If there hadn’t been a 24-hour blackout… Tawny never would have confessed to Simon about his starring role in her explicit dreams. After all, Simon was her fiancé, Elliott’s best friend. Besides, Simon despised her. Didn’t he?
Simon never would have had the chance to spend a night with the woman he’d wanted since he met her. If only he hadn’t had to break the news about her fiance’s indiscretions first. Still, Tawny didn’t seem all that heartbroken--and Simon was quite prepared to kiss any lingering hurt all better…
They never would have given into temptation and lived out every one of their fantasies. The night was magical, life-changing. But would the magic last when daybreak—and Elliott—arrived early the next morning…

Jennifer LaBrecque uses one of my favorite storylines - hero in love with best friend's fiancee/girlfriend/whatever - and sets it on fire. It starts out with a really hot fantasy that Tawny is having - about Simon. But see, Tawny is engaged to Simon's best friend Elliott, so she should not be having fantasies about another man. She is engaged. But still, she finds herself majorly attracted to Simon. A moody photographer who cannot stand her. Or at least that's what he's lead her to believe. But Simon is actually completely captivated by the lovely and outspoken Tawny, however Simon is an honorable man, and would never act on his feelings, even when his best friend admits to cheating on his fiancee. However Tawny makes it completely clear that she is not interested in any form of revenge, but she would like to work on getting her attraction to Simon out of her system. Fortunately for her, Simon gives in and the result is an explosive night together that never one is able to walk away from.

OMG, I loved this story! I have re-read it at least once a month since I bought it, and still feel that tingly little sigh go through me when Tawny and Simon hook up. So I probably shouldn't be singing the praises of a story where an engaged woman has sex with her fiance's best friend - so many rules! - but Jennifer LaBrecque solves this dilemma by creating very realistic circumstances between them. 1). Tawny is already having doubts about her engagement - her fiancee spends more time criticizing her than he does supporting her 2). Tawny has been fighting her attraction to Simon right from the beginning and believes he hates her, so she tries to keep as far away from him as possible 3). Simon has also tried to stay away from Tawny, not willing to jeopardize his friendship, so we know he's honorable, however his best friend puts him in the inenviable position of telling Tawny about his (Elliott's) transgressions 4). Tawny and Simon don't sleep together until after Tawny finds out about Elliott's affair, and she has ended the engagement, for good. 5). Simon is actually in love with Tawny but refuses to tell her because she couldn't possibly want him.

But she does! And who wouldn't? He's sexy, brooding, has an irresistible accent, and is totally in love with her and wants her more than he wants to breathe, yet for all that, he's not creepy or anti-social or having delusions. Any man who loves a woman's curves and hates the idea of being with a bony stick gets a gold star in my book - he sees her real beauty. I'd trade places with Tawny in a heartbeat, but I'm not a character in a romance novel, I just play one in my head...