Mad About Mindy...and Mandy
Harlequin Duets #98 • ISBN 0-373-44164-9 • April 2003
A MATCH MADE BY MINDY IS ONE WORTH KEEPING!
Professional matchmaker Mindy McCrae has her work cut out for her. She has a 95-percent success rate with her clients, but Benton Maxwell III is going to drop that stat like a stone. He wants Suzy Homemaker, not a modern independent woman! But Mindy's determined to fulfill her part of the bargain. He wants the perfect woman? She'll become his perfect woman ... in more ways than one!
Note from Toni:
In February 2001, I had a skiing accident in which I fractured my femur and injured some ligaments in my knee. So one night as I lay in bed unable to sleep due to the ache in my leg, I thought - Hmm, maybe I'll try to come up with an idea for a Duets book. By morning, I knew Mindy and Benton's entire story : ) This book was so much fun to write that it practically wrote itself. And like Something Wild and Seducing Summer, it's set in Cincinnati, so that added to the ease and enjoyment for me, too. This is definitely my favorte of my books for Harlequin.Reviews:
"Toni Blake's first Duets, Mad About Mindy...and Mandy is relentlessly funny and charming, and its overbearing hero's comeuppance is a highlight."~ 4 STARS, Romantic Times"Thanks to terrific books like Seducing Summer, Hotbed Honey, and Something Wild, I was hooked on Toni Blake when she first started writing for the Harlequin Temptation line. Unfortunately, it was a long wait for me as I tried to wait patiently for her to have a new release. Well, my patience has paid off and the wait was well worth it. Not only is this a laugh out loud wonderfully romantic story to read, but it also gave me a chance to revisit an author whom I adore and wish we saw more of on a regular basis. The humor, sexual awareness and quirky personalities make Mindy and Benton a well-matched couple and go a long way towards showing how versatile author Toni Blake is. Not only can she successfully create hot romances for the Temptation line but she can also do romantic comedy with the best of them for the Duets line as well. I can only hope that we have only just begun to enjoy Toni Blake’s creative talents, because she is one author whom I would really love to see more from in the future. I sincerely hope that this wonderful yet under appreciated author is given the chance to spread her wings and find the following that she deserves. Mad About Mindy...and Mandy is, simply put, a marvelous book." ~ Diana Tidlund, Writers Unlimited
"Mad About Mindy...and Mandy is sexy and hilarious. I can't wait for more from this talented author." ~ Barb Hicks, The Best Reviews
"Toni Blake is just as hot as ever in this sassy tale of two people who find the meaning of love in a madcap adventure. Don't miss this book - it is hilarious!" ~ Suzanne Coleburn, ReaderToReader.com
"Mad About Mindy...and Mandy is amusing and sexy and full of lessons for its hero and heroine. Ms. Blake gives a fresh twist to the deception-based relationship theme." ~ Jane Bowers, Romance Reviews Today
"I love Toni Blake books and Mad About Mindy...and Mandy is a big reason why. Ms. Blake writes characters that are believable and fun ... funny and sexy. I highly recommend this Duets." ~ Romance Junkies
Something Wild
Harlequin Temptation #870 • ISBN #0-373-25970-0 • March 2002
SHE'S GOING TO TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE!
Penny Halloran is confused. Her boyfriend has proposed, but they've never ... Well, before she makes her decision, she needs to know if they're ... compatible. What better way to find out than seduce her man in the back of a limo? If sparks are there, she'll say yes! She just never intended to say yes to the wrong man!
Ryan Pierce wants to start over. No longer the swinging bachelor - he'd gotten into too much trouble! - he's sure life will be much simpler. But when he mistakenly gets a sexy invitation for a night he'll never forget, he doesn't know what to expect. Certainly not the sweet restaurant owner from downstairs ... who turns out to be a wild woman! What's a reformed bad boy to do? Help Penny discover her wild side, of course, and turn those sparks into a full-blown inferno!
