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 · 164 ratings  · 12 reviews

Start your review of Kiss & Makeup (Do Not Disturb)

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Shandi Fossey works as a bartender at Hush in the evenings, but is a student at the Fashion Institute with the goal of being a makeup artist during the day. She overcame difficult odds and an unsupportive family to come to the city and live her dream, so she has something to prove. She meets famous record producer Quentin Marks, someone who also overcame those odds and still managed to be a success. They have some serious attraction and flirtation going on. Quentin is intrigued by her optimism a Shandi Fossey works as a bartender at Hush in the evenings, but is a student at the Fashion Institute with the goal of being a makeup artist during the day. She overcame difficult odds and an unsupportive family to come to the city and live her dream, so she has something to prove. She meets famous record producer Quentin Marks, someone who also overcame those odds and still managed to be a success. They have some serious attraction and flirtation going on. Quentin is intrigued by her optimism and her drive and wants more than just sex...but he isn't quite sure of what exactly. Shandi knows this can only be a fling, since Quentin has plans to open a studio in Austin, TX and her life is in New York. As the fling continues, it becomes more, but the future potential hasn't changed - now they're just setting themselves up for heartbreak unless they can find a compromise that allows them to be together.

This is overall a pretty fun and sexy story. I loved the chemistry and the emotional buildup between Quentin and Shandi. Despite only knowing each other a short time, their chemistry and interactions were such that I had no trouble believing their fall into love...it felt quite natural and well done. And their repartee was very sexy. I also liked that these people felt real, not like charicatures or anything. Quentin found success only to become a "cynical bastard" while Shandi has a family waiting for her to fail which spurs her to work even harder and prove she can accomplish her dreams on her own. Nothing in this felt contrived, apart maybe from their epic struggle to be together in the face of their separate dreams.

And in regards to these separate dreams, all I can say is "Compromise, shmompromise." That was my struggle with this story...well, that and the completely pointless Evan and April secondary plotline, but I could get over that. Except how do two friends agree on a decision for their own life that effectively screws over the third without at least discussing it with the third friend and still call themselves friends? I digress. Back to the compromise, or lack thereof. It seemed an impossible situation - Shandi's life and future involves a degree from a New York Fashion Institute and making her way as a makeup artist, while Quentin's sanity depends on his moving back to his hometown of Austin and being a low-key record producer there. So how can they be together? Something has to give. And in this case, it's entirely Shandi's goals. It bugged me to no end that Quentin kept holding Shandi's willingness to set aside her goals as some sort of proof of her love for him. But what did he sacrifice? Absolutely nothing. So what was his proof? I mean, couldn't Quentin be willing to put his plans on hold and relocate to New York for the year it would take Shandi to finish her schooling and then they could move to Austin together? Why should Shandi have to quit school (with the possibility of going back in the vague future), leave her friends and move to Austin to adjust her values in using Quentin's connections to take the shortcut he offers (and she's uncomfortable using)? I hated that he gave up nothing to be with her, though I did honestly believe in his feelings for her. So it was the ending that messed this story up for me, the rest of it was really good.

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I used to gulp these books down like candy. Fast quick and sweet. These are steamier romances, and I still enjoy them, just not as much as I once did. Quick read, part of a series but does not need to be read in order. Shandi gets her love story.

It was a quick fun read, the hotel was a bit gimicky but not too much. Definitely erotica rather than romance, exactly what you'd expect. I don't particularly think the april/evan thing added much- I could definitely have lost that subplot. It was a quick fun read, the hotel was a bit gimicky but not too much. Definitely erotica rather than romance, exactly what you'd expect. I don't particularly think the april/evan thing added much- I could definitely have lost that subplot. ...more

Jan 16, 2022 Kawthar rated it really liked it

Solid 4/5 🌟

I really enjoyed this story. I loved the setting, the Hush hotel concept, our main man Quentin was super loveable and there's just very little that I disliked. There's a lot of self deprecating from our female MC, Shandi, and even a tiny bit from the love interest but not enough to really bother me. I LOVED that Shandi is an aspiring makeup artist and loved to get creative with her beauty looks and it was even acknowledged by the love interest, i just never see that in books nowadays

Solid 4/5 🌟

I really enjoyed this story. I loved the setting, the Hush hotel concept, our main man Quentin was super loveable and there's just very little that I disliked. There's a lot of self deprecating from our female MC, Shandi, and even a tiny bit from the love interest but not enough to really bother me. I LOVED that Shandi is an aspiring makeup artist and loved to get creative with her beauty looks and it was even acknowledged by the love interest, i just never see that in books nowadays since there's so many authors that write a main character who hates makeup and girly things.

The two have only known each other a short time but it really didn't feel like an insta love thing, insta attraction yes but there was definitely a lot of getting to know each other and building a connection first.

One thing I did hate: the outfit she wore to their first date… i literally horrendous. Just ignore that completely and imagine something else.

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Jul 21, 2021 Night Runner rated it really liked it

This story had a lot of heat and the characters had a believable romance. The storyline with the pull to different locations and one character having to make a dream changing decision took away from the HEA for me.

