Title: Dirty Trick
Series: Perfectly Matched #1
Author: Christine Bell
Published: September 23, 2013 - Entangled Brazen
Format: Ebook received for review
Grace Love is lousy with men. She can spot a match for someone else a mile away, and her balls-on instincts are why her matchmaking business is thriving, but finding her own Prince Charming? The only guy who makes her sixth sense tingle is her playboy best friend, Trick, and no way is she risking their friendship, no matter how hot she knows the sex will be.
SWAT officer Trick Matthews is a patient guy, but Grace’s inability to see what’s right in front of her is grinding on his last nerve. Yeah, he blew his shot at breaking out of the friend zone when he tamped down the urge to lick her from head to toe the day they met, but he’s got a plan that’ll change her mind. Incognito at Salem's hottest Halloween party, he’ll show her exactly how good they could be…and that he’s the man for her.
This was my first book from Christine Bell, and I have to say – I liked it. Her writing grabbed me and put me right in the story. I couldn’t wait to open the book back up each time I had an opportunity.
Let’s start with the characters, shall we? Our heroine is Grace Love, and she runs a matchmaking business with her friend, Serena. Grace has a bad relationship in her past. He’s a real douchebag, and I’m not even going to name him. Ha! Take that, douchebag. Anyway, he did a real number on her self-esteem. So here she is now, all this time later, afraid of being the woman she really is. And it’s a real shame, because the real woman she is is intelligent, funny, provocative, and sexy. And Trick sees that right away.
Trick, oh what a name. Ok, it’s short for Patrick, but you forget that soon enough. Trick has it bad for his best friend, Grace. And he knows that she has her heart behind a wall. But then fate steps in and he has a chance to help chip those walls down, under disguise of course. Trick is SWAT, and oh my goodness, we know how I love a man with power!! He is sexy as hell, and he’s got the boots to back it up.
Halloween – I’ve always said it’s the time for lovers. We get to wear our sexiest clothes and let the people we are on the in inside be on our outsides. It’s the most honest time of year, ya know? We can hide behind a mask and pretend our actual actions are due to our costumes. I love it! And Trick has a movie-grade cat mask, and he is every bit the hunter. Sure, what Trick does isn’t completely on the up and up, but when your heart and dick make the decisions where your brain should have some input, these things can happen!
I really enjoyed Dirty Trick. The mystery and intrigue, well, for Grace anyway, made it a bit exciting. The backdrop of Salem during Halloween gave it all a bit of a fun and mischievous flair. Trick… well Trick can be my Catman any time he wants. The heat level was more about quality than quantity. You can count the number of nookie moments on one hand –but ladies, they are oh so imaginative. Trick definitely has some sexy-ass tricks up his sleeve.
Guilt pricked him hard, and he swiped a hand over his face. It was going to be bad. And he deserved that. But if he led with the truth – that he was fucking madly and completely in love with her – maybe she would find it in her huge heart to forgive him. And hopefully it would happen sooner than later.
Oh, and the best part? No, not necessarily the HEA, although we all lust for those. But Trick gives a speech during this book that will make you melt. Couple that with his luxurious kisses, and you can call me down for the count!
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