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Mouth to Mouth

by Erin McCarthy (Goodreads Author)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 1,823 ratings · 113 reviews

In Love, There's No Such Thing As A Simple Plan

Rule #1: Cops maintain their distance.

It was supposed to be your average stakeout. My partner and I would scope out both the coffee shop and Laurel Wilkins, the latest target of con man Trevor Dean's scheme to meet women online and bilk them of their money?and everything else.

Rule #2: Cops think fast on their feet.

So I went in...more

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Published November 1st 2007 by Kensington Publishing Corp. (first published January 1st 2005)

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Romance books with possessive, jealous, overly protective, controlling bad boys

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Sep 06, 2009 Shawna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Contemporary romance fans; Erin McCarthy fans; everyone!

Shelves: contemporary-romance, erin-mccarthy, 2009-reads, cop-bodyguard-govop-merc-military, favorites, hero-alpha‎, heroine-i-adore, i-read-own-faves-keepers, best-top-favorites, hero-im-gaga-over, humorous-at-times-or-fluffy-fun, favorite-romance-couple-hh-pairings, hh-deaf-mute-speech-disorder, hero-stud-mantel-hall-of-fame, heroine-naïve-virgin-like-a-virgin, satisfying-secondary-romance, romantic-suspense, animals-matter, sweet-romance-left-smile-on-my-face, hh-physical-mental-disability-ill, hh-sweet-nice-paired-vs-gruff-cynic, 5-stars-or-higher, feel-good-read-pick-me-upper, best-wittiest-banter-dialogue, best-snarkasm-humor, a-all-time-fave-heroine, hero-brooding, favorite-love-scenes, a-all-time-best-of-best-fave-dik, heroine-plucky-lively-feisty-spunky, hero-i-wanna-marry, humor-fall-off-the-couch-funny, a-all-time-best-top-50-fave-dik

5+ stars – Contemporary Romance

This is a very cute, funny, spicy romantic read with a sexy, rugged, alpha detective who finds himself completely out of his element when he goes all soft and mushy for a woman he meets on his latest police investigation. The last thing Russ wants or needs is a relationship because between his demanding job and raising his teenage brother Sean, there’s no time left for a personal life. Laurel is tired of being the perpetual “good girl” and living a somewhat shelter...more

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Dec 06, 2009 Mojca rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Shawna, Corrine

Shelves: bodyguard-military-merc-gov-cop-leo, erin-mccarthy, e-book, suspense-mystery-adventure-thriller, read-the-month-challenge-december, own, monthly-challenge-read-december, hb, gr-author

Russ Evans is floored when the woman he and his partner have been watching, hoping a con artist would approach her, jumps up from her table, calls him by his name, and hugs him. What the heck? How does the woman know him? And what does she mean she was waiting for him?

Well, maybe she meant that she was waiting for him because they had a date, and she knows him because they've been chatting online for the past month or so.
Only that Russ doesn't even own a computer and even if he did he wouldn't h...more Russ Evans is floored when the woman he and his partner have been watching, hoping a con artist would approach her, jumps up from her table, calls him by his name, and hugs him. What the heck? How does the woman know him? And what does she mean she was waiting for him?

Well, maybe she meant that she was waiting for him because they had a date, and she knows him because they've been chatting online for the past month or so.
Only that Russ doesn't even own a computer and even if he did he wouldn't have a clue what to do with it.

Laurel Wilkins, sweet, fuzzy bunny-like Laurel, has been set up, but she doesn't mind, the real Russ Evans is so much better than the creep sending her emails. Although he's starting to get annoying with his preaching about never meeting strange men online or in person, yadda yadda yadda. Well, maybe he can protect her...And make her fantasies of being wild come true.

Sorry to say, I expected more from this book. Sure, it was sweet in places. Sure, it was funny in places. Sure, it was hot in several places. And it did convey a good message for this era - about the perils of meeting strangers online...But still there was so much stalling in between all these sweet, funny, hot places that just didn't make for a constantly exciting and entertaining read.

The hero and heroine were walking contradictions for one. Though she more than him. He was just being the usual cop guy who wants the girl, but doesn't want to want the girl, convinced she could and should do better than him, constantly putting his foot in his mouth around her...
While she first came through as a strong, resilient woman despite her handicap, while the next she reverted into a spoiled, childish brat with absolutely no sense whatsoever, and threw tantrums when he tried talking reason.
I'm getting dizzy just thinking about it.
And I just didn't feel the connection between them. Sure they were cute together, but it just didn't convey romance. And sure they were hot together, but I feel there was too much sex and not enough love-story.

