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Public Displays of Affection
Charlotte Tasker has always been a good girl, so she married the most decent, reliable man she could find even though their love life was a bit on the predictable side. Thirteen years later, she's a widowed mom who runs her company, prepares three vegetarian meals a day for her children, and volunteers for just about every good deed in town. But no one knows that Charlotte has a secret weakness for squirt cheese, erotic poetry-and the mystery man she lost her virginity to in a reckless roadside tryst, moments before she got engaged. They never exchanged names, and even now, Charlotte can't stop fantasizing about that spectacular stranger...
DEA agent Joe Bellacera isn't crazy about having to hide out in Minton, Ohio before testifying at the trial of a notorious drug lord. But he's handling it just fine...until he lays eyes on a fiery redhead and a hot little body he'd recognize anywhere. Joe's never had another woman like Charlotte since that day thirteen years ago. Now she's his neighbor-and strictly off-limits...
Amid the balmy, honeysuckle-scented breezes of a Midwestern summer, sense and sensibility are about to be subverted by an ice cream-loving dog, conspiring kids, and nosy neighbors. And when the Widow Tasker's fantasies meet the rock-hard reality of Agent Bellacera, let the fireworks begin...
DEA agent Joe Bellacera isn't crazy about having to hide out in Minton, Ohio before testifying at the trial of a notorious drug lord. But he's handling it just fine...until he lays eyes on a fiery redhead and a hot little body he'd recognize anywhere. Joe's never had another woman like Charlotte since that day thirteen years ago. Now she's his neighbor-and strictly off-limits...
Amid the balmy, honeysuckle-scented breezes of a Midwestern summer, sense and sensibility are about to be subverted by an ice cream-loving dog, conspiring kids, and nosy neighbors. And when the Widow Tasker's fantasies meet the rock-hard reality of Agent Bellacera, let the fireworks begin...
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
31 people are currently reading
1866 people want to read
About the author
Susan Donovan
46 books935 followersSUSAN DONOVAN's novels have won accolades for being witty, sexy, and entertaining. A former newspaper reporter with journalism degrees from Northwestern University, Susan is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author whose novels have been translated into dozens of languages. Susan is a two-time RITA Award finalist, and her novel TAKE A CHANCE ON ME was named Best Contemporary Romance of 2003 by RT Book Reviews magazine. She lives in New Mexico with her family and dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
January 18, 2010
I give this one 10 stars!! :D I'm adding Susan Donovan to my auto-buy list from this one book alone. I hope several of her others are half this good! I, as well as the heroine Charlotte, are both in love with DEA Agent Joe Bellacera! *deep sigh* :)
Agent Joe Bellacera, after years of infiltration and undercover work, has nabbed one of the biggest drug lords anywhere. Unfortunately, after seeing his partner and his partner's wife and child murdered while awaiting testifying at indictment of the drug king-pin, Joe now finds himself the object of a million dollar reward for anyone who takes him "out" before he's able to testify. The DEA quickly re-establishes Joe's identity as "Joe Mills" and moves him to a safe house in small town Minton, Ohio.
Charlotte Tasker is a widowed mother of two, who lost her husband when he was 32 years old from an unknown heart defect. Though she enjoyed a companionably loving relationship with her husband, he was unfortunately sexually stifled, and Charlotte's "inner sex goddess" was not part of their 13-year marriage. Both of them grew up under pretty strict and sexually stifling religious boundaries, of which her husband Kurt was perfectly comfortable and happy to remain within. Since Kurt's death a year before, Charlotte is just now trying to come to terms with her inner guilt she's always felt about her sexuality, as well as struggling to be the best single mom she can be now that her children have lost their loving father.
When Joe "Mills" suddenly moves in next door . . . these two come to the VERY shocked realization, it's not the first time they've met!
