Review #27: Sex, Lies, & Online Dating, by Rachel Gibson

I feel like I've read Rachel Gibson before, but when I looked through her author page, all of the books looked both similar and complete foreign at the same time. I'm sure I've read something; I just can't remember it right now. (Update: I found it. After reading the review, I can say that I have absolutely no memory of reading it.)

Lucy Rothschild is a mystery novelist who is researching for her next novel. Quinn McIntyre is a local homicide detective with a potential female serial killer on the loose. Lucy goes undercover to some online dating sites, looking for the next victim for her book, and Quinn is also undercover online, searching out his murderer. So when "nurse" Lucy and "plumber" Quinn meet, neither of them knows the true story, but they both know the other is lying. Of course, Lucy fits the profile, so Quinn starts digging a bit, but then Lucy acquires a stalker of her own, and Quinn realizes that not only is Lucy not the killer, she's also in danger. Hijnks ensue, scary things happen, Lucy has lots of margaritas with her three author friends (perhaps a set up for three more books?), and finally she and Quinn pull their heads out of their rear ends and realize they belong together.

This was an enjoyable read on a rainy Saturday. It's not great literature, but it's okay, and the characters were pretty likable. And Lucy has some good points about internet dating; specifically the aging, balding, overweight, unemployed men who are only looking for women who are under 27 with the "sorry, no fatties!" added to the end of their profile. And I'm not saying that aging, balding, overweight, unemployed men can't achieve that goal of dating the perfectly young, perfectly healthy, perfectly proportioned beautiful woman, but generally, they need to bring lots of "roses" to that date. Lots and lots.

My favorite part of the whole book, though, is this snippet that I found when I went to Amazon to pull the link for the review: Rachel's storytelling career began at the age of sixteen when she ran her Chevy Vega into the side of a hill, retrieved the bumper and broken glass from the ground, and drove to her high school parking lot. With the help of her friend, she strategically scattered the broken pieces and told her parents she'd been the victim of a hit and run. They believed her, and she's been telling stories ever since.

I kind of want to be friends with her now.

Review #43: Rescue Me, by Rachel Gibson

I downloaded Rescue Me because it was highly recommended on the Nook list, and because the review said if you were a fan of Jennifer Crusie or Nora Roberts, you'd like Rachel Gibson. And I feel like I've read Gibson before, but I can't remember. Honestly, sometimes these kinds of books sort of blend together.

Rescue Me starts with Sadie Hollowell returning to Lovett, Texas, for her cousin Tally Lynn's wedding. Sadie hasn't been back in years, and the first person she runs in to is Vincent James, a super hot former Navy SEAL who is visiting his aunt Luraleen. Vince's truck has broken down and his cell phone is dead, so she gives him a lift in to town. When she asks him to return the favor and come as her date to the wedding, though, he turns her down, only to show up later at the reception, just in time to rescue her (get it) from her crazy old aunts. And then, he rescues her again minutes later in the bride's room, giving her an orgasm in the bride's room. Sadie freaks out and runs off, leaving Vince...ahem...high and dry.

Later, of course, Sadie and Vince run in to each other at the Founder's Day picnic and wind up going home together, and this time they both come away satisfied. They have a little friends-with-benefits thing going on, till Sadie's dad gets sick and Vince's PTSD sets in and they're both stubborn and stupid and won't admit that they love each other.

I'm not going to spoil the ending, but it's a romance novel, so duh, of course it's going to work out.

Rescue Me was okay. It's a romance novel. And maybe Gibson's other books are on par with Nora Roberts or Jennifer Crusie, but not this one.