Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Random Bits

Amazingly enough, I'm not frantic this year--well, in terms of getting ready for Christmas. I slept late today (ahhh), and have been lounging around in my robe most of the morning. My husband has the next week and a half off, as do the kids, so I'm looking forward to a lot of family time, though I will still be working. I have to come up with three proposals plus tweak a women's fic novel I hope to send out after the first of the year. And I'm writing another short story, that's due ASAP but I'm almost done with it, so not frantic about that, either.

I've been getting some great reviews for Truly, Madly. Here are two:

From Pub Weekly:

“This clever paranormal mystery series launch is sure to delight fans of Webber’s gardening detective, Nina Quinn (Weeding Out Trouble, etc.). The Boston Valentines have been professional matchmakers for generations, but Lucy Valentine’s psychic talent tends to show her people’s lost car keys rather than their ideal mates, so she’s shocked when her parents stick her with running the company. A vision leaves her wondering whether a client murdered his girlfriend, so she hires sexy PI Sean Donahue to find the missing woman, but while she’s imagining them naked in bed, he’s suspecting her of murder. Lucy has to contend with her meddling grandmother’s efforts to find her a new boyfriend as she dodges the cops, hunts a killer, and struggles to explain the truth to Sean. Fun characters, sparkling prose, and a twisty plot add up to a great beginning for Valentine Inc.”


From Night Owl Reviews:

Score: 5.00 / 5 - Reviewer Top Pick

Lucy Valentine doesn't really know what she wants to do with her life. She does know that dog walker didn't work out nor did day care worker nor did several other jobs that she's tried. She also knows that she's not able to work in her family's business, matchmaking. Her family has a unique gift of seeing auras around people, matching them up and sitting back to watch happy couples. Lucy was struck by lightening and lost this gift though she did get one, which lets her find missing objects, not people or animals though.

Her family has a curse to go with their gift. Marriages within the Valentine family usually don't work out. Lucy's parents present a united front for business sake but haven't lived together in years. When her father has a heart attack while in the company of someone other than his wife, Lucy's parents get together to leave the country for her father to recuperate leaving Lucy in charge of the family business. She's anything except thrilled.

Positive that she's going to make a mess of things, Lucy takes it slow but some how fate steps in making things go a little faster and a lots more chaotic then she ever expects or wants. One of her first clients gives her a flash of a missing engagement ring but it's on the hand of a skeleton! Another client has her loosing her temper. The big news in Boston is a missing child and Lucy feels compelled to do something even though she knows she can't find missing people. Her grandmother even gets into the mess by volunteering to fill in as the receptionist and by setting Lucy up with a blind date.

Lucy knows she needs help, at least concerning the dead body and turns to the PI that works above the matchmaking business. He's not there but his sexy ex-firefighter brother, Sean is. Sean's learning the business and is more than willing to give Lucy a hand. He's not so sure that was a wise decision when the state police become involved and he knows Lucy is keeping more secrets. Is Sean going to loose his PI license before he even gets it? Worse yet, is he going to jail?

I loved this book. I've been busy since I finished it raving to all my family and friends about this great new book that will be coming out around Valentine's Day. This one will definitely be a keeper!

The characters are great. They have depth and are unique. Lucy doesn't have all the answers. Heck, she's still working on the questions. This lets you feel her frustrations as she tries to figure out what next. Sean misses being a firefighter but knows he's unable to go back to a job he loves. He doesn't want pity but wants to be accepted as a whole person. Lucy's best friends seem to have to all together but as you get to know them, the cracks in that show and their real lives and problems come out.

Lucy's grandmother is one of the most unique characters. She's ready for great grandchildren and is working hard to get them. Her manipulations are not only realistic but also hilarious. Lucy works hard at skirting the blind dates that are set up but when Sean starts helping, you can't help but laugh.

I never thought dealing with the police could possibly be funny but Lucy ends up with two different departments after her and she didn't even do anything! While the officers are serious, Lucy's maneuverings to miss them aren't. Too bad she can't just throw the police to the reporter that just won't leave her alone either. She's determined to get a story so she can move to a bigger paper and Lucy is just as determined not to give her one.

Not to leave out the mystery of the dead person. I was sure I knew who it was and who did it and then the twists and turns started and I wasn't so sure any more. In fact, those twists and turns kept coming until you finally got the answer and it wasn't one I was expecting. The ending was a bit gruesome for the killer but worked out well for Lucy.

Though hitting the shelves around Valentine's Day, this book is set before Thanksgiving which means I can't wait to see Lucy at Christmas. At least two more books are planned and I'm planning on reading them. I fell in love with Lucy, her wacky family, her terrific friends and one hot PI in training. If Ms Webber can keep the rest of her stories as fresh and entertaining as this one, I foresee a long line of stories about Lucy.



Pretty cool, eh? Today I'm off to pick up a couple of last minute gifts and go back to a store that left a security sensor on one of the items I bought. I tried getting it off myself, but that sucker wouldn't budge. Plus more cookies! Mmm.

Hope you're having a non-frantic day, too.

2 comments:

  1. Great reviews! Enjoy your day.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congratulations on the wonderful reviews...and that amazing productivity! Yay for new proposals!

    ReplyDelete