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Pure Temptation

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Summer Projects:
1) Get in shape
2) Prepare for NY move
3) Lose virginity

Tess Blakely's innocence is getting downright embarrassing. But growing up in a small town with four very big brothers ...well, she might as well have been wearing a chastity belt. She's read loads of books about sex, but now she needs some hands-on training. And her best friend, "Mac" MacDougal, looks like the perfect teacher....

Mac can't believe the sexy siren propositioning him is the girl he's known forever. Suddenly Tess is on his mind, in his fantasies ...and setting the sheets on fire in his bed! And he's thinking about keeping her there indefinitely. But Tess is supposed to leave at the end of the summer. And Mac can only hope their blazing nights together mean more to her than research...

218 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 1999

6 people are currently reading
166 people want to read

About the author

Vicki Lewis Thompson

498 books1,538 followers
New York Times and USA Today bestseller Vicki Lewis Thompson believes love makes the world go around and laughter makes the trip worth taking. The recipient of RWA’s Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award and the author of more than ninety books, Vicki pioneered a new kind of romance hero with Nerd in Shining Armor. Following the success of her nerd stories, Vicki launched a boisterous paranormal series featuring a matchmaking witch and wizard, an ADD dragon named George, and a black cat inspired by her own precocious feline, Eve.

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5 stars
58 (32%)
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62 (34%)
3 stars
43 (23%)
2 stars
14 (7%)
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4 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly Carrington-Fox.
860 reviews196 followers
August 19, 2018
3'5 🌟
Me ha dado justo lo que esperaba, un buen ratito lector, con una historia friends to lovers sencilla y entretenida, y con buenos momentos hot de "para que aprendas a hacer guarreridas ya está aquí tu mejor amigo de toda la vida". Le iba a dar algo más de puntuación pero la parte final ha sido demasiado convencional viejuna, además de que va todo excesivamente rápido. De todos modos es un friends to lovers monoplatillesco entretenido y sexy para echar el ratillo.
Profile Image for MBR.
1,381 reviews365 followers
November 25, 2010
Stuff I liked:

1- I loved Mac from the stetson on his head to his delectable toes and everything in between. His tenderness and the way he understands and puts first each and every desire of Tess is what made me fall in love with him. Even with his desire raging out of control for Tess, Mac shows her the sensual side of love as only a man in love can and in the process made my heart go flip-flop every time he came up in the story.

2- Tess. She makes for a unique combination with her innocence (which doesn’t get on the nerves) and her blatant curiosity when it comes to her own sensuality which awakens around Mac. I loved the fact that she was willing up to give her dream of living it up in the city to just sharing all her tomorrows with Mac which would be an adventure enough for her.

3- I loved the subtle difference in the way the story unfolded in this one compared to most of the friends-turn-into-lovers stories that I have read. I loved how Ms. Thompson brought back bits and pieces of Tess and Mac’s shared childhood and their adventures together, lending their jump from friends to lovers much more depth than anything else could have. These insights makes this story one of the very best of this theme and I am so very glad I came across this delectable story by Ms. Thompson.

4- Though Harlequin stories are pretty short, I liked the small town life descriptions within the story. There was no rush to just get Mac and Tess to do it already but rather the foundation of their relationship with each other and Tess’s family as well tidbits about the town folk and their nosy natures made this quite an interesting piece to read.

5- I loved how this story made me laugh out loud, several times in fact, whilst reading. From the very beginning when I read Tess’s notes on how she would divest herself of her virginity, I knew that I was in for a couple of good laughs with this one and I wasn’t disappointed.

6- And oh yes, I loved the scene where Mac describes the one erotic dream that he had of Tess and himself and I loved how he couldn’t help but squeeze Tess’s hand without his own volition. Lying in his pickup, holding the hand of his best friend and looking up at the stars whilst he related his dream.. *sighs*

Dislikes:

Errm.. the cover could use some improvement. Just saying! ^_^

Recommended for:

1- Lovers of Harlequin Blaze stories.
2- Those who love stories of the theme where friends turn into lovers or childhood friends turn into lovers.
3- Fans of Vicki Lewis Thompson. If you haven’t already read this one, grab yourself a copy and indulge! I loved it!

