Don't Mess with Texas by Christie Craig

• Title: Don't Mess With Texas
• Classification: Adult Fiction
• Genre: Contemporary Romance
• Format: Paperback, 464 pages
• Publisher: Forever; 1 edition (August 23, 2011)
• ISBN-10: 0446582840
• ISBN-13: 978-0446582841
• Author's Website: http://www.christie-craig.com/

     Glancing at the check, she muttered, "I'm going to kill him!"
     "Kill who?" the waiter asked.
     "Who do you think?"

One minute Nikki Hunt was telling anyone who'd listen that she wanted to kill her ex-husband who'd stuck her with the bill at an expensive restaurant, and the next she found him dead in the trunk of her car. Have you ever wanted a do over?

Earlier that evening, Nikki had met with her ex to discuss the possibility of reconciling, but before they could get into any discussion Jack, Nikki's ex, had left the table to take a phone call. He never returned, leaving Nikki with the bill. Now the primary suspect for her ex's death, she needs to prove she didn't do it. Luckily for her, the man whom she'd recently tossed up some of  her expensive meal on took pity on her and decided to help her. Dallas, a private investigator, decided after talking with her that she was innocent. Ironically, minutes before he'd made a bet that she was guilty of murder. With little more than a gut feeling to go on, he'll have to find out who else might have wanted Jack Leon dead. Did I mention Dallas' brother, Tony, is the cop investigating the murder?

First of all, let me say I just loved Ms. Craig's writing style. It has a certain charm that makes it delightful to read. The story was lighthearted and had me grinning from ear to ear. The characters were likeable and easy to relate to. The instantaneous attraction between Dallas and Nikki was fun to see, especially from Dallas' point of view. His thoughts cracked me up and had me wondering if that is really how men think. I wouldn't be surprised. An example would be of him going through Nikki's apartment. As he's checking to see if the person who broke into the apartment is still there, he can't help picturing her taking a shower or in her in the bed as he goes through room by room. Talk about a one track mind.

I loved how Nikki tried to resist Dallas' advances. She felt she should keep their relationship strictly platonic. I liked how she kept teetering between whether she should or shouldn't give in to him. 

I also enjoyed the secondary romance of Tony, Dallas' brother, and his wife, LeAnn, who've been separated. The way Tony attempted to seduce his way back into his wife's life made me laugh. You couldn't help but like him.

Wondering why the book is called, 'Don't Mess With Texas'? It's because that's the name of Dallas' PI firm.

If you're looking for a book to put you in a good mood, then I highly recommend this one. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one gets a Steam rating - too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed and are grinning from ear to ear. Overall, I gave it 5 out of 5 roses. I felt it had the perfect blend of romance, humor, and mystery.