Note from Toni:
Something Wild was conceived when my editor suggested I write a book for Temptation's Wrong Bed mini-series. It's more of a "sexy romp" book than anything I've written before, and many readers told me it was their favorite book of mine up to that time. A fun aspect of the book for me was setting the story in Cincinnati, where I live. It allowed me to add a lot of fun area details that I think local readers really enjoyed.I also loved the cover of this book. I requested Cameron Mathison who plays Ryan on All My Children, since I knew he'd posed for a few Temptation covers in the past, and although you can't quite see his face, I'm 99% sure it's him : ) This is one of the rare occasions when the artist's rendition of my characters matched my vision of them perfectly!
Reviews:
"Quicky-paced and extremely sexy, Toni Blake's Something Wild is just that. Not for the inhibited or faint of heart!" ~ 4 STARS, Romantic Times"Warm, wicked and witty, there's something wonderful about Toni Blake's ... Something Wild. An exceptionally entertaining story both playful and passionate, Something Wild is sure to please and will bring new fans to Ms. Blake." ~ Sondrea Cash, Romance Reviews Today
"What a fun read! Wild and sensual, with a sexy hero to boot! Toni Blake just keeps getting better and better!" ~ Pam Tullos, Romance Reader on the Run
"A lot to like ... quite a clever setup and handled neatly ... a lot of excellent elements ..." ~ 4 HEARTS, Judi McKee, The Romance Reader
"Something Wild is fun, sexy, and a fantasy come true. Great characters, tempting romance, and delicious bedtime activities ... Don't miss the thrills ..." ~ Suzanne Coleburn, ReaderToReader.com
"I recommend this one to put a smile on your face."~ Janice Bennett, The Best Reviews
"SOMETHING WILD is something you won't be able to put down ... the perfect cure for those late winter blues." ~ Barb Hicks, Road to Romance
Seducing Summer
Harlequin Temptation #825 • ISBN #0-373-25925-5 • April 2001
SHE'S HAVING HIS BABY ...
Summer Avery thought her life was perfect. Her career was on the rise and she had her independence. What she never expected was have it all turned upside down in one night. Now, instead of worrying about sales figures and market changes, Summer's thinking about her expanding waistline and changing diapers. And if that weren't hard enough, her gorgeous one-night stand wants to marry her!
When Brett Ford met the aloof blonde, he knew there was something beneath her icy exterior. He was right. She's determined ... determined not to have anything to do with him! She won't accept his proposal and he won't take no for an answer. His only option? Seducing Summer until she says yes!
Note from Toni:
Although Seducing Summer was my second book for Harlequin Temptation, I'd actually written and submitted it a couple of years earlier - it was simply a matter of another book I'd submitted making it to the top of the editor's pile first : ) When I came up with the idea, I was trying to write "the book that sells," meaning the book that's rich with the hooks that grab romance readers and editors, and fortunately, it worked : ) And despite how calculated that may sound, I truly loved writing it and think it was one of my more poignant earlier stories. As with Something Wild and Mad About Mindy...and Mandy, this book is set in Cincinnati.Reviews:
"Toni Blake seduces her audience with this wonderful romance that shows why she is one of the top genre authors." ~ Harriet Klausner, Painted Rock"Toni Blake will knock your emotions for a loop with Seducing Summer. Toni breathes life into wonderful characters who grab hold of your heart ... and talk about sexy - the woman is a magician!" ~ Suzanne Coleburn, The Belles and Beaux of Romance
"Buy this book and read it now ... a good read from start to end." ~ Sondrea Cash, Romance Reviews Today
"Seducing Summer is a deeply sensual and poignant novel." ~ Pam Tullos, Romance Reader on the Run
"Toni Blake weaves a magically romantic tale of independence yielding to change with grace and delicacy ... a delightful read ...highly recommended." ~ Cindy Penn, Wordweaving
"Seducing Summer is an emotional tale with great character development and a strong conflict." ~ Romantic Times
Hotbed Honey
Harlequin Temptation #800 • ISBN #0-373-25900-X • September 2000
WHAT HE NEEDS...
