Echo Lake and Harmony, Kentucky - Present Day

Recuperating from an elbow injury at the rental cabin he has a standing reservation for, Harley "Hard to Handle' Handleman has spent the past few weeks focusing on attaining his goal. Three times fate has taken away his shot at the SBC Title Belt and Harley is determined to be in control of everything in his life to gain another shot at it. He has spent the weeks at Echo Lake in a punishing physical regimen in order to maintain his fighting condition. As Harley prepares to leave the cabin and begin his title quest, he lends his landlady, Anastasia Bradley, a helping hand. He doesn't know much about Anastasia, but as they chat over coffee, what he learns intrigues him. While there is definitely a spark, Harley isn't about to let a woman distract him, and Anastasia is definitely a not one-night-stand kind of person. But, when someone makes an attempt on her life as she tries to deliver a message to him, all of Harley’s protective instincts kick in and, if nothing else, he will make sure this special woman is safe.

Life coach Anastasia has been taking some time off after a nasty incident with her last client. Always drawn to the rugged fighter who rents her cabin each year, Anastasia is thrilled when they actually have a chance to talk. She has followed Harley's career and developed a definite crush in the process. Reality seems even better, but he is quick to let her know that nothing will happen between them. Of course, he couldn't know that an attempted murder, a blizzard, and a disabled car were going to conspire against him. Trapped together, Harley can't deny their attraction, and he extends the only thing he can offer her, one night to explore the sensual spark between them. For Anastasia, the one night stipulation is actually the lure that seals the deal; she will be able to satisfy her fantasy of being with him and have the chance to be completely spontaneous for just once in her life. The next day, however, throws Anastasia a curve ball. Harley's manager, his uncle Satch, wants to hire her to be his nephew's life coach as he trains.

HARD TO HANDLE continues the story of strong SBC men being softened by love. Harley is wound so tight from trying to control fate that he ends up not focusing on what he needs emotionally to succeed in his goals. Anastasia is a strong and independent woman whose career leaves little time for romantic involvement. As the two get to know each other, they find out as much about themselves as they do each other. Woven into the story are characters from previous books in the series, giving the story a familiar feel and showing the closeness of the community of SBC fighters and their families. Good pacing allows the characters to grow and find their love. This is a well written tale with lots of details, making the reader feel the intensity of training and of the chaos that surrounds sports and athletes. Emotional, warm, stressful, and humorous moments keep the story interesting. Reading the previous books will add some background, but this book stands well on its own. HARD TO HANDLE is one book not to miss.

Jennell