Love in the Stacks by Cara MaloneLove in the Stacks by Cara Malone definitely registers high on the hotness scale.

Chelle Tate needs a job. Nobody wants to hire an exercise scientist – heck, no one is quite sure what an exercise scientist is. So she’s ready to scrape the bottom of the barrel, so to speak, and apply for a job that she’s vastly overqualified for, just to have something to show her parents so they won’t cut her off. She did work-study in the university’s library, so she’s applying for a position as a library page at her local library.

Mira Lockhart is focused on one thing, proving the library board didn’t make a mistake when they hired her as the youngest library director in the state. She doesn’t have time for the distraction that Chelle promises to be, but a random encounter and some exercise advice convince her to give the graduate another chance, after an initial disastrous interview.

What follows proves that studying isn’t the only thing going on in the stacks.

The Characters

These characters are very likable. Chelle is a mixture of desperate out of work graduate, and cocky lesbian lothario. It doesn’t seem like it would work well for her, and truthfully, it doesn’t. When she backs off a little, she’s able to make an impression as herself, but her attraction to Mira won’t be suppressed.

Mira is so driven professionally, that she doesn’t have any sort of private life. She’s about at her wit’s end with the strange things going on at the library, and just really doesn’t have the time for anything personal. But somehow, Chelle manages to find a way past all the barriers, and reawaken Mira’s libido.

The Writing Style

This was a quick, fun read, with a bit of erotic spice included. Things heat up quickly between the two women, and stay hot, even as they’re both wondering where things are going. The vandalism situation was pretty clear to me as a reader, so I kept wondering why neither woman picked up on it. So that part did seem like it developed too slowly. But the climax (tee hee) of the story was an excellent culmination of Chelle’s character growth, and the resolution of several things at once.

The Pros

I liked how things started so hot and heavy for both, and yet the relationship developed into so much more. And along with those deeper feelings, both women had to reexamine their lives, and figure out what was important to them and what they actually wanted. Both women grew as a result, and it was a treat to watch. Especially while they were having hot sex.

The Cons

The biggest con for me was their initial meeting – the interview. I think the author meant it as an introduction to their feelings of attraction and the lust that overwhelmed their sense and common sense. But I thought it was unbelievable and quite frankly, kind of dumb on both their parts. Chelle is so desperate for a job that she’s practically begging to be hired, but she’s going to throw it away by hitting on the one person who not only will decide if she gets hired, but would also be her boss? And for Mira to throw away her professionalism in her office at the job she treasures more than anything, is borderline inconceivable. Luckily, after this one brief scene, the story quickly becomes more reasonable, and enjoyable.

The Conclusion

I can’t even stress how fun and entertaining this book was. The sizzle was there, the story was engaging, and it was a quick read that, while light and sexy, also delivered with humor, a bit of intrigue, and a couple of characters who didn’t just find a happy ever after, but also found some personal growth, and some life lessons as well. And also, great sex. (Thumbs up on that part!)

Excerpt from Love in the Stacks by Cara Malone

The second floor was mostly dark by the time Mira opened the door at the top of the stairwell – all the overhead lights had been turned off except for a bank at the back of the room. Mira bit her lip, took a deep breath, then went into the stacks, heading toward the light to meet Chelle before she plunged the floor into complete darkness. The idea of finding her in the dark, their bodies colliding and their hands exploring each other in nothing but the moonlight streaming through the windows sent a thrill through Mira, but Chelle didn’t know she had left the reference desk and she didn’t want to scare her.

Mira walked up the long row of bookshelves, glancing down each aisle in search of Chelle. When Mira found her at the other end of the floor, she was in the biography section, heading up the aisle toward Mira and the final bank of light switches on the wall behind her.

“Oh,” Chelle said when she saw Mira, her breath catching in her throat as she stopped abruptly in the aisle. “I didn’t hear you come upstairs.”

“Sorry,” Mira said. “Being quiet is the librarian’s curse.”

“I’m almost done,” Chelle said somewhat apologetically. “I just need to turn off the lights.”

Looking into the turquoise oceans of Chelle’s eyes, Mira reached out and flipped the lights off. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, moonlight slowly filling the stacks, and then she took a step toward Chelle, Mira’s hand going to her cheek as she pulled Chelle’s lips down to her own.

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Bits and Bobs

  • ISBN number: 9781521081198

Cara Malone Online 

Note: I received a free review copy of Love in the Stacks by Cara Malone. No money was exchanged for this review. I will always review books as honestly as possible and on occasion I refuse to review books.