Hard to Handle
February 5, 2008

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After Fate deals Supreme Battle Challenge (SBC) fighter Harley Handleman a sucker punch, his uncle secretly hires a pretty life-coach to get Harley back in the ring of life. Anastasia Kelley has actually known Harley for years, but never as well as she's going to now. Hot for his fighter's form, she has trouble keeping it professional, especially since Harley doesn't know she was hired. And when Anastasia turns the tables on him, it's as if he's been hit below the belt. But that's also where his uncontrollable lust for her burns.

Related Books:
Causing Havoc is an Amazon Top Ten Editor’s Pick. Simon Says was named “MMA Worldwide Book of the Year.”

	Book News » Hard to Handle was awarded 2008 RBL Hughie Award for favorite contemporary romance. See the full list of winners here. posted August 13, 2009

With many familiar faces and a delightful secondary romance, Foster's latest is a wonderful, heartwarming story with plenty of action, a suspenseful mystery and a glimpse into the sport of fighting. This very pleasing third addition to Foster's series is one that even readers who don't like sports can enjoy.

Summary: Fighter Harley Handleman desperately wants to win a Supreme Battle Challenge title belt. He's been close twice, but fate seems to be against him. Now, after an injured elbow causes him to miss the title fight a third time, he heads for a cabin in Echo Lake to reflect.
While there, he gets involved with his landlady, Anastasia, who has problems of her own. Someone is out to get her, but Harley vows to protect her. Asked by Harley's uncle to be the fighter's life coach, Stasia refuses to let her problems distract Harley from his goal. Too bad their attraction can't help but be distracting. (Berkley, Feb., 352 pp., $7.99) HOT

— Susan Mobley, RT Magazine

Hunky fighter and gallant knight go hand-in-hand to get the girl and the glory.
HARD TO HANDLE is another success for Lori Foster. The humorous bantering and friendship among the characters makes for an enjoyable escape into the world of hunky SBC fighters and the women they love. Harley and Anastasia's story is a sweet read.

— Sabrina Marino, Fresh Fiction

The SBC Fighters series continues with a romantic adventure featuring Harley Handleman as he sets out to win the championship once again. Life has thrown this warrior a lot of curves, but the biggest one is yet to come; a lovely lady named Anastasia Bradley. As a reader, I must admit Harley found a place in my heart in Simon Says and so I was anticipating his story. My expectations were met and surpassed once again by Lori Foster. She took this fictional cast and brought them to vivid life on the pages. These are real people, warts and all which makes them easy to relate to. A plethora of former characters and introductions to new ones make the story a fast moving skillfully woven intrigue with enough twists and turns to keep this reader up late into the night to finish, yet sad for the story to end. Harley and Anastasia is a fine pairing; strong and intelligent, witty and likable. I was captured and held by the sexual chemistry evident from the first introduction. The secondary romance will well please readers hoping Barber would find a love of his own. Not only does Lori Foster write passion well, but she also makes it real.   

— Lettetia Elsasser, Cataromance

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— Mandy Burns, Reviewer for Fresh Fiction

Q: Will you have a story for Barber?

A: Barber will have a secondary romance in Harley’s book, Hard to Handle. But no, he won’t get an entire book of his own.

Q: Will there be more SBC fighter books?

A: Absolutely! Around Feb 09 (date not confirmed yet) Michael “Mallet” Manchester will have a book, titled “My Man Michael.” It’ll be a time travel, going into the future, and it’ll be very fun.

After that, I’d love to do a book for Drew Black, my fictionalized idea of UFC president, Dana White. ;-)

Q: When can we expect more books on the SBC?

A: Because I’m alternating romances with my new urban fantasy/horror series, Servant, the romances will be around a year apart. I’ll have some novellas and some reissued books in between all that. You can check my complete book schedule for more details.