Okay, so it starts kind of like Hart to Hart.
He’s March November, a self-made millionaire and former legendary hitman, who now runs Struthio Security, a wholly legitimate business catering to high-end clients in serious trouble—think being in the cross-hairs of a Nigerian warlord.He works with Island Chaptal, his girlfriend and partner. She used to be a computer engineer, but a lot of stuff … to be a computer engineer, but a lot of stuff happened, so now she’s his CTO and hacks poorly-protected devices and fiber optic cables for him, which kind of sounds like she slept her way to the top, but no, actually.
Together, Island Chaptal and Mr. November fight crime. Mostly. This time though, they’re rescuing Joy—Island’s BFF—who ended up in a Cancún jail after nearly killing her boyfriend’s side chica with a three-feet tall birthday cake. Ancient aliens somehow get involved in this mess, and also a guy name Angel Somoza, who hates sloths. There’s gunfights, frenetic capering from Cancún to Cairo, passionate sex, Roomba cats, and a lot of questionable science thrown in.
It’s the final chapter of the Spotless series, and just another Monday for March and Island.
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This grand finale sums up everything I love about the Spotless series <3
While I am sad that the series is coming to an end, it's a truly grand finale, and my favorite characters are getting one hell of a send-off. I don't want to go into details, because *spoilers*, but this book is giving me all the feels: The good, the bad, and the ugly. <3
Thank you, Camilla Monk, for giving us March, Island, Angel (who'da thunk?), Joy (!), Phyllis, Stiles, Dries, and all the other crazy, scary, villainous, traitorous, or even just plain funny people who take up way more space in my head than any fictional character probably should.
At times funny and horrifying dark comedy
Not suitable for kids!
What if Pulp Fiction meets It’s a Mad, Mad World and had James Bond’s gadgits and suaveness while looking for aliens with a Geroldo-type character? Lots of violence, some creepyness and spying, a few laughs, even a little romance. This tongue-in-cheek story doesn’t take itself too seriously as it travels around the world to various exotic and mundane locations peopled by interesting characters all on very little sleep.The dialogue is by turnes witty and Britishly restrained. I appreciate the minimum of foul language as if to say, “Ya, were hitmen and mercenaries, but we’re above that.”
I am not usually a mafia-type reader yet the odd situations, scattering of romance and comedic bits break-up the scenes of , mayhem, murder and destruction. Reading book five makes me want to find out if the other episodes are as interesting.
I received a pre-release copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review by Shoshanahlila.
Talk about an adrenaline packed finale! This anticipated book packs so much in and ties it all off with big flourish of a bow. Pertinent details from the preceding books all find their way into this book. So many characters seamlessly get a mention. The fast pace left me breathless at times. And then there are moments of such aching sweetness to remind the reader that it is a love story. The love of a parent, a lover, old loves, new loves. I don’t think Island has any complaints with her happy ending. Neither do I.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What a wonderful ride this series has been! I can’t believe it is OVER (crying). I am thankful for Camilla giving us this extra book about March & Island. My only wish is to have some scenes from March’s POV (I am not above begging…)
While working a job with March, Island is alerted to the fact her BFF Joy has flown to Mexico to confront her cheating boyfriend. It results in Joy landing in jail and to help her they ask Antonio to bail her out. Things however don’t work out like they would have wanted and soon they are all involved in a new adventure featuring a murderous sloth, the Concorde and lots of shooting and bombings. YES! I won’t divulge anymore. Just read it and LOVE.
Fortunately there is also time for a bit of romance and I also felt my heartstrings with Island’s dreams. You must read it for yourself. I can’t wait for this one to drop and have reserved my digital copy. (2020)
This much anticipated finale to the Spotless series is a delight.
One of the many things I love about Monk’s writing is that her characters develop and change, in satisfying ways. She is not afraid to write a HAE, and then have the characters continue to have adventures and grow together, but not in a soppy or necessarily traditional way.
Another aspect of her writing is her attention to the side characters, so that when – as in this book – they get to step forward, the earlier developments get to shine.
I found this book very satisfying – the various plot lines were tied up, we got to see how Island and March were, and there some great comic and witty flourishes.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was such a wonderful, and slightly bittersweet, ending to a fabulous series. Camilla Monk’s sharp and quirky sense of humor absolutely shines as she wraps up March & Islands adventures.
An awesome mix of adventure, action, mystery, and one steamy romance scene. Assassin sloths, rogue Lions, Alien-hunters, helicopters, RPGs, and a Cancun jail – only Monk could bring together such a crazy cast and make it completely work.
There’s definitely an HEA, though we never learn whether Island will be Mrs. March or Mrs. November.
I’m a little sad it’s over, but I think it was a perfect ending.
Amy McFadden’s narration was fantastic. As always. Several similar characters had prominent roles throughout the whole book, but she kept them unique in voice and personality.
A great conclusion for this great adventure.
In this book we get to see all those characters we know and love.
I love Island and March as a “stablished”; couple and had fun with Joy and Angel. CM has a great writing style and it gets better in every book.
