a bit more from before the club, with Melinda and James interacting before the night where they finally sleep together. I like to be able to gauge both characters feelings (or at least attempt to) and because this is in the first person it’s extremely difficult to really get a grasp on anything James is feeling. When he makes his big reveal towards the end, it’s hard to really see it as authentic and genuine because we’ve had absolutely no experience with James except his sexual gymnastics. Also I felt like his excuse for taking off the morning after was a little weak and required more. It felt a bit contrived, like conflict was needed but because of the short length of the story, it couldn’t be anything too deep that would require a lot of working out.
For those looking for a really fun, light-hearted read with a happy ending, plenty of sex but not necessarily the drama and emotion that can sometimes come with a romance, this is probably a perfect choice.
6/10
Book #8 of 2014
This is the third book I read and reviewed for the Australian Women Writers Challenge 2014
All The Books I Can Read 
[…] so it sounds perfect if you just want something short and fun. This story was reviewed both by Bree and at Sam Still Reading with the latter […]