P.I. Max Tate needs a woman. The only way he can trap a sneaky jewel thief is to have a gorgeous wife as bait. Enter sexy Kimberly Brandt. She's perfect for the part, even though she's already mangled his heart and his career once. This time, though, he vows to keep his distance ...
WHAT SHE WANTS...
All Kimberly wants is the chance to prove to Max that she's a good P.I., so she'll give this job her all. Turning up the heat, she soon has the crook right where she wants him, but there's one problem. The irresitably sexy Max seems equally attracted by her fiery attitude ... and as a "married" couple, they have to share a bed ..
Note from Toni:
Hotbed Honey is a book that's near and dear to my heart, not only because it's the first book I sold to Harlequin, but because I simply love the characters and the story. I wrote the book in about two weeks and recall the words flowing almost effortlessly. I can't say for sure where I got the idea for the book, but I remember it coming to me as I was falling asleep one night - the idea of forcing two people to work together who had shared a passionate past but didn't necessarily trust each other. If I could change anything about this book, it would be the title - but sometimes authors don't have complete control over such things. I've gotten great response on the book and will always cherish it!Reviews:
"Toni Blake has started off her writing career with Harlequin as a whiz-bang winner. Hotbed Honey has intriguing characters, an imaginative plotline, and more than enough heat to do the Temptation line proud ... Toni Blake has my vote as an author to watch." ~ Linda Mowery, The Romance Reader"...tense, humorous, torrid, and filled with twists and turns ... Hotbed Honey is a hotbed of entertainment that confirms Toni Blake is a talent who has written a honey of a novel." ~ Harriet Klausner, Painted Rock
"Hotbed Honey is completely captivating, delightfully funny, and romantic fiction at its best. With a wonderful cast of characters, Ms. Blake writes a thrilling tale to enrapture readers from start to finish." ~ Pam Tullos, Romance Reader on the Run
"Toni Blake is one red hot author! Her characters are so romantic and unforgettable ... the sexual tension alone will keep your heart racing. I loved this book!" ~ Suzanne Coleburn, The Belles and Beaux of Romance
"Toni Blake adds a little suspense, a little adventure, and a lot of spice to an exciting tale with a strong conflict and good character development." ~ Romantic Times
"Toni Blake has scored a hit with Hotbed Honey. Tense, funny, sensual and sassy, this novel will please romance lovers and leave them asking for more." ~ Jennifer MacBride, BookNook Romance Reviews
"What fun! Toni Blake gives readers a book that has everything - a dreamy hero, a sassy heroine, clever plot twists, and sexual tension that is hot, hot, hot! Toni Blake writes the kind of book I want to read!" ~ Award-winning author Elizabeth Bevarly
October Moon
Kensington Precious Gems #166 • October 1998 (Written as Toni Blair)
ENCHANTED EVENING...
Julie hated Halloween - and that included everything from costumes to haunted houses. But a bad break up has her feeling down, so her best friend forces to go to a wild Halloween party where she encounters the most aggressive, and suggestive, man she's ever met. Dressed as a skeleton, his costume is skin-tight, his remarks are off-color, and he won't leave Julie alone. When the party moves to a haunted house in the middle of nowhere, fate intervenes and Julie and the Skeleton Guy get locked inside. The long night ahead of them seems like a nightmare - little does Julie know that before it's over she will have fallen in love.
