This was my first time reading anything by Ms.Wilde. The best thing about a 2-in-1 book is not only the bang for the buck, but if you really enjoyed the first story, you can just keep on going. And that is exactly what I did.

I noticed several similarities in both books, even though they’re not connected. What stood out were several whacky names, inner monologues, multiple POVs, a fondness for 90s pop music, and two parallel story lines that are connected but are told separately. Both stories were romantic suspense with a good dose of humor. They were also devoid of superfluous love scenes. In place of jumping bones and dry-humping, there was a nice, steady build-up of romance that made the inevitable love-making well worth the wait.

The only thing I would have a complaint about is the cover. It looks too sweet to reflect the stories within accurately. It’s a bit too fluffy and looks a little…stuffy. If I had seen the cover first, I probably would have passed this book by. I guess the saying is true about not judging a book by its cover.

LICENSE TO THRILL

Investment banker Mason Gentry never thought his life could get turned upside down in the span of a week. His weekend plans of proposing to his girlfriend of three years are ruined when the family insists he be the one to hunt down their missing grandfather who disappeared quite suddenly with a half a million dollars from the company’s account. The trail leads Mason to Las Vegas and Maybelline, the woman whom his grandfather was going to meet. Instead, he finds Charlee Champagne, Maybelline’s granddaughter. For a man who was used to getting everything he wanted based on his name alone, he was in for a rude awakening. Of course, accusing her grandmother of being a gold digger then trying to buy information from Charlee was probably the wrong thing to do. Bad first impressions aside, they team up on a wild chase across three states while dodging unknown thugs and a growing attraction.

I was sucked in from the first few pages and didn’t put this book down to tend to mundane tasks such as cooking. The author did a great job of fleshing out the characters within the first chapter, so I had a very good sense of what their normal selves were like before their worlds collided. From there, every nugget of information about them just added more to the overall picture.

I loved Charlee and Mason as individuals, but their combination of sass and seriousness made them such a loveable couple. He was by the book, uptight and she was likely to throw a book at anyone standing in her way. He taught her that not all rich men were jerks and she taught him to lighten up. Parallel to their story was also the mystery surrounding Nolan and Maybelline which was incredibly sweet. I really liked the parallels between the older generation and the younger one.

From getting off on the wrong foot, to chasing down a criminal father who impersonates Elvis, to impersonating a redneck couple on the Newlywed Show, all the way to the showdown at the Oscars, this story was jam-packed with great characters and dialogue. It didn’t hurt either that it was well-written, had a nice flow, and throughout it all, made me laugh out loud.

Favorite Lines/Best moments:

“Settle down.”

“I don’t want to settle down.” He was utterly pissed. He looked as if he wanted to tear her to shreds with his bare hands, bit by tiny bit. “I’m tired of settling down. I’ve been settled down for twenty-seven years and where has it gotten me? Stuck in the Arizona desert with an infuriatingly aggravating woman, that’s where.”

***

“Ever since I met you nothing but bad things have happened,” he continued to rant. “I’ve been shot at, made fun of by creeps in a bar, had my wallet stolen, been in a crazed car chase, and now the vehicle that’s dear to my heart has been smashed by a giant hamburger.”

***

Giggling, Charlee fell backward onto the satin duvet and immediately slid whiz-bang onto the floor. She sprawled on her spine, her neck resting awkwardly against the footboard. “There’s a trick to lying down on satin,” Mason said without even looking up from punching his calling card number into the phone.

***

“Mason,” she whispered his name. “I want you here.” Ah, hell. He leaped onto the bed beside her and promptly slid off the slick satin and crashed onto the floor.

YOU ONLY LOVE TWICE

Comic book illustrator Marlie Montague lives isolated, usually in her own world. Her extreme work hours, a mind full of conspiracy theories, and paranoia keep her locked away in her own little world where her kick-ass heroine, Angelina Avenger, fights for justice. The kind of justice that her father had been denied. Years ago, her father had been labeled a government whistle-blower, a traitor. His death had never been investigated, but she knew who killed him. A naval officer and a trusted friend. She never believed any of the accusations, but her life and that of her mother had already been ruined. Trust is something she doesn’t give easily or readily. NCIS special agent Joel Hunter has orders to keep Marlie under surveillance, befriend her and gain her trust. Not an easy task when any attempt to come face-to-face with her has been impossible. But when she’s nearly killed in her own home and seeks help from her neighbor, he finally sees his chance to insert himself into her life. The longer they’re together, the more he questions whether Marlie really is the bad guy.

I liked the heroine because she was a blend of shy geek, but she was also a woman with conviction and she was tough when the situation called for it. She also had an unusual quirk – she not only talked to herself, well, she talked to her alter ego Angelina Avenger. Carrying on a conversation in her head then morphed into a multiple personality disorder with Angelina “taking over Marlie” in one or two scenes.

I loved her and Joel as a couple. Their relationship progressed at a good pace under the circumstances. Even though she was the target, he didn’t try to tuck her away behind him for her own safety. I thought she adapted to the situations quickly and confidently.

This story was another fast-paced romantic suspense. Like the first story, the heroine had a “type” that she tried to avoid. There were also many characters in this story and multiple POVs, but I never got confused. I attest that to the great story flow, and each couple moved the story along rather than hinder it. With three story lines running parallel to each other and converging in the climax, this story had a few interesting twists and turns; the sincerity of various characters was questioned and there was a lot of action.

Favorite Lines/Best moments:

“You are crazy. Whatcha been doin’? Smokin’ crack?” Kemp asked. “Or droppin’ acid?”

“Stuff it where the sun don’t shine, Porky.” Marlie’s lips said the words, but it was Angelina’s sassy voice doing the talking.

***

“You military?”

“What makes you think I’m military?”

“You have that tilty cock to your walk,” she said.

“Tilty cock?” Joel laughed.

“Cocky tilt, cocky tilt, cocky tilt. I meant cocky tilt.”

“Sure you did.”

The Bottom Line

Brilliantly witty. Charmingly sexy. Both stories were fast paced, as was the romantic entanglement between the leading characters, but I absolutely loved the balance of action and romance and all the hilarious moments in between. Anyone who loves a good mystery, danger, humor and romance will enjoy this. I will definitely be looking for more stories like these from the author. This is a Top Pick for me.

Disclaimer: Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review. ( )