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Kayla Tocco
is now following Nadine's reviews
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" Yea and I feel as though the romance between her dad and her aunt was just kind of randomly thrown in there. I think this has the potential to be a cu...moreYea and I feel as though the romance between her dad and her aunt was just kind of randomly thrown in there. I think this has the potential to be a cute series with Maddie and Fabian teaming up as partners to catch thirds etc, but right now as it stands with me being a single story when I got to the end I was left with a "that's it?" feeling.i do hope it turns into a series of sorts because I feel is enjoy it. I checked the authors website for any hint of a sequel and couldn't find anything so I guess in time we'll find out.(less)"
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Publisher: Carina Press Publication Date: March 12, 2012 ISBN: 9781426893377 Genre: Contemporary Romance
Blurb: Self-professed nerd Maddie Maloney is an expert on jewels. Jewel thieves are another matter entirely! So when a mysterious Englishman warns her...morePublisher: Carina Press Publication Date: March 12, 2012 ISBN: 9781426893377 Genre: Contemporary Romance
Blurb: Self-professed nerd Maddie Maloney is an expert on jewels. Jewel thieves are another matter entirely! So when a mysterious Englishman warns her that a thief known as The Chameleon is after the rare pink diamond on display in her aunt's shop, she tells herself it's just a joke. Even if she can't get Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome out of her mind... But Fabian Montgomery doesn't give up easily. He's everywhere she goes, convinced the thief will strike. And when the diamond does go missing-and Maddie is suspected of stealing it-he whisks her away from the police and together they pursue The Chameleon. Fabian plunges her into a glamorous world far from her humble workshop and transforms geeky Maddie into a sophisticated siren capable of espionage. Her mission: to seduce The Chameleon and steal back the diamond. But Fabian isn't telling her everything-like who he works for, and why he's so interested in The Chameleon...
My Take:
Gentlemen Prefer Nerds, a cute catchy title that is obviously a play on the Marilyn Monroe film, Gentle Prefer Blondes, and this story has diamonds to boot, though if you ask me, the Rose diamond is far greater than anything I could want from Harry Winston or ever Cartier. Grin.
The story was cute and fun and the pacing was awesome. Maddie, a self-proclaimed nerd, is a well-respected Gemologist who discovered a large and extremely rare pink diamond. Soon after obtaining it and getting it ready for display at her aunt’s jewelry store, a mysterious man warns her that the diamond is in danger of being stolen from right under Maddie’s nose. Convinced the man is doing nothing other than trying to startle her, she dismisses him. That is until the diamond does indeed get stolen from right under her nose and discovers she is the main suspect. She’s thrust into a whirlwind escape and an adventure with the mysterious man as the two of them try to recover the stolen diamond and clear her name.
Even though Maddie considers herself a nerd, and while she is definitely book smart in this story, I personally at least, wouldn’t classify her as a nerd per say. She’s definitely a rule follower and definitely smart, but not a nerd, except when it comes to gems and her style of dress. I particularly enjoyed watching Maddie come out of her shell and grow as a person in this story, she was sort of a late bloomer in life, who even after blooming, doesn’t mind reverting back to her old self, but keeps hints of her new self regardless and knows what she is now capable of
Also, the sexual tension between Maddie and Fabian (the mysterious man) was a little on the flat side for me, especially given that at the beginning of the story it seems Fabian is still hung up on somebody else. Even toward the end when he realizes he’s in love with Maddie, I still felt like he wasn’t completely over this other woman and that he simply thrust his feelings for said woman aside. It could just be me who feels this way and, after all, a review is simply an opinion, but that is how it came across for me.
The main thing I disliked about this entire story was the ending. Sure they get their HEA/HFN, but I didn’t feel as though it was really going to happen for them. I like to have a sense of closure when I’m finished and to me, it felt as though the story was cut off before I got that closure, so unless the author has plans for a sequel or something of the sort which gives good reason for the cut off, I was rather disappointed with the ending, especially considering how much I enjoyed the rest of the story.
For me, this story was good, and I believe it could have been great had I really believed the romance between Maddie and Fabian, but even though it didn’t cross over into my great reads column I still enjoyed it. Quirky characters, I particularly liked Maddie’s father, a fun, light tone that is very different from much of the darker toned books out there of late. Thanks to this book I’ve discovered a new author, who’s writing I very much enjoyed and I look forward to reading some of her backlist, maybe one of those will be shelved in my Great Reads column.
My Rating:
3.5/5 “Pink” Lattes
All My Best,
Kayla(less)
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Publisher: Evernight Publishing Publication Date: February 7, 2012 Available on Amazon, Bookstrand, All Romance E-books, and Evernight Publishing Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Tory Michaels has created an amazing world and put some interesting twists...morePublisher: Evernight Publishing Publication Date: February 7, 2012 Available on Amazon, Bookstrand, All Romance E-books, and Evernight Publishing Genre: Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Tory Michaels has created an amazing world and put some interesting twists on vampires as we know them, as well as other non-human species. I very much enjoyed having the opportunity to read this story and am personally looking forward to the release of book 2 in March.
Here's the blurb:
For eighty years since the Great Awakening, humans and non-humans have lived in relative peace together. The peace is threatened when three bodies turn up less than a mile from the Bureau of Non-Human Affairs in Tampa, all bearing the signature of vampires who once terrorized Europe.
The Bureau’s chief liaison to the vampires, Dara MacKechnie, learns that the Tampa victims are not alone when her ex-lover, and head of the vampire’s Great Council, Anthony Caldwell comes calling.
The pair discovers the lie that separated them two centuries ago only banked their passion, not extinguished it. Dara must decide whether she can trust Anthony with her heart a second time as they try to head off the war that threatens all they hold dear.
I have to say that I loved the characters and the dark tone of the whole novel. Anthony and Dara together make for a wonderful couple. Anthony is sinfully delicious and alpha. Dara is strong and loyal to her family.
The author rights in a way that grabs your attention so that you can't put the story down, I finished the entire book in one day (and got absolutely nothing done mind you) I just didn't want to stop reading and I am honestly sad that the story is over simply because I wish to read more about these two characters that I enjoyed so much.
The non-humans live openly in the world and have partnered with the government in order to keep things peaceful between all races, but their is a specific, copycat group, determined to undermine everything that Dara and Michael had worked towards to maintain a peace between all species. On the verge of an all out war, and forced to face a past that devastated her, Dara and Anthony team together to put an stop to the group and end up reigniting the flame of desire between the two of them that never truly disappeared when Dara walked out on Anthony two centuries ago.
The ending, albeit a happy one that helped end the story on a lighter note than the tone of the whole novel, felt a tad rushed to me, but overall I am happy with how Anthony and Dara were able to resolve their issues and end up with their HEA. They truly are a couple that was meant to be together.
This is a must read and I am very much looking forward to more of Tory Michael's works particularly in the Dream Walker War Series.
My Rating: 4/5 Lattes
All My Best,
Kayla(less)
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Kayla Tocco
is now following Jenna Jaxon's reviews
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