EyebrarianPrize winnersGet the app

Books › Welcome to Temptation

Cover of Welcome to Temptation

Welcome to Temptation

Jennifer Crusie

480 pages

A witty, chaotic romp through small-town secrets and high-stakes bets where cynical hearts are reluctantly won over.

Where to buyBooks like this

What it feels like

This reading experience is a delightfully chaotic and steamy romp that balances sharp humor with genuine romantic tension. The narrative moves at a brisk, entertaining clip, pulling the reader into a quirky world of small-town gossip, escalating scandals, and high-stakes wagers. It feels playful and slightly cynical at first, mirroring heroines who are perfectly content to avoid the messy complications of love. However, as the banter sharpens and the situations spiral out of control, the mood warms into something deeply passionate and fun. The prose is snappy and character-driven, relying on witty exchanges and undeniable chemistry. It is the perfect escape for readers who love their contemporary romances laced with a bit of mystery, a lot of humor, and heroines who wear great shoes while reluctantly falling in love.

Mood
  • chaotic
  • steamy
  • quirky
  • lighthearted
Tone
  • humorous
  • witty
  • playful
  • cynical
  • sexy
Pace
brisk
Themes
unexpected romance · small-town secrets · overcoming cynicism · sisterhood · opposites attract
The writing
Snappy and humorous, driven by sharp banter and a playful escalation of absurd situations.
The arc
The journey moves from guarded cynicism and a desire for a quiet life into a chaotic, passionate surrender to unexpected love.
Who it's for
Readers who crave smart, funny contemporary romances featuring cranky but capable heroines, charming heroes, and delightfully messy small-town drama.
Content notes
  • murder
  • blackmail
  • adultery
  • sexual content

About the book

This is two books in one. Welcome to Temptation and Bet Me.

Turn Left at Small Town Secrets

Sophie Dempsey is content living a quiet life filming wedding videos until an assignment brings her to Temptation, Ohio. From the moment she drives into town, she gets a bad feeling; Sophie is from the wrong side of the tracks and everything in Temptation is a little too right. And when she has a run-in with the town's unnervingly sexy mayor, Phineas Tucker, making a little movie turns out to be more than a little dangerous.

Yield to Oncoming Desire

All Sophie wants to do is film the video and head home. All Phin wants to do is play pool with the police chief and keep things peaceful. They both get more than they bargained for when Sophie's video causes an uproar and the proper citizens of Temptation set out to shut them down.

Welcome to Temptation

As events spiral out of control, Sophie and Phin find themselves caught in a web of gossip, blackmail, adultery, murder, and really excellent sex. All hell breaks loose in Temptation as Sophie and Phin fall deeper and deeper in trouble...and in love.

Minerva Dobbs knows how to work the odds. Calvin Morrisey always plays to win.

But when they face off, neither one is prepared. Because when real life meets true love, all bets are off....

Minerva Dobbs knows that happily-ever-after is a fairy tale, especially with a man who asked her to dinner to win a bet, even if he is gorgeous and successful Calvin Morrisey. Cal knows commitment is impossible, especially with a woman as cranky as Min Dobbs, even if she does wear great shoes and keep him on his toes. When they say good-bye at the end of their evening, they cut their losses and agree never to see each other again.

But fate has other plans, and it's not long before Min and Cal meet again. Soon they're dealing with a jealous ex-boyfriend, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, a determined psychologist, chaos theory, a freakishly intelligent cat, Chicken Marsala, and more risky propositions than either of them ever dreamed of. Including the biggest gamble of all---true love.

Description from Open Library.

Books like Welcome to Temptation

See why they match