As I write this, I am no little surprised to find that this book has earned nothing but five-star reviews in Amzon US--twelve of them, in fact!
As previous reviewers have pointed out, Haley Randolph, the heroine (for desperate want of a better word), of this novel is a self-centered, thoughtless, inconsiderate, unreliable and improvident young woman. Well and good, I shall add that she is feckless, adrift in her mid-twenties and suffering from acute shopping-mania for clothing, handbags and other expensive accessories.
And, oh yes, she is also a habitual back-biter.
The hero of the book (for desperate want, etc.), her boss Ty, who has money, position but seems to lack brains and maybe a backbone, appears to be absolutely intoxicated by his anti-Employee of Month, Haley. Heavens above, one must ask, why?
The previous Amazon reviewers find that Haley is endearing for all her little faults, even lovable. One says that she grows upon the reader. With that last comment, I entirely agree. Haley does grow upon one--rather in the manner of a melanoma.
My first reaction on finishing this book was to kick it across the room and tag it with one or two stars. Then it occurred to me that it had elicited from within me a strong emotional reaction that was most atypical for a simple chick-lit cozy mystery. Could it be that this book is so bad that it is actually ... good? Could it be that this was the author's intention all along? Based on no more than appears in this first book of a new series, I cannot tell. For that reason, with very mixed emotions, I am looking forward to the recently published second installment of the series.
For the moment, therefore, I am stuck on an uncomfortably neutral three-stars.
