Authors: Janet Evanovich, Phoef Sutton
Publisher: Bantam
Date of publication: June 2015
Murdered and mummified more than ninety years ago, bootlegger Collier “Peg Leg” Dazzle once found and re-hid a famous pirate’s treasure somewhere along the coast of New England. A vast collection of gold and silver coins and precious gems, the bounty also contains the Stone of Avarice — the very item reluctant treasure seeker, Lizzy Tucker, and her partner, Diesel, have been enlisted to find. While Lizzy would just like to live a quiet, semi-normal life, Diesel is all about the hunt. And this hunt is going to require a genuine treasure map and a ship worthy of sailing the seven seas . . . or at least getting them from Salem Harbor to Maine.
Greed is eternal and insatiable, and Lizzy and Diesel aren’t the only ones searching for the lost pirate’s chest. There are people who have dedicated their entire lives to finding it, and are willing to commit murder or make a deal with the devil, just to hold the fortune in their hands. One of those people may even be Wulf, Diesel’s deceptively charming and enigmatic cousin. Wulf desires the Stone of Avarice. He also desires Lizzy. It’s hard to say how far he’s willing to go to gain either one.
I have been waiting to read Wicked Charms for a long time. It's been 4 years since the second book came out. I have to say, that it was worth the wait. I really enjoyed this book. I haven't laughed out loud during a book so much in a long time. You always know with Lizzy and Diesel, there is going to be a crazy adventure. This time around, there are pirate legends, treasure maps and hidden treasure. And of course, the hunt for the next Stone of Avarice.
As I said, I loved the humor in this one. It is what I have always loved about this author's writing. While there was definite sexual tension between Diesel and Lizzy, there was much less of "will they or won't they?". That made me happy. Knowing that they can't do anything about it because one of them could lose their powers is fine, I just didn't want it reminded to me every page like in the last book. I still think they make a great team. I would love for them to ultimately be together. The ending with Wulf proves to make things very interesting though.
Once again, the peripheral characters round out the story nicely. Glo with her spell book is my favorite. Her attempts at doing spells always make for interesting situations. This time around, the dog spell was very amusing. If you haven't picked this series up, I do suggest starting with the first book, Wicked Appetite. I think there is some essential back story that is not present in this one. But, you won't be sorry!
Authors: Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg
Publisher: Bantam Dell
Date of publication: June 2013
FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years, the only name she’s cared about is Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.
Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: he convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.
I am a huge fan of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, well at least up until about book 13. I also was a huge fan of the TV Show "Monk", which Lee Goldberg was a writer for. Put these two authors together and you have the potential for a hugely funny and madcap adventure. Thankfully, they pulled it off in The Heist. I thought this book was hilarious and found myself laughing out loud constantly. The in-jokes and circumstances that Kate and Nick find themselves in kept the book fresh and engaging.
I loved Kate because she is a kick-ass agent who isn't TSTL and not really afraid of doing whatever it takes to get the job done. I also loved Nick. He reminded me of Neal Caffrey from the TV show "White Collar". Very smart, sexy and always got a con up his sleeve. The chemistry between the two was just right in a not annoying way. My only hope is that as the series goes along we won't constantly get a "will they or won't they" scenario. That will get old fast. I think that is what got tiring for me with the Stephanie Plum series.
The peripheral characters added a lot of comic relief to the story. I really hope that they show up in later books. I loved Willy and her honesty. I also loved Kate's father and their relationship. The cons were fun to watch unfold, especially when things went wrong.
If you haven't given this one a shot yet, I highly recommend it. It was a lot of fun and I have The Chase on my TBR Pile priority list so stay tuned!
Author: Lynsay Sands
First published in 2003 by Love Spell
Jane Spyrus can build any gadget B.L.I.S.S. needs in its international fight against crime, but she soon meets a fellow who shows her how to love the daylights out of something without batteries.
When I first started listening to The Loving Daylights, I wasn't sure if I would keep listening It was really unlike anything else that I have read by this author. Once I gave into the silliness of the book, I found I enjoyed it. This book is very silly. I took it as a tongue-in-cheek spy romance novel. There are lots of funny scenes that had me laughing. The shrink wrap condom scene was hilarious! I started to enjoy the character names, such as Ira Maintrue and Dirk Ensecksi. Say those really fast and see what you get. The characters themselves were fun. If you are looking for a really fun read that doesn't take itself seriously, then make sure to check this one out!
