Category: Contemporary

Look Alive Twenty-Five by Janet Evanovich

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Contemporary, MysteryLeave a comment

Look Alive Twenty-Five (Stephanie Plum, #25)Look Alive Twenty-Five by Janet Evanovich

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Stephanie Plum #25
Publication Date: 11/13/18
Number of Pages: 320

This series is both addictive and annoying. The annoying didn’t start until a number of books into the series and it is because of a relationship that just can’t seem to get resolved. I’m sure that if the situation is resolved, then the series will end – but maybe it is time. Then, there is the perpetual hamster who should be well beyond his life expectancy by now. Speaking of that relationship issue – to me, personally – it doesn’t appear that there is any real love there on any side. The books are always zany and funny and you just can’t help but chuckle at the antics.

I’ve rated this story 3.5 rounded up to 4 mainly because Stephanie didn’t get herself into quite as many pickles as she normally does and not a single car exploded. The appearance of Wulf from the Lizzy and Diesel series didn’t add anything to the story either and he’s just always annoying.

Stephanie Plum is an inept bail enforcement agent for her cousin Vinny – who is married to the daughter of a big-time mobster – Harry the Hammer. Connie is the only competent one at the agency. Stephanie’s assistant is Lula, a former ‘ho who still dresses like one. Add Morelli, Stephanie’s boyfriend who is a cop and Ranger, the ultra-sexy owner of Rangeman security (who also wants to be Stephanie’s boyfriend) and you have quite an interesting mix of personalities.

Vinny and his father-in-law have taken over a deli that was forfeited when the owner jumped bail and disappeared. Now, the managers keep disappearing and leaving behind nothing except one shoe. Vinny has Stephanie and Lula take over running the deli in addition to her bail enforcement duties. Lula is convinced that aliens are taking the managers and she is convinced that Stephanie is next.

Ranger and Morelli take turns protecting Stephanie and the antics are, as always, very amusing. Lula fancies herself the queen of sandwich making at the deli and creates something new for each order – no matter what the patron requested. Ranger even gets into the sandwich making. All of this is going on while they are trying to figure out what happened to the previous managers.

Will Stephanie and Lula still be working at the deli when the next book is released? Can’t wait to see.

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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

Tied Up In A Bow by Sheila Connolly

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Contemporary, Mystery, Novella3 Comments

Tied Up In A Bow(A County Cork Novella #1)Tied Up In A Bow by Sheila Connolly

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: A County Cork Novella #1
Publication Date: 11/29/18

The ‘Thing’ and Christmas are both arriving in Leap, County Cork, Ireland and they are bringing a mystery and some suspense with them. This lovely, well-written, well-plotted novella goes along with the County Cork Mysteries series. It nicely whets our appetite for the next full-length novel, The Lost Traveller, that releases in January.

Maura Donovan, the owner of Sullivan’s, a pub in the small Irish village of Leap, is mystified by the construction going on across the street. When they discover that what is being constructed, Maura calls it the ‘thing’, is a secret and will be revealed in a ceremony the following Sunday, the crew at Sullivan’s decide to have a drawing to see if anyone can guess what it is. They’ll charge one euro per entry and then they’ll donate the proceeds to a worthy cause.

In the midst of all the guessing about what the ‘thing’ will be and collecting those guesses, Maura notices a small boy sitting on the bench outside her pub. She goes out and sits beside him and learns that he and his mother are new to Leap and that his name is Danny. Since it is much too cold for Danny to be sitting outside, Maura brings him a cup of hot chocolate. She can’t bring a small boy inside the pub, so she sits and visits for a while. When she returns inside, she is convinced that there is a big mystery about Danny and his mom. There is trouble there somewhere.

As Maura learns more about Danny and his mother, that trouble arrives in Leap and it’s looking for Danny and Hannah. All of the folks in Leap band together to help them. We have lovely visits with our favorite Garda, Sean Murphy, our young and lovely aspiring chef Rose, Maura’s love interest Mick, and the ever-present Seamus who is thinking he’s just having too much fun with this mystery.

Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages…
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview

“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”