4.5 Stars 
 Riley is a marketing exec working with her four best friends at their jointly-owned cabaret bar/restaurant Seduction. She's just convinced all the partners that a food television special would help boost Seduction into the upper echelon of restaurants, and feels really good about their prospects. In fact, her professional success is far more assured than her personal success as Riley's suffered many a bad date. She's pretty much given up on finding a decent man. While lamenting it one night at the bar, a stranger offers some sage advice-and Riley's mortified to learn that this gentleman of wisdom is the producer of the network special, Trevor Cooper. 
 Trevor is a 37 year-old divorced man whose had his share of difficult relationships. His ex-wife was a two-timer and he's still reeling from that betrayal. He finds Riley to be attractive, but he wants to keep things professional. However, he sees how disappointed she is by the schlumps she dates and decides to offer her one "perfect" date so she can experience a fun night out with a decent man. And, then Trevor's caught: he wants more. 
 Only, Trevor is only supposed to be in Portland for a few weeks while he films the Seduction special. It's not long enough to build anything real, is it? 
 Riley and Trevor make the most of their short time together, soon deciding that they might need to take this relationship into long-distance mode, but that's not really where their hearts lay. And, it's complicated by some (over-the-top) dramatics by two women in Trevor's past. For me, that was a bit messy-and unrealistic-and those interactions are the capstone of Riley's issues with separation. She needs direct communication, on the regular, and Trevor's inability to provide it leads Riley to stand up for herself and make a painful choice. I liked how she stood on her own, rather than caved for a poor substitute of her needs. Riley's a strong gal, and she knows her worth. Meanwhile, Trevor made an abrupt shift into "Clueless" the second he boarded his plane for LA. Not that he didn't get a clue when his pals stepped into the picture and pried his eyes wide. And, his grand gesture was pretty sweet. 
 There's lost of love and sexytimes packed into this shorter novel, and fans of the series will love this return to Seduction and the sexy gals who run it. It's the fourth book in the series, but reads well on its own. And, the end sets up the final book-romance for snarly chef Mia-with a dramatic flair. I'm really looking forward to reading it!