14 May 2013

For Love or Money by Cathy Perkins Review



I was given a copy of For Love or Money for review purposes, but the words and opinions expressed below are my own.

What they say (Blurb & info): When Holly Price trips over a friend’s dead body while hiking, her life suddenly takes a nosedive into a world of intrigue and danger. The verdict is murder—and Holly is the prime suspect. Of course, the fact that the infinitely sexy—and very pissed off—cop threatening to arrest her is JC Dimitrak, who just happens to be Holly’s jilted ex-fiancĂ©, doesn’t help matters.

To protect her future, her business...and her heart...the intrepid forensic accountant must use all her considerable investigative skills to follow the money through an intricate web of shadow companies, and stay one step ahead of her ex-fiancĂ© to solve the case. Before the real killer decides CPA stands for Certified Pain in the Ass...and the next dead body found beside the river is Holly’s.
  • ebook (Will be published by Entangled).

What I say: For Love or Money is an enjoyable mixture of modern/contemporary romance and murder-mystery. It is the story of one woman's hunt for justice, with a modern twist and a hunky ex!

The story begins with Holly Price on a somewhat unsuccessful hiking trip with her sort-of-new-boyfriend, Alex. Her inner commentary on the trip was really funny:

Today, he'd morphed into some kind of Neanderthal maniac - me mighty hunter, you Jane. It was a mixed metaphor, but a slow burn started in her belly. She'd tried to be a good sport, but this was ridiculous.

Their trip comes to an abrupt end when Holly and Alex discover the dead body of her friend Marcy. This leads Holly on a mission to find out what happened to her friend and find her killer. With Holly looking like the prime suspect in the murder, things get worse when the detective on scene is Holly's ex-fiancee, JC (I know, what are the chances?). Throw in a creepy stalker and Holly's having a terrible time.

A magnet for trouble, Holly is a great heroine who really made me laugh. She's extremely witty and plucky. On a personal mission to avenge her friend and clear her name, Holly becomes an unofficial P.I, a super-sleuth and sometime meddler. Her relationship with JC was really interesting - There's a lot of history between them which is examined throughout For Love or Money. The spark between them is obvious and I was waiting (somewhat impatiently) for the big reveal i.e. what the hell had happened in the past to destroy their relationship!
 
The hunt for Marcy's killer exposes a lot of secrets and lies. It was interesting to discover these along with Holly. As a reader I felt really involved in the plot, often wondering if Tim, Lillian, Alex, Yessa and so on were guilty or not. I did manage to work out some of the ending, but the eventual direction was a pleasant surprise with a nice twist to keep readers guessing.
 
JC is an upfront and interesting character. And although he is a cop and does display some possessive qualities, he never really comes across as controlling.
 
Cathy Perkins has created a great read with an interesting back story. I enjoyed seeing Holly going all Jessica Fletcher and loved the banter between the two leads!


4 Stars in my Sky!

My fav non-spoilery quotes:
  • Eyes narrowed, his expression reflected a mental debate. Knowing him, most likely it was whether to treat her like a suspect, a witness, or an ex-girlfriend.
  • "We've been pigged," Tracey announced. The porker shuffled through the litter and emitted a few grunts. "No kidding." Giggles built in Holly's chest. The complete absurdity of the situation hit her.
  • "I do not need this right now," she muttered. JC smiled, dimples and all. "When exactly is it a good time to get run over?"
  • Add ruining the best sex she'd had in years to the list of reasons she didn't like Lee Alders.
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