Stripping to pay her way through college is just another sacrifice Lola Bordenaux is willing to make if it means she will be able to create a life for herself after years of abuse in the foster care system. The last person she expects to find staring as she shakes her God given gifts is Peter Koss, the same professor who was willing to kick her out of the microbiology program because of her lack of focus.  A fluke accident sends Lola to the ER and right into Koss’ arms where she’s able to experience for the first time in her life unconditional love.

A child prodigy whose social skills were the only thing he hadn’t mastered by the age of 14, Dr. Koss’ experience with women was basically nil. Yet he knew without a doubt that he wanted and loved Lola, despite knowing she took her clothing off for men for a living. Unused to love and scared out of her wits, Lola does the one thing she knows how to do, she runs. How else can she prevent the stain on her soul from infecting the man she loves?

Sometimes trying to live with decisions you’ve made is the hardest thing and Lola finds that out first hand when after five years she decides she wants Koss back and finds out that this time around nothing will be easy and the pain of her desertion might have crushed her one true chance at love.

I sat down with Try a Little Tenderness prepared to find it filled to the brim with over the top, soap opera drama from one chapter to the next. So imagine by pleasure when Roslyn Hardy Holcomb’s novel turned out to be a really fascinating love story, a story that evolved into an international adventure in a country savaged by war and threatened with extinction by an outbreak of an unknown and deadly disease.

From first glance I knew I would love Peter Koss and by the end of the first chapter I absolutely adored him, if only all love could be so innocent and so matter a fact. His in your face just do it attitude would probably solve 50% of the relationship troubles people experience. Lola was a woman who took her hard beginnings and used them as her inspiration to do better. A strong woman who was smart enough to do whatever it took to ensure she wouldn’t remain a victim forever. I will admit I wanted to choke her a time or two but her personality made for exciting reading and she finally got it together even if it took 5 years.