The three secondary stories (about Russ and his relationship with his brother, about the villain and his relationship with his latest victim, and about Russ' partner and Laurel's coworker), just kepr the pacing slow and sluggish. Cutting on the page count would've done this story a ton of good.

Good suspense subplot, though, and severely underdeveloped. I got the feeling the whole deal was inserted only as filler and as an afterthought. And the rushed "grand" finale didn't help matters.

I really wanted to like this story, but it just didn't deliver. I definitely expected more.(less)

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Sep 20, 2009 Kathrynn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Kathrynn by: Shawna, Kim and many others

Shelves: romance-contemporary, own, 2009, funny-at_times, hot, reviewed, theme-police_officer, theme-stalker

4 1/2 Stars! This was a nice, modern romance with a hint of suspense thrown in the mix. Stir the pot and toss in some really hot scenes, comical dialogue and that sums of this little romance set in Cleveland, Ohio--in winter. Brrr. The cold temperature is mentioned in several places, so I felt it, too.

Nicely written. Neat characters: Laurel and Russ. Laurel was a deaf woman, age 25, who was finally ready to get out into the world and live. She used her mom as an excuse, but when her mom's chara...more

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Jan 24, 2010 Mahlet rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: erotic-romance, own

Loved this! Very funny, touching and HOT!

Laurel lost her hearing due to a childhood illness. She went off to college, and tried to assert her independence, studying to be a teacher. Once her father died and left her the house, she returned to her hometown to live with her mother and clerk at a candy shop. She enjoys what she does, but she’s tired of living a safe, unadventurous life…and one that includes no sex in the last 6 years! After some heated internet chatting with a gentleman using the...more

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Sep 13, 2009 Adrienne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Adrienne by: Shawna Razzaz

Shelves: library-loan

I thought this book was brilliant!! funny and humourous,sometimes a little bit sad, sometimes thought provoking, sweet! OMG what more can I say other than just read the other reviews to get a good reason to read this!

The humourous one-liners had me chuckling away like a fool on the train:) but the underlying stories of who do you trust? how you treat fellow human beings? and the importance of just being 'who you are' were very strong for me.

It was refreshing to read such a sweet, sexy (yes hot...more

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Jun 06, 2007 Rohann rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh my, this naughty lil' piece of literature has made my week. I picked it up after I finished 3 other books last weekend and have been laughing my way through it. It's nothing in depth, easy reading, and the characters are pretty easy to grasp. A local detective tracking a con-artist meets a gorgeous, deaf woman on the job. To 'keep her safe' from the con-artist's scheme, the detective decides to give the woman what she's looking for... sex. She doesn't want a relationship and he doesn't have t...more

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Nov 10, 2008 Celeste rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Contemporary romance

There is something about the way Erin McCarthy tells a story that just appeals to me in every way. I have yet to read a book of hers that I haven't absolutely LOVED. This one is no different. I love the character development in this story and they're so easy to fall in love with. And FUNNY! There are so many moments that I find myself laughing out loud whenever I read ANY of her books.

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Feb 27, 2008 Daisiemae rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Daisiemae by: I like the author

Shelves: contemporary-romance

I have read several books by Erin McCarthy. I haven't been disappointed in any of them so far. I think her characters are well developed, and the sexual chemistry as well as the relationship that develops between them is always well written.
Russ Evans is not looking for a relationship. Having the responsibility of raising his younger brother, dealing with the death of his parents and being a cop he does not have the time or the inclination to have a girlfriend.
Laurel Wilkins is looking for a se...more

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Apr 14, 2010 Cathiecaffey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This I should have read long ago!! Its absolutely a keeper. With a heroine who is deaf, this author has it right on target with the different adjustments and culture and more with those who are deaf. But even more, a way passionate romance and suspense that has been keeping me totally hooked. This is for the keepers (treasure) shelf!