Memorable scenes/quotes from the story:

Tess had been forbidden fruit for so long that when Mac placed his mouth on hers, he half-expected a lightning bolt to strike him dead, instead, her velvet lips welcomed him so completely that he drew back, his heart racing. Damn, this was going to be good. Too good. A man could lose himself to a kiss like that. If he’d ever secretly wondered if she was a virgin because she wasn’t sensual, he’d been dead wrong. She was on fire.

Head over to my blog to read the full review: http://bit.ly/fMvKCU
Profile Image for So.
221 reviews2 followers
February 26, 2019
Entretenido pero olvidable. Me gustó el carácter de la protagonista, pero sin más. Tengo unos hermanos así y me pego un tiro.
Profile Image for Julianna.
Author 5 books1,343 followers
March 10, 2018
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Prior to picking up Pure Temptation, I’d only read two of Vicki Lewis Thompson’s Nerd books. The first was just OK for me, and the second, while much better, still didn’t quite reach keeper status. That’s why when I picked up this book, my expectations weren’t particularly high. Maybe that was a good thing, but no matter what, I think I would have felt the same about it. Pure Temptation ended up being a delightful little hidden gem of the romance genre that I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m a huge sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope, and in this one, the hero and heroine have been the best of friends for most of their lives. Since early childhood, they’ve been having adventures, confiding in each other, and having all sorts of fun together, while studiously avoiding any sexual thoughts about one another even though they recognize each other’s attractiveness. That all changes when Tess makes losing her virginity, before heading off to a new job in New York, her latest summer project. When she drags Mac into it by asking for his help finding a suitable man to take care of her “problem,” he eventually decides that he’s the only man for the job. If there’s anything I love more than a friends-to-lovers story, it’s one in which the virgin heroine discovers that the best man to deflower her is her best friend, so this book had tons of appeal going for it right out of the gate.

Tess is the only girl in a family of five children. Her four very large older brothers have guarded her so zealously over the years, they scared off all her potential suitors. Between that and living in a small town, she now finds herself a twenty-six year old virgin, who no longer wants to remain innocent. She’s always dreamed of getting out of the shadow of her brothers and finding adventures out in the world, but she ended up as the guidance counselor at Copperville High School. Now she has an opportunity to start fresh with a new job in New York City, but she fears that if the girls at her new school ever find out she’s still a virgin, she’ll have no credibility with them at all. So, being a person who makes lists, does research, and is always prepared, she’s been studying sex books and has made losing her virginity her summer project, but it has to be a secret so that her brothers don’t find out. The only person she can trust is her best friend Mac, so she asks him to help her find a man. But when he proposes he be that man, she realizes he genuinely is the perfect person for the job. I really liked and related to Tess. I wasn’t sure if I would, because I often don’t fully understand heroines who are in a hurry to lose their virginity. But in Tess’s case, I understood her pretty well. I also thought it was a fun twist to have her educating herself on sexual techniques beforehand. It made her a very confident lover who still has an underlying sweetness about her that I loved.

In contrast to Tess, Mac is an only child, and as a consequence, he feels pressured to someday take over the family ranch his parents poured all their hard work into. He almost envies Tess going away to New York on an adventure while he’s stuck in Copperville, and he’s also not looking forward to having his best friend so far away. Although Mac is also friends with Tess’s brothers, she’s his very best friend and the one he trusts the most. When she comes to him with her project, he’s surprised that’s she’s still a virgin. He’s always avoided thinking of her in a sexual way, but her merely bringing up the topic is making him hot and bothered for her. That’s why he realizes pretty quickly that he doesn’t want anyone else doing the deed but him, and luckily Tess agrees. I absolutely adored Mac. IMO, he leans toward being a beta hero. He’s kind, sweet, and considerate, and he’s a total dreamboat lover. He’s not really bothered by the fact that Tess has been reading her sex books and may even know more than him by now. I loved how he took things slow and easy, investing time in romancing her a little beforehand and insisting they not rush things, and I also loved how he kept checking in with her throughout their first time together to make sure she was still on board and wasn’t having second thoughts. Mac was just about as perfect as a hero can get in my book.

