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Sawyers Siblings #3
Messing Around With Max
In this beloved classic from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster, a man determined to settle down is about to fall for the one woman who won't…
Successful relationship columnist Max Sawyers has lived life in the fast lane and enjoyed every second of it, but with a cranky rescue dog named Cleo now ruling his life instead of casual temptation, he's decided it's time to change his ways and find a wife. Between his own high standards and his new dog's dislike of anything female, this is no easy feat – especially when the worst possible candidate comes crashing into his life, and she's the only woman the capricious Cleo can stand.
Maddie Montgomery refused to take to heart the nasty things her ex–fiancé said after she caught him cheating, but perhaps he had a point about her naiveté with men. She certainly hasn't ruled out marriage in the (very distant) future, but for now, she's going to go all out in the name of fun. Who better to practice with than the gorgeous Max? Problem is, he's beginning to think he's met The One, and she isn't going to like finding out it's her…
First published in 2001.
Successful relationship columnist Max Sawyers has lived life in the fast lane and enjoyed every second of it, but with a cranky rescue dog named Cleo now ruling his life instead of casual temptation, he's decided it's time to change his ways and find a wife. Between his own high standards and his new dog's dislike of anything female, this is no easy feat – especially when the worst possible candidate comes crashing into his life, and she's the only woman the capricious Cleo can stand.
Maddie Montgomery refused to take to heart the nasty things her ex–fiancé said after she caught him cheating, but perhaps he had a point about her naiveté with men. She certainly hasn't ruled out marriage in the (very distant) future, but for now, she's going to go all out in the name of fun. Who better to practice with than the gorgeous Max? Problem is, he's beginning to think he's met The One, and she isn't going to like finding out it's her…
First published in 2001.
137 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2002
53 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
About the author
Lori Foster
412 books11.7k followersSince first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette, Samhain, and Berkley/Jove. She is currently published with HQN.
Lori hosts a very special annual “Reader & Author” event in West Chester, Ohio. Proceeds from the event have benefited many worthy causes, including the Hamilton County YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, the Animal Adoption Foundation, The Conductive Learning Center for children with spina bifida and cerebral palsy, and The One Way Farm, Children’s Home.
Each year Lori donates all proceeds from one book to charity. You can see the benefit romance books here: http://lorifoster.com/benefit-books/
Career Highlights
•In 2001, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Series Romantic Fantasy.
•In 2002, Lori’s book Too Much Temptation was the top-selling romance title for Amazon books.
•In 2003, Say No To Joe was the second “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for Waldenbooks.
•In 2004, Lori Foster was a clue in the New York Times crossword puzzle.
•In 2004, The Secret Life of Bryan was the “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for the BGI group.
•In 2005, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Contemporary Romance.
•In 2006, Jude’s Law was the “Bestselling Romantic Comedy” romance title for the BGI group.
•In 2007, Lori launched a new “urban fantasy” series under the name L.L. Foster. See more on her “dark side” at www.llfoster.com.
•In 2007, Causing Havoc was among Amazon’s Top Ten Editor’s picks in Romance.
•In 2008, Hard to Handle made #2 on The New York Times.
•In 2009, Servant: The Acceptance was Amazon’s #1 Editors’ Pick in Romance.
•In 2010, Lori was a clue in the USA Today Quick Cross puzzle.
Lori hosts a very special annual “Reader & Author” event in West Chester, Ohio. Proceeds from the event have benefited many worthy causes, including the Hamilton County YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, the Animal Adoption Foundation, The Conductive Learning Center for children with spina bifida and cerebral palsy, and The One Way Farm, Children’s Home.
Each year Lori donates all proceeds from one book to charity. You can see the benefit romance books here: http://lorifoster.com/benefit-books/
Career Highlights
•In 2001, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Series Romantic Fantasy.
•In 2002, Lori’s book Too Much Temptation was the top-selling romance title for Amazon books.
•In 2003, Say No To Joe was the second “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for Waldenbooks.
•In 2004, Lori Foster was a clue in the New York Times crossword puzzle.
•In 2004, The Secret Life of Bryan was the “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for the BGI group.
•In 2005, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Contemporary Romance.
