CAN’T SAY NO by Bette Ford

Publisher: Avon
Date issued: August 2008
ISBN: 978-0061143502
Contemporary romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Valerie



Vanessa Grant is a responsible young woman who has had to take care of her siblings when her mother passed away at the birth of the twins. She’s had a secret crush on ex-NBA star Ralph Prescott. But Ralph is a renowned player, a man who has a new woman every week. He is not the kind of man Vanessa needs, but as she feels that no man wants a ready made family, she is willing to proposition Ralph for one night of sex, no strings attached. At first Ralph is surprised, then intrigued, especially when he finds out that he is her first lover. Vanessa captivates him like no other woman before and now he will have to fight tooth and nail to prove to Vanessa that his wandering days are over. He now wants to prove to her what kind of man he really is and break through her defenses. Never was seduction so sweet, and so painful.

At first, when I started reading this book, I thought...ok, boy meets girl, girl propositions boy, they fall in love and happy ever after. But, I was in for a surprise, as Bette Ford has written a truly exciting story that will captivate every reader. Ralph certainly has his work cut out for him and Vanessa is convinced that he is not the man for him. Then the added conflict of the biological father of the twins wanting custody after ignoring them makes this story even more exciting. The reader finds out exactly what kind of man Ralph really is behind his facade and this is a heartwarming, highly sensual story. The love scenes are toe curling and sensual. I loved every minute reading this story and I know the reader will too. This is the third book in a series and I have got to get the other two as soon as possible. You will want to too!

CAN’T SAY NO by Bette Ford

Publisher Avon
Date published September 2008
ISBN 9780061143502
African American Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Pam



Vanessa Grant has been hot for ex-NBA star Ralph Prescott for a long time. At a mutual friend’s wedding they share a night of passion, that Vanessa says, is meant to be a one off. Ralph has always had women chasing him, and sometimes he’s even allowed them to catch him, while knowing they were more interested in his name and money, than him. Vanessa is different, but a bit too much so for Ralph, as he tries to tell and show her that he wants more than one night with her.
Vanessa has commitments to her siblings, she’s been their sole carer since their parents died. A playboy has no place in her life and she’s determined to keep him at arms length. What she hadn’t factored in was Ralph’s strong will to succeed, and how he’ll do almost anything to break down her resistance.

Great main characters and secondary’s make this romance an interesting and believable story with a touch of biblical ethics gluing it together. The sexual tension is kept in the background, as the sex scenes are built into a fiery conclusion. The hero is captivating as he flounders along the path of courtship and wanting to be loved for himself, not for the trinkets he’s used to giving out to the latest woman on his arm. The family scenes are an insight into how life could be for the heroine, who must take a journey to learn how to accept love and how to return it. The interplay between all the characters keeps the plot moving along, making it easy for the reader to connect with them. Ms. Ford has written a memorable romance, with true to life characters, with family dynamics most readers will enjoy.