Just Like That

Dear Jesus this book…. I need a man like Russ to drop into my life like this.. I absolutely fell in love with their relationship and how a sweet southern girl can change even the toughest. This is a must read and I do not know if another character can ever life up to Russ.

I had an absolute blast reading this book. The zany characters and off the wall situations make it hard to put this book down.

It starts with a sexy man and a woman meeting at the airport. A chance meeting turns into the most memorable rejection in his mind. But all’s fair in vacation hook ups, right?

Something like that! The mystery woman can’t get far. Russ intends to see to that.

With only one week, neither expects anything other than “good company” (snicker). But the ensuing week leads to the wildest journey with completely unexpected results! Somethings can’t be unseen!!!

Are you looking to be highly entertained? Look no further than Mayor Jeffers. Or perhaps you are looking for things a bit more wild! Try GLAD To Be Alive. How about vendetta pursuing besties? Yes, this book has it all.

reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood

Heavenly place. A female character who is taking time out in relationships. Male protagonist that besides seductive, hides a secret. An investigative work and the chance to unmask a scheme in the city. Secondary characters with interesting characteristics. And a completely lovely dog. Mix it all together and we’ll have a great book, right? Not so much.

The plot begins with Penny waiting for her luggage in the wake of the airport. As she tries to untie the knots on her headset (I’ll never understand how things with strings go to the box fully rolled up, midway they dance a zumba, and when you need it, it’s a save-the-one that can be so tangled they are) comes across Russ, who offers to unroll it. A physical attraction immediately arises between the two, however as Penny only gets failed relationships she finds herself on a diet of men, an idea she has drawn from an article in a women’s magazine. Although they talk and even flirt, she does not give her phone. She then picks up her luggage, says goodbye and then the story really unfolds. Russ watching as she leaves, realizing that by mistake she has his suitcase, which by the way are identical. He’s in town on the job, goes to her address, thanks to the data inside her suitcase, and gets a date.

The beginning of the book is promising. The attraction at first sight of the two at the airport has funny situations and the first meeting, which ends with a trip to the hospital, if you can call it hospital, because of a seafood allergy, is completely surreal and for this becomes comic. After these facts, they end up spending the night together, and fall in love in two days. Yes, two days. And in that period, the highlight goes to Guppy, Penny’s dog who stars in the best scenes of the book. The interaction of the animal with Russ is fun and gives the protagonist some lightness. But Russ is lying. He is not who he says he is. Being a private investigator, he was hired, by a local businessman, who wants to expand his golf club, to investigate the city’s mayor, and find out something that incriminates him. That’s the real reason he’s in town, which does not look anything like where he lives. He is a big-city man who lives for work and has no long-term relationships. Penny lives in a seaside town, which survives mainly from tourism, and dreams of finding the right man and establishing herself.

From that point on, the plot is lost, in my opinion. Russ accepted the job because his aunt, who lives in the city, was married to the mayor in question and hates him. Then he would have a source of information at his disposal. Except that at no time explains why her hatred for her ex-husband. It turns out the villain is not the mayor at all. When it finally reveals who is antagonistic, motives are never part of the plot. It is as if you need to conclude and have decided on this approach. The introduction of Penny’s mother in the end to close the plot did not convince me. Nor the way they solved the subject, unmasking for a chat on the computer. What was the fetish for fur? Terrible.

And coming back to the couple protagonist, Penny discovers that Russ was lying, they fight, make peace and decide to live today, without worrying about tomorrow. Only they are already completely in love, so the period he will stay in town is very little for the couple. Penny has to decide if this is another case, or whether it’s worth fighting for, and Russ has to weigh what’s most important. Your professional future, or personal happiness. A good plot, which could develop better, had everything to close spectacularly, but got lost in the way. A good book, but that could have been great.