Superheroes are totally awesome. I love the concept of this series. These are fun quick reads without lots of depth but big on humour and romance. Perfect beach reads. I love Temptress, she's totally badass with her ability to steal powers and then use them. The romance between her and Tank happens quickly and is very fluffy and a bit weak - it's very instalove - but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The action to get the bad guy is solid. Very intense and Temptress more than stacks up against the boys. Overall 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. ( )

This was a fun read. Novellla length story of a superhero, Temptress, who can adsorb other people's powers and uses it to help the police arrest superheros, she can give them the power back if she wants but when she encounters Thinktank, the leader of the Manhattan 10 she finds herself not able to give the power back, at least not at first.
Using other people's powers causes her pain and problems but the two of them have to team up to deal with someone from her past who is accumulating power too.
It was a fun light read with characters who really sparked and you could see how they were caring for each other and the build of the relationship with forced proximity causing things to move within the relationship. ( )

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A hilarious look at the true lives of superheros.

Opening Sentence: I sat at the bar, stirring an amaretto and orange and waiting for the blond muscle head in the corner to look my way.

The Review:

In Temptress, there is a quirky, fun world where superheroes are the norm. A world where supers are still like everyday people that relax, have hobbies, get married, and subsequently trashed at the bachelor’s party. But if a superhero breaks the law, who is there to stop them? Enter in Temptress, a woman that can steal another’s super powers with a single kiss. Her job is to make sure that the police and other security officers can be on equal terms with a super law breaker. Unfortunately this time, Temptress accidently steals the powers of a man that is innocent; and can’t seem to be able to give them back. Crap, now what?

Jenny Ray aka “Temptress” is just like any other single gal. She is hot and doesn’t mind going out on the town but would rather spend her nights watching the Food Network in her jammies. Too bad duty calls. Since her super power is to take other people’s powers, she is naturally thought of as a villain. Her actual work is helping out the police and working security in the casino she lives in on the Strip in Las Vegas. But over the years, absorbing so many powers has taken its toll on her. She lives alone, works alone, and is forced to attend to her wounds alone. When she takes Thinktank’s powers in self-defense, it forces her to realize that having someone at your back may not be a bad thing after all.

Jason aka “Thinktank” is the leader of the Manhattan 10; a powerful and well known superhero force. He is strong, smart, and a natural leader. When his powers are taken, he finds himself at the mercy of a villainous woman; not a place he has ever been before. Tank’s life up to this point has had very black and white defined lines. After spending time with a woman that he previously viewed as bad, he realizes the mistake in his assumptions. Not only is she smart and sexy, but she keeps him on his toes; not bad for a man that is a mind reader and boasts super intelligence. Does he have the courage to admit his feelings?

While all of this is going on, Temptress and Tank work together to stop what seems to be a new super villain. The bad guy’s name is Drake. Yeah, a dorky name for a villain but that’s okay because his ability is to alter memories. Who cares about a spiffy name when no one is going to remember you anyway? What is his purpose in Sin City and why is he so interested in Temptress? Can the duo stop this man before he has a chance to create more havoc on the unsuspecting masses? Can Tank’s team trust Temptress to be there when they need her?

This whole story is hilarious. The idea of superheroes having normal issues is wonderful. It is smart and funny while maintaining a slightly serious edge to the plot. The whole thing is over-the-top in terms of action and situations; but that is what makes it so great. A great read that keeps you smiling the whole way through. I will definitely be looking out for more of Lola Dodge’s work in the future.

Notable Scene:

“Ruin!” I dodged a plasma blast, and red lightning found the shooter. “I’m going after him. Catch up!”

“Je—” he began, but I teleported before he could finish.

I stumbled into a desk, tipping a pencil jar and a stack of office supplies. The secretary at the monitor screamed. After the octaves downstairs, it was enough to make my ears bleed. I made a grab for her, but teleportation screwed with my center of balance. The swipe carried me in a circle and I tumbled to the ground. The secretary threw her stapler, and it connected with my forehead like the chick was an NFL quarterback.

My vision swirled. More superpowers than God, and I was going to get brought down by a Swingline. Was this really my life?

FTC Advisory: The author graciously provided me with a copy of Temptress. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. The only payment received came in the form of hugs and kisses from my little boys. ( )