So remember how I was asking for help dealing with my epic TBR pile earlier in the week? Well, while I was culling some books, I plucked this one off my shelf and read the back. It sounded funny, and I was in the mood for that, so I figured I'd give it a try. I guarantee this book has been on my shelf for at least three years. A while back I bought two "grab bag" boxes of romances from the used book store, and this was one of those in the mix.
And see, this is EXACTLY why I have trouble getting rid of TBR books even when they've been languishing on my shelves for years. Because I KNOW that there are some gems on those shelves and I don't want to miss out on them. (Yes, I have major FOMO over books.) But anyway, Sex, Lies, and Online Dating by Rachel Gibson proved the point and will now make me even more paranoid about donating books I haven't read.
So, let's get to the book. First, the back cover summary, which has a bit more of a chick-litty feel than the actual book, so take that with a grain of salt:
Sex . . .
What is it about men anyway? Bad cars, bad jobs, even bad teeth—nothing convinces them that they can't snare a Size Two Babe with a D-cup chest. And after way too many internet dates with men named "luvstick" and "bigdaddy182," Lucy Rothschild should know.
Lies . . .
But sitting across from her now is "hardluvnman," and he seems different—sensitive, honest, and hot! He says he's a plumber, while Lucy claims she's a nurse! She's really a mystery writer, dating online while researching her next book. Hey, everyone lies a little, don't they?
And Online Dating . . .
But Quinn's really an undercover cop hunting down a serial killer, and he sees Lucy as his top suspect. And while he could really go for this smart, sexy woman with the killer bod—if that's the only thing "killer" about her—he knows he needs to wine and dine her and discover the truth. Hey, he realizes the dating scene can be deadly—but this is ridiculous!
Okay, so first, this is a series following four writer friends, each getting their own book. Obviously, I'm a writer, and I have a group of writer friends who I'm very close to. So this was ridiculously relatable. Almost freakishly so at points, lol. I actually texted my friend Dawn mid-read and was like--go get this book right now.
But besides that, why did I love it? Well, this story is funny and sexy with a great voice (and I'm a junkie for a good voice.) Plus, after picking up a few books lately that I couldn't get into and worrying that it was me or my mood, this one instantly hooked me. Now, fair warning, some of the references are outdated since I think this was released in the mid-2000s. (Hero wears button fly jeans which made me snicker. And there are lots of references to high end brands, which makes me think of Sex in the City chick lit.) But it wasn't a distracting amount of dated stuff. Also, this has a suspense element to it, but it's very solidly contemporary romance. The focus is on the couple and their developing relationship.
I'm not going to go into a detailed plot synopsis because you can get the gist in the back cover summary, but the reason I'm recommending it is because it's hard to find books that pull off humor well, while still being romantic and sexy. This one does. I laughed aloud multiple times and still got the payoff of a great, sexy romance. If you're looking for a lot of angst and emotional backstory, this is not the one for you. But sometimes it's nice to read something light-hearted and fun with characters who could be your friends.
Now I'm going to have to track down the remaining books in the series and add MORE to my TBR pile. It's an endless cycle, people.
Grab this one for only $3.99 right now. And have a great weekend!
