Certified Bed Reader...

He loved her.
And every other woman he'd been with since that day she'd come into his life had only been a placeholder for the real thing.

For me, Ryan Sullivan is the biggest surprise hero in this series! After six books, I didn't expect Let Me Be the One to actually surprise me. I'd grown to know Ryan's character from previous books and I knew his type: playboy through-and-through. I was right, but I didn't count on the reason he was a playboy being because he'd given his heart away a long time ago.

It took me an astonishing half a chapter to give Ryan my heart; the fastest I've fallen for any Sullivan hero! It was about the time when teenage Vicki threw herself at teenage Ryan to save him from a runaway car and he threw her to the ground, covered her body with his, smiled down and her and said, "Hi, I'm Ryan." He thanked her for saving his life and vowed that one day, when she needed him most, he'd be there for her. Vicki didn't stand a chance of holding onto her heart and neither did I!

Ryan (the star athlete) and Vicki (the artistic military brat) began an unlikely friendship, but it was obvious they each felt much more for the other. That year in high school before her family moved away again was the best year of both their lives. After Vicki left, they remained in touch, but never were able to meet up again. Ryan did attend her college graduation though she never knew it because, when he saw her on the arm of an older man, Ryan left--heartbroken at losing his chance.

Present Day:
Fresh off a divorce from her controlling husband, Vicki is back in San Francisco creating sculptures. She's in the running for a fellowship and finds herself in an awkward situation with one of the judges. Without hesitation, Vicki contacts Ryan for his help. He leaves a family gathering immediately to go to her.

It's not hard to see the love and passion these two have for each other. The air practically crackles around them. Ryan knows--pretty much from the start--that he wants more from her than friendship. Vicki is scared to wish for more; afraid to lose the one person she's always been able to count on. Her mixed-signals makes it even harder for Ryan to decide whether or not to take a chance. Vicki's situation affords him the opportunity to be her pretend boyfriend and to keep her extra close. He hopes his performance will show Vicki just how much he's willing to make their pretend arrangement a for-real one!

I felt every emotion between them! Traversing the dangerous line between friends and lovers is never easy. What I loved was that Ryan and Vicki were so honest with each other (after the initial bump into intimacy). Ryan soothed Vicki's fears, romanced her, was supportive in a way Vicki had never experienced from anyone else. I can't tell you how much I swooned when Ryan turned on his thousand-watt charm. My Lord, and if that's not enough, he was an absolute GOD in the bedroom; he has a dominate streak that literally curled my toes!

Bella Andre has created a story that will stay in my heart forever. I think I say this with each Sullivan book I read: I don't know how the next book will be any better! After six books, I've wizened up to Andre's Sullivans and I'm fully prepared to fall in love with Smith Sullivan in Come a Little Bit Closer at the first word of Chapter One.