Demanding, thankless, self-centered, and drop-dead gorgeous. This best describes Tess Marshall’s boss. Fed up with being completely unappreciated in her job as a personal assistant, Tess quits and takes off to an isolated lake cabin for some much needed rest and relaxation.

Trevor Ryan is on a mission to track down his personal assistant and get her back, all the while promising to remedy his poor behavior, because he has finally realized how invaluable Tess is in his often chaotic life. This is not the only thing he is about to recognize. Though he has dated starlets galore, he is just beginning to see how blind he was to Tess’s beauty.

While secluded, passion quickly ignites between Tess and Ryan. Still, when their trip is over, what will happen to the bond they’ve built when Tess is unwilling to constantly be sidelined for Trevor’s career, and Trevor is not ready to commit to a real relationship, heart and soul?

A little wild and absolutely wonderful! Ms. Dane shows herself to be a very talented writer with this piece. All authors have the daunting task of creating likeable and substantive characters, and Ms. Dane successfully accomplished this feat in 43 pages, which I find truly admirable. I felt proud of Tess for standing up for herself and not settling for less than she deserved, and no matter how apparent Trevor’s flaws were, he proved to be an irresistible hero! With its touches of humor and a few blisteringly hot scenes, Sudden Desire was a complete pleasure. In fact, I think this is one of the better short stories I’ve read in a while.

Reviewed by: Jen H.