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Ciel Halligan #3
The Big Fix
Linda Grimes's sexy and hilarious urban fantasy series that began with In a Fix and Quick Fix continues in The Big Fix.
Aura adaptor extraordinaire Ciel Halligan, who uses her chameleon-like abilities to fix her clients' problems—as them—is filling in on set for action superstar Jackson Gunn, whose snake phobia is standing in the way of his completing his latest mega-millions Hollywood blockbuster. There's only one thing Jack fears more than snakes, and that's the possibility of his fans finding out he screams at the sight of one. Going from hero to laughing stock isn't part of his career plan.
Seems like a simple enough job to Ciel, who doesn't particularly like snakes, but figures she can tolerate an afternoon with them, for the right price—which Jack is offering, and then some. What she doesn't count on is finding out that while she was busy wrangling snakes for him, his wife was busy getting killed. When Ciel goes to break the sad news to the star, she finds out Jack was AWOL from her client hideaway at the time of the murder.
Ciel begins to suspect Jack's phobia was phony, and that he only hired her to provide him with an alibi—but if she goes to the police, she'll have to explain how she knows he wasn't really on set. Up against a wall, Ciel calls on her best-friend-turned-love-interest Billy, and her not-so-ex-crush Mark, to help her set up the sting of a lifetime.
Aura adaptor extraordinaire Ciel Halligan, who uses her chameleon-like abilities to fix her clients' problems—as them—is filling in on set for action superstar Jackson Gunn, whose snake phobia is standing in the way of his completing his latest mega-millions Hollywood blockbuster. There's only one thing Jack fears more than snakes, and that's the possibility of his fans finding out he screams at the sight of one. Going from hero to laughing stock isn't part of his career plan.
Seems like a simple enough job to Ciel, who doesn't particularly like snakes, but figures she can tolerate an afternoon with them, for the right price—which Jack is offering, and then some. What she doesn't count on is finding out that while she was busy wrangling snakes for him, his wife was busy getting killed. When Ciel goes to break the sad news to the star, she finds out Jack was AWOL from her client hideaway at the time of the murder.
Ciel begins to suspect Jack's phobia was phony, and that he only hired her to provide him with an alibi—but if she goes to the police, she'll have to explain how she knows he wasn't really on set. Up against a wall, Ciel calls on her best-friend-turned-love-interest Billy, and her not-so-ex-crush Mark, to help her set up the sting of a lifetime.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 12, 2015
About the author
Linda Grimes
6 books161 followersLinda grew up in Texas, where she rode horses, embarrassed herself onstage a lot, and taught teenagers they’d have to learn the rules of English before they could get away with breaking them for creativity’s sake. She currently resides in Virginia with her husband, whom she snagged after he saw her in a musical number at the now defunct Melodrama Theater in San Antonio. (There’s nothing like a rousing chorus of “If You Wanna Catch a Fish You Gotta Wiggle Your Bait” to hook a man for a lifetime.)
Like IN A FIX's globetrotting main character, aura adaptor Ciel Halligan, Linda has spent her fair share of time overseas, though fortunately under less stressful circumstances. Kidnapping and daring rescues are all well and good in fiction, but she prefers sanity in her real life.
Like IN A FIX's globetrotting main character, aura adaptor Ciel Halligan, Linda has spent her fair share of time overseas, though fortunately under less stressful circumstances. Kidnapping and daring rescues are all well and good in fiction, but she prefers sanity in her real life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
May 12, 2015
You never realize how much you miss certain characters until you finally get to meet up with them again.
Filled with witty one liners, humorous situations, action packed mystery and a storyline that is truly unique, it is no wonder that time and again, this series has made my best reads list each year it has come out.
Grimes has truly created something fun, engaging, intense and truly imaginative. With characters that are every bit as quirky as they are loyal.
Ciel and her friends are truly what make this series so much fun to read.
I loved every bit of this original take on urban fantasy, the mystery full of twists, and the romance that is every bit as steamy as it is swoon worthy.
.Add in the whole clan under Auntie's Mo and Ro reign and this truly is a delightful read that is every bit as family oriented as it is plot driven.
This once again kept me turning the pages, laughing out loud and constantly with a smile on my face, Grimes is a genius and her work should be commended. I adored this latest installment and it left me craving more.
Filled with witty one liners, humorous situations, action packed mystery and a storyline that is truly unique, it is no wonder that time and again, this series has made my best reads list each year it has come out.
Grimes has truly created something fun, engaging, intense and truly imaginative. With characters that are every bit as quirky as they are loyal.
Ciel and her friends are truly what make this series so much fun to read.
I loved every bit of this original take on urban fantasy, the mystery full of twists, and the romance that is every bit as steamy as it is swoon worthy.
.Add in the whole clan under Auntie's Mo and Ro reign and this truly is a delightful read that is every bit as family oriented as it is plot driven.
This once again kept me turning the pages, laughing out loud and constantly with a smile on my face, Grimes is a genius and her work should be commended. I adored this latest installment and it left me craving more.
May 19, 2015
Four and a half stars: A not to be missed, hilarious UF series.
Ciel is rethinking her latest adaptor job as she stands holding a slithering snake, wondering if she should adapt her arm to grow a few inches. Ciel's latest gig finds her posing as one of Hollywood's hottest action stars. She is shooting a snake scene for actor Jackson Gunn because Jackson has a horrible fear of snakes. Ciel, as Jack, breathes a sigh of relief when the scene is finished. As she sips her black coffee in Jack's chair, the director informs her(or Jack rather) that Jack's wife was found murdered, shot in the back. At that moment, Ciel wonders if she has been used for an alibi. With Billy's help, Ciel intends to get to the bottom of the murder. The only problem is that with every turn, there are more unsettling questions. Not to mention the fact, that she is now being roped into helping plan her brother's wedding. Can Ciel catch a killer and pull off a wedding?
What I Liked:
*It seems that it has been far too long since I spent some time with Ciel and the gang. I had forgotten how fun and exciting this series is. It was nice to settle in with some old friends and laugh. If you are looking for a hilarious and rather unique UF series, I highly recommend you give the In a Fix Series a try. It is fast becoming one of my all time favorites.
*What I love about this story is the adaptors. What is an adaptor? An adaptor is someone born with the ability to alter their aura and become someone else. Once an adaptor comes in contact with someone, they can glean a portion of their aura and project it to the outside world, meaning they can become anyone they want, so to speak. Ciel is adaptor, born into a crazy adaptor family. I think what makes this series funny is that when it comes to Ciel and her adaptor family, and her boyfriend, you never know from one minute to the next if you are dealing with the real person or someone pretending to be that person. That lends for some rather funny and sometimes sticky situations. This one has one of those type of situations, and it is a big one. I love the crazy antics of the adaptors, and I thoroughly enjoy the hilarity and the uniqueness of this series.
*Speaking of hilarity, this is a book brimming with humor and snark. I caught myself snickering and smiling at all of the funny one liners. If you love a good, funny read, look no further, try this series.
*The romance continues to be the highlight of the series for me. If you haven't read the series, I won't spoil it, but I will say that is funny and full of wicked banter. This is a romance born of a life long friendship filled with antagonism and wit until it turns into something more. I will warn you there is a bit of a love triangle as Ciel has a long life crush on someone else, but with this book, I think it is cemented in firmly as to whom Ciel is going to be with. I assure you this romance is all kinds of fun. You don't want to miss it.
*This book was centered around the mystery of trying to catch the killer, but there were also several side plots as well that I found just as intriguing. I personally loved the big wedding and the planning. I absolutely loved the big sting scene as well. Ciel gathers up all of her adaptor friends and family and pulls of a fake movie with some of Hollywood's biggest names, except they are really adaptors. You just need to read it.