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Feb 04, 2009 Kath rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Don't be fooled by it's cover - A great romance, September 14, 2008
Had I seen the saucy mass-paperback cover of this book, I probably would not have bought it. The one I bought was the larger paperback that had a more generic cover and it seemed like it might be interesting. A little mystery, a little romance. I had read Bit the Jackpot by his author and liked it, so I thought I would give it a shot. So glad I did.

What a wonderful story and with great characters. What I liked about this book is...more

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May 13, 2013 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This was a great book. I found this book when I was looking for some romance books that had a good stalker story line going for it. Those books really get me going on a good, can't put it down, type of read.
Russ is a police detective taking care of his younger brother after their parent's died in a car accident. He meets our heroine, Laurel, while working a stake out trying to catch a con man who steals money from unsuspecting plain women while hooking up with them in the process.
He and his par...more This was a great book. I found this book when I was looking for some romance books that had a good stalker story line going for it. Those books really get me going on a good, can't put it down, type of read.
Russ is a police detective taking care of his younger brother after their parent's died in a car accident. He meets our heroine, Laurel, while working a stake out trying to catch a con man who steals money from unsuspecting plain women while hooking up with them in the process.
He and his partner notice right away that something is different because Laurel aka Bunny (to Russ) is actually noticably attractive. Dean is late and the more he looks at Laurel, the more he wants to get a closer look to see if this woman is more than an innocent. Dean typically goes for the plainer, mixed in the crowd, type of girl.
When Russ goes into the coffee shop Laurel is waiting to meet the conman Dean in, he finds out that not only is Laurel even more beautiful up close, she's been waiting for him! She also is deaf, which is different and adds an element to the story and is a nice change.
Laurel is extremly attracted to Russ right away and is happy that they met on the internet and thinks she made the right decision. She soon finds out from Russ that she hasn't been chatting for months with him on the internet, but a conman who assumed his identity to throw Laurel off into thinking he was a good guy. It's just by chance that the same Russ Evans is on his tale waiting for him to screw up so he can bust him.
Laurel and Russ decide to start a sex only relationship, which quickly changes because the chemistry is just too much. Russ isn't sure when or how it changed and isn't sure how to handle it. You see, Russ has always been hard working, doesn't have the best of everything and has never had the easiest road. LAurel on the other hand is rich, comes from money and to Russ deserves more than his middle class ways.
On top of all that, their sex only relationship and the fact that Dean still wants to "meet up" with Laurel because he still has no idea that Laurel met the real Russ and knows what Dean is doing, their relationship is doing well.
After Laurel suprises Russ at his house on day to talk with him about the case involving Dean, Russ is worried what she'll think about his shack of a house and little brother. But, not giving Laurel enough credit, he finds that she doesn't care about that and really is bonding well with his 13 year old brother. This part of the relationship is a struggle for Russ throughout the book, but it's more of a just a battle with himself in his head kind of problem. He doesn't share it with Laurel until sometime later but that is quickly solved.
Russ goes through some different issues with Laurel, from his badly behaving brother getting back on track and becoming jealous of Laurel because of it, to working on his relationship with his brother himself and growing as person because of it.
Toward the end, all becomes well with Laurel and Russ and they think Dean has moved onto his next victom because he's been quite in emails. However it's all uncovered that he's been working with Laurel the whole time under an assumed name. This party of the story didn't go over well with me, because by the first mention of Johns name at the end of the book, it's easly figured that this is Dean posing. I would have liked him mentioned all along instead of just the end. It's kind of like it just popped out of nowhere and left no mystery as to why all of the sudden this character came into play.
None the less, he's found out, a stand off happens and everyone walks away (well carted away for Dean) unscathed. It wasn't the best play on the whole stalker scenerio, but it worked.
I really liked Russ and Laurel together and felt their relationship was well written without any real angst, issues, or love triangles.
It even had a small side story with Russ's partner Jerry and Laurel's friend Cat. That was well played too. Overall a good, calm book. IMO, if you're looking for something with more of an angst story line involving a stalker, this is more tamed. 3.5 stars for a good, angst free romance, but since I was looking foward to the stalker part of this book, it was kind of the downfall for me as not living up to my expectations. I mean, if you're going to write in a stalker for suspence, make it actually suspensful. Maybe I have just read too many of these and was looking for something stronger in that sense. (less)

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Feb 16, 2012 Jane Litte rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a fun, sweet, and very sexy romance. I want more of these. Russ Evans has been trying to track down a fraudster, Trevor Dean, who is preying on women in online dating forums. He romances them, takes their money, and leaves them heartbroken and poor. Russ and his partner believe that Trevor is set to meet a new victim, one Laurel Wilkins. Except Laurel is different than the others which makes Russ wonder if she is not Trevor’s accomplice.

