Dirty Laundry by Tori Carrington

Sofie Metropolis’ career as a private detective is going about as well as can be expected for someone with only a few months experience. Now Sofie faces the most challenging case of her career. One of the local mobsters appears to be behind the disappearance of a local businessman and mobsters don’t appreciate anyone, looking into their business. To make matters worse, Sofie’s mother engages her services to follow her father and find out if he’s having an affair. Will Sofie survive the mob and her father and that hot bounty hunter who always manages to show up in the nick of time or will she end up as a victim of her job?

The second Sofie Metropolis book is just as good as the first with all of the Greek charm and humor I really loved. The story hangs together extremely well and I love the complex plot Lori and Tony wove. If you’re a Stephanie Plum fan, you need to check out this series. It’s a definite winner.

Details: Tor, May 2007

Excellence Rating: Great

Steaminess Factor: Sensual

Constant Craving by Tori Carrington

Eva Burgess’s dying father’s last wish was to meet her husband. Unfortunately, Eva’s ex-husband was no longer a part of her life, leaving her no other option than to find a substitute. Adam Grayson, a forensic accountant for the FBI was undercover trying to uncover a money laundering scheme when Eva, his boss approached with an intriguing proposition. Posing as her husband might give Adam the information he needs to break the case wide open. Despite her promise to keep her distance from Adam, the last thing Eva expected was to fall in love. Now will Adam find the evidence he needs to put Eva away or will he find a way to make his temporary role as a her husband permanent?

Tori Carrington’s first novel shows how much talent the husband and wife team possess. Their story is definitely a lighthearted read with just enough twists and turns to make you wonder if they’ll find their happily ever after. If you’re a Temptation fan, you absolutely must have this book on your shelf.

Details: Temptation, January 1999

Excellence Rating: Great

Steaminess Factor: Yummy

Submission by Tori Carrington

Detective Alan Chevalier is living in his own personal hell. His boss wants him fired, his boss’s wife wants him in bed, his ex-wife still calls him all the time, his sister ran away from home and his only relief are the bottles of bourbon he drinks to num the pain. And unless he finds the “Quarter Killer”, he’ll soon be looking for a new job. Then Molly Laraway enters his life. When the police couldn’t find her sister’s murderer, Molly takes it upon herself to help with the investigation, and Alan just wishes she would go home. But Molly sticks around despite his desire and soon, the unlikely pair find themselves getting closer and closer until Molly helps the hard edged detective begin the journey into love.

Submission wraps up the Dangerous Liaisons series and ties up all the loose story threads. The mixture of first and third person takes a little getting used to at first, but it seems to work for the Karayiannis. However, I think the hero and heroine are arguably the most unlikely pairing I’ve ever seen in a romance novel. It’s worth reading this book just to try to figure out what the gorgeous lady sees in the scruffy detective. On the other hand, the suspense is top notch and once you reach the middle of the book, you don’t want to put it down until you reach the very end.

Details: Blaze #249, May 2006

Bottom line: A great book

Sofie Metropolis by Tori Carrington

Sofie Metropolis is a private investigator - or at least that’s what’s written on her business card. She joined her Uncle Spyros’s detective agency shortly after dumping her fiancé, who decided that Sofie wouldn’t mind if he had quicky with the maid of honor at the church shortly before the start of the wedding. Now Sofie takes pictures of cheating spouses and finds missing pets. Yet when the latest cheating spouse case lands on her desk, Sofie finds herself assulted for taking pictures, chased by the FBI when the spouse turned up missing and targeted by a killer. Fortunately, a mysterious Australian pops up just in time to save her body and to steal her heart.

Ten pages into this book, you’ll realize that Sofie Metropolis is a Greek version of Stephanie Plum. It’s written in first person and chock full of details of life as part of a Greek family. The start of the book is a little rough, but by the end you’ll realize that the Karayiannis have created their own unique set of characters and merged them into a great story. I’m looking forward to reading the next novel about Sofie.

Details: TOR, June 2005

Bottom line: A great book

Obsession by Tori Carrington

Josie Villefranche owns and manages the Hotel Josephine, in the heart of New Orleans. It’s been in her family for generations. But because of the murder that happened in the hotel two weeks ago, no one wants to stay there, and Josie can’t afford to keep the hotel open much longer. In fact, the only person to check in recently is the extremely hot, Drew Morrison. Unfortunately, Drew is after more than Josie’s body. Will he just settle for nothing less than Josie’s signature on the hotel’s deed, or will he steal her heart as well.

Obsession is the second title in the Dangerous Liaisons series. The first title, Possession was released in October 2005 and Submission, the third title in the series will be released in May. You saw Josie and the hotel for the first time in Possession, along with the murder that drove the customers away. Obsession is classic Tori Carrington. Definitely hotter than most of the Blazes I’ve read lately. The only thing is that I wished I had reread Possession before reading this story, as I’m sure that I forgot some of the subtle plot points between the books. Sill I enjoyed the story and I think you will too.

Details: Blaze #243, April 2006

Bottom line: A very good book