Sun, fun and intrigue on the French Riviera … this summer is set to sizzle!
Keen amateur sleuth Lesley believes in first impressions and instant attraction. No slow burns. No second chances. So when handsome architect Al asks her out after a singles night, she turns him down immediately. There’s just no spark.
But when he offers her a job posing as his girlfriend to sniff out the truth about … girlfriend to sniff out the truth about his elderly uncle’s fiancée, she can’t resist the opportunity to play private detective – especially as it involves joining Al’s glamorous family on a ritzy holiday in Nice.
As she embarks on her mission, Lesley is confident she already knows how everything will play out. After all, it’s no great mystery why a young woman would marry a seventy-two-year-old millionaire with a heart condition.
And though Al may be the nicest boyfriend she’s ever had (even if he is fake), she made her mind up about him the first time they met and there’s no chance he’s going to grow on her … is there?
But people have a way of surprising you, as she’s about to discover …
If you’re a fan of smart, sassy romantic comedies, don’t miss this hilarious and heartwarming page-turner.
Praise for For Love or Money:
‘Smart, heartwarming and downright hilarious’ Joanna Bolouri
‘Witty and warmhearted, with fantastic characters, laugh out loud dialogue and plenty of intrigue’ Sarah Painter
‘I loved the whole thing … a really fun read’ Lilac Mills
‘I adored every word of this book … made me laugh, made my eyes tear up a little, and kept me hooked from start to finish’ Books of All Kinds
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I loved the premise, I loved Lesley’s voice, I loved the whole thing… a really fun read!
Clodagh Murphy is the queen of romantic comedy and her latest is witty and warmhearted, with fantastic characters, laugh out loud dialogue and plenty of intrigue. This was my favourite kind of read—one where you fall in love with the characters to the point that they feel like your friends.
Smart, heartwarming and downright hilarious.
Fun read
Without giving away any spoilers, I will say this book held my interest and I was anxious to see how it ended, but when I got to the ending I found it somehow unsatisfying. I felt that it needed an epilogue or some sort of follow-up to tie everything together.
It took me several days to read this. I kept putting it down. It does have funny moments. But, I did not find myself liking the characters. She’s an SEO person, not an investigator. She keeps dropping the ball on information. The whole money thing could have been handled with a pre-nup but then no story.
Some of my issues were likely the setting a language that is Irish and English … though I was delighted to see the term hugger-mugging as my kids claim I made it up. Other issues were discomfort with this family of many people all in entertainment industry mixing with the moderate family SEO. I did really get surprised with the secret that the makeup artist was hiding.
Clodagh Murphy is a new author for me and I have to say I will be reading more from her in the future.
All the characters had me captivated from the start. Lesley and Al had to be my favourite though. From the moment she met Al, Lesley had him all figured out but did she? Surprising her a few times, all of this and the laugh out loud moments kept me hooked until the very end.
Favorite Quotes:
‘How do I know this isn’t all an elaborate ploy because you have designs on my wotsit?’ ‘I can assure you your wotsit will be perfectly safe. It won’t even know I’m there.’
‘I’m irresistible to women. Can’t you tell?’ Then suddenly his grin vanished and he shot her an intense intimate look that went straight to her groin. ‘Don’t you smoulder at me,’ she said crossly, feeling herself flush. Damn him! ‘Worked, though, didn’t it?’ He grinned happily… ‘Anyway, aren’t you supposed to be gay?’ she huffed, feeling flustered.
Out on the terrace, Scott was engrossed in a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey. Lesley hoped he wasn’t looking there for insights into the female mind… ‘Don’t believe everything you read,’ Lesley said with a sniff. ‘Most women would still prefer a little spontaneity over a twenty-page contract. When it comes to sex, contracts aren’t the things you want to be lengthy.’
I have no desire to be twenty again. I think it suits me being a wise old owl. I’ve grown out of my looks and into my personality.
My Review:
This was my first exposure to the effervescent and refreshing zing of Clodagh Murphy’s clever arrangements of words and I was an instant fangirl of this skilled and entertaining and raconteur. I was immediately captivated by the crisp and clever levity and flippant and acerbic wit that was liberally sprinkled on each page. It was delightfully effortless reading that kept me smirking and giggle-snorting throughout perusal. Dialogs were often peppered with smartly honed rapid-fire banter and sassy quips, while the canny storylines and magnetic characters were decidedly outside the box. And I couldn’t get enough.
Every character magically came alive on the page and they were diverse and immensely varied in nature, yet the vast majority were appealingly nonconformists and mischievous in some way. I was beguiled and besotted with this oddly endearing collection of audacious and irresistible individuals and their peculiar family dynamics. More, please!
For Love or Money
Clodagh Murphy
5 Hilarious Stars
For Love or Money is the latest novel by Clodagh Murphy’s and I’ve been so looking forward to reading it. Lesley is single and decides to give a single’s dinner ago. With not much hope in meeting the “One” she goes anyway for a laugh. Thinking it would be fine to create a whole new persona for herself, fancying herself as a bit of a modern day Agatha Christie she tells everyone she’s a private investigator.
Clodagh Murphy, a Dublin born author, has done it again with For Love or Money, this is a roll-coaster ride of emotions. Her laugh-out-load moments within this book had me on the edge of my seat wanting more. Lesley and her bluntness and humour is what immediately had me hooked on this book from the first chapter.
For Love or Money is a perfect read for that precious down time to relax and lose yourself for a few hours. A very likable heroine and characters will have you in fits of laughter one minute and in tears the next. This book has it all and I highly recommend it.