The opportunity was just too damn delicious for Ginger Peet to pass up. The purse full of money she finds—$50,000 to be exact—could give her and her teen sister the new start they need. So she grabs the cash, her gothy sibling, and their life-sized statue of Dolly Parton, and blows outta Nashville in a cloud of dust. Chicago, here we come...
Turns out, Chicago has some pretty hot cops. Hot, intense, naughty-lookin' cops like Derek Tyler, who looks like he could eat a girl up and leave her begging for more. And more. Tempting as he is, getting involved with the sexy homicide lieutenant next door poses a teensy problem for a gal who's on the lam.
But one thing is certain—Derek's onto her, and he wants more than just a taste.
And as far as he's concerned, possession is nine-tenths of the law.
Comment: Today is the Wednesday dedicated to the TBR Challenge post. This month, the theme was Sugar or Spice (closed door romance or spicy romance).
In the beginning of the year I make monthly lists of the books I want to read, always leaving some room for sudden adds, so I can more or less start to distribute the themes of the challenge through my months as soon as Wendy, the Super Librarian, posts them.
I was still debating, though, which book to pick for this month. Sugar or spice can be vague but going through the books I had picked to read in march I saw this one by mrs Bailey was labeled as "adult fiction-erotica" by some Goodreads users. I decided this would be it, then, and spice was my choice this time.
This is my first book by this author.
In this story we meet Ginger Peet, a young 23 year old woman who lives in Nashville with her younger sister and her no good mother. Tired of a life always counting pennies, always making sure her sister is safe, always fearing her mother would do something even worse than her current life, Ginger sees her opportunity when she discovers a huge amount of money her mother brought home from God knows where.
Ginger decides to steal the money, she picks her sister and they move to Chicago. While moving to their new apartment, they meet lieutenant Derek Tyler and sparks fly between him and Ginger. The fact he is their neighbor should worry Ginger since he is a cop but she only wants to live her life in peace, she wants her sister safe at last and romance should be out of question. But they come together and soon Ginger can't stop thinking of him. But what about her secret theft? Would Ginger decide to do the right thing?
As a whole I liked this story. It's not too long, it focuses on the main characters and their lives and doesn't go too much over the board with settings and descriptions.
However, to me, it was a bit rushed at times, the characters did feel a little isolated even though they had interactions with others.
I ended up thinking this was a simplistic plot. Or, maybe to be more correct, I feel the steps taken to get things done was too simple. Ginger getting a house was too simple, it just boggles the mind how people can rent/buy so easily in books when it's obvious it's complicated in real life. Furthermore, Ginger was in a complicated position because her mother reported her and her sister missing. Too easy for Ginger to just move, it seemed to me.
Then, throughout the story, Ginger would see herself in certain situations that - and that was the vibe I got - were just ways to put her and Derek in a place where they would process their feelings/their sexual connection. It wasn't as smooth or fluid within the story, it felt like a good scene to happen.
Of course this wasn't happening all the time, and there were some interesting scenes, especially when Ginger was more vulnerable or talking with her sister. Some scenes were well done, I think. And many more readers too thinking about the ratings on Goodreads.
The main characters didn't seem too complex. Ginger has issues, I get it, she was a bit more developed emotionally. I got to think I was reading about an emotional person who had issues but was processing them, Despite this, she did have a TSTL decision at the end of the book and was (very easily) saved by the hero...oh well. Maybe one could she was revealing bravery?
As for Derek, I feel I didn't get to know him that well. Not enough emotional development on him, I think. Even his motivations didn't seem plausible at times and a very brief reference to his parents felt like too little to get to understand him. His character to me was under "done".
The romance was a good detail. The overall feel of the romance was ok, the sex scenes were ok, which made this "spice" label appropriate I'd say, and it was certainly sweet to think of them falling in love, even if too quickly, considering the type of interactions they previously had.
The narrative was not not explored enough. I think, if one were to think about the layers about this book, all the superficial ones were well done and the story is a positive one. But the deeper tones weren't approached as completely and that means the story could have been stronger. At least, to me.
But I was still happy enough by them, I liked we could end up the story with a positive note and although I don't foresee running to read all the author's other books, this was experience I don't regret.
Grade: 6/10
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