*I love that this is a series that refrains from cliffhangers. Instead you get a nice, neat story that wraps up at the end. The main mystery concludes, and we are left waiting for the next book. I just hope it isn't another two years.
And The Not So Much:
*Even though the main mystery that follows the Hollywood star and his murdered wife was interesting, I had a couple of niggles with it. There are several suspects and lots of motives for murder, and I am not sure that I was completely satisfied with the explanations at the end. I still wasn't clear on the role of the assistant or the parents. Furthermore, I found that I was actually more invested in some of the other story lines such as the wedding and the romance, over the murder mystery.
*This book has a rather large cast of characters, and I found myself struggling a bit to recall everyone and their roles in the previous books, probably because it has been almost two years since I read the last book. Perhaps a bit more refresher or even a character index would be helpful.
*It has been close to two years since the release of the last book, I have my fingers crossed that I won't have to wait as long for the fourth book. I need my fix!
The Big Fix was another strong, funny and exciting installment in what is becoming one of my all time favorite UF series. I love the uniqueness of the adaptors and the crazy antics that they find themselves in. If you want a hilarious series with a terrific romance, I highly recommend you check out this series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
Ciel is rethinking her latest adaptor job as she stands holding a slithering snake, wondering if she should adapt her arm to grow a few inches. Ciel's latest gig finds her posing as one of Hollywood's hottest action stars. She is shooting a snake scene for actor Jackson Gunn because Jackson has a horrible fear of snakes. Ciel, as Jack, breathes a sigh of relief when the scene is finished. As she sips her black coffee in Jack's chair, the director informs her(or Jack rather) that Jack's wife was found murdered, shot in the back. At that moment, Ciel wonders if she has been used for an alibi. With Billy's help, Ciel intends to get to the bottom of the murder. The only problem is that with every turn, there are more unsettling questions. Not to mention the fact, that she is now being roped into helping plan her brother's wedding. Can Ciel catch a killer and pull off a wedding?
What I Liked:
*It seems that it has been far too long since I spent some time with Ciel and the gang. I had forgotten how fun and exciting this series is. It was nice to settle in with some old friends and laugh. If you are looking for a hilarious and rather unique UF series, I highly recommend you give the In a Fix Series a try. It is fast becoming one of my all time favorites.
*What I love about this story is the adaptors. What is an adaptor? An adaptor is someone born with the ability to alter their aura and become someone else. Once an adaptor comes in contact with someone, they can glean a portion of their aura and project it to the outside world, meaning they can become anyone they want, so to speak. Ciel is adaptor, born into a crazy adaptor family. I think what makes this series funny is that when it comes to Ciel and her adaptor family, and her boyfriend, you never know from one minute to the next if you are dealing with the real person or someone pretending to be that person. That lends for some rather funny and sometimes sticky situations. This one has one of those type of situations, and it is a big one. I love the crazy antics of the adaptors, and I thoroughly enjoy the hilarity and the uniqueness of this series.
*Speaking of hilarity, this is a book brimming with humor and snark. I caught myself snickering and smiling at all of the funny one liners. If you love a good, funny read, look no further, try this series.
*The romance continues to be the highlight of the series for me. If you haven't read the series, I won't spoil it, but I will say that is funny and full of wicked banter. This is a romance born of a life long friendship filled with antagonism and wit until it turns into something more. I will warn you there is a bit of a love triangle as Ciel has a long life crush on someone else, but with this book, I think it is cemented in firmly as to whom Ciel is going to be with. I assure you this romance is all kinds of fun. You don't want to miss it.
*This book was centered around the mystery of trying to catch the killer, but there were also several side plots as well that I found just as intriguing. I personally loved the big wedding and the planning. I absolutely loved the big sting scene as well. Ciel gathers up all of her adaptor friends and family and pulls of a fake movie with some of Hollywood's biggest names, except they are really adaptors. You just need to read it.
*I love that this is a series that refrains from cliffhangers. Instead you get a nice, neat story that wraps up at the end. The main mystery concludes, and we are left waiting for the next book. I just hope it isn't another two years.
And The Not So Much:
*Even though the main mystery that follows the Hollywood star and his murdered wife was interesting, I had a couple of niggles with it. There are several suspects and lots of motives for murder, and I am not sure that I was completely satisfied with the explanations at the end. I still wasn't clear on the role of the assistant or the parents. Furthermore, I found that I was actually more invested in some of the other story lines such as the wedding and the romance, over the murder mystery.
*This book has a rather large cast of characters, and I found myself struggling a bit to recall everyone and their roles in the previous books, probably because it has been almost two years since I read the last book. Perhaps a bit more refresher or even a character index would be helpful.
*It has been close to two years since the release of the last book, I have my fingers crossed that I won't have to wait as long for the fourth book. I need my fix!
The Big Fix was another strong, funny and exciting installment in what is becoming one of my all time favorite UF series. I love the uniqueness of the adaptors and the crazy antics that they find themselves in. If you want a hilarious series with a terrific romance, I highly recommend you check out this series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
March 9, 2015
I love ALL of Linda Grime's Ciel Halligan books, but THE BIG FIX made me go..."WHAT? I can't believe she did THAT!!!!" And I mean that in the most flattering way. I'm still shaking my head LOL!
Grimes' writing is creative, smart, intriguing, sexy and funny all rolled up. I haven't enjoyed an adult series this much since I fell in love with the Outlander books. Grimes had better be writing fast and furious because I NEED my next FIX!
Grimes' writing is creative, smart, intriguing, sexy and funny all rolled up. I haven't enjoyed an adult series this much since I fell in love with the Outlander books. Grimes had better be writing fast and furious because I NEED my next FIX!
May 13, 2015
4.5/5
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I looked forward to the release of this volume, which finally took a long time to arrive. The covers have also completely changed, giving a new look to the series. Personally, this doesn’t really change anything for me … I already loved the series and this only continues with this new novel. I was ecstatic to receive an ARC and I must say that as soon as it arrived, I threw myself on it.
So we discover Ciel, assigned to a new job that Billy found for her, and this time she must turn herself into a big movie star who is afraid of snakes. It’s a pretty simple mission globally, except that the wife of the actor is murdered at the same time when Jack, hidden at Ciel’s ranch, also disappears. What has happened? Is Jack the murderer? Is the sister of the victim guilty as everyone thinks? Finding herself in a very difficult situation, our adaptor is determined to understand exactly what happened, not wishing to send an innocent in prison. Yet the answers to her questions remain far from straightforward but we are following with great pleasure that investigation with her but also with Mark and Billy. In addition to this story we will also have the introduction and marriage of Lara and Thomas, something that was pretty funny I must say, especially when you see the whole organization and the unsuccessful dodges attempts from Ciel. Of course, I’m sure you do not expect it, but we also see the evolution of the relationship between Ciel and Billy, which is not always rosy, maily with the Mark’s interventions over their relationship.
As I said, I loved the novel again. Ciel’s Adventures are always a pleasure to follow and I was eager to discover everything. It’s also true that once again, it is very difficult to get to the end and telling ourselves that we will once again have to wait to have more. Yes … how am I going to do? But back a little more to the characters. Ciel understands that she must actually come to a conclusion with the person of her choice, but it’s not simple. Yet her relationship with Billy affects us a lot, and I was curious to see how far it would make them go. They have their ups and downs like everyone else and some events we really break our heart in fact. However, they form in any case a lovely couple together and they try to face together the obstacles even if they have trouble managing all the feelings and consequences that go with all that. With the marriage we find all the characters of the two families with great pleasure and I hope that we’ll have the opportunity to see a little more Billy’s sisters who seem pretty interesting.
