After two books in a row that were tough, slow slogs to get through, I found Simply Irresistible simply delightful. This book is a fast, light, often funny read that nevertheless got me emotionally involved with both the hero and heroine. When I put down the book, I was a pleased and satisfied reader.

Dara Lange has an ex from hell. For three years he controlled her life, undermined her self-worth, spent her money and strung her along with promises of marriage. She wised up to him but he still has the car on which she was making the payments. If she stops, it’s her credit rating that will be destroyed. So Dara goes on a covert midnight mission to swipe the spare key from the car, and use it and the paperwork to take her ex to court.

There’s one small problem – her ex has sold the car to someone else. That someone catches her messing with it! When Nick Boudreaux hears the whole story (and discovers that what he thought was a gang banger is really an attractive female), he strikes a deal with Dara. If she will join him for four Saturdays of volunteer work, he won’t involve the police.

Of course, as Dara and Nick spend time together, their attraction grows and deepens. Nick is almost too good to be true, a wealthy home-based entrepreneur who volunteers his time at multiple charities. He’s also fabulously good looking and has a sexy motorcycle in addition to the flashy Corvette.

But the real heart of the story is Dara. Despite sassy dialogue and some humorous situations, Dara comes across as a deeply wounded person. David, her ex, was her first and so far only love, and he did a lot of damage to her trust and self-esteem. She needs to be independent and take care of herself, and Nick is very respectful of her boundaries, even as they grow closer. This made me like them all the more as a couple.

When they finally do get together and make love, the sex is playful and steamy, one of my favorite combinations. The love scene is very moving, as Dara at one level plays a seductive game with Nick, and at another gradually reveals her very vulnerable side.

And the infamous “bleak moment” – the moment when you think one or the other of the characters has blown it, that they will never get their HEA ending – when it comes, it’s a doozy. I was as angry as Dara was with Nick, for allowing himself to be deceived and in turn accusing Dara of a terrible betrayal. I was sure that the author could not pull off a believable turnaround, yet she does, and the scene in which Nick insinuates himself back into Dara’s life was not only well done but utterly charming.

Despite some awkward writing at times, and an annoying habit of capitalizing nicknames like Girl, Boy, or Man, I thoroughly enjoyed Simply Irresistible. It’s an older book that is well worth tracking down, and I will be eagerly awaiting Geri Guillaume’s next release, due in June.