Overall, Pure Temptation was an awesome read. Mac and Tess are perfect for one another. They have the solid foundation of their friendship upon which to build their HEA, which is always a plus. Throughout most of the book, I could really feel that friendship in their easy and open communication and their willingness to do anything for one another. Once they become lovers, they’re totally in sync with each other in much the same way. This made the first ¾ of the books pretty much sheer perfection for me. The last ¼ started to falter just a little, when a misunderstanding separates them. This part came very close to making me drop a half-star off the rating, because in all honesty, it could have been cleared up with a candid conversation, which is something they didn’t have any trouble with before having sex. But after thinking about it, I realized their emotions were now all tangled up in it as well, which might have made it more difficult to express themselves. Not to mention, the final pages were excellent, leading to character growth, especially for Mac, as well as a super-sweet, emotional ending. So ultimately it was a definite keeper for me. Their colorful families, particularly Tess’s brothers who all seem to think the best way to handle problems is by beating them into submission, added some fun humor, so all in all, Pure Temptation was a pure delight to read.
Profile Image for Bona Caballero.
1,609 reviews68 followers
September 2, 2022
Pura tentación es, en mi opinión, y así lo dije en mi blog, «Un harlequín de amigos a amantes muy sexy y prácticamente perfecto». Tess Blakely decide que ya es hora de perder su virginidad. Así que le pide ayuda a su mejor amigo para encontrar candidato. Jeremiah «Mac» MacDougal se horroriza, no quiere ver a su mejor amiga como alguien sexual.
Tópicos: de amigos a amantes y héroe beta, todo en formato breve. Tess y Mac son personajes muy atractivos. Y juntos tienen una química fabulosa. Sientes –de verdad– que son amigos. Cuando se plantean el tema del sexo, lo hacen con bastante franqueza. ¿Y si es incómodo? ¿Y si se echan a reír en el momento más inoportuno? Pues nada, lo dejan y siguen con su amistad.
Los diálogos son una delicia, lo más alejado que te puedas imaginar de un cándido harlequín. Debe ser que la línea Harlequin Temptation era así.
Profile Image for Samantha.
527 reviews135 followers
October 6, 2019
The book was OK, but I found it predictable and contradictory (about her brothers protectiveness and hypocrisy and her “situation”/predicament) She could live on her own and go out of town alone and all, but she could not find a man to “sneak” around with ?? (She did not want to do that subconsciously is what the author is trying to convey I think, but its done in a overly complicated way and feels a little strange and all)
It was cute and all but did not make a lasting impression.
And it also felt a bit rushed…. Can’t really explain it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Brenda.
769 reviews158 followers
November 28, 2016
I really really liked it but I'm not sure I'll be reading it again, I felt it a bit rushed.
They both were great characters though!
Profile Image for Desi.
2,667 reviews86 followers
June 12, 2017
Leído el 10/09/2012

Pura tentación (1999)

Protagonistas: Jeremiah "Mac" MacDougal y Tess Blakely
Argumento:

¿Cómo perder la inocencia?
A Tess Blakely le resultaba muy embarazoso seguir siendo virgen. Pero haberse criado en un pueblo pequeño con cuatro corpulentos hermanos protectores... era como haber llevado un cinturón de castidad.
Había leído montones de libros sobre sexo, pero necesitaba la experiencia práctica. Y su mejor amigo, Mac, le parecía el profesor perfecto...
Mac no podía creer que la sensual mujer que le estaba proponiendo tales cosas fuera la misma chica que había conocido de siempre. De repente, Tess invadió su mente, sus fantasías... e incendió su vida de pasión. Pero se suponía que Tess se iría al final del verano, y la única esperanza de Mac era que sus ardientes noches significaran para ella más que una simple investigación...
Profile Image for Victoria pearce.
390 reviews7 followers
March 18, 2018
This was the first romance book I ever read and I absolutely loved it. Such a great story and a wonderful talented writer.
Profile Image for Escapist.
291 reviews2 followers
January 20, 2021
I didn’t like it when Mac always refrained himself from ravishing Tess but I loved it when he was the one who chased after her in the end.
Profile Image for Jean.
93 reviews1 follower
August 20, 2025
Definitely the best of the three novels in 'The Silent Type', but they were all amazing.
I just love it when life long best friend status turns into happily ever after.
Profile Image for Andrea Guy.
1,482 reviews67 followers
March 11, 2010
Vicki Lewis Thompson's books are almost always fun books. That said, Pure Temptation just didn't do it for me, and I'm hard pressed to figure out why, besides the obvious, 26 year old virgin thing.