So yes a lot of things here and as I said I had a great time with the story. I can only recommend the series if you fancy a nice moment, all complemented by zany situations and colorful characters and of course exciting plots.
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I looked forward to the release of this volume, which finally took a long time to arrive. The covers have also completely changed, giving a new look to the series. Personally, this doesn’t really change anything for me … I already loved the series and this only continues with this new novel. I was ecstatic to receive an ARC and I must say that as soon as it arrived, I threw myself on it.
So we discover Ciel, assigned to a new job that Billy found for her, and this time she must turn herself into a big movie star who is afraid of snakes. It’s a pretty simple mission globally, except that the wife of the actor is murdered at the same time when Jack, hidden at Ciel’s ranch, also disappears. What has happened? Is Jack the murderer? Is the sister of the victim guilty as everyone thinks? Finding herself in a very difficult situation, our adaptor is determined to understand exactly what happened, not wishing to send an innocent in prison. Yet the answers to her questions remain far from straightforward but we are following with great pleasure that investigation with her but also with Mark and Billy. In addition to this story we will also have the introduction and marriage of Lara and Thomas, something that was pretty funny I must say, especially when you see the whole organization and the unsuccessful dodges attempts from Ciel. Of course, I’m sure you do not expect it, but we also see the evolution of the relationship between Ciel and Billy, which is not always rosy, maily with the Mark’s interventions over their relationship.
As I said, I loved the novel again. Ciel’s Adventures are always a pleasure to follow and I was eager to discover everything. It’s also true that once again, it is very difficult to get to the end and telling ourselves that we will once again have to wait to have more. Yes … how am I going to do? But back a little more to the characters. Ciel understands that she must actually come to a conclusion with the person of her choice, but it’s not simple. Yet her relationship with Billy affects us a lot, and I was curious to see how far it would make them go. They have their ups and downs like everyone else and some events we really break our heart in fact. However, they form in any case a lovely couple together and they try to face together the obstacles even if they have trouble managing all the feelings and consequences that go with all that. With the marriage we find all the characters of the two families with great pleasure and I hope that we’ll have the opportunity to see a little more Billy’s sisters who seem pretty interesting.
So yes a lot of things here and as I said I had a great time with the story. I can only recommend the series if you fancy a nice moment, all complemented by zany situations and colorful characters and of course exciting plots.
June 14, 2015
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
Fun and quirky, THE BIG FIX wasn't exactly what I expected it was going to be. This urban fantasy series is so different than any other out there right now that I would read it solely for that reason. Luckily, it's got a good story and characters to root for, making it a fresh, worthwhile read in a sea of books that start to feel similar after a while.
Having read IN A FIX, but skipped QUICK FIX, I was concerned I wouldn't be up to date enough on the series, and it wouldn't be enjoyable. Luckily, THE BIG FIX is readable without having any background in the series. If anything, the only confusion I had on occasion was over the numerous secondary characters. Otherwise, it's easy to jump right in with this one.
At times, THE BIG FIX felt like a mystery with some urban fantasy aspects tacked on. This is definitely one to recommend to your mystery reader friends who insist they want nothing to do with your werewolves or vampires. No paranormal creatures in sight here - just some aura adapters who stay solidly human the whole time. I personally loved the mystery aspects, despite not being a mystery reader myself- I thought it was balanced nicely with the personal relationship issues of Ciel, making neither too much the focus of the story. Since there aren't any werewolf packs to fight or demons to dispatch, the problems Ciel faces are totally human in nature, which is another way this book is unique.
With such different cover art than the first two books, it's clear Tor is looking for the right readership for THE BIG FIX. Since it's got a little bit of everything - a little romance, a little mystery, a little urban fantasy, I do believe this book has something for everyone. Hopefully we'll get to see Ciel again in the future - I'd love to see what trouble she gets into next!
Sexual content: Sex scenes
Fun and quirky, THE BIG FIX wasn't exactly what I expected it was going to be. This urban fantasy series is so different than any other out there right now that I would read it solely for that reason. Luckily, it's got a good story and characters to root for, making it a fresh, worthwhile read in a sea of books that start to feel similar after a while.
Having read IN A FIX, but skipped QUICK FIX, I was concerned I wouldn't be up to date enough on the series, and it wouldn't be enjoyable. Luckily, THE BIG FIX is readable without having any background in the series. If anything, the only confusion I had on occasion was over the numerous secondary characters. Otherwise, it's easy to jump right in with this one.
At times, THE BIG FIX felt like a mystery with some urban fantasy aspects tacked on. This is definitely one to recommend to your mystery reader friends who insist they want nothing to do with your werewolves or vampires. No paranormal creatures in sight here - just some aura adapters who stay solidly human the whole time. I personally loved the mystery aspects, despite not being a mystery reader myself- I thought it was balanced nicely with the personal relationship issues of Ciel, making neither too much the focus of the story. Since there aren't any werewolf packs to fight or demons to dispatch, the problems Ciel faces are totally human in nature, which is another way this book is unique.
With such different cover art than the first two books, it's clear Tor is looking for the right readership for THE BIG FIX. Since it's got a little bit of everything - a little romance, a little mystery, a little urban fantasy, I do believe this book has something for everyone. Hopefully we'll get to see Ciel again in the future - I'd love to see what trouble she gets into next!
Sexual content: Sex scenes
February 10, 2015
Sincere thanks to the author for allowing me the honor of reading an ARC of this book. What can I say? I gave the first two books in this series five stars, and if I could, I'd give this one six, because as much as I enjoyed her first two books, this one is even better.
If I had to choose only one word to describe this book, I'd say FUN. It's a fun book to read, and my bet is the author had an equal amount of fun writing it. This sexy romp is at times laugh-out-loud funny, and it has more than enough adventures, misadventures, and toe-curling (and unusual!) love scenes to keep any reader's attention.
Oh, and there's mystery, too: See, our favorite aura adaptor Ciel is on the job as a famous actor, and while "being" him in the middle of filming a movie, (surrounded by cast and crew, I might add) said famous actor's wife gets murdered. Oops. Lousy timing, huh? Police arrest someone for the crime, but Ciel is a teensy bit afraid SHE might be the guilty one... guilty of providing a cheating husband with the perfect alibi.
With Grimes in charge, solving a murder mystery is only part of the story. As always, there is so much more. Terrific characters, zany situations, and highly imaginative scenes you will NEVER forget. In reviewing the first book of this series, I said something about Grimes out-Evanoviching Evanovich. Know what? With this book she has done just that. This is the most fun book I've read in a long time.
If you haven't already started reading this series, what ARE you waiting for? Since book three isn't gonna be released until May, you have plenty of time to catch up with the first two before then. You'll be glad you did. (Did I happen to mention how much FUN they are?)
If I had to choose only one word to describe this book, I'd say FUN. It's a fun book to read, and my bet is the author had an equal amount of fun writing it. This sexy romp is at times laugh-out-loud funny, and it has more than enough adventures, misadventures, and toe-curling (and unusual!) love scenes to keep any reader's attention.
Oh, and there's mystery, too: See, our favorite aura adaptor Ciel is on the job as a famous actor, and while "being" him in the middle of filming a movie, (surrounded by cast and crew, I might add) said famous actor's wife gets murdered. Oops. Lousy timing, huh? Police arrest someone for the crime, but Ciel is a teensy bit afraid SHE might be the guilty one... guilty of providing a cheating husband with the perfect alibi.