This book had everything I could ask for in a romance: A great story premise with all kinds of angles to play the characters' emotions off of, a really great chemistry set-up between the lovers, an encounter that is both shocking/yet believeably handled, then thrown a "fairytale" twist to the true meaning of it later which suits my idea of what makes it special and romantic. Ms. Donovan writes the small town characters of this story with the best of them. She made me laugh and cry throughout, and she even managed to write children into her story that had their own personalities and individuality. I loved them as much as the main protagonists, and they served much more depth to this story than most children placed in a romance generally do. We even get a really great "ice-cream cone eating" dog to round out the family.
Joe and Charlotte's chemistry is to die for. Charlotte's worrying how sexually charged she is for Joe after her basically sexless marriage was realistic, and Joe was the perfect hero to make sure she knew she was "normal." Joe was -- well, perfect! His actions as a hero go, are right up there with Robyn Carr's "Virgin River" hero, Jack. Joe has the looks, the finesse, the kindness and caring, and as Charlotte so aptly points out . . . he's just plain "Joe Cool." I couldn't agree more. ;)
The suspense plotline is just the right amount to revolve the story around, without overwhelming it with a ton of details. As it comes to a complete boil, I both laughed and cried over the final scenes.
Finally, we get a "four years later" epilogue that was HEA perfect for this romance.
There are SOOO many little detailed snippets of sexy, funny, romantic, heartfelt moments I'd LOVE to divulge from this story, but they are all so good, I wouldn't want to spoil a moment for anyone who wants to read this one. If you love writers like Rachel Gibson, Christie Craig, Susan Elizabeth Philips, or Susan Mallery, I'm pretty sure Susan Donovan's "Public Displays of Affection" will be right up your alley. So sad it's over -- this is definitely one I'll read again!
K.
Agent Joe Bellacera, after years of infiltration and undercover work, has nabbed one of the biggest drug lords anywhere. Unfortunately, after seeing his partner and his partner's wife and child murdered while awaiting testifying at indictment of the drug king-pin, Joe now finds himself the object of a million dollar reward for anyone who takes him "out" before he's able to testify. The DEA quickly re-establishes Joe's identity as "Joe Mills" and moves him to a safe house in small town Minton, Ohio.
Charlotte Tasker is a widowed mother of two, who lost her husband when he was 32 years old from an unknown heart defect. Though she enjoyed a companionably loving relationship with her husband, he was unfortunately sexually stifled, and Charlotte's "inner sex goddess" was not part of their 13-year marriage. Both of them grew up under pretty strict and sexually stifling religious boundaries, of which her husband Kurt was perfectly comfortable and happy to remain within. Since Kurt's death a year before, Charlotte is just now trying to come to terms with her inner guilt she's always felt about her sexuality, as well as struggling to be the best single mom she can be now that her children have lost their loving father.
When Joe "Mills" suddenly moves in next door . . . these two come to the VERY shocked realization, it's not the first time they've met!
This book had everything I could ask for in a romance: A great story premise with all kinds of angles to play the characters' emotions off of, a really great chemistry set-up between the lovers, an encounter that is both shocking/yet believeably handled, then thrown a "fairytale" twist to the true meaning of it later which suits my idea of what makes it special and romantic. Ms. Donovan writes the small town characters of this story with the best of them. She made me laugh and cry throughout, and she even managed to write children into her story that had their own personalities and individuality. I loved them as much as the main protagonists, and they served much more depth to this story than most children placed in a romance generally do. We even get a really great "ice-cream cone eating" dog to round out the family.
Joe and Charlotte's chemistry is to die for. Charlotte's worrying how sexually charged she is for Joe after her basically sexless marriage was realistic, and Joe was the perfect hero to make sure she knew she was "normal." Joe was -- well, perfect! His actions as a hero go, are right up there with Robyn Carr's "Virgin River" hero, Jack. Joe has the looks, the finesse, the kindness and caring, and as Charlotte so aptly points out . . . he's just plain "Joe Cool." I couldn't agree more. ;)
The suspense plotline is just the right amount to revolve the story around, without overwhelming it with a ton of details. As it comes to a complete boil, I both laughed and cried over the final scenes.
Finally, we get a "four years later" epilogue that was HEA perfect for this romance.