Dear god, I wish writers would stop with this. Its just a little too unrealistic. It may work for a cute comedy, but in a romance novel where the heroine is supposed to be gorgeous, its just silly.

All that aside, Tess and Mac are cute and funny. Tess has a summer project to lose her virginity and Mac is her best friend, and she enlists him to help her find a man to do the deed. Well, Mac can't stand the thought of her being with anyone else, so he volunteers to solve her problem. Which causes problems because both end up falling hard for each other, even though they know Tess has plans to move to NYC in August.

The best part of the book involves the sex, because Tess has taken to reading some pretty interest self help books about the subject and she ends up being experienced without even having sex.

The bad part still is the whole virginity thing. The concept of friends to lovers works well, but with the 26 year old virgin thing involved, it detracts from a story that could really work otherwise.

Its a good read, but it lacks that something that would make it great.
326 reviews3 followers
January 18, 2016
Really liked this one. I like the friends to lovers trope and the idea that small-town life isn't "settling." Tess and Mac have been friends since birth practically. He's buddies with her brothers but the two of them have always had a special, but platonic friendship. She decides it's time time to lose her virginity before moving the NYC for a job. (How she got through college as a virgin isn't clear since she has no moral issues against it and I can't believe one of her brothers followed her around the whole time.) She asks Mac to help her pick a man for this and he, of course, decides he's the only one for the job.
Mac is fabulous - a good friend, and also a very attentive, generous lover. He really understands her and is willing to let her lead in a lot of ways without being wimpy. I love how he is able to explain her to both her brothers and his parents. He stands up for her but never goes all alpha obnoxious.
Tess is funny. She's smart and when she decides to learn about sex, she goes all out. But she never gets too bossy with Mac, and she never makes a big ugly scene about anything.
Their HEA is so realistic and very, very sweet. I loved the moment when they each separately began to think of babies, and then the epilogue scene where they start to reenact that moment.
Profile Image for E. Jamie.
Author 30 books79 followers
September 8, 2014
Loooved this book so much! Friends to lovers is definitely my crack. Mac was a delicious hero and Tess was my favorite kind of heroine. Strong, yet so very likable! The only thing that kept this from being a five star read for me was I found how Tess decked out her bedroom in all harem-ish like decor for their first time and the whole belly dancing costume things a tad cheesy and they took me out of the story at times. Still, this is definitely on my keeper shelf.
Profile Image for Netanella.
4,736 reviews40 followers
July 13, 2012
What an awesome friends-to-lovers story! Reading Vicki Lewis Thompson is like returning to your auntie's house after an extended absence - warm, cozy, heart-warming awesomesauce, vanilla-scented goodness.
Profile Image for Marie.
102 reviews6 followers
December 22, 2013
this is a book I read years and years ago.....it stuck with me if you are into hot reads where the hero and heroine are best friends who turn into lovers this is awesome.....tess turns to Mac to break out of her viginity.....love this
316 reviews3 followers
June 22, 2015
Vicki Lewis Thompson writes hot Cowboys like no one else!

Vicki Lewis Thompson writes hot Cowboys like no one else! Mac and Tess are best friends until Tess shakes things up a bit! Fun quick read!
Profile Image for Liz Marie.
103 reviews
July 25, 2017
Me encanta releer este libro. Me parece una bonita historia de cómo la amistad se puede convertir en algo más.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews

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