Kassiah

4-1/2 stars.

This review also appears on Steamy Guys After Dark.

Ya'll know that I love Jason Landry with the fire of a thousand suns, but I might love his best friend more than that. Cane Robicheaux is all that. But don't let me get too ahead of myself.

Shy Magnolia Springs transplant Angelle Prejean volunteers at the fire department and gives riding lessons part-time. So it's a total shock when she outbids everyone for a night with local bad-boy restauranteur Cane Robicheaux in the annual bachelor auction. They've been flirting with each other for months, and relationship-phobe Cane is more than happy to get the chance to spend an evening with the girl he can't get out of his mind.

"You bid an obscene amount of money just to go out with me," Cane interrupted, his deep voice laced with humor. Her eyes shot to his and he winked. "You know, darlin', all you had to do was say the word. You could've had me for free anytime."

Turns out, Angelle needs more than just one night. She needs a week, complete with a fake fiancé. After turning down her boyfriend's proposal, Angelle ran from her small Cajun hometown where her father is the mayor and everyone is all up in everyone else's business. To keep her parents off her back about coming home (and back to the ex, Brady), she invented a relationship that led to an engagement. Now it's time for her to return with her fiancé for the holidays. It only takes a little convincing for Cane to agree to help her.

Along the way, the lines get blurry and both of them wonder what will happen when they realize their fake feelings aren't so fake after all.

His goal had shifted. No longer was this only about getting her out of his system, though that did have to happen, the sooner the better. But now, he didn't just want her comfortable enough to explore their explosive attraction. Cane realized he wanted to let Angelle in.

One of the things that I loved the most about Taste the Heat was the Louisiana setting. I felt that it captured the magic and romance of New Orleans to a tee. This was even better. Perfect descriptions, amazing food, local games and customs--Harris totally captured the ambiance and unique culture of Cajun country. I wonder how people who don't live here pronounce some of these words though. :)

I love this storyline--"fake" relationships that turn real, and this is one of my favorite stories ever. I loved the characters. Cane was just awesome. A restaurant owner, number-crunching nerd-at-heart, bartender, and amazing brother, he's very protective of all of the women in his life. He plays the guitar and rides a motorcycle and has tattoos and is just totally swoonworthy.

Cane was so authentic. One of my favorite moments was when his godchild, Emma, was talking about his upcoming "wedding" with Angelle.

"Tell Angelle my signature colors are green and blue," Emma declared, snapping Cane's attention back to the present. He lifted his head to see her listing the rainbow on her fingers. "But I guess I can work with yellow or purple, too. Oh, it could be like an LSU wedding!" She jusped up and clapped her hands happily, then grew serious just as quickly. "But no taffeta bows on the butt, please. That mess doesn't work on anyone."

She rolled her eyes and then with a mischievous giggle, spun on her heel and skipped away.

Cane blinked. "Taffeta?" What in the hell was that, some kind of snack?

Angelle is one of my favorite female characters ever, and it's so rare for me to like someone so much--she totally knocked me off my feet. She loves her family, but refuses to live her life on anyone's terms but her own. She doesn't want to live under the microscopic scrutiny of her town, but she loves her culture and loves to be home. She waited for the right guy to give her heart to and wouldn't settle for anything less. She's strong, even in the face of weakness.

The chemistry between these characters was off-the-charts.

"Just so we're clear"--he placed his hands on hers--"you can proposition me any time, angel."

Did I mention that I love when he calls her "angel"? ::le sigh::

I love pretty much everything about this book. The only thing I wanted more of (besides once again wishing this was a Brazen title instead of the Fade-to-Black Bliss Brand) was Colby and Jason. We saw them and know they're totally in love and happy, but I wanted more. I loved that the relationships were all still there though--Sherry is still the over-zealous little sister we all love and Jason and Cane are still BFFs (or whatever guys call it).

"You know I was just busting your chops. But damn, this girl's done a number on you, hasn't she?"

Cane huffed a breath. "Yeah, I guess she has."

"Do you have any idea how long I've waited for a woman to knock you on your ass?" When Cane didn't answer, Jason did it for him. "Years. More than a decade. But the day Angelle walked into that diner, I knew it was just a matter of time."

They hold each other up and encourage each other, even when it's not what the other one wants to hear, and that's true friendship.

If you're looking for a story with an amazing plot, a perfect setting, and characters that will have you swooning, Seven Day Fiancé is the book for you.