There are SOOO many little detailed snippets of sexy, funny, romantic, heartfelt moments I'd LOVE to divulge from this story, but they are all so good, I wouldn't want to spoil a moment for anyone who wants to read this one. If you love writers like Rachel Gibson, Christie Craig, Susan Elizabeth Philips, or Susan Mallery, I'm pretty sure Susan Donovan's "Public Displays of Affection" will be right up your alley. So sad it's over -- this is definitely one I'll read again!
K.
September 25, 2011
5 stars – Contemporary Romance
I loved this! Joe is such a sigh, drool, lust, swoon, and husband worthy hero!
The heroine’s extreme horniness was hilarious...and justified with a sexy, sweet studcake like Joe living next door!
A punching bag. The guy was pounding on a punching bag. That realization took about a nanosecond to register in her brain before the real important information came to the forefront: LoriSue, God bless her slutty little soul, had been absolutely correct. He was male-stripper material, and he’d been thoughtful enough to strip to a pair of athletic shorts on his very first night in the neighborhood.
I loved this! Joe is such a sigh, drool, lust, swoon, and husband worthy hero!
The heroine’s extreme horniness was hilarious...and justified with a sexy, sweet studcake like Joe living next door!
A punching bag. The guy was pounding on a punching bag. That realization took about a nanosecond to register in her brain before the real important information came to the forefront: LoriSue, God bless her slutty little soul, had been absolutely correct. He was male-stripper material, and he’d been thoughtful enough to strip to a pair of athletic shorts on his very first night in the neighborhood.
July 31, 2015
The best book by Donovan yet. A woman who really enjoys sex has a wild one night stand with a mysterious stranger. 13 years later he shows up in her town...she is a widow with two children and he is under witness protection.
TWO REAL STARS, TWO ROMANCE STARS
TWO REAL STARS, TWO ROMANCE STARS
January 1, 2012
Properly motivated characters are a big deal to me. Characters don't necessarily have to do what I would in given circumstances, but their decisions have to fit with who THEY are. I never completely believed the set up that a 22 year old virgin would stop on the way to the airport to pick up the man she knew was about to propose to have sex with a stranger she sees in another vehicle. (That's not a spoiler; that's the setup.) Yet everything that follows hinges on this. All the justifications that came later still didn't make it ring true for me. It didn't help that at the end of the story, a minor character who has been an ass all they way through the story has a completely unnecessary and (IMHO) inappropriately timed change of heart. If you can get past this, it's not a bad story. It does draw you close to the characters, the tone is generally light-hearted, and heroine's children are well drawn and adorable.
March 19, 2015
5 Stars! Another great book by the amazing Susan Donovan!!
Every time I finish a book by this author, I think she can’t top this one, and then she does it again!! Susan Donovan's books have the hottest, most delicious heroes, and some of the funniest, quirkiest heroines. Joe and Charlotte are no exception! Loved how they first meet....YOWZA...I never expected that! They cross paths years later, and during the time apart have both suffered unbearable losses. The connection and undeniable chemistry between them is still there and they sizzle together. I felt it down to my toes!
I love this author's style of writing. Her books are so sensual, and she strings you along with anticipation, until the two main characters have the most explosive intimate connection…in other words, some REALLY HOT SEX!! There is always plenty of witty dialogue, an engaging plot, and wonderful secondary characters, in this case Charlotte' s children, who added to the intensity and humor in the story.
Just a fun read with a nail-biting ending and heartwarming happily-ever-after! I know I can pick this book up anytime, the story never gets old, and it always leaves me grinning like a fool! A top-pick comfort read!
June 8, 2022
I don't know why I decided to read this book again since the first time round, I gave it a rating of two stars. In my original review, I wrote:
I was a little bored with it. The premise was all right - the MCs have a highly charged roll in the hay (or weeds, in this case) and pine for each other for the next 13 years. Only in a Romance or Hollywood, right? But I didn't find the story at all romantic. The side characters were interesting, though.
I was wrong. And this time, I wasn't at all bored.
I think it has a lot of romance, although it does develop very quickly - maybe because Charlotte and Joe never stopped thinking about their first encounter. But more important, the author addresses an issue involving married life that is relatable.
