Member Reviews
Connie N, Reviewer
HELL ON HEELS - Victoria Vane
BUSINESS VS. ROMANCE - 3 stars
#1 in the Hotel Rodeo romance series
Plot - 4 stars - Ty is just about to make a multi-million dollar deal to completely renovate his old hotel in Las Vegas when his benefactor has a stroke. In comes Tom's daughter, a high-flying finance expert from NYC who has no interest in continuing with the plan. But, of course, the chemistry between Ty and Monica is hot and the sparks fly, both personally and in business.
Writing - 3 stars - This is my first time reading this author, and I found her light and casual and very easy to read. She built some engaging characters, and I liked the sexual tension between them. However, cliffhangers are always disappointing, and this book stopped seemingly in the middle of the action. I'm deleting a whole star in my rating because of the cliffhanger.
Characters - 3 stars - Ty is sexy and appealing in a down-home western sort of way. He has good manners, but I was a little frustrated from time to time with his saying things like "little lady" and "that pretty mouth." It felt very patronizing a lot of the time. We expected it from Evan, but Ty was supposed to be the good guy! Monica is well-designed as the NYC financial expert who is tough as nails and ready for battle. But she had a vulnerable side too which showed up now and then, and that made her much more approachable. They were a good match of strength and romance, with some very hot scenes added in.
Title - 2.5 stars - Ty mentioned something about her killer heels, so I'd guess that Monica would fit this title. Although I would have liked something a little bit more to fit both of the main characters.
Cover - 3 stars - Colorful, bright, draws the eye. Nothing wrong with a couple of good-looking people on the cover. They seem a little staged, though, as though they're wearing costumes.
Overview - 3 stars - This is a good beginning to a series, combining a strong city character but adding a western flair. Ty seems like an idiot in the business world, and I couldn't help but wonder how he has stayed in business at all with all the comped rooms and meals, etc. that he offers. Apparently Tom has been helping out more than it seemed at first. Monica has every right to be concerned about the success of the hotel. Their sexual tension was good, but Monica would give in every time, and I was a little disappointed with that. I get that she's a passionate woman, but that's not all she is, so a little more dimension would have been nice. My biggest problem was with the cliffhanger. Or more appropriately, that the book ended in the middle of the action with lots of loose ends. Absolutely nothing was resolved, so it felt like Vane simply stopped writing and took a break, but unfortunately that was the end of Book 1. Very disappointing when an author does this--I feel like I'm being manipulated into purchasing more.
