Gunnery Sergeant Sam Hoch travels to the Pac Norwest upon receiving word his mentor and the closest thing to a father he's had has taken a turn for the worse and is in the hospital. Once there he meets a woman who is unlike any he's met before. A former marine herself, she opens up her home to him so he can be near his family.

Roxi Mammon isn't positive it was smart to allow Sam to stay with her, not with her immediate physical reaction to him. She'd heard tales of him from her best friend, his sister, and now having met the man she is even more impressed by who the Corps had turned him into. Silent strong type. Passion grows between them and soon she finds herself falling for the Recon Marine. And falling hard.

As things escalate between them Sam has to accept his past doesn't control him if he plans on keeping Roxi in his future. Can he understand that this is the one woman who can give him something more? Will he silence the fear within him and tell Roxi she's the one for him? Will he realise that he deserves more than just a temporary home?

It wasn’t Dean Jr on the porch at Laila’s this time, it was the other two. Smoking and laughing while they drank beer. More dislike swarmed him and he pressed the garage door button. He couldn’t explain his relief at seeing Roxi’s SUV in there. He parked next to her Tribeca and got out. Bags in hand, he went to the door and entered the house after the garage had been secured.

Music filled the air, alternative with a nice pulsing beat to it. He made his way to his room—funny how easy it was to think of it that way—and set his purchases on the bed. Stepping back in the hall he headed for the living room and on to the kitchen where he froze as if he’d run smack into a wall.

Roxi was mopping. She wore another pair of those thigh-hugging shorts, white this time, and a sweatshirt. Her hair hung free and he itched to sink his fingers in it and tug her head back, where all he had to do was lower his own and…

His cock pressed insistently against his jeans. He loved staring at her and would have no problems continuing to do so, however he also had no wish to freak her out.

“Roxi,” he called, loud enough to be heard over the music.

She screamed and jumped. So much for not scaring her. With a hand on her chest she stared up at him, eyes twinkling as much as the silver in her ears.

“Well, shit, you scared me.”

“I’m—”

“No need to apologise. I thought I’d be done with the floor before you got back.” She reached for a remote and turned the music down. “I don’t normally have it set that high.”

He knew she spoke but damned if he could follow the conversation. Her sweatshirt, medium grey, was another Marine one with four succinct words printed on it—‘The Few. The Proud’. His eyes drifted lower back to where the white of her shorts ended and the mouth-watering hot cocoa hue of her legs began. Long and toned. He knew it would be some sort of heaven to have them wrapped around his waist as he stroked deep into her.

The tension thickened as he watched her socked feet move closer.

“See something you like, Marine?”

He jerked his gaze up to find her eyes, a blended mixture of desire and amusement danced in them, watching his face. The gentlemanly thing would be for him to apologise. Ask for her forgiveness for his behaviour.

“Hell yeah.” His response deep and guttural.

What do you know, I’m not that much of a gentleman after all.

“Good.”

Susan Plummer at Romance in Color gives A and says: “TEMPORARY HOME is a wonderful story of the healing power of love. Sam’s mentor started the processed by patching Sam’s broken heart but it is Roxi who finally makes him whole again when he finds a home is her arms. The plot is very interesting, the characters multifaceted and realistic, and the ending very moving. TEMPORARY HOME is a great read and one worth revisiting.”

Fuchsia at Long and Short Reviews gives 5 Stars and says: “Temporary Home was so good and entertaining to read; the characters were full-bodied and I found that I could identify with them. Aliyah Burke made them so real, I cared what happened to them and I couldn’t wait until Sam and Roxi hit the sheets. When they did, it was explosive and I knew no matter what, these two would end up together. I loved the supporting characters, especially Laila’s niece whose close relationship with Sam caused Roxi to wonder if Laila wanted him for herself. The angst that Sam still lived with kept him from fully giving his heart, but you saw his heart slowly coming to life because of his developing feelings for Roxi. This character’s slow transformation was so real it made me love the character of Sam even more. Roxi was a strong character as well, but could also be soft and vulnerable where Sam was concerned. Aliyah Burke is an excellent writer and I have enjoyed quite a few of her books and look forward to continue reading more of her work.

Temporary Home is an excellent read and one that this reader would recommend without a doubt.”