•In 2006, Jude’s Law was the “Bestselling Romantic Comedy” romance title for the BGI group.
•In 2007, Lori launched a new “urban fantasy” series under the name L.L. Foster. See more on her “dark side” at www.llfoster.com.
•In 2007, Causing Havoc was among Amazon’s Top Ten Editor’s picks in Romance.
•In 2008, Hard to Handle made #2 on The New York Times.
•In 2009, Servant: The Acceptance was Amazon’s #1 Editors’ Pick in Romance.
•In 2010, Lori was a clue in the USA Today Quick Cross puzzle.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 17, 2021
I can't believe I had not read this book yet! I loved it so much as I always love everything Lori writes. This book was no exception. If you want a fast, light, funny read than this one is for you! Max is sex on sticks and Maddie is reserved after being hurt. Put the two together and the good and funny times roll! Add in a ugly little dog that hates all women but Maddie! I swear I laughed til I couldn't in several places in the book! If you have not read you really should!
July 19, 2016
This is kind of a hard story to peg. Maddy is audaciously innocent and the Max is not. Maddy knows all about Max and his sexual proclivities from her friend, his sister. She wants to use him to make herself feel better about her cheating ex. That sounds pretty taudry, but really Max would normally be all for being used like that. However, Max has recently turned over a new leaf since rescuing his dog, Cleo (who scares away most women) and now wants to find wife to give Cleo a secure home life. There's a fun array of side characters including some patients/friends of Maddy's who give her advice on how to seduce Max. I found myself snickering quite a bit while listening to this one. Especially when Max started to get a taste of his own medicine and didn't like it one bit!
I got it on Audio and so I'm not sure how long it is, but probably about a 180 pages. The reader does a great job and it was a fun listen.
I got it on Audio and so I'm not sure how long it is, but probably about a 180 pages. The reader does a great job and it was a fun listen.
September 19, 2017
Maddie finds her fiance in bed with another woman. He tells her she is naive about men and sex. She goes to her friends brother because he is a ladies man and she wants Max to help her get experience. Loved the characters and humor. Always enjoy Lori Foster's books.
November 22, 2019
This is a perfect book for new readers of Ms. Foster. This story is incredibly romantic, lighthearted and delightful. Most of her recent series feature tough heroes and feisty heroines with serious conflicts to battle and overcome. Messing Around With Max is one of those rare treats that focuses on two people falling in love with lots of humor and madcap hijinks. It even starts in the very first paragraph. The initial meeting between Max, his dog Cleo, and Maddie is quite memorable for many reasons not the least of which is the dialogue. What a reader experiences in those beginning scenes is what they can expect throughout the book – adorable, cheeky and seductive fun. Maddie alternately confuses, confounds and seduces Max just by being herself. It’s a forgone conclusion that the hero is a goner.
I think what made this story work for me was Cleo. She’s a dog with attitude and she’s a little hard to love. The love she does receive is part of what made Max such a perfect hero. How he obtained his pet, how he takes care of her and his goal for her future well-being is the driving force behind a lot of his decisions when it comes to his relationship with Maddie.
For the heroine’s part, she has some ulterior motives, unusual friends, a heart of gold and a very healthy libido. Actually, it became clear that they both have healthy appetites in that area, which made for some very steamy, spicy and entertaining reading.
The pace is brisk, the entertainment solid and the love scenes are very well written. The secondary characters bring charm, insight and a few laughs. They are warm, wonderful and full of surprises.
The scenes with the most humor that really had me laughing out loud is when Max followed Maddie on the sly and saw her going into a specialized store. He jumped to conclusions, which I’ll admit were perfectly logical, and when the big reveal came about the true purpose, it completely threw me. Max’s reaction was priceless. It was awesome.
Messing Around With Max is a must read. For fans that might have missed it, check it out because it’s a gem. For new fans, it’s a great intro to Ms. Foster’s brilliant writing. For readers who are in the mood for a feel-good read after a stressful day, this is the perfect cure. This book pushes all my happy buttons and I guarantee it’s on my keeper shelf.
I think what made this story work for me was Cleo. She’s a dog with attitude and she’s a little hard to love. The love she does receive is part of what made Max such a perfect hero. How he obtained his pet, how he takes care of her and his goal for her future well-being is the driving force behind a lot of his decisions when it comes to his relationship with Maddie.
