Jinxed!: Blame It on Karma / Together Again? / Tall, Dark & Temporary

by Jacquie D'Alessandro, Jill Shalvis, Crystal Green

Blame It on Karma by Jacquie D'Alessandro
Coffee shop owner Lacey Perkins scoffs when a fortune-teller informs her she's destined to fall for her arrogant, but definitely hot, property manager Evan Sawyer. Lacey figures she'd rather be jinxed--until she's cursed with a case of uncontrollable, insatiable lust....

Together Again? by Jill Shalvis
Accountant Chloe Cooper can't help but laugh at the prediction that her life is about to be transformed by true love. But that was before Chloe walked straight into her former lover, FBI agent Ian McCall, and he showed her just how thrilling things could get....

Tall, Dark & Temporary by Crystal Green
Candy shop owner Erin Holland isn't convinced when she's told that Ryan Wes, an infamous playboy, is The One. Erin is going on a cruise with the gorgeous day trader for one reason only: sex. But her decadent plans keep getting mysteriously, frustratingly, thwarted....

Genres: Romance, Harlequin Blaze, Anthologies, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Harlequin, Chick Lit

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 2007

About the author

Jacquie D'Alessandro grew up on Long Island and fell in love with romance at an early age. She dreamed of being swept away by a dashing rogue riding a spirited stallion. When Joe, her hero finally showed up, he was dressed in jeans and driving a Volkswagen, but she recognized him anyway. They married after they both graduated from Hofstra University, and are now living their happily-ever-after in Atlanta, Georgia, along with their very bright and active son, Christopher, alias "Junior", who is a dashing rogue in the making.

Reviews

[Jane Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely liked the 1st & 2nd stories. Didn't like the 3rd story.

This book has three stories about one fortune teller telling three women who the right man for each of them is and that their lives will be jinxed if they don't go with it. I definitely liked the first two stories. They were fun and different.

5 stars to the first one by Jacquie D'Alessandro about Lacey, the owner of a coffee shop and Erin, the landlord's manager for the property Lacey rents.

4 stars for the second story by Jill Shalvis about Chloe, an accountant, and Ian, an FBI agent. He is undercover on a case, but she recognizes him, although he pretends to be someone else.

2 stars for the third story by Chris Marie/Crystal Green about Erin, who recently broke up with her fiance of 6 years and wants a temporary relationship with Wes. However, Wes wants to change his playboy ways and settle down with her. I did not like that Erin kept refusing to be honest with Wes and give him a chance. There was too much back and forth in her head about not following her feelings and not being honest with herself as well as Wes.

Sexual content was mild, moderate and strong, in that order for these three stories.

OTHER BOOKS:
For a list of my reviews of other Jacquie D’Alessandro books, see my 4 star review of “Sleepless at Midnight” posted 6/19/08.

I’ve read one other book by Jill Shalvis. My 2 star review of “Instant Attraction” copyright 2009 was posted 1/27/09.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reason for my love of this book is simple and goes beyond Jill Shalvis and my crush on her! This was 3 books that were written by three different authors. The catch was they were three different stories surround the Fairfax office building in California and centered around Madame Karma and her fortunes. How fun! I loved all three of them!

[Sweety · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the first story, like the second story, but not enjoy the third story.

Blame It on Karma by Jacquie D'Alessandro - it's can say from enemy to be lovers theme, love the ending too when the hero resign and find the new place for the heroine.

Together Again? by Jill Shalvis - second chance theme, i already imagine a lot of thing with handcuff but unfortunately not this one hehehe

Tall, Dark & Temporary by Crystal Green - a lot of interruption when they want making out and the character of hero and heroine not quite descript.

[Anjula · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was a lot of skimming.

[Jo Reads Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable romantic anthology
4 stars

Madame Karma has a stall at the Valentine's Day Fair at the upscale Fairfax building complex. And she decides to impart some wisdom on those at the fair: if you run away from love, you'll be cursed!


Blame It On Karma - Jacquie D'Alessandro
Coffee shop owner Lacey Perkins is sceptical when a fortune teller tells her that she is going to fall in love with Evan Sawyer, her annoying, but very hot, property manager. She would rather face the wrath of karma - until she finds herself cursed with a rather large dose of lust.