With Grimes in charge, solving a murder mystery is only part of the story. As always, there is so much more. Terrific characters, zany situations, and highly imaginative scenes you will NEVER forget. In reviewing the first book of this series, I said something about Grimes out-Evanoviching Evanovich. Know what? With this book she has done just that. This is the most fun book I've read in a long time.
If you haven't already started reading this series, what ARE you waiting for? Since book three isn't gonna be released until May, you have plenty of time to catch up with the first two before then. You'll be glad you did. (Did I happen to mention how much FUN they are?)
November 27, 2015
*Source* Library
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Genre* Urban Fantasy, Romance, Mystery
*My Thoughts*
The Big Fix is the third installment in the Ciel Halligan series by author Linda Grimes. Ciel Halligan is an aura adapter who uses her chameleon-like abilities to fix her clients' problems—as them. She can become anyone with just a touch. In this installment, Ciel takes on a job for superstar actor Jackson Gunn who is supposed to be afraid of snakes.
*Full Review Posted 11/25/2015 via Gizmos Reviews
#Wednesday Review - The Big Fix by Linda Grimes (Urban Fantasy, Mystery, Romance)
Published May 12th 2015 by Tor Books
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Genre* Urban Fantasy, Romance, Mystery
*My Thoughts*
The Big Fix is the third installment in the Ciel Halligan series by author Linda Grimes. Ciel Halligan is an aura adapter who uses her chameleon-like abilities to fix her clients' problems—as them. She can become anyone with just a touch. In this installment, Ciel takes on a job for superstar actor Jackson Gunn who is supposed to be afraid of snakes.
*Full Review Posted 11/25/2015 via Gizmos Reviews
#Wednesday Review - The Big Fix by Linda Grimes (Urban Fantasy, Mystery, Romance)
Published May 12th 2015 by Tor Books
June 9, 2015
5*s
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
The Big Fix is the third instalment of the ‘In A Fix’ series and Ciel Halligan finds herself in yet another difficult situation during one of her ‘jobs’.
Ciel has taken on a job for a Hollywood star Jackson Gunn, using her aura adapter gift to assume his identity for a difficult scene involving snakes because let’s face it – an action movie star who exudes masculinity cannot be seen to be afraid of anything. So in order to save the mans reputation, Jackson is off to Ciel’s range for some R & R, Ciel does the scene and everything is going great……. That is until the director drops the bombshell to Ciel/Jackson that his wife has been murdered!
Ciel feels obligated to be the one who drops the bombshell to Jackson and heads straight to the Ranch to do just that but Jackson is nowhere to be found until a couple of hours later when he claims he was lost on a hike. With the time he’s been missed, there is definitely a window of opportunity for him to have done the deed and using Ciel for the perfect alibi and when the coincidences just keep on happening…. Ciel decides to look into the murder with the help of the only two men to make her heart pound – Billy and Mark.
I love this series, it is so easy to read and immerse yourself in. The characters are all likable, even the secondary ones but Ciel, Billy and Mark are the characters we deal with most often. If you have read this series from the beginning then you will know that Ciel had a decade+ crush on Mark but because she is his best friends sister, he took on the brotherly role and nothing ever came from it whilst Billy had been her partner in crime/fake cousin and something blossomed between them so they went with it and despite Billy’s love of many ladies, seem to be making a real go of it. The thing is, the triangle is there and Ciel will always see Mark in that way but now Billy is there too and it’s about to get complicated. I’ve always shipped Ciel/Mark because they had a great connection throughout but he’s way more mature than her so when she got with Billy, I was ok with it because he brings out the reckless, fun and love of life side of her and whilst I hate love triangles or cheating in my reads – I was happy to let it play out. Did I enjoy what happened in this book? Yes! The way it was done was understandable, it seemed to draw a conclusion to the triangle but it was a trigger that usually stops me reading a book. Either way, there was plenty of sexytime for Ciel that definitely got the pulse racing.
The storyline was great – as usual – and I really enjoyed it, so much so that I couldn’t put the book down!
It always seems to start off with something farcical, Ciel has a way of getting herself wound up in some real calamities and has to dig herself out of them, often with hilarious consequences. I loved how the story unfolded, Ciel finds herself in more than one near death experience and the investigation has her tied in knots with plenty of suspects and a lot of misdirection. It takes everything she has to come up with a plan to solve this one and the participation of a whole cast of characters. But with Billy and Mark at her back, she will surely solve the case… that is when she isn’t dealing with relationship drama, being the maid of honour at her brothers wedding and posing as a grieving widower. This was a fun filled ride and could possibly be my favourite in the series, I can’t wait for more!
Review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
The Big Fix is the third instalment of the ‘In A Fix’ series and Ciel Halligan finds herself in yet another difficult situation during one of her ‘jobs’.
Ciel has taken on a job for a Hollywood star Jackson Gunn, using her aura adapter gift to assume his identity for a difficult scene involving snakes because let’s face it – an action movie star who exudes masculinity cannot be seen to be afraid of anything. So in order to save the mans reputation, Jackson is off to Ciel’s range for some R & R, Ciel does the scene and everything is going great……. That is until the director drops the bombshell to Ciel/Jackson that his wife has been murdered!
Ciel feels obligated to be the one who drops the bombshell to Jackson and heads straight to the Ranch to do just that but Jackson is nowhere to be found until a couple of hours later when he claims he was lost on a hike. With the time he’s been missed, there is definitely a window of opportunity for him to have done the deed and using Ciel for the perfect alibi and when the coincidences just keep on happening…. Ciel decides to look into the murder with the help of the only two men to make her heart pound – Billy and Mark.
I love this series, it is so easy to read and immerse yourself in. The characters are all likable, even the secondary ones but Ciel, Billy and Mark are the characters we deal with most often. If you have read this series from the beginning then you will know that Ciel had a decade+ crush on Mark but because she is his best friends sister, he took on the brotherly role and nothing ever came from it whilst Billy had been her partner in crime/fake cousin and something blossomed between them so they went with it and despite Billy’s love of many ladies, seem to be making a real go of it. The thing is, the triangle is there and Ciel will always see Mark in that way but now Billy is there too and it’s about to get complicated. I’ve always shipped Ciel/Mark because they had a great connection throughout but he’s way more mature than her so when she got with Billy, I was ok with it because he brings out the reckless, fun and love of life side of her and whilst I hate love triangles or cheating in my reads – I was happy to let it play out. Did I enjoy what happened in this book? Yes! The way it was done was understandable, it seemed to draw a conclusion to the triangle but it was a trigger that usually stops me reading a book. Either way, there was plenty of sexytime for Ciel that definitely got the pulse racing.
The storyline was great – as usual – and I really enjoyed it, so much so that I couldn’t put the book down!
It always seems to start off with something farcical, Ciel has a way of getting herself wound up in some real calamities and has to dig herself out of them, often with hilarious consequences. I loved how the story unfolded, Ciel finds herself in more than one near death experience and the investigation has her tied in knots with plenty of suspects and a lot of misdirection. It takes everything she has to come up with a plan to solve this one and the participation of a whole cast of characters. But with Billy and Mark at her back, she will surely solve the case… that is when she isn’t dealing with relationship drama, being the maid of honour at her brothers wedding and posing as a grieving widower. This was a fun filled ride and could possibly be my favourite in the series, I can’t wait for more!
May 5, 2015
Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..
The premise of this series leads to so many fun and interesting plot lines. This time around, Ciel has herself mixed up in Hollywood and more than a little over her head at times. Her "messes" are always amusing to see how she digs herself out, and this time definitely takes the cake. It's just a whole lot of fun rolled into one book and I enjoyed every bit of it.
