Roni Loren has been a must-read for me ever since Crash Into You, her first Loving On The Edge novel. She has the knack to rope you in (No pun intended. Well okay, maybe a little.) from the very first page, usually by dropping you into a conversation or situation that immediately intrigues the hell out of you. You want to know more! I adore these kind of beginnings.

The opening of Call On Me is no exception. Loren has us eavesdropping on Oakley Easton as she tries to drum up enthusiasm for a client during her late night/work from home/ much needed second job as a phone sex operator. Loren’s talent to create vivid visuals of her scenes is delightful and she is a master at dialogue. This very funny opening gives us an intriguing glimpse of Oakley’s personality as she delicately handles her caller, as well as a few details of her life as a single mom to an eleven year old special needs girl.

I liked that we are introduced to Oakley first. I was certainly a bit worried about the woman who my beloved Pike was going to fall for! My worries were for naught. Oakley is perfect. She was caught up in the music business as a young teen, taken advantage of by her manager, and when she found herself pregnant, was shunned by her very conservative parents. Even though she had the support of her brother, life for Oakley and Reagan has not been easy. But Oakley is not a quitter! She is strong, talented, and loves her daughter with all her heart. She just wishes sometimes there was a Prince Charming, and an extra few hours in a day, to make her feel like a desirable woman.

Pike’s intro is next, even though most of us know him from Not Until You, and it is just as telling and hilarious as Oakley’s. Pike’s status as hot, tattooed drummer for the band Darkfall has offered him every opportunity with the ladies. And, he’s taken just about all of them. Pike could very easily be a giant douche but again, those of us who read Not Until You, know better. His adoption of and feelings for the poor abused mutt, Monty, was a sure indication of something deeper than the bad boy musician. In Call On Me we are treated to the real Pike, heartwarming and heartbreaking alike.

Loren is such an artful storyteller. She carefully peels away the layers of her characters, slowly revealing more and more, drawing us in until we feel as if we know them personally. I mentioned that she is a master at dialogue, but the witty banter just blows my mind! It’s amazingly fun. The chemistry she creates between Oakley and Pike is slow to burn but when it catches fire it is oh so hot to witness. These two are people who have lived behind armor for years and it’s not easy to shed. Loren doesn’t take any cop outs in her plot. She has created a believable story that is so delicious you want to savor it but if you’re like me, you’ll need to snarf it down as fast as you can. You can always go back for seconds.

Review copy provided via NetGalley.