Well gee...where do I begin with this book? I liked it, probably because I like murder mysteries even if this wasn't the best one, because it's a rom com murder mystery, like its predecessors. And I usually enjoy the rom com parts too, but this one simultaneously intrigued and annoyed me. You know when a romance has been dragged out too long that by the time the couple gets together you shout "Finally!"? Yeah, this book did not elicit that reaction. I believe it was more along the lines of "Whatever" with a big eye roll. The scenes between Jamie and Max were not very exciting. His controlling nature was starting to tick me off in an extreme way. I have had enough of controlling male leads from Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey to last me a lifetime, thank you. A pet peeve of mine is when characters refer to fearing for the others safety as a means of not allowing them to live their lives. Helloooo? I am more likely to be killed in a car accident than be murdered by a serial killer. Just sayin' The best features for me was the murder mystery involving personal ads, the new lingerie shop in town (opened by a former librarian ;) ), Destiny the psychic and her not-yet-crossed-over-ghost pal Ronnie, Dee Dee and Beanie and all their utter ridiculousness and of course Fleas and his ice cream eating ways. Another major issue for me was Vera. I bet there are fans of this series out there that love her, but seriously when is it acceptable for a mother figure to call her surrogate daughter a slut, be super judgmental and a hypocrite to boot? Her character is meant to be a means of comic relief and for me at least, always falls flat of the mark. It occurred to me the reason I enjoyed the previous book so much was because Vera was not strictly in it. If you like the series, go for it, maybe Full Blast will leave a better taste in your mouth than it did mine.
Another day another Evanovich book. I don't know what's wrong with me, but I don't feel the zing between Max & Jamie. I want to. But it seems she thought she was in love with her fiance when she met Max, but then she decided she liked Max more, but not really because she didn't trust him completely. And she is obsessed with her job (much like Stephanie Plum) making constant stupid choices that put her safety at risk to accomplish them. Maybe it's the character's themselves. They seem a little flat. Like a shiny hollow ball. I mean, Max was interesting at 16, but now he's 36 and he's rich, handsome, rich, smart, generous, rich, plus he can solve crimes with the help of his super computer that is kind of creepy -I mean think the final link before the terminator, cylons, the out of control super computers in i robot or eagle eye... where was I? Oh yes, he's perfect on the surface, but I feel like there's just nothing behind it. And his sister at 46 is exactly as she was at 26. The constant "ew" over everything awesome- likes scruffy old dogs and pizza makes me wonder what it is her husband sees in her. Her assistant is mildly amusing although he's written as a total stereotype that is one step shy of offensive. Oh well, the next ones aren't about them it seems and I have a lot of post holiday tasks to accomplish, so I'll go ahead and finish. I can't walk away from a series, even if I don't like it, I always hope it will get better.Oh, but the reason it got 3 stars is because the mystery was interesting. I figured it out as soon as we got all the information and I wish we would get a confession from the killer, part of a mystery is knowing why they did it. But that part did keep me interested.
What do You think about Full Blast (2004)?
I'm most fond of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum mysteries and usually the "Full" series falls a bit short. This 4th installment, however, comes close with the quirky characters you grow so attached to, that Janet Evanovich is famous for.So far, Full Blast is the funniest and steamiest in the series. There's certainly a couple parts you want to be sure to read by yourself, if you're prone to blushing!A steamy romance, over-the-top characters, a car that costs 2 Million and has a talking computer that sounds like Marilyn Monroe, a couple vintage Mustangs, a well-endowed psychic, an ice-cream eating dog named Fleas ... all this and it's a murder myster, believe it or not! Pretty funny.This was also the first of the series that I listened to the Audio version. The reader, Lorelei King, is fantastic. She really knows how to separate the quirky characters and really bring them to life.(audio version)
—Wendy
This is a funny book. Just what a reader expects from this writing team.Jamie is a small town newspaper owner and her silent partner happens to be a very wealthy and very handsome man named Max.He is an interesting character although a wee bit improbable. But, there is nothing that Max cannot do either with his technical knowledge or his immense wealth. His secretary is a computer program who develops symptoms of a pregnancy out of sympathy for a pregnant woman. As you can see, the story has unusual twists.The newspaper has started printing personal ads and even in this small town they have been successful. But, there has been a murder. A woman who had checked into some of the ads is found beaten to death in her home. And there is a good possibility that the murder is somehow connected to the personal ads.There are a number of suspects, and some of them could be men who have ads in the paper. In order to check the ads out, Jamie and Max and a psychic who wants to become an advice columnist start investigating the men. Destiny, the hopeful advice columnist has a ghost who accompanies her everywhere. Vera is a woman who has known Jamie since she was a child and she feels it is her duty to let Jamie know when she is not doing what should be done. Jamie has a bloodhound who is a big fan of ice cream and has the energy level of an inanimate object. So, there are plenty of interesting characters, whether they are possible murderers or not.This is a fun read, and anyone who is familiar with Ms Evanovich and Ms Hughes will find just what they seek, humor, an interesting plot and fascinating characters.
—Annette
This is a fun light read with quirky romance, fun characters, and a few mysterious twists. I found this book in the FREE box at the public library and it was definitely what I needed at the moment but it doesn't have to stay in my permanent collection and that is okay. If you have a weekend with not much to do but sit in front of the wood-stove and sip tea (or something else!) then this is the book for you! All the zaniness you expect from Janet Evanovich: a lingerie store owned by the former librarian, a baker making brownies with aphrodisiacs, and an amorous poodle trying to waylay the heroines dog. It's funny. It's light. It's perfect for a stormy weekend!
—Lynn