Could bring myself to care. She was so awful to him. How could he like her? They get their HEA, but I think he could do better.

Setting: Hush Hotel in Manhattan – Erotique; bar supply closet; hotel room; library at Hush; her shared apartment in aunt's owned building; his brand new house/recording studio in Texas; Thirsty Rattler, Oklahoma (bar);

One Sentence Summary: working as a bartender, at the sex hotel, to put herself through art school to become a makeup artist to the stars, she meets and falls in love with a famous recording producer, just as he is ready to step out of the lime light, and settle down in Texas to op

Setting: Hush Hotel in Manhattan – Erotique; bar supply closet; hotel room; library at Hush; her shared apartment in aunt's owned building; his brand new house/recording studio in Texas; Thirsty Rattler, Oklahoma (bar);

One Sentence Summary: working as a bartender, at the sex hotel, to put herself through art school to become a makeup artist to the stars, she meets and falls in love with a famous recording producer, just as he is ready to step out of the lime light, and settle down in Texas to open his own recording studio.

Characters:
Shandi Fossey: left Oklahoma – her family's Thirsty Rattler bar – against her family's directives; making her way, on her own, in New York… where she "used her face as a canvas… using the tools of her trade" – with the dream of an emmy for make up; living rent free with platonic friend, who's aunt owns the apartment building; working at Hush – a hotel seeped in sex…

Evan Harcourt: Shandi's platonic roommate – in his aunt's apartment; in love with April – and agrees to no sex until… though he spends many night on her couch; wants to be more important to her than her family;

April Carter: rich family, high expectations; in love with Evan, but afraid to jinx things by sleeping together; by end of book, realizes that she has to put herself and Evan above her parent's expectations – cutting the strings – and money; they go to Vegas to get married;

Quentin Marks: famous producer of music – but is tired of the lifestyle, and has built a home and studio to start his own recording label – and staying at Hush to orchestrate funding… and he falls for the bartender;

Summary: a sweet, sexy, lusty story – of attraction that is acted on, and love born… and compromise? She postpones her last year at school to go to Texas… hmmmm

Memorable scenes:
All he wanted was to be the number-one man in her life the same way she was the number-one woman in his.

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Good book, esp. if you're looking for steamy (think porno in words). Too bad once the characters fell in love instead of lust that the author cut back on the sex and the descriptions. Still, if you're looking for a book that will get you in the mood, this is it! Good book, esp. if you're looking for steamy (think porno in words). Too bad once the characters fell in love instead of lust that the author cut back on the sex and the descriptions. Still, if you're looking for a book that will get you in the mood, this is it! ...more

I don't know...sometimes I really enjoyed the characters, but most of the time I spent not really knowing what to make of them. It just felt like a strange relationship, and sometimes things were so contradictory. Not my fave... I don't know...sometimes I really enjoyed the characters, but most of the time I spent not really knowing what to make of them. It just felt like a strange relationship, and sometimes things were so contradictory. Not my fave... ...more

I tried really hard to like this since I'd liked another story in this series. But this just dragged for me and felt endless. And not in a good way. I tried really hard to like this since I'd liked another story in this series. But this just dragged for me and felt endless. And not in a good way. ...more

I liked Shandi and Quentin. Their attraction felt real and together they were hot!

I didn't like the Evan and April side story. What was the point in that? The ending felt a bit rushed.

I liked Shandi and Quentin. Their attraction felt real and together they were hot!

I didn't like the Evan and April side story. What was the point in that? The ending felt a bit rushed.

...more

I often read of or hear about authors who knew they were meant to tell stories from the time they left the crib. Me? I didn't decide what I wanted to be when I grew up until I was thirty years old - and then sold my first book at thirty-four. Still, it was obvious that I always knew I was going places.

Like so many other authors, I was a voracious reader from day one, devouring everything from Nanc

I often read of or hear about authors who knew they were meant to tell stories from the time they left the crib. Me? I didn't decide what I wanted to be when I grew up until I was thirty years old - and then sold my first book at thirty-four. Still, it was obvious that I always knew I was going places.

Like so many other authors, I was a voracious reader from day one, devouring everything from Nancy Drew to My Friend Flicka, which I remember sitting hovered over the heater vent in the kitchen floor to read while my father made his coffee.

I moved on to my mother's Phyllis Whitney, Dorothy Eden, and Mary Stewart gothics before discovering my first true romances written by Lucy Walker and set in the Australian Outback. And then, at last, when I was 18 I found 'The Flame and the Flower'. (My son almost spent his life as Brandon because of that, but I spared him and named him Casey instead!)

Why write romance? Because love stories have always been a major part of the books I've loved. Father Ralph and Meggie Cleary. (I did name my daughter Megan after reading The Thorn Birds! Do you see a trend here?) The aforementioned Brandon Birmingham and Heather Simmons. Wolf Mackenzie and Mary Potter.

Even more so, it's because I love writing romance heroes. The men who sweep both heroines and readers off their feet - not to mention their authors, too!

I've spent several years happily writing action adventure romance for Kensington Brava along with hot and sexy series romances for Harlequin Blaze. Now I'm thrilled to be a launch author for Vows.

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