“Rescue Me” by Rachel Gibson (Avon, 373 pgs., $7.99)

Rachel Gibson usually gifts readers with fun, often-quirky stories with fun, often-quirky characters who engage in fun, often-quirky romances.

Well, there is some fun in this book. There is some quirk. But the romance — as defined by non-steamy interaction — is lacking.

Unfortunately, that makes the story come across as more sordid that sweet. And while the heroine barely manages to escape being labeled slutty, the hero is most definitely a sleazeball.

Vince was featured as the brooding brother in Gibson’s “Any Man of Mine,” part of her hockey-player Chinook series. In fact, the best part of this book is when Vince makes a trip back to Seattle and readers get a glimpse of Sam and Autumn from that book.

Vince just never evolves into a likeable guy. He bluntly informs Sadie that all he is looking for is sex. No dating, no commitment — in fact, when people ask if he and Sadie are dating, he mumbles, “Not really dating.” That’s because all they do is …

And by the way, those scenes aren’t even touching or sweet. More raunchy.

Sadie, despite her questionable agreement to spend time with Vince on his terms, was a likeable heroine. Her sassy Texan attitude, her strength in dealing with adversity and her independence, all made her admirable and fun to read about.

There were also a couple of other fun characters, and “side” stories. But they weren’t enough to counter the nature of Vince and Sadie’s relationship.