I'm seriously in awe at Linda Grimes ability to make be laugh out loud so many times at the hilarious hi-jinx going on, but also be serious enough to make me cry at the sad parts as well. I won't spoil things, but twice this book made me tear up due to things that happened with the characters. The first scene involving a huge misunderstanding made me very very angry at first, to the point where I wanted to throw the book and give up on it. But then once I calmed down a bit and kept reading, I realized this event needed to happen. There's just been too much simmering beneath the surface on that issue. While the way things were brought to a "head" were gut wrenching for me, it was a really important lesson to be learned (and the same could be said about the second point in the book that made me tear up, but this time for a different character). Linda did an amazing job at writing it so that I felt every bit as much as the characters did, making for the best kind of read.
My only complaint about this series is that they just aren't coming fast enough. I love Ciel and crew so much, and as soon as I finish one book, I'm already dying for the next. Trust me, if you enjoy urban fantasy with a good dose of humor, steamy smexy times, and a fast paced plot, these books are simply not to be missed.
The premise of this series leads to so many fun and interesting plot lines. This time around, Ciel has herself mixed up in Hollywood and more than a little over her head at times. Her "messes" are always amusing to see how she digs herself out, and this time definitely takes the cake. It's just a whole lot of fun rolled into one book and I enjoyed every bit of it.
I'm seriously in awe at Linda Grimes ability to make be laugh out loud so many times at the hilarious hi-jinx going on, but also be serious enough to make me cry at the sad parts as well. I won't spoil things, but twice this book made me tear up due to things that happened with the characters. The first scene involving a huge misunderstanding made me very very angry at first, to the point where I wanted to throw the book and give up on it. But then once I calmed down a bit and kept reading, I realized this event needed to happen. There's just been too much simmering beneath the surface on that issue. While the way things were brought to a "head" were gut wrenching for me, it was a really important lesson to be learned (and the same could be said about the second point in the book that made me tear up, but this time for a different character). Linda did an amazing job at writing it so that I felt every bit as much as the characters did, making for the best kind of read.
My only complaint about this series is that they just aren't coming fast enough. I love Ciel and crew so much, and as soon as I finish one book, I'm already dying for the next. Trust me, if you enjoy urban fantasy with a good dose of humor, steamy smexy times, and a fast paced plot, these books are simply not to be missed.
May 10, 2016
Originally re used for & posted at Vampire Book Club
Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Rating (out of 5): 3.5 stars
Note: While this review will be spoiler free, it may make reference to previous books in the series.
Well, life is certainly never dull when you’re Ciel Halligan; aura adaptor, problem fixer to the stars…. possible accessory to murder?!
That’s right, our favorite human chameleon is back and has gotten herself into a pretty sticky situation in this third novel. The Big Fix opens with Ciel filling in for one of Hollywood’s hottest stars, Jackson Gunn, who also happens to be petrified of snakes. Not wanting to ruin his tough guy image on the set of his latest film (that features, you guessed it, snakes) he hires Ciel. While filling in as Jackson, she receives the news that his wife, Angelica, has been murdered. It looks like Angelica’s estranged sister Lily-Ann may be the culprit until Ciel finds out that Jackson went missing from her client safe-house for a few hours—not good. With the help of her boyfriend Billy, Ciel sets out to find if her services have just provided the perfect alibi.
This is possibly my favorite storyline so far in this series. Even as Jackson’s actions become increasingly erratic and Ciel uncovers more and more examples of his less than gentlemanly transgressions, I still couldn’t figure out if he was guilty or not. Just when I thought I had things figured out, boom, a new suspect would emerge. The whole adaptor angle adds such a fresh dimension to a murder mystery, both the possibilities and the obstacles felt endless. It’s also fun to play around in the Hollywood world, setting the stage for some A-list auras being ‘borrowed’!
Humor is once again at the forefront with Ciel’s family bringing plenty to the table. Her brother Thomas is getting married and Ciel has been drafted in as Maid of Honor. While the murder mystery burns away in the background for the first half of the book, we’re treated to bridesmaid dress hell, planning-mad moms and Ciel being traumatized by her parents (Buffy, Spike and TMI). I laughed a lot while reading, particularly at Ciel’s inner dialogue, and the family dynamics continue to be a joy to read.
Unfortunately the wedding (which is very sweet) sets the stage for some mega relationship drama and this is were The Big Fix lost me a bit. There has always been a question mark with Ciel as far as Mark, Thomas’ best friend, and if she really has put her crush to bed. When she began her relationship with Billy in the previous book I was hoping that question had be answered. (Also because I love Billy, he’s so wonderfully cheeky.) Turns out, not so much. I wasn’t a fan of her wavering here, still ‘melting’ around Mark. Huge conflicts arise and I thought they were done really well; messy, shocking and heartbreaking but finally bringing a conclusion… Until the last chapter where it was all undone. I’m all for going through the pain with characters but I want it to be for a reason.
All in all I had a blast reading The Big Fix. This was another hijinks-fueled installment in this unique urban fantasy series, with bags of humor and mythology that constantly kept me guessing. I’m not totally sold on the direction of the romantic element but this definitely won’t stop me picking up the next book, All Fixed up, when it hits shelves later this month—this world is too much fun!
Sexual content: graphic sex
Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Rating (out of 5): 3.5 stars
Note: While this review will be spoiler free, it may make reference to previous books in the series.
Well, life is certainly never dull when you’re Ciel Halligan; aura adaptor, problem fixer to the stars…. possible accessory to murder?!
That’s right, our favorite human chameleon is back and has gotten herself into a pretty sticky situation in this third novel. The Big Fix opens with Ciel filling in for one of Hollywood’s hottest stars, Jackson Gunn, who also happens to be petrified of snakes. Not wanting to ruin his tough guy image on the set of his latest film (that features, you guessed it, snakes) he hires Ciel. While filling in as Jackson, she receives the news that his wife, Angelica, has been murdered. It looks like Angelica’s estranged sister Lily-Ann may be the culprit until Ciel finds out that Jackson went missing from her client safe-house for a few hours—not good. With the help of her boyfriend Billy, Ciel sets out to find if her services have just provided the perfect alibi.
This is possibly my favorite storyline so far in this series. Even as Jackson’s actions become increasingly erratic and Ciel uncovers more and more examples of his less than gentlemanly transgressions, I still couldn’t figure out if he was guilty or not. Just when I thought I had things figured out, boom, a new suspect would emerge. The whole adaptor angle adds such a fresh dimension to a murder mystery, both the possibilities and the obstacles felt endless. It’s also fun to play around in the Hollywood world, setting the stage for some A-list auras being ‘borrowed’!
Humor is once again at the forefront with Ciel’s family bringing plenty to the table. Her brother Thomas is getting married and Ciel has been drafted in as Maid of Honor. While the murder mystery burns away in the background for the first half of the book, we’re treated to bridesmaid dress hell, planning-mad moms and Ciel being traumatized by her parents (Buffy, Spike and TMI). I laughed a lot while reading, particularly at Ciel’s inner dialogue, and the family dynamics continue to be a joy to read.
Unfortunately the wedding (which is very sweet) sets the stage for some mega relationship drama and this is were The Big Fix lost me a bit. There has always been a question mark with Ciel as far as Mark, Thomas’ best friend, and if she really has put her crush to bed. When she began her relationship with Billy in the previous book I was hoping that question had be answered. (Also because I love Billy, he’s so wonderfully cheeky.) Turns out, not so much. I wasn’t a fan of her wavering here, still ‘melting’ around Mark. Huge conflicts arise and I thought they were done really well; messy, shocking and heartbreaking but finally bringing a conclusion… Until the last chapter where it was all undone. I’m all for going through the pain with characters but I want it to be for a reason.
