My second Writer Friends series novel, and just as good as I'm In No Mood For Love, so I see now I've read them back to front, but it doesn't matter.

I would rate the novel very similarly, but Book 2 is slightly ahead because the mystery part of this novel is superficial? overwrought? ... does no favour to the story.

Quinn, the detective who says he's a plumber and takes up online dating to find a killer. Lucy, a mystery writer, who says she's a nurse and takes up online dating for research for her latest novel. Quinn is a plain speaker to the point of crudity but it fits, it's part of who he is, from the world he has come from...and for Lucy and the reader, it is part of his appeal. Nevertheless, Quinn comes out with more romantic words, in his sincerity and earnestness, than Lucy, despite the fact that she is the wordsmith.

She's attractive, sassy and falls in love very quickly with the unexpected Quinn. I love the way she gives him a go, for something more meaningful and not just at the level of his good looks. In that way she's braver than the average sappy heroine, forced by the author to retreat from a good thing simply for some plot tension - my least favourite kind of copout. Yeh for Lucy. ( )

I LOVED this book. It was full of sexual tension. More romantic suspense than the usual romantic comedy I prefer. ( )

Good little romantic mystery

I kind of wish I could give this story 3.5 stars because it wasn’t 4 star but it was better than a 3 star one. The story was really good and enjoyed the idea of writers all being friends and each writing in a different genre. This makes the whole series intriguing to me.

I like the chemistry between the two main characters. The author did a good job of building the tension between the characters. The story is a little overdone with the whole serial killer mimicking an author’s work. I also like the dual point of view of the book between Lucy and Quinn.

This book was well on its way to a 4 star book except for two things. The first is everyone knows who the villain is as soon as their character is introduced. The story basically screams “This is the killer!” and then the main character lost her brain in the last quarter to third of the book. She became a whiny damsel in distress and wasn’t all fitting with her character in the first part of the book. ( )

So funny I read this when mom was gone to ireland the 2nd time. It was so funny and I thought it really was a surprising twist at the end ( )

Sex, Lies and Online Dating
3.5 Stars

While conducting research for her latest mystery novel, Lucy Rothschild becomes the prime suspect in a series of murders. Quinn McIntyre, the homicide detective assigned to the investigation, finds himself attracted to Lucy despite her lies and his suspicions.

Despite the indications in the blurb, Sex, Lies and Online Dating leans more toward contemporary romance than romantic suspense. The premise of a female serial killer targeting men she meets on the Internet has potential, but is ultimately underdeveloped with a limited suspect pool, insufficient clues and a less than comprehensible motive.

Another thing that does stand out, and not in a good way, is the excessive use of brands such as BMW, Ralph Lauren and Starbucks not to mention the abundance of references to popular culture like Maroon 5 and Cold Case Files. This adds little to the setting or atmosphere and actually dates the book unnecessarily.

Nevertheless, Lucy and Quinn’s romance is engaging and they have great chemistry. The build up of their relationship and the conflicts that inevitably arise make this a worthwhile read.

The secondary cast is comprised of Lucy’s quirky writer friends who are interesting enough to continue with the series. ( )