I know. It sounds like I’m reviewing the “it” books of the season, right?
Nope.
It struck me as funny that every several books in a row all began with “The” – kind of like Game of Thrones, where everything is “The Something of Something Else”.
(It’s true! Think about it!)
In any case, here are the latest books that have crossed my nightstand…
1. The Job by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg is actually the third novel in the “Fox and O’Hare” series. Nick Fox is the dashing thief and con man, and Kate O’Hare is the harried FBI agent in charge of keeping him in line. These quick novels may be formulaic (pull off a con in flashy, amazing fashion!), but they are full of fun and wit. I always make a point to listen to these novels, since the unexcelled Scott Brick narrates each of them. If you like Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, you’ll enjoy these too!
2. The Book of You by Claire Kendal was actually pretty…disappointing. Supposedly a tale of psychological suspense, it features Clarissa, who is unfairly stalked by secretive Rafe. He turns up everywhere she is, so when she gets assigned as juror in a high profile case, she assumes she’ll be protected for a while. After what sounded like such a promising plot, this novel just fell flat for me. Clarissa is a doormat, Rafe is underdeveloped, there is a ton of superfluous language and plot, and everything just felt forced and, well, boring. After reading the absolutely fantastic You by Caroline Kepnes, this was a major disappointment.
3. The Dress Shop of Dreams by Menna Van Praag surprised me in how much I enjoyed it. I had read Van Praag’s previous work, The House at the End of Hope Street, and found it…okay, but not fantastic. This novel, however, felt so much more polished, relatable, and romantic. Cora is a very straight-laced scientist, living with her eccentric grandmother and dress shop owner, Etta. Etta fears that Cora will never find true love, despite the presence of a shy bookseller just steps away, and takes steps to try and bring them together. This novel combines a lot of plotlines around her charming characters, and you read all of them with interest. Laced with a touch of magic, mystery, and set in one of my favorite cities in the world (Cambridge, England), this definitely was a recipe that appealed to me!
I also just finished The Masseuse (another “The” book!) by Sierra Kincade. A well-written erotica novel with all the right elements – alpha male, a female who is actually is NOT a doormat, some threat to their relationship, and steamy (and plentiful!) sex. It’s a trilogy, though, so expect a cliffhanger until the next one…
All of these books can be purchased on Amazon.
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