All in all I had a blast reading The Big Fix. This was another hijinks-fueled installment in this unique urban fantasy series, with bags of humor and mythology that constantly kept me guessing. I’m not totally sold on the direction of the romantic element but this definitely won’t stop me picking up the next book, All Fixed up, when it hits shelves later this month—this world is too much fun!
Sexual content: graphic sex
May 10, 2015
This is such a fun series. Each book dives deeper into the abilities of Ciel and her adapter family and friends and I love reading about them. There is plenty of humor, creativity and fun in every book.
Ciel is always finding herself in the stickiest situations and TH BIG FIX has her in a few. With the help of her family (and a few friends) she is able to solve the case of her clients wife getting murdered, pull off helping with her brother's wedding as well as work on her romantic relationship with her friend and lover. I really enjoy Ciel and Billy's relationship. They have ups and downs, but they continue to prove they can overcome some hard things. Ciel still has her moments crushing on Mark. I think the events of THE BIG FIX did a good job of conveying her feelings and making her realize what she has in front of her.
I love that each book is a story in its own, there is plenty of mystery and intrigue to keep me reading from start to finish and the characters keep me coming back for more. I look forward to seeing what type of adventure Ciel gets herself caught in next.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Ciel is always finding herself in the stickiest situations and TH BIG FIX has her in a few. With the help of her family (and a few friends) she is able to solve the case of her clients wife getting murdered, pull off helping with her brother's wedding as well as work on her romantic relationship with her friend and lover. I really enjoy Ciel and Billy's relationship. They have ups and downs, but they continue to prove they can overcome some hard things. Ciel still has her moments crushing on Mark. I think the events of THE BIG FIX did a good job of conveying her feelings and making her realize what she has in front of her.
I love that each book is a story in its own, there is plenty of mystery and intrigue to keep me reading from start to finish and the characters keep me coming back for more. I look forward to seeing what type of adventure Ciel gets herself caught in next.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Read
August 12, 2015THE BIG FIX is the 3rd full-length book in the ‘In a Fix’ series featuring Ciel Halligan, the aura adaptor. Ciel is in business for herself, using her chameleon-like abilities to project someone else’s aura to help her clients. This time, her boyfriend Billy has landed her a job with actor Jackson Gunn to do some scenes with snakes, using Jackson’s aura, due to Jackson’s snake phobia. However, Jackson’s wife is murdered and Ciel knows she’s Jackson’s alibi. Now Ciel has to use all of her abilities and all her resources to discover the truth. THE BIG FIX is a great chapter in Ciel’s story. I love the concept of aura-adaptors and Ciel’s family is beautifully close-knit and hilarious. There was a decent mystery, great dialogue, relationship drama, laughter, and a lot of fun in THE BIG FIX. I highly recommend this series, but you definitely have to start with book one!
April 17, 2018
After "merely" enjoying the second book in this series, I found myself in new territory with the third. While Grimes continues in comfortable territory with her humor and character development, AND jumps feet-first into another how-many-celebrities-can-I-squeeze-in-here scene, an event halfway through this book took my breath entirely away with surprise despite its paradoxical inevitability. If I wasn't sure about finishing the series earlier, I'm hooked now. Diving straight into the fourth in the series because I can't stop.
April 29, 2021
There's a particular extreme form of romantic waffling that happens in books like these as, I guess, an extra conflict? Usually it results in some terribly annoying character actions. A check of reviews tells me this continues in book 4, so...
February 25, 2017
The vacillation between Billy and Mark gives a headache but an overall good read
May 30, 2017
i love this series
August 31, 2021
Has Ciel's latest client set her up. She has to work really hard to straight up this mess. Love triangle and much confusion with everyone able to become someone else.
May 20, 2015
Disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
4 1/2 Stars.
I can’t believe it’s been over a year since the last book in the series was published. I didn’t even realize the gap was that big. The Big Fix is the third installment in the ‘In a Fix’ series following Ciel, an aura adaptor and her friends and family. In The Big Fix, Grimes takes Ciel and the gang to Hollywood! Ciel’s latest job is to fill in for an actor who has a snake phobia. But the situation quickly goes south when the actor’s wife is found murdered and it is up to Ciel to clean up the mess and find the killer.
One of things that I loved about the last book, Quick Fix was the introduction to Ciel’s family. They were a fun quirky bunch! I was so ecstatic when The Big Fix turned out to be a family affair, readers will get to see more of Ciel’s family and also this time…Billy’s side of the family! There are a lot of adaptors in the family, so you know mischief and high-jinks ensues. Ciel always manages to find herself in dangerous and questionable situation, but I guess that’s part of the fun…to see her get into the mess and out of it herself. It's hysterical.
For those following this series, you know Ciel been dating Billy for a couple of months now. I love seeing their relationship develop, more so because they started as best friends/honorary cousins (but not really related!) in the beginning. Their relationship has really grown since we first met them. There are still a few bumps and kinks they’re working through but that’s part of all relationship. There was a small moment of a love-triangle with Ciel’s ex (or not ex) crush Mark. Okay, technically it wasn't a love-triangle since she IS with Billy but it looked like she had thoughts of straying for a second there! Something happens in the book, where Ciel made a colossal mistake, predictable, but I was still shocked it happened. But I also see why the author did that because Ciel, I think, knows now what she has with Billy is real and won’t have any more self doubts or questions about their relationship. I REALLY want their relationship to work, I love the two of them together…so I hope we'll see wedding bells in the future (please Mrs. Grimes make it happen)!
All in all, The Big Fix was an excellent addition to the series. If you haven’t read this series yet, you need to get on it A.S.A.P! If you’re looking for an original urban fantasy series without the plethora of supernatural beings, eccentric characters that will make you fall in love them and a book that will make you laugh till you cry then you definitely need to read this book/series! I hope we won’t have to wait another year and half till the next book because now that I re-familiarize myself with the world and characters…I don’t want it to end! Loved The Big Fix and I can’t recommend this series enough!
4 1/2 Stars.
I can’t believe it’s been over a year since the last book in the series was published. I didn’t even realize the gap was that big. The Big Fix is the third installment in the ‘In a Fix’ series following Ciel, an aura adaptor and her friends and family. In The Big Fix, Grimes takes Ciel and the gang to Hollywood! Ciel’s latest job is to fill in for an actor who has a snake phobia. But the situation quickly goes south when the actor’s wife is found murdered and it is up to Ciel to clean up the mess and find the killer.
One of things that I loved about the last book, Quick Fix was the introduction to Ciel’s family. They were a fun quirky bunch! I was so ecstatic when The Big Fix turned out to be a family affair, readers will get to see more of Ciel’s family and also this time…Billy’s side of the family! There are a lot of adaptors in the family, so you know mischief and high-jinks ensues. Ciel always manages to find herself in dangerous and questionable situation, but I guess that’s part of the fun…to see her get into the mess and out of it herself. It's hysterical.
For those following this series, you know Ciel been dating Billy for a couple of months now. I love seeing their relationship develop, more so because they started as best friends/honorary cousins (but not really related!) in the beginning. Their relationship has really grown since we first met them. There are still a few bumps and kinks they’re working through but that’s part of all relationship. There was a small moment of a love-triangle with Ciel’s ex (or not ex) crush Mark. Okay, technically it wasn't a love-triangle since she IS with Billy but it looked like she had thoughts of straying for a second there! Something happens in the book, where Ciel made a colossal mistake, predictable, but I was still shocked it happened. But I also see why the author did that because Ciel, I think, knows now what she has with Billy is real and won’t have any more self doubts or questions about their relationship. I REALLY want their relationship to work, I love the two of them together…so I hope we'll see wedding bells in the future (please Mrs. Grimes make it happen)!