There's also the suspense subplot. This is actually what brings Joe and Charlotte together again after thirteen years, but I felt they should have made a bigger deal of the risks arising from the situation. The last few chapters that tied up that thread are pretty exciting, though, especially since children are involved.
Speaking of children, this book has some that I actually liked. No whiny, spoiled little snots here!
As I said in my original review, the side characters were interesting. I think LoriSue has a good character arc and she should get her own book!
July 25, 2008
I contemplated between 3 or 4 stars for this book. I hate that you can't do 1/2 stars.
In any case, I really enjoyed the overall story of the book and all of the characters. Susan Donovan does a great job in writing about her characters (the main ones as well as the secondary ones). Yes, is the story a bit far-fetched that someone would seriously pull over at a rest stop and have sex with a complete stranger - you betcha, but the book is fiction people. The parts of the book about Joe's life and his time with the DEA is really explained well and I personally felt I could imagine what he was going through. Same with Charlotte and what she was going through since her husband's untimely passing.
What bothered me about the book was some of the cheesy lines. For instance, the whole cheese whiz episode by the pool (don't want to give anything away) - c'mon now??? There were a couple of others, but that one in particular really blew my mind.
All in all though, I enjoyed the story, the characters and I really like how Susan Donovan gives you a peek into the future of the characters at the end of the book.
In any case, I really enjoyed the overall story of the book and all of the characters. Susan Donovan does a great job in writing about her characters (the main ones as well as the secondary ones). Yes, is the story a bit far-fetched that someone would seriously pull over at a rest stop and have sex with a complete stranger - you betcha, but the book is fiction people. The parts of the book about Joe's life and his time with the DEA is really explained well and I personally felt I could imagine what he was going through. Same with Charlotte and what she was going through since her husband's untimely passing.
What bothered me about the book was some of the cheesy lines. For instance, the whole cheese whiz episode by the pool (don't want to give anything away) - c'mon now??? There were a couple of others, but that one in particular really blew my mind.
All in all though, I enjoyed the story, the characters and I really like how Susan Donovan gives you a peek into the future of the characters at the end of the book.
May 14, 2009
This is one of those books that makes me wish for 1/2 stars, because I'd probably give it 2 1/2. It's not that I didn't like it, but that it was kind of boring... I liked the characters okay, but they were more caricatures than interesting, real people. The story was basic romance - predictable, but that's okay, I expected that. It was just kind of blah - again, not a bad book, but not an exciting one, either.
August 12, 2015
This is a 2.5 stars.
Fast read, average Chick Lit Book.
Would be only 2 stars except for female masturbation scenes and the kids in the story were super cute and acted enough like real children to be believable.
Otherwise, forgettable.
If you are looking for a book to read in the bathroom while you are having violent vomiting and diarrhea, look no further.
Fast read, average Chick Lit Book.
Would be only 2 stars except for female masturbation scenes and the kids in the story were super cute and acted enough like real children to be believable.
Otherwise, forgettable.
If you are looking for a book to read in the bathroom while you are having violent vomiting and diarrhea, look no further.
January 28, 2010
2nd best book I have read this year!!! It would be first but Coming Undone was just too good.
It is really about second chances and the one that got away. I recommend it to anyone looking for a well written romance with just the right amount of heat and a sinfully sexy hero!
It is really about second chances and the one that got away. I recommend it to anyone looking for a well written romance with just the right amount of heat and a sinfully sexy hero!
February 19, 2013
4.00 Stars - Contemporary Small Town Romance.
dnf
June 13, 2023DNF at 36%
I came across this on a romance website, which described it as one of the controversial romances of its day. Obviously I had to try it! Charlotte and Joe had a hot anonymous hookup by the roadside while she was on her way to pick up her boyfriend from the airport the day he was going to propose to her. Thirteen years pass. Her boyfriend-turned-husband died unexpectedly 18 months prior and Joe is her new neighbor and secretly in the Witness Protection Program. It’s a hell of a set up. I don’t care for active infidelity plots but people who have made a mistake in the past still deserve HEAs. It could be interesting to see how Charlotte handles coming face to face with the evidence of her lapse in judgment.