Together Again? - Jill Shalvis
Accountant Chloe Cooper doesn't believe in predictions - especially when she is told that the man of her dreams is about to walk into her life. But then she bumps into Ian McCall - her former, and first, lover. But this Ian is more dangerous, secretive and seductive than the one she remembers. But just as she starts to think the prediction could be true - she is cursed with a blackout, a case of fraud and some handcuffs!


Tall, Dark & Temporary - Crystal Green
Erin Holland isn't convinced when she's told that Wes Ryan, the infamous playboy, is "the one". In fact, she only wants him as a quick fling on their weekend cruise. But she soon finds that if you mess with karma it will mess with you until you are forced to admit the truth.


This is an enjoyable set of stories which are linked by the mysterious Madame Karma and the predictions she makes about the character's love lives. Although set around Valentine's Day - the holiday doesn't dominate any of the storylines to any great depth.

Jacquie D'Alessandro's story is fun, sexy and very enjoyable and I will be looking out for more of her work in the future.

Jill Shalvis manages to incorporate some of her well-known excitement and danger into her enjoyable (but too short) story of lost loves. It was also refreshing to find a story of past lovers who didn't part on bad terms.

Crystal Green's story while being generally okay - didn't seem to fit with the other two stories in that it took place outside the complex and 2 weeks after Valentine's Day. Although a pleasant read - I felt it didn't have the sparkle of the first two stories.

All in all this is a very enjoyable anthology and one that I would recommend if you're a fan of any of these authors or if you're looking for some quick, sexy reads. 4 stars.

[Lorrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So we've got a book here that is actually 3 novelettes with a common theme -- a street party at a business complex that features a fortune teller.

Blame It on Karma by Jacquie D'Alessandro

Rating: 2 stars

This story could have been a cute read if it wasn't for the business itself. Yes, this is a Harlequin Blaze book, so sexual undertones and innuendo reign supreme, but I felt it was a little over the top, especially in relation to the coffee shop theme (which I found was completely lacking in taste). I found Lacey to be pushy and stubborn, and completely with her head in the clouds as far as a business owner is concerned. There's a time to stand your ground, and a time to push back a little, and then there's a time to suck it up and listen to what people are telling you. Oh, and mannequins have come a long way these days, but to do the things as described in the book? Nope, don't buy it.

I had issues with how the fortune teller was portrayed, because they are NEVER that specific. Fortune tellers are evasive/vague for a reason. It would have been a much more compelling story if Lacey and Evan were told a cryptic fortune and they had to figure shit out on their own instead of being told their entire life story point blank in minute detail.

And the first sex scene in the coffee shop? Really? Let's just give the whole complex a peep show why don't you...

Together Again? by Jill Shalvis

Rating: 2 stars

This second novelette isn't much better than the first. First off, Ian is about the worst FBI agent ever. He's a bumbling idiot that should never have been given a desk job let alone a field one. And Chloe isn't much better, only she's running after Ian like a sex-starved puppy dog then blames him for it. Please.

Tall, Dark & Temporary by Crystal Green

Rating: 4 stars

My favorite of the three.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average stories. They were good, fleshed out they each would have made an excellent single title category romance.

[Janeiowa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 fun novellas

[Serena Miles · Rating 3 out of 5]

pues esta antologia consta de tres relatos... cada vez peores, la verdad
JACQUIE D´ALESSANDRO... su relato es entretenido, y el mejor de los tres... aunque tampoco es para tirar cohetes... mi nota un 6
JILL SHALVIS... un relato que empieza bien, pero segun sigue va empeorando... tiene fallos garraferos, y me ha llegado a cansar... mi nota un 3
CRYSTAL GREEN... inaguantable... me ha resultado tedioso y aburrido totalmente.. mi nota un 1

[Jim son of Jim (formerly PhotoJim) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, it's been a bit since I read a Blaze so I picked this out of the stack to break out of a reading funk. Unfortunately this was not the break out book. Three short stories which revolve around a fortune teller and instant and long lasting true love. Meh. I liked the stories and they were cute and sexy. They just weren't great or believable.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing too deep, but it was fun.

[Janvi · Rating 3 out of 5]

1st story- 4stars! nice book.
2nd story- 3.5stars! enjoyable read!
3rd story- 2stars! not quite good. you can pass this story if you want!
so in all 3 stars. :)

[Mem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blaze Feb07 Three good short stories, linked together by fortune teller.