For the heroine’s part, she has some ulterior motives, unusual friends, a heart of gold and a very healthy libido. Actually, it became clear that they both have healthy appetites in that area, which made for some very steamy, spicy and entertaining reading.
The pace is brisk, the entertainment solid and the love scenes are very well written. The secondary characters bring charm, insight and a few laughs. They are warm, wonderful and full of surprises.
The scenes with the most humor that really had me laughing out loud is when Max followed Maddie on the sly and saw her going into a specialized store. He jumped to conclusions, which I’ll admit were perfectly logical, and when the big reveal came about the true purpose, it completely threw me. Max’s reaction was priceless. It was awesome.
Messing Around With Max is a must read. For fans that might have missed it, check it out because it’s a gem. For new fans, it’s a great intro to Ms. Foster’s brilliant writing. For readers who are in the mood for a feel-good read after a stressful day, this is the perfect cure. This book pushes all my happy buttons and I guarantee it’s on my keeper shelf.
August 19, 2019
After Maddie Montgomery finds her fiance tied up in bed with another woman tickling him with a large feather, and he blames Maddie for being too prudish, she decides it's time to get more experience. Her friend, Annie, has been talking up her brother, Max Sawyer, so Maddie decides to proposition Max. Max has recently adopted a grouchy dog and is done with short term flings - he wants to find a woman to settle down with, who will also love is dog. Although he's not interested in Maddie's offer of a short term affair, he is interested in her for more - she's the only woman who has been able to get along with his pup! This book was short and somewhat silly, although I did like the dog, Cleo!
August 28, 2017
3.5 stars
September 4, 2017
Truly dreadful. That is all
June 23, 2018
2.5 stars
February 20, 2019
Premise very silly.
April 20, 2019
Very funny
April 23, 2019
A short little story that will entertain you! It was very cute. I had to laugh out loud at some of the moments when the characters were just to funny!
September 5, 2019
Spoiler alert:
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The male leads attachment to his dog and inexplicable need to get married for a dog was offputtingly ridiculous.
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The male leads attachment to his dog and inexplicable need to get married for a dog was offputtingly ridiculous.
November 14, 2015
Maddie erwischt ihren Verlobten mit einer anderen im Bett und er sagt zu ihr das sie nicht sexy ist, sondern eher neurotisch. Maddie will ihn widerlegen. Da kommt ihr Max gerade richtig, er soll ihr Helfen ihre Erfahrung zu erweitern. Doch Max hat andere Pläne, er will ihr Herz erobern.
Schon die ersten Seiten sind voller Lachern, Schmunzeln und Gefühlen. Neben den erotischen Teilen hat man eine Geschichte voller Liebe und Lachen. Die Wortgefechte die sich Maddie und Max geben sind immer wieder für ein Lächeln gut. Solche Wortgefechte liebe ich, vor allem wenn die Frau immer schön contra gibt. :) Der kleine Hund ist irgendwie süß. Happy End mit allem was dazu gehört, obwohl wenn es nach Max ging war das so oder so klar. ;) Mir gefiel die Frauenrunde mit den alten Lady´s sehr gut.
Schon die ersten Seiten sind voller Lachern, Schmunzeln und Gefühlen. Neben den erotischen Teilen hat man eine Geschichte voller Liebe und Lachen. Die Wortgefechte die sich Maddie und Max geben sind immer wieder für ein Lächeln gut. Solche Wortgefechte liebe ich, vor allem wenn die Frau immer schön contra gibt. :) Der kleine Hund ist irgendwie süß. Happy End mit allem was dazu gehört, obwohl wenn es nach Max ging war das so oder so klar. ;) Mir gefiel die Frauenrunde mit den alten Lady´s sehr gut.
February 8, 2017
Messing Around With Max is the third delightful romance in The Sawyers Family series written by author Lori Foster.
December 22, 2014
This was my fist Lori Foster book and will definitely will not be my last. I enjoyed this book!
February 3, 2013
I was looking forward to Max's story but I was very disappointed. I couldn't stand Maddie or her "challenges" to Max. The whole thing was awful.
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August 6, 2013This was cute short story.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews