Thursday, March 21, 2013

Book Review: Fender Bender Blues by Niecey Roy

"Classic cars, garden gnomes, and steamy romance? My kind of book!"
~Bestselling Author Kate Perry
FENDER BENDER BLUES

Her life took a wrong turn. He's driven by success. They didn't count on crashing into love...

Blurb:

Rachel Bennett loved her job until the day she finds herself doubting her choices.  Now she's hunting for a new career, but starting over isn't easy.  Her plan is simple—no distractions until she finds her dream job.  She didn't plan on fate throwing her a curveball in the form of a fender bender with a sexy guy in an expensive suit.

Craig Larsen is a wealthy, successful business owner with a plan of his own: survive his current PR nightmare and stay away from his overly determined ex-girlfriend.  His need for control and personal success is turned upside down when he meets Rach, a sassy redhead who can't drive.

Soon they find themselves battling with Rach's grumpy old neighbor, toilet-papering the trees of a high school nemesis, and fighting over the last slice of pizza.  Can two very different people plus one fender bender equal a chance at forever?

Review:



"Fender Bender Blues" isn't exactly what I expected from a lighthearted romantic comedy. The characterization of both the hero and heroine delved deeper than the typical tale within the genre, bringing a surprising amount of angst to the table. Niecey Roy does an exceptional job of balancing both hilarity and the complexities of a genuine romantic relationship.

Rachel Bennett is a social worker on leave of absence due to a personal crisis that leaves her questioning her own judgment. She bounces from one menial job to another, and drags our hero along on a variety of side-splitting adventures, including waging yard wars with her grumpy neighbor.

Craig Larsen is a workaholic, a serious businessman who has lost touch with the human race and his sense of fun. Fortunately for him, Rachel helps him find it again. The sassy redhead turns his world upside down. Hero and heroine fight their way into love--often with absolutely hilarious results.

The story begins with her backing her vehicle from her driveway while applying lip gloss--a bad combination anyway you look at it. She is lucky enough to collide with the gorgeous Craig Larsen, and collide she does, in so many more ways than just the auto accident.

Now, reactions on Amazon reviews are heated and varied. Niecey Roy has really struck a chord with a lot of people. Reviewers seem to love Rachel or hate her. No in-between. As a former auto liability adjuster for a major insurance company, I can totally sympathize with the portion of the audience who would like to see her driver's license suspended. Negligent driving, especially when the at fault party blames the other driver, is a pet peeve of mine.

That said--Rachel has many great qualities. She is smart, adventuresome, and has a wicked sense of humor. Without her, Craig would be a stick in the mud, no doubt, stuck for eternity in his office behind a computer screen and a pile of paperwork. He needs her to pull him out of his funk.

Both of Niecey's characters are remarkably human, complex and complicated, with merits and flaws, capable of making wise and poor decisions. Yes, Rachel can be immature, but she also possesses an almost painful empathy for the children she helped professionally. There are specific moments within the story when Craig demonstrates an abominable lack of judgment, especially with regard to his psycho ex-girlfriend. There are moments when the reader is convinced that the man is one step away from finding a dead bunny on his stovetop. Yet he is too dense to see it.

"Fender Bender Blues" made me laugh so hard I couldn't keep my eyes open to read. The story has a fast-paced plot and the language is easy to follow, making for a quick read. The sex scenes are spicy, not too detailed, but well done. The characters have a great deal of depth and facets of personality, and together share definite charisma. With witty dialogue and unexpected plot twists, the reader is never left feeling bored. Definitely, a great read.

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