This book keeps all the quirkiness and thrilling action we loved in the previous books combined with the awesomeness of Island and March’s partnership at work and in life. The whole series is unique, I have nothing but love for it and I don’t think I’ll stop recommending it.
I will definitely miss how refreshing it was for me in the genre.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
At times funny and horrifying. Not suitable for kids!
What if Pulp Fiction meets It’s a Mad, Mad World, and had James Bond’s gadgets and suaveness while looking for aliens with a Geroldo-type character? Lots of violence, some creepiness, and spying, a few laughs, even a little romance. This tongue-in-cheek story doesn’t take itself too seriously as it travels around the world to various exotic and mundane locations peopled by interesting characters all on very little sleep. The dialogue is by turns witty and Britishly restrained. I appreciate the minimum of foul language as if to say, “Ya, were hitmen and mercenaries, but we’re above that.”
I am not usually a mafia-type reader yet the odd situations, scattering of romance and comedic bits break-up the scenes of, mayhem, murder, and destruction. Reading book five makes me want to find out if the other episodes are as interesting.
Purchased the previous books in this series to catch up. Worth it.
I received a pre-release copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Crazies can be really devoted. A cult of assassins is anointed with markings that link them to Mars. Pretty sure the intention is to relay a link to an ancient god of war- not a an alien planet, but fanatical members of the assassin cult and fanatical believers in aliens are determined to go to any length, no matter how lethal, to prove their point
Island and her bestie Joy get caught up in the fallout from the search
Wildly dangerous and lethal- and more than a little sexy fun
This one is so wild that I am not sure how to start. One of the main characters is March November, a millionaire and former hitman who has a legitimate business now serving high-end clients who get themselves in big trouble. His girlfriend and partner is Island Chaptal, a computer engineer turned hacker. Both of them fight crime usually, but this case is personal when Island’s best friend Joy flies off to Mexico and tries to kill her cheating boyfriend’s side-piece and ends up getting arrested and tossed in jail.
When things don’t go right, well I guess the best thing is to tell you to pick up the book at this point. You wouldn’t believe it if I tried to tell you. But the author will keep you reading, mouth open or chuckling all the way, as the adventures are described in a way to make you believe. Quirky doesn’t begin to describe the characters, but you’ll really love them! And I have a feeling, if this is the first book in this series you have read, you’re going to go back and buy the rest of the books when you have finished!
The fifth and final book in the Spotless Series a well written story that kept me turning pages. I enjoyed seeing the characters in this last book especially March November and Island Chaptal, as they set off to start their next chapter in their love. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
By far, ones of the best series I’ve ever read…
There is absolutely no way I can do Island Chaptal and the Ancient Aliens’ Treasure justice. So many times I’ve tried to tell people how good the Spotless series is, and so many times I get that indulgent smirk telling me they think I’m nuts.
For example, (this example is a wee bit spoilerish, please proceed with caution)
Me: Hubby, I’m reading this awesome story.
Hubby: Mmmm…
Me: It’s about this girl, and this guy is in her apartment, and unbeknownst to her, he’s there to kill her. Then, she gets sick and throws up. Instead of killing her he looks after her and cleans her apartment. Turns out he’s OCD and loves everything CLEAN. Isn’t that funny?
Hubby: I guess you had to be there…
Me: What…that’s hilarious. How can you not see how hilarious that is? Maybe, I should read it out loud to you?
Hubby: Ahhh…maybe not. I love you, but no, I don’t want you to read to me.
See, I think it’s in my execution?
Hubby is only one of the times I have tried to share but the responses seem to be really similar.
Before I started reading Island Chaptal and the Ancient Aliens’ Treasure, I thought, there is no way Camilla Monk could do it again. But, she did. This story has EVERYTHING I love in my reads. I love the very original, slightly quirky heroine, Island (yes, that’s her name) with her big brain that she’s not afraid to use. The hero, March (again, yes, that’s his name) is a cross between Mr Darcy (Colin Firth…of course), with his stoic façade, and James Bond (don’t judge but Pierce Brosnan was and will always be my favourite Bond) with his good looks and abilities. But, the pièce de résistance, March has vulnerabilities. Oh, my heart does flutter when a man shows a little weakness. The storylines are captivating, the action makes my heart beat faster, and it is EXTREMELY FUNNY!
Each instalment has been the best thing I’ve ever read. But, I admit, the earlier ones did leave me a little frustrated because low and behold…they were clean… THE HORROR!! Well, things have certainly changed in that respect. Oh, my lordy, I even had a shake and shimmy, shiver up my spine in this one. IT WAS HOT!! I loved the progression from the first instalment to the last, seeing how far Island and March have come.
I really do feel like I would be doing this story an injustice if I was to try and tell you what it’s about and why it was so awesome. Camilla Monk’s chapter intros are the funniest things I’ve ever read, and I’m going to miss getting updates on Kerry-Lee Storm, Cost of Rica #5: Blaze of the Phoenix. It might come across as a little weird if I was to tell you that… I came to really like an arms dealer, find that I’m now scared of sloths, and for about 1.5 seconds considered that aliens might actually be real. I will warn you though, that there is a lot of violence, some kidnappings, psycho baddies and a very weird man who will organise a killing one minute then share cat gifs the next.
