Lusty tale on one of today's great ships!
This was my first Michelle Jerott book. What a lusty book it was! It has been a number of months since I read A Great Catch and I still remember all the wonderful little details. Considering that I read usually a minimum of eight books a week, that is really saying something. Most romance novels seem to sink into nothingness as they tend to all be the same old storylines. Or, the author fails the fervor to write a great romance even utilizing some of those overused storylines. And then - thank goodness - sometimes we actually get a unique romance or such a spicy mix of hero and heroine that it stays in our memory when most are long forgotten. A Great Catch is outstanding on three of these points. The author is certainly fervent in her writing, the book has many unusual elements for romance writing, and the chemistry between the leads is absolutely irresistible and seductive.

Lucas Hall and Tessa Jardine had a tremendous love affair ten years earlier. Lucas had left Tessa without a word and she had never quite recovered from the emotional damage Lucas had inflicted on her. Now, ten years after he had left suddenly, he is back and very much a part of Tessa's life. He has spent years serving in the Coast Guard and has now taken a civilian position as captain of a luxury liner. Tessa has also spent years working on various ships (boats) within the shipping industry and now holds a coveted position in the marine world for a woman. She has been chosen as first mate for a luxury liner and, yes, Lucas is her captain. This is the setting for a heart wrenching, beautiful, and very sensual romance.

This is a very tender love story between two mature individuals. They both carry a lot of emotional baggage and share a tragedy of disastrous proportions that occurred two years earlier. This tragedy has affected each of them dramatically. Although this is not a dark book, it is certainly a serious tale. The author successfully integrates a lot of facts about the shipping industry throughout the story. I was not bored once as we learned about the ship this hero captains and the heroine who is its first mate. As Lucas and Tessa begin to work together, Tessa can hardly keep her hateful attitude towards the captain at bay even while on the job and in front of other officers of the ship. Lucas confronts Tessa about her unprofessional behavior and soon she begins to work out her anger. Then, we see a real relationship developing between the two despite Tessa's broken heart, the emotional baggage and their shared tragedy. It is certainly a moving story.

The story - although not deeply descriptive - was erotic in a very tasteful manner. I would rate the sensual scenes a solid 4.0 out of 5.0 (see More About Me for rating guidelines). The leads' relationship is dripping with chemistry and their interaction is always remarkably interesting reading. This book does not have a single page that is dull. I can't remember when I have read a contemporary novel that had such a good combination of an interesting setting, suspenseful content, well-written mature leads, great sensual scenes, and such tenderness in the love affair. Lucas, as the hero, is absolutely wonderful and very deep for a male lead in a romance novel. Tessa is strong but not too strong. Luke insists that they confront their problems - past and future. As their relationship develops further, we savor page after page of interaction between them. As readers, we are allowed a significant amount of time to experience the growth of their relationship. This depth of their relationship is another strong reason for this book's high rating.

I did not want to finish this book! I wanted to continue to relish it. A Great Catch is so beautifully written and most moments between the leads are very poignant. If I could rate a book higher than 5 stars, this certainly would be one of the few. This book is definitely on my keeper shelf and is at the top of my list for another read in the future!

Tessa Jardine is a 1st mate on a new boat that cruises the Great Lakes area. Her new Captian is someone from Tessa's past. Lucas Hall was Tessa's lover 10 years ago and he is back but there are things in his past that torment the handsome Captain that he must overcome. One of these things is the role he played in a tragedy that is connected to Tessa.

Both try to play it cool and pretend that there was no connection to each other, but they are both drawn to each other since the feelings that they had for each other 10 years past are still very prevelant.

This was a great story full of the things that make Michelle Jerrott such a wonderful author. Tension, complex relationships, and wonderfully steamy love scenes will keep you turning the pages. A really wonderful way to spend a day.

Luke and Tessa are terrific, well-developed imperfect characters - gasp, they're humans! I've seen some reviews comment negatively about Luke's persistence in pursuing Tessa and suggest that it smacks of sexual harassment since he is her boss. I would like to humbly suggest that those reviewers reread this book, because I think they missed the point. To me, these two characters were very clear about wanting each other, and about wanting to fight the attraction. When Tessa rejects Luke, it's not because she really doesn't want him. It's because she doesn't WANT to want him. There's a huge chasm in my mind between this type of tension-building relationship tango and sexual harassment.

Because of the "will they-won't they" dance going on, the sexual tension in this book is HOT. Actually, so is the sex once they get around to having it. The buildup of tension and earthy, honest quality of the exchanges reminded me of Susan Andersen, which I mean as a compliment.

I can't remember the last time I enjoyed reading a contemporary romance more than A Great Catch, unless it was when I read Ms. Jerott's All Night Long. I'm looking forward to catching up with Absolute Trouble.

I hope Ms. Jerott's publishing woes with Avon don't continue because she is an author to watch who deserves a devoted following, and a spot on keeper shelves everywhere. And Avon, PLEASE kill the horrible covers which have no resemblance to the actual characters! What are you thinking?!

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