All in all, The Big Fix was an excellent addition to the series. If you haven’t read this series yet, you need to get on it A.S.A.P! If you’re looking for an original urban fantasy series without the plethora of supernatural beings, eccentric characters that will make you fall in love them and a book that will make you laugh till you cry then you definitely need to read this book/series! I hope we won’t have to wait another year and half till the next book because now that I re-familiarize myself with the world and characters…I don’t want it to end! Loved The Big Fix and I can’t recommend this series enough!
June 1, 2015
Sometimes I'm in the mood for a lighthearted and fun book that doesn't take itself too seriously. THE BIG FIX satisfied my craving perfectly.
Ciel Halligan fixes people's problems for a living. The catch? She does it AS THEM, or at least looking identical to them thanks to a special gene mutation. Her current job is playing Hollywood heartthrob Jackson Gunn during scenes featuring his arch nemesis: snakes. When Jackson's wife is murdered while she's "him," Ciel wonders where the real Jackson was at the time of her death. Lifelong BFF and current boyfriend Billy, along with longtime crush and CIA spook Mark have to work together to help Ciel figure out who the killer is. She's going to be royally pissed if someone used her as an alibi!
So evidently THE BIG FIX is the 3rd book in the In A Fix Series, but it's the first one I've had the pleasure of reading. I fell in love with this sexy and unique urban fantasy novel immediately, adoring Ciel, Billy and Mark and the whole cast of fabulously funny characters. Ciel and Billy's families are uber tight-knit and together create this incredible force to be reckoned with. They're all "adapters," the term they used to describe the chameleon-like ability to change their appearances, leading to some interesting results, especially since their kind isn't "out" to the world.
Quirky yet sexy, I was a little bummed that the sex scenes were glossed over...except for that unexpected encounter smack dab in the middle of the book. WOAH! The love triangle storyline was just as prevalent as the whodunit plot, and I wish Ciel and her boys would pick the obvious solution and turn their trio into a sexy ménage and have some fun!
Bottom Line: Engaging and clever, THE BIG FIX was a unique romantic suspense caper with characters I can't wait for more of. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
- See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
Ciel Halligan fixes people's problems for a living. The catch? She does it AS THEM, or at least looking identical to them thanks to a special gene mutation. Her current job is playing Hollywood heartthrob Jackson Gunn during scenes featuring his arch nemesis: snakes. When Jackson's wife is murdered while she's "him," Ciel wonders where the real Jackson was at the time of her death. Lifelong BFF and current boyfriend Billy, along with longtime crush and CIA spook Mark have to work together to help Ciel figure out who the killer is. She's going to be royally pissed if someone used her as an alibi!
So evidently THE BIG FIX is the 3rd book in the In A Fix Series, but it's the first one I've had the pleasure of reading. I fell in love with this sexy and unique urban fantasy novel immediately, adoring Ciel, Billy and Mark and the whole cast of fabulously funny characters. Ciel and Billy's families are uber tight-knit and together create this incredible force to be reckoned with. They're all "adapters," the term they used to describe the chameleon-like ability to change their appearances, leading to some interesting results, especially since their kind isn't "out" to the world.
Quirky yet sexy, I was a little bummed that the sex scenes were glossed over...except for that unexpected encounter smack dab in the middle of the book. WOAH! The love triangle storyline was just as prevalent as the whodunit plot, and I wish Ciel and her boys would pick the obvious solution and turn their trio into a sexy ménage and have some fun!
Bottom Line: Engaging and clever, THE BIG FIX was a unique romantic suspense caper with characters I can't wait for more of. - See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
- See more at: http://www.theromancereviews.com/view...
July 10, 2016
synopsis: ciel has taken on a client, who has been steered her way by her pseudo-cousin/nemesis/boyfriend, billy. she is a stand in for a hollywood actor who has a fear of snakes. however, when she is shooting the snake scene, the production people come and tell the actor that his wife has just been murdered. when ciel goes to tell the actor that his wife is dead, they can't find him. then a gun turns up in the safe place that the actor was stashed while ciel was playing him. ciel starts to suspect monkeyshines, and sets out find out the truth.
what i liked: i liked that billy and ciel get along so well, and that billy knows her like just about no one else. i liked that ciel seemed a little bit more competent in this installment and that she wasn't relying on people to get her out of a fix. i liked seeing the crazy, crazy family together and how they all interacted. the "whodunnit" was fairly obvious, but that didn't make the journey any less enjoyable.
what i didn't like: ciel is with billy now, but still has a monstrous crush on mark. and then, at her brother's wedding,
what i liked: i liked that billy and ciel get along so well, and that billy knows her like just about no one else. i liked that ciel seemed a little bit more competent in this installment and that she wasn't relying on people to get her out of a fix. i liked seeing the crazy, crazy family together and how they all interacted. the "whodunnit" was fairly obvious, but that didn't make the journey any less enjoyable.
what i didn't like: ciel is with billy now, but still has a monstrous crush on mark. and then, at her brother's wedding,
June 9, 2015
For whatever reason, this book didn't hold my attention quite as strongly as the previous two. The mystery/ A-Plot just didn't keep my attention and occasionally seemed a bit... belabored to draw things out. That was more than made up for by the characters though.
Anyone whose read the previous books already loves and knows Ciel, Billy, and the family of adaptors. Now, many of their extended family and friends are bac,k as a wedding is about to occur (not theirs though, as was implied last book. All to the good since they haven't been dating long). These add a fun dimension to the tale. We also see some good character development as Ciel and Billy work at actually being in a relationship, and the love triangle plot line also shows up again, hopefully for the last time. While it very relevant and well done here, I think it has a reasonable conclusion and hopefully does not continue to be trotted out for angst every book.
Overall, a fun read with a quick, quippy tone and characters who feel like friends.
Anyone whose read the previous books already loves and knows Ciel, Billy, and the family of adaptors. Now, many of their extended family and friends are bac,k as a wedding is about to occur (not theirs though, as was implied last book. All to the good since they haven't been dating long). These add a fun dimension to the tale. We also see some good character development as Ciel and Billy work at actually being in a relationship, and the love triangle plot line also shows up again, hopefully for the last time. While it very relevant and well done here, I think it has a reasonable conclusion and hopefully does not continue to be trotted out for angst every book.
Overall, a fun read with a quick, quippy tone and characters who feel like friends.
November 21, 2015
The Big Fix" is the latest installment from Linda Grimes' Ciel Halligan books, and I have to say that each book just gets better and better as we get to know more about Ciel, her unique abilities as an adaptor (think human chameleon), and her romantic entanglements. Think of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum but with a supernatural twist, and you'll have a good idea of the fun read you have in store for you.
This time Ciel's involved with a Hollywood actor who thinks he may have found the way to commit the perfect murder and while she's trying to figure out what to do about that, she's also dealing with her eccentric family, her brother's upcoming wedding, and the confusion that ensues between the two hunks who both decided they want a relationship with our girl Ciel. I happen to be on Team Billy, but you'll have to decide who your favorite is. If you haven't read "In A Fix" and "Quick Fix" yet, you'll still be able to follow the story, but do yourself a favor and read them if you haven't already. Ciel Halligan makes for great reading and will leave you with a smile on your face.