See, it’s all weird in a hilarious, original and very entertaining way. I NEED YOU TO BELIEVE ME!! Please, someone, just give the Spotless series a go and come back and tell me I’m not insane for loving it as much as I do.
Camilla Monk or should I call you… Manila Clonk… you are an amazing author. While I don’t know what your first attempt of this story was like, this one was PERFECT! Thank you for sharing your wonderful stories with us and I can’t wait for more in the future. I will miss Island and March, but I’m kind of hoping that one day my dream will come true, and this will be made into a movie.
Seriously, my review probably hasn’t done this story justice, but if you are even a wee bit tempted…DO IT!!
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
I love the way this author writes. I had high expectations for this book and she met them. It definitely can be read as a stand alone book but if you read the other books, it was great to see how everyone ends up! I’m sad this story is over.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
From Cancun to Cairo, the latest installment of the Spotless series, Island Chaptal and the Ancient Alien’s Treasure, takes you on a non-stop, action-adventure roller coaster ride. Island and her OCD former-assassin boyfriend March are called away from a very close encounter with a gerbil in the Middle East to negotiate the release of Island’s closest friend from a Mexican prison cell. Things get complicated when Angel Samoza, reluctant arms dealer and leader of the local drug cartel, steps in to rescue Joy and things get a little out of hand.
This book has everything. It’s the History Channel’s idea of an action movie, complete with ancient alien visitors and secret societies, but with the bonus of a killer sloth and the HEA expected from a romantic comedy. The author pokes fun at all of the usual romantic tropes and leaves you laughing out loud, even as guns are blazing and helicopters are falling from the sky. The pacing is excellent, with never a dull moment. There’s plenty of action between Island and March and a bit of heat rising on the horizon for Joy too, so laughter is not all this book has to offer but be sure not to miss the epigraphs (the quotes at the beginning of each chapter) which are a comedy unto themselves.
Although this is a stand-alone novel offering a very satisfying conclusion, you will really miss the complete experience if you haven’t read the previous books in the series, which I highly recommend. Treat yourself to a walk on the wild side and read Island Chaptal and the Ancient Alien’s Treasure.
It’s been a great ride with Island and March and the final adventure does not disappoint. I reread the whole series before starting an ARC and the transition was seamless going into their .new escapade. Really enjoyed the dynamic with Joy being part of the fun along with Angel Somoza, who was a delightful plot twist.
It’s bittersweet saying good bye, but I’ll back again for many more rereads. If you’re new to the series you can read this as a standalone but will probably enjoy it a bit more when it’s read in order with the rest of the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
So happy to escape into Island and March’s action-packed life! Though it is bittersweet that this is the last book in the series, the series overall is one that can be read over and over for years – it is just that good! The writing is intelligent and funny, and the characters embed themselves in your heart from book one. In this last adventure, Island and March encounter various obstacles in their worldwide mission to save Island’s BFF, Joy. As always, humor and heart are woven throughout the over the top action and fun technology this couple constantly encounters. Joy and Angel’s plot thread was a fun addition to the goings-on as well. As ever, Island and March’s sweet romance just makes my heart squeeee! – so happy for them to get their HEA! Though this put a cap on the Spotless series, I will gladly follow wherever this talented author decides to go next.
March and Island are back! This book is everything I look for in a read. Excitement, romance, adventure and so much humor. I swear Camilla Monk has the best sense of humor and it shines through her writing. March and Island are tasked with helping Joy. She was confronting and ex and that ended up setting her up for something. So of course Island is gonna help her best friend and by extension March will be there. I loved seeing March and Island interact. We got more intimate moments and the love they share is so clear and beautiful. On top of that we get Joy, and that girl is crazy and I love her. Add Angel, Logan, The Miami Vice theme, chest hair and the crazy and interesting plot and you have the perfect read! I did get a little emotional because I loved Dries so there were some bittersweet parts. I loved the glimpses of other favorite characters and can’t wait to see what’s in store for them. Pick this up, but read books 1-4 first, you will not regret it! Definitely top of my favorite reads and favorite series list. I was given the opportunity to read a copy of this book.
The spotless series is my go-to recommendation for anyone looking for something well written, imaginative, and thoroughly entertaining. James Bond meets Monk with a little twist of Jake 2.0 or Chuck thrown in. My favorite aspect of Camilla Monk’s writing is hands down her characters. Her use of locations, accents, and languages is spot on as well.
With her latest Spotless installment, Island Chaptal & The Ancient Aliens’ Treasure, Camilla shows us what Island and March’s “Happily Ever After” will look like. With that being said, I highly recommend reading the previous books in this series so you can appreciate the callbacks to conversations, character development, and history that Camilla has established in the prior books. Though Island and March’s story is the main payoff, this book elevates two secondary characters from the series with Joy and Angel playing very entertaining roles. *potential spoiler* Returning character cameos tie off the series, but it is left open for future hijinks to ensue if Camilla decides to peak in on Struthio Security in the future.
This series will remain a go-to on my recommend and reread list for a while.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.