Unfortunately, it’s relying on OTT shenanigans and the characters feel more like caricatures. Charlotte writes really bad erotic poetry but I’m not sure we’re supposed to think it’s bad. The tone is all over the place. It was published in 2004 and it shows. Her husband apparently wasn’t good in bed (haaaaate this) and Joe was the only other guy she ever slept with and she’s been fantasizing about him all these years. It’s not necessary to denigrate the first spouse in the quest for a new relationship. I promise authors that most of us can handle someone having a great past relationship and watching them fall in love with someone new! Anyway. I might have enjoyed this had it not been going for poorly executed romcom.
Characters: Charlotte is a 35 year old white errand service company owner, former nurse, and single mom. She has a 10 year old son named Matthew, a younger daughter named “Hank” Henrietta, and a dog named Hoover. Joe is a 37 year old DEA agent; he might be Latinx but the rep is inconclusive. This is set in Minton, OH.
Content notes: sexual harassment by secondary character, past infidelity (secondary character regularly cheated on his wife before they separated; FMC slept with MMC while she was on her way to get engaged to someone else), Mexican drug cartel put a hit out on MMC, past murder of MMC’s partner and his family, past death of FMC’s husband (congenital heart defect), sexism, FMC put family on “healthy” diet after unexpected death of husband, fatshaming of child, diet culture, purity culture (past), on page sex, erotic poems, alcohol, casual slut-shaming, STI stigma, homophobic jokes/lines, gendered pejorative, gender essentialism, ableist language
I came across this on a romance website, which described it as one of the controversial romances of its day. Obviously I had to try it! Charlotte and Joe had a hot anonymous hookup by the roadside while she was on her way to pick up her boyfriend from the airport the day he was going to propose to her. Thirteen years pass. Her boyfriend-turned-husband died unexpectedly 18 months prior and Joe is her new neighbor and secretly in the Witness Protection Program. It’s a hell of a set up. I don’t care for active infidelity plots but people who have made a mistake in the past still deserve HEAs. It could be interesting to see how Charlotte handles coming face to face with the evidence of her lapse in judgment.
Unfortunately, it’s relying on OTT shenanigans and the characters feel more like caricatures. Charlotte writes really bad erotic poetry but I’m not sure we’re supposed to think it’s bad. The tone is all over the place. It was published in 2004 and it shows. Her husband apparently wasn’t good in bed (haaaaate this) and Joe was the only other guy she ever slept with and she’s been fantasizing about him all these years. It’s not necessary to denigrate the first spouse in the quest for a new relationship. I promise authors that most of us can handle someone having a great past relationship and watching them fall in love with someone new! Anyway. I might have enjoyed this had it not been going for poorly executed romcom.
Characters: Charlotte is a 35 year old white errand service company owner, former nurse, and single mom. She has a 10 year old son named Matthew, a younger daughter named “Hank” Henrietta, and a dog named Hoover. Joe is a 37 year old DEA agent; he might be Latinx but the rep is inconclusive. This is set in Minton, OH.
Content notes: sexual harassment by secondary character, past infidelity (secondary character regularly cheated on his wife before they separated; FMC slept with MMC while she was on her way to get engaged to someone else), Mexican drug cartel put a hit out on MMC, past murder of MMC’s partner and his family, past death of FMC’s husband (congenital heart defect), sexism, FMC put family on “healthy” diet after unexpected death of husband, fatshaming of child, diet culture, purity culture (past), on page sex, erotic poems, alcohol, casual slut-shaming, STI stigma, homophobic jokes/lines, gendered pejorative, gender essentialism, ableist language
May 16, 2023
This book was fine, but it wasn’t very interesting, and it was obvious from the writing that it was written a few decades ago.
The plot was boring as nothing really happens until the last few chapters, and then everything happens in a rush and is over before you know it.
Charlotte and Joe’s relationship isn’t really developed. Most of the scenes about them are about how they can’t believe that they’re meeting again, how much their past encounter meant to them, and resisting renewing their relationship (mostly on Charlotte’s part). Every so often Joe will end up doing something with Charlotte and her family, but their interactions aren’t shown in great detail.