This time Ciel's involved with a Hollywood actor who thinks he may have found the way to commit the perfect murder and while she's trying to figure out what to do about that, she's also dealing with her eccentric family, her brother's upcoming wedding, and the confusion that ensues between the two hunks who both decided they want a relationship with our girl Ciel. I happen to be on Team Billy, but you'll have to decide who your favorite is. If you haven't read "In A Fix" and "Quick Fix" yet, you'll still be able to follow the story, but do yourself a favor and read them if you haven't already. Ciel Halligan makes for great reading and will leave you with a smile on your face.
June 21, 2015
Action-comedy is a hard genre even before throwing in romance; Linda Grimes keeps this an adorably fun beach read. The Fix series is about a group of people who can shapeshift into anybody else thanks to INSERT UNIMPORTANT TECHNOBABBLE HERE. Given this miraculous ability, they use it to make a living in some randomly mundane job -- a few of them are involved in the CIA, some of them run a clothing shop where they can be their own models, and Ciel (the hero) hires out her services as a professional lookalike.
In this, she is taking the place of a macho action star, dealing with snakes on a movie set so that he doesn't have to; this sets out the events of the rest of the novel, which has her dealing with snakes in the grass and betrayals in her own life. I'll avoid spoilers, but this involves a maturing of Ciel's love life and possible love triangles in a way that too few paranormal romances are willing to try.
In this, she is taking the place of a macho action star, dealing with snakes on a movie set so that he doesn't have to; this sets out the events of the rest of the novel, which has her dealing with snakes in the grass and betrayals in her own life. I'll avoid spoilers, but this involves a maturing of Ciel's love life and possible love triangles in a way that too few paranormal romances are willing to try.
June 29, 2015
I adore this series. LOVE. IT. Ciel Hannigan has a big, loving family and family friends who can "adapt" their auras to project the physical traits of another person. This ability to become a perfect body double is a guarded but valuable secret for the wealthy and for spys.
In this one, Ciel is standing in for a blockbuster actor on set while the real actor is supposed to be lying low on her ranch, out of the public eye. Problem is, he slips his handlers on the ranch right about the same time that his wife is murdered... while Ciel is acting for him on set, giving him a rock-solid alibi. However, it turns out that a number of individuals had both motive and means to kill her. It's up to Ciel, her long-time friend and new boyfriend Billy, plus their extended adaptor families to sort out the murder mystery.
Lots of twists and turns, humor, and relationship development. I cannot wait for more!
In this one, Ciel is standing in for a blockbuster actor on set while the real actor is supposed to be lying low on her ranch, out of the public eye. Problem is, he slips his handlers on the ranch right about the same time that his wife is murdered... while Ciel is acting for him on set, giving him a rock-solid alibi. However, it turns out that a number of individuals had both motive and means to kill her. It's up to Ciel, her long-time friend and new boyfriend Billy, plus their extended adaptor families to sort out the murder mystery.
Lots of twists and turns, humor, and relationship development. I cannot wait for more!
May 26, 2015
I read The Big Fix in one giant gulp, finishing at 4am. Normally, that would earn a book 5 stars, but the love triangle gets very ugly in this book, and I was not thrilled.
The Big Fix is about consequences (yes, I was reminded about the Buffy episode of the same name, which is appropriate considering the hilarity of a scene with Ciel's parents). Sometimes, the adaptors seem to go through life thinking they are above the consequences of their actions, discovery of their existence, or dealing with the fallout of their mistakes. In The Big Fix, several characters find out that one mistake can snowball into an avalanche of epic proportions. More of Billy's family is introduced in this story, and they are just as entertaining as his parents and youngest sister. While The Big Fix has plenty of laughter (Eeyore); this installment is more serious than the first two books.
The Big Fix is about consequences (yes, I was reminded about the Buffy episode of the same name, which is appropriate considering the hilarity of a scene with Ciel's parents). Sometimes, the adaptors seem to go through life thinking they are above the consequences of their actions, discovery of their existence, or dealing with the fallout of their mistakes. In The Big Fix, several characters find out that one mistake can snowball into an avalanche of epic proportions. More of Billy's family is introduced in this story, and they are just as entertaining as his parents and youngest sister. While The Big Fix has plenty of laughter (Eeyore); this installment is more serious than the first two books.
September 12, 2016
Avis tiré de mon blog :
Un tome léger, fun, avec beaucoup d'humour. Bon, j'ai trouvé que le scénario ne cassait pas 3 pattes à un canard, j'avais deviné le coupable bien avant la fin, mais après l’intérêt du livre n'est pas vraiment dans l'enquête, elle est presque la comme histoire de fond pour faire évoluer les personnages.
C'est eux qui donnent le ton à l'histoire. Ils sont tous très sympa et facile à aimer, et même si l'héroïne est une girouette je l'aime bien quand même ! En fait c'est quasiment un chicklit-surnaturel avec une enquête quoi, la vie quotidienne de l'héroïne occupe autant de place que le reste !
Je reste sur une relativement bonne note quand même, même si j'avoue qu'il ne me laissera pas un souvenir impérissable au final, je dirais presque qu'il est oubliable.
14/20
Un tome léger, fun, avec beaucoup d'humour. Bon, j'ai trouvé que le scénario ne cassait pas 3 pattes à un canard, j'avais deviné le coupable bien avant la fin, mais après l’intérêt du livre n'est pas vraiment dans l'enquête, elle est presque la comme histoire de fond pour faire évoluer les personnages.
C'est eux qui donnent le ton à l'histoire. Ils sont tous très sympa et facile à aimer, et même si l'héroïne est une girouette je l'aime bien quand même ! En fait c'est quasiment un chicklit-surnaturel avec une enquête quoi, la vie quotidienne de l'héroïne occupe autant de place que le reste !
Je reste sur une relativement bonne note quand même, même si j'avoue qu'il ne me laissera pas un souvenir impérissable au final, je dirais presque qu'il est oubliable.
14/20
August 22, 2015
I enjoyed this more than the first 2 books for a couple of reasons. Firstly all the men seemed to have stopped treating Ciel as a brainless doll who need to be lied to and manipulated for her own good so that was a big positive. The second thing was how awesome Billy was as a boyfriend for 80% of the book. i was never happy with their relationship due to the experience inequity between them but he earned big brownie points with how he handles the whole Mark/Ciel thing. I still would have MUCH preferred if Ciel had a fling with Mark in book 1 before hooking up with Billy in book 2 though. Also I LOVE Laura. I want more Laura & Ciel together.
October 16, 2015
I am glad I caught this in book 4 of the series. While it was a nice concept and most of the characters are readable and not over the top obnoxious, the story was very jumpy and the action contrived in parts. We have a group of people who are 'adaptors'. They can change into any person they want after a little study time. They will sound and look like them and fill in as perfect replicas. If I had started at #1 I might have gotten thru this volume but probably not. The writing is witty but the characters are all uptight or overly opinionated or just too "something" for my taste.
February 4, 2018
This book is Ciel Halligan at her best! This, like Grimes' others, is full of humor and action, but this one offers a delicious "holy sh**" moment that was romantic and sexy. Sigh. Team Mark - all the way. The entire series is fun and refreshing, but this installment kept me up all night reading and waiting impatiently for the next adventure.
May 14, 2021
I originally read this in 2015, almost 6 years later, I STILL remember the "omg, this can't be happening" awkward moment of the book (happens around the 43% mark.)
It's STILL painful to endure. The love triangle gets complicated, the family dynamics of this crazy group continues. I wanted to smack Ceil so many times. Did I enjoy it? Ummm.... Mostly?
It does resolve itself in the end. Kinda.
It's STILL painful to endure. The love triangle gets complicated, the family dynamics of this crazy group continues. I wanted to smack Ceil so many times. Did I enjoy it? Ummm.... Mostly?
It does resolve itself in the end. Kinda.
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