Review by Booklist Review
A simple business transaction: a little quid pro quo. That's what Kylie Masters tells herself. Joe Malone wants to purchase one of Kylie's handcrafted mirrors; Kylie needs his unique detective skills to track down a stolen treasured family memento. It should be simple. Joe gets the present he needs, and Kylie gets her beloved penguin back. Kylie has worked well with plenty of people, but, then again, she hasn't shared a kiss with any other business associates as hot as the one she had with Joe. RITA Award-winning Shalvis continues her literary winning streak with the latest in her Heartbreaker Bay series, once again gifting readers with an emotionally engaging contemporary love story with a piquant sense of humor and plenty of red-hot romance.--Charles, John Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Shalvis's fun fifth Heartbreaker Bay contemporary (after Chasing Christmas Eve), the magical fountain at the heart of San Francisco's Cow Hollow district is working overtime to put couples together, but somehow Shalvis makes the trope feel fresh and exciting. Joe Malone, who's retired from the military and working (like every other romance hero) in private security, shares a spontaneous, world-rocking kiss with woodworker Kylie Masters in front of the fountain. After that, Joe's quite willing to help Kylie find a wooden penguin that was left to her by her grandfather and subsequently stolen. As they traipse across the city, they quickly realize the missing figurine is part of a fraud scheme. Joe and Kylie's families (and Kylie's dog, Vinnie) add depth to this treasure hunt. Series readers will enjoy seeing previously featured couples offering their advice and assistance. Agent: Robin Rue, Writers House. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Woodworker artisan Kylie Masters has no intention of letting a tipsy, supercharged kiss she shared with über-hot Joe Malone be anything more than the stupid mistake it was. Then a childhood treasure created by her late craftsman grandfather disappears, only to show up in photos left by a blackmailer. Suddenly Kylie's resolution to stay out of Joe's way goes up in smoke as she is forced to work with the one person who can get to the bottom of things-Joe, the top "finder and fixer" for Hunt Investigations, a crack investigative and security firm. Verbal sparks fly, and the sexual tension spikes as Kylie and Joe go in search of the culprit. Familiar, eccentric characters add sass and lighthearted fun, and the Pacific Pier Building's wishing well does its romantic bit in a story enhanced by a gentle dash of suspense. VERDICT A former bad boy hero with special ops skills and a relationship-wary heroine find truth, forgiveness, and passion in a funny romance that nicely continues this popular San Francisco-set series. Shalvis (Chasing Christmas Eve) lives in the Sierras near Lake Tahoe. © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
When wood artist Kylie Masters loses a beloved object, she hires Joe Malonethe laconic man of mystery with whom she recently shared a sexy kissto help her find it.Kylie isn't sure why she pulled Joe into the alley to kiss him; she's only sure It. Will. Never. Happen. Again. Joe works in the same building where Kylie has her wood workshop. He'd "been special ops and still had most of his skills, skills he used on his job at an investigation and securities firm upstairs." She wants to avoid the man who makes her hormones go haywire, refusing to wind up like her mother, who likes bad boys but never manages to find relationships that stick. However, when she discovers that her prized penguin sculpture, a gift from her grandfather, is being held hostage until she performs an illegal task for the mysterious statue-napper, she hires Joe to find the criminal and the object. As the two track down the list of suspects, Joe wants Kylie to stay behind, but she is determined to be in on the action, setting the couple up for the final conflict that they have to overcome to be together. Shalvis brings her signature style to another Heartbreaker Bay novel and satisfies on many levels. However, light and dark sit uneasily togetherfor instance, the criminal takes funny pictures of the penguin in hazardous situations, which seems more suited for a game than a real crime. Also, Kylie's insistence on comparing Joe to her mother's typical boyfriends despite every indication that he's different, as well as the vague theme of "men are simple and pretty stupid until women tame and civilize them," wears a little thin.Typical Shalvis but with strangely mismatched elements. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
