Maria S for Romance Junkies

A book like THE PICKUP LINE does not come along every day. This was a winding and touching story of two lonely people adrift in their own different worlds. Lou Franco is a single father who is dealing with an empty nest now that his son has left for college. Blue Heron is an artist who has lost her muse after her best friend died. Blue is as quirky and unconventional as they come, and Lou is staid, solid and conservative. They meet in the "pickup" line for a restaurant, and their attraction is a strange yet powerful connection, one that neither of them sees coming. They challenge each other’s notions of what they mean to each other and of who they are as individuals. They must each overcome a lot of pitfalls, and get rid of a lot of emotional baggage, in order to have a chance at the happiness they desire.

Deeply set at the heart of this story are a lot of heavy issues, such as gender roles, sexual exploitation and the grieving process. The story really delves into the complexity of the human heart and forces us to see a side of romance that is less polished and almost more intimate.

I found Blue to be a very conflicted but likeable character, one that I think more than a few readers can identify with. She is dealing with the loss of a loved one, and trying to get on with her life, but she still hasn’t let that person go. She tries to put on a front of swaggering confidence and overt sexuality, as much to salve her need for human contact as to keep people at arm’s length. She is a mass of juxtapositions and contradictions and this complexity made her very real to me.

Lou was a character I really liked, a very brave and loving man. He never took Blue at face value, but always seemed to see through her to her heart of hearts. His generosity of spirit and tenderness are also offset by his very controlled sensuality. I loved his sense of humor and his almost valiant nature. His love scenes with Blue were at times touching and other times simply erotic as hell! The sex really ran a gamut of experiences, from exhibitionism to ménage to simply rough. The writing was very erotic, but always reinforced the deep connection between Lou and Blue.

THE PICKUP LINE was a very intimate portrait of two flawed people who balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses. The writing had a lot of complexity and Ms. Trent certainly does not shy away from many contemporary issues authors might avoid. The characters felt driven by real human emotion and the storyline was what kept me reading.

Blue Ribbon Rating: 4

Diana for Timeless Tales

I found The Pick Up Line to be a funny yet hot read that begins in a very unusual pick up line and continues from there. Lou is a strong, caring man who finds himself attracted to Blue, and after just one night decides, she's "the one." However, the challenge is to convince Blue to open her heart and love again. What develops between her and Lou is more than just a weekend fling. Blue has found someone to love her and all of her unique quirks.

This book will make you laugh aloud. It is also a tender love story between two lonely people who unexpectedly find love. Louisa Trent has a way of intertwining quirky characters and humor with a good love story. The Pick Up Line returns us to the town of Fenton for another visit. Lou was a secondary character in her first book, Some Rough Edge Smoothin'. --

Marlene Breakfield for Escape to Romance

THE PICKUP LINE was an engaging erotic story about two opposites who were meant for each other. It is at times humorous and at times sad; I went through a gamut of emotions while reading this book and was thoroughly absorbed in the trials of the characters. However, be warned this is an erotic romance, so steer clear if erotica is not your cup of tea. That said, I recommend THE PICKUP LINE for a contemporary erotic read. -- 4 roses Flame-thrower

Angel Brewer for The Romance Studio

This book read really fast for me. I can't decide if it was the interesting story line or the great attitudes of Blue and Lou. The fact that Lou was a decent guy and didn't sleep with Blue the moment he could thrilled me. Sacrificing his sex life for his son was very admirable and showed how sensitive and serious he was about his parenting. Blue is your typical type of woman where there is always more than meets the eye. In spite of the fact that she immediately wants to sleep with Lou, it's later revealed that it's not her usual behavior. The ideal of it being the woman who wants the quickie and the man who wants the serious relationship was refreshing. This is the second book I've read by Trent and I liked it just as much as the first one. This story has definite connections with Trent's first book but you don't have to read the first one to understand the second one. If you have read Some Rough Edge Smoothing then some of the characters make appearances and this story takes place in the same town. If you love stories with hot love scenes and a sensitive hero, then pick up The Pickup Line. Sensuality rating: Explicit

Read an excerpt from THE PICKUP LINE