The setup is cute. Laurel and Russ are both waitin...more This was a fun, sweet, and very sexy romance. I want more of these. Russ Evans has been trying to track down a fraudster, Trevor Dean, who is preying on women in online dating forums. He romances them, takes their money, and leaves them heartbroken and poor. Russ and his partner believe that Trevor is set to meet a new victim, one Laurel Wilkins. Except Laurel is different than the others which makes Russ wonder if she is not Trevor’s accomplice.

The setup is cute. Laurel and Russ are both waiting for her blind date to show up. When it seems like Laurel is about to get stood up, Russ goes inside the coffee shop to warm up and take a closer look at the vic/accomplice. Once inside, Laurel spots him and greets him like he’s her date. And apparently he is because Trevor masqueraded as Russ online.

“How the hell did she know his name, he wondered as he watched her walk. And how had she poured herself into those black pants? That was one beautiful backside. Which was probably the point. Maybe her job was to lure him, confuse him, distract him with sex.

It wasn’t going to work. Or at least not completely. He was only slightly distracted.”

Once Russ learns that Laurel is indeed a potential victim, albeit one that got stood up, he immediately starts to lecture her on safe dating practices. This leads Laurel to tell him baldly that she’s not interested in a relationship but just good sex. Laurel is deaf and she’s been in a cocoon of her own making for the last five years. She had set off to college, encouraged by her father, but when he died, she returned home, leaving a vibrant deaf community behind. She’s tired of living tentatively and would like to get out, meet people, and have some fun.

Russ is horrified. Laurel reminds him of cotton candy, sugary and delicate; a bunny in fact. He can’t see her out there amongst the ravening wolves. It’s funny to see Russ project his own desires on all men out there “She was so damn appealing, Russ wanted to take advantage of her himself.”

Russ is no gentleman. He’s into casual sex and no emotional ties. He’s trying to raise his rebellious brother after his parents died suddenly and, as he tells Laurel, he’s giving everything to his brother, Sean, and he has nothing left.

It was both easy to remember and hard to remember that Laurel had any disability which made Laurel pitch perfect to me. Granted I am not deaf so I might be talking out of my ass here. What I mean by that is Laurel reads like any other heroine only she has mannerisms affected by her disability. For example, she looks down as an avoidance technique so she can’t see what people are saying (she’s a lip reader).

Her deafness provides some funny moments at the expense of Russ. When Laurel tells Russ she can smell him, he smells himself but only smells soap. Another time, Laurel explains that she tried to call him, but he didn’t have TTY. “I’m sorry.” Jesus, what an ass he was. He’d given his phone number to a deaf woman. Clearly he hadn’t reached detective by his intelligence alone. “Why were you calling?”

The interaction between Russ and his partner was very funny, very male. (or at least what I presume males would sound like).

Russ stared at Jerry as his partner about fell into his lap trying to pull the latch on the passenger door, opening it. “What the hell is your problem? Get off of me.”

“Get out.” Jerry reached toward his thigh.

Knocking Jerry’s hand away, Russ shifted toward the door, a little unnerved. “Anders, touch me and I’ll be forced to hit you.”

Jerry snorted and unlocked Russ’s seat belt. “You can only wish I’d cop a feel off you. Now get out of the car before I shove your dumb ass in the snow.”
…

You want to tell me what’s going on?”

“You’re making me crazy, that’s what. Every day you make me drive by Blondie’s house three, four times while you stare out the window, drooling. Get out of the car, knock on the door, ask her out. Get yourself laid, before I smack the shit out of you.”

