Kimberley Montpetit
Her defense mechanism usually resorted to healthy doses of snarky repartee. But was that enough to get her through a lavish party at a millionaire’s mansion tomorrow night and sneaking around the house to look for fake art?
I find that most Romantic Suspense novels are more romance than suspense. They lack the deadly tension of the Phyllis A. Whitney novels I grew up on, and this novel was no exception. The mystery took back place to the romance, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I mean, that’s what I’m here for!
A wealthy art collector decided to auction the famous Faberge’ Winter Egg, but it might be a fake. Erin’s agency had one night to get the proof they needed. One night and ten million dollars.
Lucky for Erin, her art background made her the perfect choice for the sting. Unfortunately, she wasn’t going solo. She got stuck with handsome CIA agent, Braden. No problem, except she had to pose as his fiance’.
Oh, yes!
Initially, the fake couple got off on the wrong foot because Braden rudely pushed the elevator button before Erin. Uh… what?
The author designed the elevator scene to create conflict between the main characters, but Erin’s determination to hold a grudge against Braden over such a trivial act seemed childish to me. However, since they only had one day to go from enemies to lovers, their friction couldn’t be too deeply rooted. With that under consideration, I’m willing to concede that the elevator button might have been an okay catalyst.
While this wasn’t exactly a novella, it was a quick read. I liked that it didn’t have a lot of on-again/off-again romance between the MC’s. Given that they only spent one day together, there wasn’t a lot of time for drama. The author kept a good balance of romance, detective work, and art education.
From an intellectual standpoint, the information about the Faberge’ eggs was fascinating. You absolutely should check out the Winter Egg. It’s beautiful, and I’m quite sure photos don’t do it justice.
If you’re looking for a complex plot, stimulating banter, and hot romantic tension, this isn’t your book. Overall the plot and dialogue was simplistic. The banter felt flat and repetitive, and the writing lacked tension. But, if you want something light, innocent, and fast moving, with a side of art education, you’ll enjoy this one.