From Publishers Weekly
The romantic clichés fly fast and furious in this collection of four interlocking, novella-length tales from the authors of Welcome to Leo's, with the stories focused exclusively—and monotonously—on the efforts of attractive, successful young African-Americans to find true love and steamy sex. Food becomes the vehicle for seduction in Alers's "Love Lessons," when Tyrell Hardcastle, a handsome, 30-ish chef, hooks up with a local school to enlist students for a culinary project and ends up meeting the woman of his dreams, Viola Chapman, a gorgeous 40-year-old teacher. In Hill's "Lady in Waiting," an engaged but ambivalent couple ends up briefly separating to sample other potential partners. Jackson's "Irresistible Attraction" investigates the magic of instant chemistry between beautiful Sydney Corbain and Tyrell Hardcastle's twin brother, Tyrone; Ray's "Blind Date" tells how a woman's efforts to avoid a blind date propel her into the arms of a handsome local bachelor. The authors do a solid job coordinating their efforts and building on the foundation they laid in Welcome to Leo's by using the same upscale New York restaurant as a meeting place. But the upwardly mobile buppies who populate these stories are scarcely distinguishable from one another, and their erotic moves prove wooden and uninspired. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
These good-fun novellas are a sequel to Welcome to Leo's (2000), about the upscale D.C. supper club. In the previous book, finding love happened to other patrons, but in this collection the Hardcastles find romance for themselves. Alers' story, "Love Lessons," is about Tyrell and his attraction to a high-school educator. Agreeing to participate in her vocational program is merely the beginning of their relationship. "Lady in Waiting" by Donna Hill is about Noah and the unfinished business he has with his ex-girlfriend. In Brenda Jackson's story, "Irresistible Attraction," the music director of Leo's, Tyrone, meets the woman of his dreams, Sydney, at her brother and his friend's wedding. Six months later they serendipitously meet in New York and begin an intense affair. Last but not least, cousin Ayanna is smitten in Francis Ray's "Blind Date." When the infamous and wealthy Tanner Rafferty overhears an Ayanna conversation, he helps her save face by acknowledging their "date." But when he has to choose between his family and his woman, he makes a shrewd compromise. Lillian Lewis
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Book Description
Welcome back to Leo's supper club, where seduction is always on the menu . . .
Rochelle Alers, "Love Lessons"
Tyrell Hardcastle is knocked off his feet when he meets a local high school teacher. Now all he has to do is overcome her objections to him being the "younger man".
Donna Hill, "Lady in Waiting"
Noah Hardcastle is engaged to beautiful Tara Mitchell. However, their relationship is threatened when Noah's first love Rachel, returns to D.C. to prove to him that he is all she ever really wanted.
Brenda Jackson, "Irresistible Attraction"
Sydney Corbain never forgot her explosive encounter with Tyrone Hardcastle at her brother's wedding. So when she runs into him in New York City on business, they both see this as an opportunity to explore their undenaible attraction.
Francis Ray, "Blind Date"
Ayanna Hardcastle pretends that she is dating wealthy businessman Tanner Rafferty, in order to get her matchmaking friend off her back. But, she never imagined that Tanner Rafferty would show up to collect on that claim!
From the Inside Flap
"Welcome to Leo's will have one making airline reservations: destination Washington, D.C. and Leo's supper club."
- Romantic Times on Welcome to Leo's
About the Author
Rochelle Alers lives in Long Island, New York; Donna Hill, lives in Brooklyn, New York; Brenda Jackson lives in Jacksonville, Florida; Francis Ray lives in Dallas, Texas.
Let's Get It On FROM THE PUBLISHER
Welcome back to Leo's supper club, where seduction is always on the menu . . .
Rochelle Alers, "Love Lessons"
Tyrell Hardcastle is knocked off his feet when he meets a local high school teacher. Now all he has to do is overcome her objections to him being the "younger man".
Donna Hill, "Lady in Waiting"
Noah Hardcastle is engaged to beautiful Tara Mitchell. However, their relationship is threatened when Noah's first love Rachel, returns to D.C. to prove to him that he is all she ever really wanted.
Brenda Jackson, "Irresistible Attraction"
Sydney Corbain never forgot her explosive encounter with Tyrone Hardcastle at her brother's wedding. So when she runs into him in New York City on business, they both see this as an opportunity to explore their undenaible attraction.
Francis Ray, "Blind Date"
Ayanna Hardcastle pretends that she is dating wealthy businessman Tanner Rafferty, in order to get her matchmaking friend off her back. But, she never imagined that Tanner Rafferty would show up to collect on that claim!
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
The romantic cliches fly fast and furious in this collection of four interlocking, novella-length tales from the authors of Welcome to Leo's, with the stories focused exclusively-and monotonously-on the efforts of attractive, successful young African-Americans to find true love and steamy sex. Food becomes the vehicle for seduction in Alers's "Love Lessons," when Tyrell Hardcastle, a handsome, 30-ish chef, hooks up with a local school to enlist students for a culinary project and ends up meeting the woman of his dreams, Viola Chapman, a gorgeous 40-year-old teacher. In Hill's "Lady in Waiting," an engaged but ambivalent couple ends up briefly separating to sample other potential partners. Jackson's "Irresistible Attraction" investigates the magic of instant chemistry between beautiful Sydney Corbain and Tyrell Hardcastle's twin brother, Tyrone; Ray's "Blind Date" tells how a woman's efforts to avoid a blind date propel her into the arms of a handsome local bachelor. The authors do a solid job coordinating their efforts and building on the foundation they laid in Welcome to Leo's by using the same upscale New York restaurant as a meeting place. But the upwardly mobile buppies who populate these stories are scarcely distinguishable from one another, and their erotic moves prove wooden and uninspired. (Nov.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Art & Photography
Book Info