Laurel and Russ were totally adorable. I even liked that their first time wasn’t all hearts and roses (lack of communication). The story is quick paced, the dialogue funny and the sex scenes, make sure the ice tray is loaded up. The conflict is the problem. Russ was both overprotective of Laurel because of his nature and her disability. But we were also to believe that Laurel was simply too rich for him. The former conflict was better integrated into the story but neither was dealt with effectively in the end. At the close of the book, all hesitations regarding class differences or Laurel’s need for independence v. Russ’ need for her to be a safe little bunny disappeared with little resolution. It was disappointing, but not enough of a bother to deter me from reading this book again. (less)

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Nov 01, 2010 Sarouel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

ok, i liked the beginning, kinda hated the middle and was conquered by the fluffiness at the end...what can i say? i break to easily..first book i read from the author and i have to say i liked the way she put laurel deafness..maybe relationships with someone that doesn't know (and doesn't seem to want to know) sign Language isn't that easy, but i liked the end so much that i think i can forgive her for all that sh**.
I see their relationship more like a dad/daughter than a man/woman in lots of p...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Elisabeth Rodrigues rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone

Recommended to Elisabeth by: I read somewhere about the deaf heroine

Shelves: 2012, contemporary-romance

Lovely cover - she's described as blonde but he's got dark hair and the cover is just gorgeous.

A lovely contemporary romance about 2 ordinary people. She is deaf but reads lips and led a very sheltered life amongst the hearing. He is a detective who lost his parents the previous year and is raising his 13yr old brother. She is about to get scammed by the man who's case he is working on and that's how they meet. They're instantly attracted and embark on a no strings sexual relationship, gradually...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2012, favorite-not-dik

Mouth to Mouth is an interesting title. She's deaf; he doesn't communicate very well. But, boy, can they communicate with their mouths. and eyes. and hands. and arms. .. and their whole bodies

i was in just the right mood for a read like this. hot but not overly gratuitous sex. untortured H/h. a little of internal and external conflict to keep things moving.

con artist is after her money but he's not life-threatening. the internal conflict felt true to the characters and gets resolved when con art...more

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Apr 20, 2011 Ashley♥Alexis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-f, owned-paperback

This was a great book! I loved the characters and the progression of the relationship. The dialog was good and often hilarious. Nice light reading with some chuckles thrown in.

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Mar 10, 2011 MountainKat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook

Very sweet story! I liked both the hero and the heroine. He was the tough cop, who really wasn't all that tough, taking care of his younger brother and never looking to settle down. She was the good girl, looking to be a little wild for once in her life. Add in a con man ripping off unsuspecting women for a little drama - also a good way to drive the hero crazy, and you get a really enjoyable book!

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Oct 19, 2009 Julie (Mom2lnb) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of Lighter Contemporary Romance or Erin McCarthy

Shelves: contemporary-romance, read-2009

Reviewed for THC Reviews
"3.5 stars" Mouth to Mouth was a pretty good book, but wasn't as amazing as I was expecting it to be based on other readers' glowing reviews. Normally, I'm not overly influenced by reviews, because I have found books that others hated which I loved and vice versa. This time, I must have been influenced more than usual though, because I think I went into reading this one with somewhat high expectations, only to finish it feeling a little disappointed and oddly unsatisfied....more Reviewed for THC Reviews
"3.5 stars" Mouth to Mouth was a pretty good book, but wasn't as amazing as I was expecting it to be based on other readers' glowing reviews. Normally, I'm not overly influenced by reviews, because I have found books that others hated which I loved and vice versa. This time, I must have been influenced more than usual though, because I think I went into reading this one with somewhat high expectations, only to finish it feeling a little disappointed and oddly unsatisfied. Maybe if I hadn't been expecting so much from it, I would have felt differently, but I can certainly see why others did enjoy the book. It has two likeable main characters, lots of steamy love scenes, and other than the teen angst and rebellion of Russ's brother, Sean, which causes some friction between them, it is what I would characterize as an easy, fluff read. And therein may lie the problem. All of Erin McCarthy's stories that I've read so far have been pretty light, and I generally have a preference for ones that contain deeper, more meaningful relationship development.

Like the last book I read by Ms. McCarthy, Mouth to Mouth has the hero and heroine falling into bed very early after only knowing each other for a matter of days, and both only intend for it to be a fling, but of course, it ends up turning into more than they bargained for. In my opinion, this plotline is way overused in contemporary romances, making it rather tiresome to me, and since I've never been into casual sexual encounters, it is one that doesn't really resonate with me on a personal level either. Granted the love scenes had an appealing spiciness to them, including one that involved the fun, creative use of candy buttons and pixy stix, but ultimately, having the wild sex type of beginning tends to diminish the emotional connection that I feel both for, and between, the characters, making it nothing more than merely hot sex for me. The overall premise of the story was pretty good, but the execution just felt very ordinary to me, like I'd read it many times before, only with different characters in a different setting. It simply seemed to lack the uniqueness and originality to suck me in and really engage my attention, which might seem strange for me to say since the heroine is deaf (only the second deaf heroine I can recall ever reading), but I'll address that shortly. I certainly didn't dislike Mouth to Mouth, but neither did I feel like I couldn't put it down or have any particular excitement about picking it back up either.

