This was so much FUN! Taylor calls it an “adventure romcom,” and I wasn’t exactly sure what that would entail, but it quickly became apparent that it was right up my alley. She’s a new-to-me author who I’ve been meaning to try, and the striking cover paired with the intriguing blurb had me feeling like this was the right place to start. A fun (and funny!) cat-and-mouse game the whole way through, this has BANTER for days, and so much chemistry. It’s incredibly playful and lighthearted, and I loved putting all of the pieces together. Sure, the romance does come together pretty quickly, but it was immensely entertaining to watch these two figure each other out. Our hero is a con man and semi-reformed bad boy, and our heroine is not as innocent as she seems. Watching them fall for each other while going on an adventure made this absolutely fly by. I loved it!
The story follows Bodie, a con man on a mission. He’s attempting to put together an antique chess set that is said to double as a treasure map, and he needs some assistance. When Bodie meets Gracen, he realizes that her skills in assessing antiques will be invaluable to him. Though Bodie’s reputation precedes him and he’s never claimed to be good, he still doesn’t love the idea of getting someone as innocent and normal as Gracen tangled up in his problems. That doesn’t stop him from borrowing her brain for a little while – via some light kidnapping. But the more Bodie gets to know Gracen, the more he realizes that he may have misjudged her. And the more he realizes that she might be the missing piece in his life after all.
I went into this with zero expectations, in the mood for something light and fun. And that is exactly what I got! Sparks fly between these two from the moment they meet, and I loved watching their bickering turn into banter. It was easy to fall for Bodie, who is a con man with a good side buried underneath the surface. Gracen makes his perfect partner, and that became more and more apparent as the story progressed. The mystery and adventure is a big part of the story, but Gracen and Bodie are in nearly every scene together, so it didn’t feel like the romantic element was forgotten at all. Maybe things moved a little faster because of the short timeline, but I could see why they fell so quickly. It’s also a closed door/no spice romance, so that made it feel like a slower burn. I certainly wouldn’t have minded some heat, which would’ve dialed up the sexual tension more, but I also don’t feel like it was necessary for the story. This was just exceedingly light, funny, and devourable in the best of ways. I binged it in one sitting and was smiling the whole time.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3yPnKxy
Blurb:
A romantic adventure
Being an antique expert and authenticator isn’t as glamorous as it seems.
Not nearly the amount of excitement I’d hoped for—at least not until I have some competition looking for the missing pieces of an engraved chess set.
My competition is dashing—but more likely to swoop off with the chess set than me.
Bodie King. Alias Sullivan Keene, Robby Landon, Captain Sexy Pants, The Trade King, and I’m sure many, many more that he would never admit to.
To make it simple: he’s a con man.
Bodie shows up in my antique store with a smile and promise of things to come
I don’t trust him. And I definitely don’t want him to end up with the chess set. Which means I’m going to have to keep those pieces safe—and hopefully find them before he does. But more people than just Bodie and I are interested in the chess set, and we’re forced into a tentative alliance—at least until I’m out of danger.
But as we race against the clock and across the globe to find the missing pieces, Bodie surprises me by being real. Authentic. Dare I say loveable?
But can you ever really trust a con?
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3yPnKxy
About the Author:
USA Today Bestselling author Carina Taylor writes zany romantic comedies that make you ugly laugh.
When she’s not writing, you can find Carina ignoring her laundry pile (she’s hit expert level), pretending to work out, eating cheese, (pretending to workout WHILE eating cheese) and dreaming up the next story.
You can follow her on Facebook and Instagram: @carinataylorauthor or sign up for her newsletter here: https://sendfox.com/cjtaylorauthor
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