RESTLESS – Tori Carrington
Indecent Proposals, Book 3
Harlequin Blaze #439
ISBN-13: 978-0-373-79443-0
ISBN-10: 0-373-79443-6
December 2008
Contemporary Series Romance

Fantasy, Michigan ~ Present Day

Months before, Patrick Gauge returned to Fantasy and wasn’t exactly welcomed back with open arms. His business partnership with his former best friends, Kevin and Nina, is tenuous at best, while their friendship is fractious. Gauge is currently renting an apartment from attorney Lizzie Gilbred, while he works nights playing music in bars. He knows he’s not wanted in town and should cut his losses, but somehow he just can’t seem to leave.

Lizzie’s boyfriend recently dumped her in a text message and she can’t seem to get over this empty feeling that it left. On top of that, her parents are talking divorce and Lizzie hasn’t a clue where her family will be spending Christmas. Late one night, feeling miserable, she spots Gauge arriving home and has a sudden urge to pay him a visit. She does, and is soon inviting him to make love to her. But is he just a temporary lover?

Two people who won’t admit their loneliness get together in RESTLESS. Lately, Lizzie has been tied up with work and boyfriend who doesn’t have the guts to break up with her in person. Lizzie convinces herself that a night of sizzling, no strings attached sex with Gauge will scratch the itch she’s feeling. But one night soon proves not to be enough.

Gauge sometimes feels like a man on death row and he better not get too settled or the guillotine will drop. Though he’s sorry for losing the closeness he had with Kevin and Nina, nothing will change the fact of what happened between them (I would suggest reading SHAMELESS, which came out earlier this year, for more on the why). When Lizzie approaches him at his apartment, he doesn’t hesitate to provide her with what she wants, but he also knows that he cannot offer any kind of permanency.

As Lizzie deals with her parents' divorce and their unusual living arrangement, she turns increasingly to Gauge to help her get through. She knows there is something in his past that keeps him silent, even as she tries to draw him out more and more. Meanwhile, Gauge wonders if he can ever have any kind of friendship with Kevin and Nina again.

While RESTLESS can be read alone, one can understand Gauge’s inner dilemma more by reading SHAMELESS, and then continuing the series in RECKLESS from last month. With these three superb tales, the Indecent Proposals series has come to a close. All three stories are must-reads I highly recommend.

Heavy with emotion as Gauge and Lizzie connect, RESTLESS will pull you in as you grow to care for Lizzie and learn more about the loner Gauge. While seemingly different, they are in fact alike in their restlessness over love and their future. Tori Carrington has once again provided a satisfying read that will have readers applauding. March to your nearest bookstore and grab your own copy of RESTLESS.

Patti Fischer