The hero and heroine, Russ and Laurel, are both likeable characters, but I never felt like I truly understood what made either of them tick. Russ is a tough-guy cop, who lost his parents in an accident a year earlier and is struggling to raise his teenage brother who is acting out rebelliously because of the tragedy. I liked that Russ was caring and committed enough to take on the responsibility for his brother, even though Sean was being a pain in the butt. I also liked Russ's protective nature toward Laurel, but just like her, I thought that his protectiveness could be borderline overbearing at times and often came out like he was speaking to a child. Laurel is a wealthy deaf woman who has become the target of a con-man who is out to bilk rich ladies out of their money. She seems to be caught between the deaf and hearing worlds, and this is why I think she never stood out to me like I expected she would. Even though Laurel is deaf, she functions with virtually no problems at all in the hearing world, which on the one hand, showed that she was very capable and able to live a pretty normal life in spite of her disability, but on the other hand, I thought it took away some of the uniqueness of her character. Laurel was constantly trying to assert her independence with Russ, saying that she was never really allowed to do what she wanted to because of her disability, but to me it seemed like it was more herself that was holding her back than circumstances. Just like Russ and her mother, I too felt like she was a bit naïve and too trusting at times. Overall, Laurel was never a very well-defined character for me. In fact, I felt that both Russ and Laurel's backstories and personalities were ripe with depth that was waiting to be plumbed but sadly never was, which is why I ended up liking but not loving them.

The”suspense” part of the plot was an interesting set-up, but very light and a couple of times I thought that it stretched the bounds of credibility just a bit. At least the revelation of the villain's secret identity was something that I didn't see coming. The surprise side romance of Russ and Laurel's best friends, Jerry and Cat, was rather amusing since they're complete opposites. There were a couple of family moments between Russ and Sean that I thought were pretty realistically rendered. I liked that at the heart of it all Sean seemed like a good kid who'd been dealt a bad hand, but in my opinion, he was a little too worldly for a thirteen year old. Laurel's overweight cat, Ferris, who is initially less than enthusiastic about Russ invading his space, was pretty funny. I also enjoyed the scene when Russ finally declares his love and thought it was quite romantic. Overall, Mouth to Mouth had some fairly entertaining moments that made it a worthwhile read. It just wasn't entirely to my liking from a personal preference standpoint, and I think the character's personalities were a little too different from my own and not explored fully enough for me to truly appreciate them. I think the book had great potential and I really wanted to love it, but in the end it just didn't quite reach that level for me. However, anyone who enjoys light, steamy stories, but isn't bothered by the hook-up-now, ask-questions-later approach to romance will probably enjoy it quite a bit.(less)

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Feb 10, 2008 Diana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, chick-lit, contemporary-romance, owned

Laurel, a sheltered deaf girl, is the next target of a con man. Russ is the policeman tracking the criminal. When their paths collide, sparks fly.

Absolutely fabulous. Both Laurel and Russ are great, with no real problems and issues between them. The external conflict doesn't ever take over the story and isn't too distracting. Plus it's plenty steamy!

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Aug 05, 2010 gert rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: good-sex-scenes

ok, i just read three of mccarthy's books in the last two days and i'm just going to cut and paste my review for all three - because its all the same stuff!

don't get me wrong - they're exactly right for what i was looking for today: fun, fast reads with good-ish characters and fabulous sex.