Note from Toni:
Even years after it's release, October Moon remains one of my favorites. It's one of the very first books I wrote and it came straight from the heart. The idea for the story was a simple one - I wanted to write a funny book about all the amusements and absurdities of Halloween, and I wanted it, of course, to be a romance. I also employed a fairly daring format - the entire book takes place in twenty-four hours. I remember calling my editor at Precious Gems in the spring of 1998 and asking her to read it since I knew if the book were to be on the shelves in time for Halloween, a sale would have to come quickly. The next day she called me and said, "I read it. I love it. I want to buy it." More than one reader has told me they reread the book each October, and I couldn't be more honored.Review:
"Toni Blair's October Moon delights the lucky reader with sizzling romance, charming humor, and the adventure of discovering love." ~ Award-winning author Laura Resnick aka Laura Leone 
Baby Love
Kensington Precious Gems #145 • July 1998 (Written as Toni Blair)
ON HER OWN...
Holly Blake's husband died before she gave birth to her daughter Emily. Now Emily is six months old and the stress of working all day and trying to be mother and father to her child all night is getting to her. She needs a break. She needs something new and exciting in her life. And she thinks she might just have found it in her new neighbor, construction worker Derek Cassidy.
The last thing Derek Cassidy needed was a lady with a baby. But Holly is too much for him to resist and she and the baby come as a package deal. He's not cut out to be a father and doesn't want Holly - or Emily - to start thinking of him in those terms. But fate seems to have other plansÉ
Note from Toni:
Baby Love is what I consider my requisite "baby book." I don't have any children, which made the writing more challenging for me than it would have been for most women, but two friends who had just had babies happily answered all my questions, as well as supplying a few anecdotes that made it into the story. I also think of Baby Love as my John D'Salvo cover book, something which I'm sure pleased many readers and netted me more than a few sales ; ) Although neither person on the cover looks anything like the characters I'd envisioned, I've always thought it's a bright, colorful, lovely cover. 
The Cinderella Scheme
Kensington Precious Gems #139 • June 1998 (Written as Toni Blair)
ONCE UPON A TIME...
Cassie Turner was ready to quit her waitressing job at the diner. For one thing, it wasn't a great place to meet her Prince Charming - until Evan Hunt, the devastatingly handsome CEO of a cosmetics empire, happened to walk in. Cassie rushed over to introduce herself and accidentally poured tea down his very expensive tie.
Then Cassie crashes the charity ball Evan is sponsoring, and he doesn't seem to recognize her. Instead, Evan is smitten with this unknown beauty - and Cassie is too nervous to reveal her deception. When the clock strikes twelve, she knows there's no turning back and no way she can keep from falling in love.
Note from Toni:
The Cinderella Scheme will always be very near and dear to me as it's the very first book I sold, to Kensington's Precious Gems line, in January of 1998. I'll never forget getting the phone call I'd been awaiting for so long. Unfortunately, the book underwent some difficulties during editing - which is to say that four hours before going to print, it was discovered that the book was too long, and my editor was forced to cut several scenes with very little time to do it. Despite the last minute changes, though, it's a fun, playful look at first love, as well as going after dreams and attaining them. I've always loved the cover of The Cinderella Scheme - just like with my later book, Something Wild, the cover truly captures the characters perfectly, and the picture suits the story to a tee.Review:
"The Cinderella Scheme was a delightful romantic comedy that made me realize why I love reading romance. Toni Blair created a real-life heroine I could root for, a sexy hero to die for, and threw in just the right amount of laughter and romance to create a feel-good book to remember. I can't wait for her next book!" ~ Author Rita Herron
Unfortunately, Mad About Mindy... and Mandy, Something Wild, Suducing Summer, and Hotbed Honey are all now out of print. But look for them in your local used book store or click here to Find a Used Copy.
October Moon, Baby Love, and The Cinderella Scheme are also out-of-print, but you can purchase a brand new copy of one or all three of these books from Toni directly. To order these books, please send $4 (CASH or MONEY ORDER only) per book (which includes postage and mailing supplies), along with the title(s) of the desired book(s) to:
Toni Blake*
P.O. Box 17835
Covington, KY 41017
*Please drop Toni an e-mail before you mail your order.