Back in high school, Allison Peters had a huge crush on Randy Gallagher. In fact, she was very much in love with him, but he broke her heart and now she wants revenge of a sort after he took her virginity after the senior prom at Lake Sherwood, known notoriously as “lake sure-she-would”. A week or so before her wedding, she takes two thousand dollars from the ATM and attends the Bachelor Auction, intent on buying an evening with the gorgeous firefighter and getting him out of her system once and for all. She is set to marry Sam Ryan, a lawyer from her hometown of Wilbur: a staid and steady man who is dependable and will give her a secure home and children. She just has to get rid of thoughts of Randy before she can settle down to married life, even if it does look to be a dull prospect.

Randy Gallagher is still the hometown hero of Wilbur, despite his moving to Toronto to be a firefighter. In fact, there is usually a write-up of one kind or another in the Wilbur weekly paper about Randy though he has been gone for many years. No one really knew the real Randy: the one from an alcoholic home, the one who was never good enough for his parents despite the honor roll and excelling at sports. Inside he harbored a secret pain, a longing for acceptance and love. Randy left Wilbur and his Ally, knowing he would never measure up to her standards, just like his parents. Now she is back in a big way, and Randy is determined to see if he can keep Ally this time. He certainly isn’t going to let her marry another man when she still has feelings for him.

A great way to spend the afternoon, Bachelor For Sale, Book 1: Sweet Revenge is packed full of spicy love scenes, wicked humor and a little romance as well. Randy is a real “man’s man” who is everything a girl could want in a hero. Strong, self assured, witty and charming, he has a tender heart that he keeps hidden away for fear of it being crushed. He has a core of honor that is absolute and will stand by his beliefs to the end. Allison, on the other hand is a little wishy-washy, undecided in what she really wants in a life partner, and willing to settle for her mother’s ideal husband for her. She is loyal and obedient to a fault and learns that she has to stand on her own two feel and stand up for what she believes in to be happy. She and Randy are pretty well matched, though I would have liked to see Randy with a more decisive woman that Ally started out to be. The story line clips along at a brisk pace, keeping this reader guessing who she will choose. Will she go for happiness against her mother’s ideal, or will she settle for something she doesn’t really want? Author, Peggy Hunter tells a great story, keeping this reader engrossed from beginning to end. I can’t wait to read some of her backlist.

Reviewed by: Scarlet