"smart mouth", "houston we have a problem" and "mouth to mouth" are all great books - with "mouth to mouth" being a "better" book in terms of character development, story line, etc. but still, all three are d...more

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May 15, 2013 Lex rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really liked this book. The characters were real, and flawed, and both grew and progressed through the story. Even the glimpse we got into the mind of the con-man was genuine, even if it just proved he was a consciousless creep. Only thing keeping me from giving this 4 stars is that I feel like the author glossed over most of Laurel's personal struggles. Her fears and acknowledgent of her own shortcomings is mentioned in passing, and the end of the book shows her achievements in trying to over...more

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Oct 02, 2009 K. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to K. by: Shawna Razzaz

Shelves: available-on-kindle, on-my-kindle

"Mouth to Mouth" by Erin McCarthy; Present Day Contemporary Romance (with a splash of suspense) 4-1/2*

Russ and Laurel

After so many angsty and tortured heros, it was a nice switch to read this somewhat real life romance. Russ, a meat and potatoes/"every man" cop is coincidentally thrown together with Laurel, a sexily sweet girl next door (although of the "mansion next door" set) while investigating a local con who targets women and rolls them of their money. Ironically, the con that Laurel was su...more "Mouth to Mouth" by Erin McCarthy; Present Day Contemporary Romance (with a splash of suspense) 4-1/2*

Russ and Laurel

After so many angsty and tortured heros, it was a nice switch to read this somewhat real life romance. Russ, a meat and potatoes/"every man" cop is coincidentally thrown together with Laurel, a sexily sweet girl next door (although of the "mansion next door" set) while investigating a local con who targets women and rolls them of their money. Ironically, the con that Laurel was supposed to meet at the local Starbucks after some on-line flirtation got a big kick out of using those local cops' real names for his aliases -- a bit of a jab in the ribs, so to speak, with a little "catch me if you can" on the side. On this occasion, Laurel mistakes "Russ" the cop for "Russ" the conman. Fortunately, the only one's confused are Russ and Laurel, because we the readers have no problem understanding what's going down. Adding to Laurel's overall general appeal and Russ's overwhelming instict to protect her is the fact that Laurel happens to be deaf. It adds both interest and a wonderful empathy factor to Laurel's need throughout the story to prove she's as capable as the rest of us when it comes to taking care of herself. As her and Russ's relationship develops, I was able to see the point of both of them when it came right down to how they handled themselves and issues that came up.

This book has been reviewed a couple of times recently, and suffice it to say that I'm so glad both Shawna and Kim recommended it so enthusiastically, inspiring me to give it a read. It was quick and very satisfying after my long and steady reading on J.R. Ward's dark and angsty BDB series. Just what the doctor ordered! ;) Although Russ and Laurel do fall into bed quickly with one another under the not unique guise of "it's just a fling," it still flowed nicely as the characters didn't immediately admit they were falling in love and when each of them began to suspect they were falling for the other, they restrained the verbalizing of the sentiments long enough to question their own sensibility as to whether it was genuine due to the fast path it was taking. Of course, we the readers KNOW it's the real thing (which is part of what makes the book good), but McCarthy's making them question it gave it more validity and believeability somehow.

Since this is my first McCarthy, I was pleasantly surprised at the fact she has a sweet sense of humor (always a favorite in romances for me). Although I didn't find her as "laugh out loud" as Christy Craig (for example), she did resonate in the same way and I found myself with a dumb looking grin on my face throughout the book. Her characters and situations were that pleasant feeling and she even threw in a protective "fat cat" that the reader can love. This book has a bit of an early Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movie feel to it, only with a lot more sex appeal. The chemistry and playfulness shown between this couple is classic romantic comedy. The serious times when Russ is confronted with issues raising his 13-year old brother and Laurel is faced with grappling with independence issues due to her hearing impairment in a hearing world fit right in as the poignant moments all comedic romances have to keep them from becoming too slapstick.

Overall this was a fast and fun read. I'm glad I didn't miss it. If you want just a real heartfelt and cuddly romance book, this is it.

Mainstream graphically depicted sexual scenes more numerous than mainstream "R" romance; graphic language used minimally; not recommended for teens under 17-years of age(less)

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Sep 27, 2011 Kerste rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: at-the-library, contemporary-romance, law-enforcement

Sometimes books just come along at the right time and they are perfect. This is one of those books for me. Sure I could pick some of it apart for some "obvious flaws", but weirdly enough, the universe just delivered this book to me at a time where it just made sense to me.

I read quite a bit of law enforcement based contemporary romance, but almost never about police men. Usually its para-military, special ops, spy kind of stuff. But the last book I read before this one was about cops - a whole g...more

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Feb 14, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Book #21 of 2011

Okay, so I had a busy weekend. I didn't really mean to read so many books, but, well, I read fast and these books allow for quick page-turning.