This book was fine, but there wasn’t anything about it that was interesting, and it felt like it was mostly about Charlotte and Joe reliving their past (their one encounter).
The plot was boring as nothing really happens until the last few chapters, and then everything happens in a rush and is over before you know it.
Charlotte and Joe’s relationship isn’t really developed. Most of the scenes about them are about how they can’t believe that they’re meeting again, how much their past encounter meant to them, and resisting renewing their relationship (mostly on Charlotte’s part). Every so often Joe will end up doing something with Charlotte and her family, but their interactions aren’t shown in great detail.
This book was fine, but there wasn’t anything about it that was interesting, and it felt like it was mostly about Charlotte and Joe reliving their past (their one encounter).
June 28, 2020
1.5 stars
DNF - 67%
I'm sorry.
I just can't do it - I've had it started for more than one week and I can't seem to force myself to read anymore. I don't think it's my mood because I've read a few books after I've put this on hold.
The sequence of events requires such a suspension of disbelief that is really hard to get over.
Furthermore I just don't like the writing style (- way too many pov's - they are not needed) and I don't see any benefit to forcing myself to finish the book (just based on my principles - that I should finish what I started).
Anyway - hard pass for now. I am just a bit upset I tried to continue to force myself to read past the red flags in the first 50 pages.
June 2020
DNF - 67%
I'm sorry.
I just can't do it - I've had it started for more than one week and I can't seem to force myself to read anymore. I don't think it's my mood because I've read a few books after I've put this on hold.
The sequence of events requires such a suspension of disbelief that is really hard to get over.
Furthermore I just don't like the writing style (- way too many pov's - they are not needed) and I don't see any benefit to forcing myself to finish the book (just based on my principles - that I should finish what I started).
Anyway - hard pass for now. I am just a bit upset I tried to continue to force myself to read past the red flags in the first 50 pages.
June 2020
June 5, 2020
It was way too long, and honestly it took the characters way "too" everything - too long to meet again, way too long to speak again, way too long to hook up, way too long just everything.
If you have the time and are bored out of your mind - sure give it a try, but make sure you really really don't have anything better to do.
If you have the time and are bored out of your mind - sure give it a try, but make sure you really really don't have anything better to do.
August 15, 2017
Joe has to escape the million dollar hit on his head, so he escapes to a tiny town with soccer moms, and bumps into Charlotte. The love of his life who he hasn't seen for 13 years.
A very sweet story that I enjoyed reading.
A very sweet story that I enjoyed reading.
Read
September 22, 2024Qur’an: Chapter 30, Verse 21—
Among His signs is the fact that He has created you spouses for you from among yourselves so that you may console yourselves with them. He has planted affection and mercy between you; in that are signs for people who think things over.
Among His signs is the fact that He has created you spouses for you from among yourselves so that you may console yourselves with them. He has planted affection and mercy between you; in that are signs for people who think things over.
October 8, 2018
Couldn't put the book down, the ending was a bit abrupt though.
May 3, 2020
Different than my normal style but I enjoyed it. It gets better and better. (After the first quarter I wasn’t sure about it. But it ended strong.)
March 12, 2021
Romance wise, it was good. I enjoyed reading it, but I just had to skip over the poems Charlotte wrote because it was so cringing to read.
May 7, 2021
Terrible. Absolutely terrible writing, pacing, characters... It was all awful.
October 3, 2021
A great read!
March 5, 2022
3.5 stars
August 15, 2022
Why did the author include Jimmy and her wife lol They were unneccessary
April 13, 2023
A fun combination of romance, suspense, and humor.
August 20, 2024
easy peasy low stake love story with a crime thriller undertone. it was def a little silly at times but overall no complaints lol
August 31, 2024
Ridiculously fun read.
September 4, 2024
Is it perfect? Hell no—you can definitely tell this was written 20 years ago. But it was fun and funny, and the side characters were so great.
October 13, 2024
Very funny, ending was weird
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews