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July Reading Wrap-up

Oh July, you sly bitch. Somehow, July convinced me to spend all of my money on stuff. New clothes. New books. New automatic espresso machine (no regrets!).

But I also read some books: 19, in fact.

Unfortunately, none of them were super great.

Rocky Start by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

I'm so glad Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer are back! Even if the fruits of their labor as writing partners isn't always my cup of tea. Rocky Start was good, ok, sorta funny at times, but also really quippy. Like, even the characters' internal monologue had quips. Also, the pacing felt off, for a book about ex-spies in retirement. The transition between action and love scenes didn't always work. But I love love love that it featured an older heroine and hero (late 40s to early 50s, she's older) getting together and refusing to define the relationship beyond "this is what we want now." 4 reluctant stars. Honestly, it's a 3.5 star book.

You'd Look Better As A Ghost by Joanna Wallace

I picked this one up solely because it was from the POV of a woman serial killer. Noice. And mostly I enjoyed the plot, which was surprisingly twisty and suspenseful. The humor was rather dry and very British in that sense. And Claire, our serial killer, is an interesting character with a unique voice. But honestly, everything was just felt flat and I never really engaged. 4 stars for the mystery plotting but 3.5 for everything else.

#reading wrap up #books #jennifer crusie #bob Mayer #joanna Wallace #book reviews #book recommendations

Agnes and the Hitman

By Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

Tumblr, you have been sleeping on this book LONG ENOUGH.

Agnes Crandall is a woman just trying to get through the next week: she has an article to write, a house to update, a flamingo-themed wedding to put on, and a lot of rage to work through. All she wants is to feed everyone and live happily ever after in Two Rivers, her beloved house.

When someone shows up to kidnap her dog, things go south, fast. Before she knows it, she’s up to her eyeballs in dognappers, conspiracies, hitmen, wedding sabotage, a lying fiancé, and a 25-year-old mob mystery. And she can’t seem to stop hitting people with frying pans.

Shane Smith is a (hit)man just trying to do his job: he has a rival assassin to kill and a mission to accomplish that could make — or break — his career, and he isn’t really interested in digging up the past in his old hometown.

But when his uncle Joey calls him to protect Agnes, his life gets complicated, fast. He climbs in her window, promises to protect her, and shoots the next man to wave a gun at her. And he’s only getting started. If only he could stop getting his ass handed to him by his rival. If only Joey would stop keeping secrets. If only he wasn’t so distracted by Agnes and her pancakes. If only she’d stop hitting people with frying pans.

Can they solve the mystery, finish the house, and throw the wedding of the year — without getting killed, or worse... falling for each other?

#HELLO FRIENDS I HAVE MADE THIS EDIT FOR ME AND THE THREE OTHER PEOPLE ON TUMBLR WHO HAVE READ THIS BOOK #agnes and the hitman #jennifer crusie #bob mayer #if you have not read this book and you like angry women and murdery men and food and action movies and romance novels #then read it NOW #seriously she feeds him ONE time and he buys her a new air conditioner and promises to solve all her problems #i have read this book at LEAST six times #i finished it this morning and honestly kinda want to read it again #it is funny and sexy and clever and did i mention funny #and if you do read it #PLEASE REPORT BACK TO ME #my edit

This book is everything!

Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

This is my original copy of Agnes and the Hitman, from 2007. The pages are yellowing and getting a little brittle but I will keep it as long as I can because I love it so much.

It's everything that you want in a rom-com: shenanigans, hijinks, dead bodies, the mob, Southern Belles, hitmen, women who fight back (with cast iron pans!), fits of almost uncontrollable rage, mistaken identify, buried secrets, and looooveeeeee.

I enjoyed re-reading this book almost as much as reading it the first time. Some details I remembered, some were a surprise all over again. There are a lot of twists and turns, maybe a few I saw coming, but still fun all the same. And Agnes! What a character. Loyal, the center holding together her found family, exasperated-- even maybe at her wit's edge, dealing with a rage problem while also falling in love. She's so great.

5 stars.

#book reviews #romance novels #agnes and the hitman #jennifer crusie #bob mayer