This book was OK. Once again, I was kind of disappointed that this wasn't at the same level as McCarthy's "Fast Track" series. But it was still a pretty cute, light read. I think my main complaint was the lack of conflict. The story seemed mainly to be about how the two wanted each other all the time and that got a bit tedious after awhile...more

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Nov 28, 2010 Beowulfwulf rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, erotica, fun, cop-secret-agent

Bien aimé. Le style de cet auteur est très agréable, sensuel mais jamais vulgaire. Laura est très attachante et pas une héroïne commune. Sa surdité aurait pourtant pu être exploitée davantage, pour des jeux sensuels auxquels McCarthy n'a peut-être pas pensé... Enfin bref, la scène des bonbons, déjà mentionnée par plusieurs lectrices, vaut le détour ! Idem pour le couple secondaire et improbable, Jerry et Cat ! Ils m'ont fait délirer ces deux-là, et volent la vedette au couple principal à la fin...more

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Dec 15, 2012 Maryam rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, 11th-12th-grade

3.7 stars!

This was a pretty nice book. Not earth-shattering but nice. Sometimes,I got a little frustrated and angry with the main characters, but by the end, all the problems were solved and they weren't annoying at all. My favorite character was Sean, Russ's little brother. I thought he was just awesome and I felt for him. Character development was awesome.

I like reading books where either the girl or the guy, one of the main characters, have some kind of physical problem. Reading these books...more

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Oct 07, 2011 Photojim rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads, contemporary-romance, romance

Hi. I'm Laural Wilkins. I'm deaf. (Well, rich and deaf but who's keeping track.) I feel a little lonely so I think I'll engage in some random sex with a random guy I met online. Well, the guy I thought I was meeting showed up. Except he wasn't the guy I was chatting with. Oh well. I guess I'll just have sex with him instead. He is hot and sexy after all.

If you can get over this brief digest of the opening of the book, they you'll probably really like the book. The sex was hot and fun (the candy...more

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May 08, 2012 Rhea Rhodan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, hot, romantic-suspense, romance, reviewed, premise

Make no mistake, this is a contemporary erotic romance. Think Lisa Marie Rice on laughing gas. The love scenes are both graphic and erotic (not necessarily the same thing). While there are many, they occur naturally in progression with the story. The heroine was wonderful. I felt her deafness added depth to her character and felt authentic. The hero was over-the-top alpha (which I love in a romance, especially an erotic one); the villain and other secondary characters well-drawn. The story was p...more

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Mar 11, 2008 Pamela(AllHoney) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: the-habanero-shelf, contemporary-romance, favorites, cops-fbi-dea-cia-etc, own, humor, my-5-star-romances

I found it enchanting in a steamy sort of way. Another easy pleasant read with a hint of suspense thrown in.

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Oct 04, 2011 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: detective-bounty-hunter, mystery, romance

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Laurel - 25, shy, attractive, deaf, non-confrontive, after a year of college returned home when father died to stay, works in a candy store, lipreader & she can speak, wants to face her fears and build relationships, she has inherited money.

Russ - detective, raising his 15 year old brother after their parent's death a year ago - and he's not too effective, no plans to marry, just short laisons, a good guy.

Trevor - not a good guy, subject of Russ' investigation, strings 3 women at a time - on...more

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About Erin McCarthy

USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book in 2002 and has since written almost fifty novels and novellas in teen fiction, new adult, and adult romance. Erin has a special weakness for New Orleans, tattoos, high-heeled boots, beaches and martinis. She lives in Ohio with her family, two grumpy cats and a socially awkward dog.

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Quotes from Mouth To Mouth

“Then he was forming letters again, one at a time on her back, while Laurel clung to him, full of heart and body, still joined to him intimately. Wanting his words, needing them, moved profoundly by them.
I love you.
One letter after the other, until they were all there, telling her everything she needed to know here in the dark.” — 2 people liked it

“Laurel watched his lips intently as he spoke. He thought it was pretty amazing that she knew what he was saying just from reading his lips. But it also meant a lot of times her eyes were on his mouth, not meeting his gaze. Which gave him the sneaky ability to watch her more closely than he could anyone else, without her thinking he was staring.” — 1 person liked it

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