Review by Booklist Review
An honest woman in a family of grifters navigates a new life in this cross-genre novel by established romance author Dimon. Jillian Moorewood makes her dramatic return from prison in a helicopter, surprising her shady relatives. The Moorewood family has been conning for generations, mostly through "marking" unsuspecting rich people. Between fake business transactions and marrying for money, they've amassed a fortune. Jillian and her father, as the ones in charge of the finances, took the heat for tax fraud, but Jillian's father dropped dead during questioning, leaving her to face the consequences. To make matters more complicated, Jillian owns the Moorewood estate, having inherited it from her mother. While flirting with her hot bodyguard, Jillian has to evade passive-aggressive plays and even death threats from her own relatives while also plotting her own revenge. Dimon leverages her expertise in romance through the simmering relationship between Jillian and her bodyguard. Jillian's cousin also shares her point of view, establishing the dynamic between the warring family members. Dimon's fans will enjoy this departure from her standard fare.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A woman newly released from prison reunites with her family of con artists to find out which one turned her in. The only life that Jillian Moorewood has ever known is a dishonest one. Growing up in a family of scammers meant that any semblance of a straightforward childhood wouldn't be possible--but now, 39 months after going to prison, she's back and ready to make her relatives go legit. Granted, when Jillian shows up at home in Newport, Rhode Island, everyone is more than prepared to deny that they'd agreed to the condition she'd imposed before going to jail for all of them: that they'd go legit. This wayward daughter has a few tricks up her sleeve, though, and they all start and end with hitting the rest of the family where it hurts: in their bank accounts. Jillian's relatives are less than thrilled about her ultimatum, but are they irritated enough to attempt to off her themselves? Enter the intimidating and distractingly handsome bodyguard Beck Romer, whom Jillian initially hires to protect her from her diabolical family--but the two discover that their connection is even more intense than that of boss and employee. There's little time for the possibility of love, though, when Jillian is not only trying to find out who was responsible for sending her to prison in the first place, but also dodging retaliation from relatives left and right. Dimon's latest is lighter on romance than most of her books, leaning more significantly into the wacky interpersonal hijinks of its premise. Readers who enjoy dysfunctional family dynamics will find entertainment here. Given the limited scope of the setting, though, notching up the drama between characters and incorporating more mystery would have served the story even better. An ensemble comedy with a healthy dose of humorous back-stabbing. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
