Kimmy Loves to Read: REVIEW & EXCERPT TOUR: Too Hot Too Handle (Romancing the Clarksons #1) by Tessa Bailey

From New York Times Bestselling author Tessa Bailey comes the first novel in her hot, new Romancing the Clarksons Series.

When Rita Clarkson’s Suburban takes its last breath on a New Mexico roadside, rescue roars up on a Harley in the form of smooth-talking honkey tonk owner, Jasper Ellis, a man as mysterious as he is charming. Rita’s cross-country journey to New York City–with her three estranged siblings in tow–is only beginning, but now that Jasper has found Rita, his plans do not include her leaving.

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When rescue looks like a whole lot of trouble . . .

The road trip was definitely a bad idea. Having already flambéed her culinary career beyond recognition, Rita Clarkson is now stranded in God-Knows-Where, New Mexico, with a busted-ass car and her three temperamental siblings, who she hasn’t seen in years. When rescue shows up—six-feet-plus of hot, charming sex on a motorcycle—Rita’s pretty certain she’s gone from the frying pan right into the fire . . .

Jasper Ellis has a bad boy reputation in this town, and he loathes it. The moment he sees Rita, though, Jasper knows he’s about to be sorely tempted. There’s something real between them. Something raw. And Jasper has only a few days to show Rita that he isn’t just for tonight—he’s forever.

My Review

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The way this book starts told me that this book was going to be a crazy ride (pun intended). The big event that occurs in the beginning of the book brings the Clarkson kids home. It is clear that each of them have their own personality they are all so different, you'd never know they are actually related. The four of them set off on a cross country road trip that at first seems like a terrible idea, but something tells me that by the end of it, it will be one of the best decisions they have ever made.

The Clarkson siblings aren't very far into their road trip when they have some car trouble. They are literally in the middle of nowhere and their rescuer comes in the form of a a gorgeous, seemingly bad ass guy on a motorcycle. (Hellooooo Jasper!) Rita hops on the back of Jasper's bike and rides into town to get help.

Jasper and Rita were hot. At first they kind of had this love/hate thing going and that just amped up the sexual tension between them. There's this one scene where Jasper picks her up for a date. He shows up to her hotel room and let's just say that I was VERY surprised they made it out of there. I needed a panty change and a cold shower to recover from that.

These two not only have this fantastic sexual chemistry, but they also connect on a culinary level. (I am totally making this a thing.) Rita is a chef and Jasper is opening a restaurant. And although Rita seems to be having a career crisis, she shows Jasper that she is more than capable, in the kitchen (and the bedroom). I loved how great they were together. It took a little work on Jasper's part to have Rita stick around, but what he did paid off in the end. But they each have hangups that are holding them back from going for what they want in life.

I can't wait for the rest of this series. I love all the Clarkson siblings, but the one that grabbed my attention the most was Belmont. That quiet, broody man has a story and I can't wait to read it. Tessa is giving us another great series and it is off to a great start!

EXCERPT

“So, you see, Jasper? Just because we have one more day…”

Yeah, that was his cue to move. He let the school acceptance letter flutter to the nightstand and went to stand in front of Rita. “Yeah, I heard. You’re leaving. But I need to straighten something out right now.” He took hold of her hair, winding it around his fists. The position put her at eye level with his lap, which was exactly where he needed her to be, in a minute. But just then he kept her head tilted back, needing those eyes up. “Don’t you need me back? Did you actually ask me that, Rita?”

“Hard to tell,” she whispered, her lips appearing stiff.

“That right?” Keeping one hand twisted in Rita’s hair, Jasper unzipped his jeans with the other. “Would you like a clear answer?”

Her nod was subtle, thanks to his hold, but her parted lips and stained cheeks gave him the answer before she spoke it out loud. “Yes.”

His dick was almost embarrassingly engorged as he took it out of the restraining denim. His growl of agony snapped Rita’s spine straight on the bed, those big eyes riveted on the swollen, aching wet-tipped flesh he presented. And damn if a little more fluid didn’t seep out at her awed reaction. “Still hard to tell if I want to bang you, Rita?”

“No,” she breathed.

“No, it ain’t,” Jasper rasped. “It’s pretty obvious I want to strip you naked, fuck you mindless, and leave you whimpering in a pile of sweaty sheets, no idea if you want round two or a week to recover. Isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Good, beautiful. As long we’re on the same page.”

Pretty sure he would die from the agony of stuffing his turgid cock back into the jeans, Jasper managed the feat, nonetheless. Not without a few pained groans, however. Rita was staring up at him in total shock from her position on the bed’s edge, which he half loved, half detested. They’d learned a lot about one another tonight, but he appeared to have overshadowed some of that progress with his naughty presentation. Best to get an agreement out of her before she wondered who the hell she’d let walk into her motel room.

Jasper crouched down with a grimace to plant a kiss on Rita’s mouth. “Now, I’m going to see you tomorrow, Rita. Whether you come to me or I show up here, that’s your call, beautiful.” Another, slower, wetter kiss that made him ponder the merits of standing back up and seeing if Rita would unfasten his jeans again and give that same kiss to his cock. That’s your cue to leave, man. “It’ll be early in the morning when I come looking. Or when you show up.” He gripped his erection. “Either way, I’ll still have a nasty need to come in Rita’s name.”

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.

Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eight years and four-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.