What do you think?
Rate this book
Tara Holloway #4
Death, Taxes, and Peach Sangria
When it comes to exposing tax fraud, Tara and her partner Eddie are really cleaning up. From their brilliant takedown of the disappearing “Tax Wizard” to their perfectly planned downfall of the “Deduction Diva,” they’ve earned the respect of their peers at Criminal Investigations. Now Tara’s ready to celebrate with an ice-cold pitcher of peach sangria—even if her next case is totally the pits…
Tara’s looking forward to a challenge but, back at the office, everyone’s looking for love. Her boss Lu “The Lobo” Lobozinski and office virgin Josh Schmidt are signing up for an online dating service, and—to Tara’s dismay—so is her crush, Special Agent Nick Pratt. Tara’s trying to act chill. But when she learns that her next case involves cash-funneling to terrorists, it’s not just her love life that’s on the rocks. It’s her life, period.
Tara’s looking forward to a challenge but, back at the office, everyone’s looking for love. Her boss Lu “The Lobo” Lobozinski and office virgin Josh Schmidt are signing up for an online dating service, and—to Tara’s dismay—so is her crush, Special Agent Nick Pratt. Tara’s trying to act chill. But when she learns that her next case involves cash-funneling to terrorists, it’s not just her love life that’s on the rocks. It’s her life, period.
336 pages, ebook
First published January 29, 2013
87 people are currently reading
1081 people want to read
About the author
Diane Kelly
69 books1,227 followersAward-winning author Diane Kelly writes romance and romantic mysteries featuring feisty heroines, quirky sidekicks, and sexy leading men, with humor that leaves readers laughing out loud.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
August 24, 2016
3.5 stars While still fun, this latest entry in the
Tara Holloway
series didn't quite do it for me as much as the others have. There are mysteries and capers galore as Tara and her partner find themselves drawn into the money side of a frightening terrorism case, while at the same time they get tasked with arresting and shutting down some shady tax preparers. However, the focus is more on relationships and the investigation plots themselves meander and don't always come to satisfying conclusions - kind of like how it goes in real life.
Much of the focus in this book comes from Tara's love life. This is the book where she needs to make her big decision - will she stick with her nice, charming boyfriend Brett or does she want to see where things with her meltingly hot co-worker Nick will go? Even though the love triangle reminds me very strongly of the trevails of Stephanie Plum, I still found myself drawn into it. The dating dramas of Tara's friends make for mostly fun reading as well.
So, why wasn't this book quite as satisfying? I think for me it's because I felt like we were going over familiar territory again and again. It wasn't bad; it's just that I'd been here before. Repeatedly. Why yes, Tara uses her gun a lot. And yes, Nick can eat superhot chili. And Brett's really a nice guy. And Tara's boss dresses like she's in a time warp. Familiar jokes can be fun, but there needs to be something there to make them feel fresh. And I think that was my core issue with this book. It had that not-so-fresh feeling sometimes.
Much of the focus in this book comes from Tara's love life. This is the book where she needs to make her big decision - will she stick with her nice, charming boyfriend Brett or does she want to see where things with her meltingly hot co-worker Nick will go? Even though the love triangle reminds me very strongly of the trevails of Stephanie Plum, I still found myself drawn into it. The dating dramas of Tara's friends make for mostly fun reading as well.
So, why wasn't this book quite as satisfying? I think for me it's because I felt like we were going over familiar territory again and again. It wasn't bad; it's just that I'd been here before. Repeatedly. Why yes, Tara uses her gun a lot. And yes, Nick can eat superhot chili. And Brett's really a nice guy. And Tara's boss dresses like she's in a time warp. Familiar jokes can be fun, but there needs to be something there to make them feel fresh. And I think that was my core issue with this book. It had that not-so-fresh feeling sometimes.
May 21, 2019
I love this series! It is so much fun and Tara is such a sassy character. I love getting a good laugh at the situations she finds herself in and also watching her take down the bad guys. Can't wait to see how this next case plays out and how her personal life goes.
September 8, 2013
While I was glad to see Tara and Nick finally take a step forward I had very little sympathy or even liking for Tara in this book. I was already low on sympathy due to the her crazy decision to stick with Brett over Nick (from the previous book). Then her behaviour in this one was pretty awful - she decided she wants Nick- but only after he starts dating other people (as he should after she turned him down. He has waited for her long enough). Then even though she decided she wants Nick she still wants to keep Brett in reserve or "backup" position. Normally when the guy is as cocky as Nick I am on the side of the heroine but in this book Nick has all my sympathy. Tara comes across as a shallow selfish bitch. Then there was the "mystery" of main investigation which was just tedious and boring. I get that it was tedious for Tara & Eddie too, and I'm sure that real IRS agents do have that amount of dead end trips but it makes for very uninspiring reading. So disappointed.
May 11, 2014
I've been having fun with Tara Holloway and her friends and co-workers. So why only 2* for this one?
January 30, 2013
This is usually a favorite of mine, however the main character turned stalkerific and a bit juvenile with her love life and quite frankly, to me, it was a little off putting. I read these for the mystery quality and humor which was pretty good..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2022
Death, Taxes and Peach Sangria by Diane Kelly is the 4th book in the Tara Holloway Mystery series. IRS special agent Tara Holloway and her partner investigate the funnelling of money to fund terrorist activities overseas as well as taking down some unusual tax fraudsters. Who knew tax fraud investigation could be so much fun? Everyone in the office seems to be looking for love via a dating website and Tara is continuing to struggle between her affections for Brett and Nick. Hugely entertaining with plenty of laughs.
June 3, 2021
This series just gets better and better. I love Tara. I am so happy to have a strong capable woman as a lead character who is a better shot than the guys but still likes a guy to romance her. In this one Tara is trying to figure out which guy she wants to be with Brett or Nick while chasing down tax evaders and terrorists. I won't say who she picks but in my book she picked the right one. All the side characters are wonderful from her best friends, family to her coworkers. Wonderful book.
May 28, 2022
I am really enjoying this series. Tara Holloway is an IRS special agent who is a sharpshooter. She and the other agents have some unusual cases. Tara has also decided it is time to take a break from her boyfriend, Brett, to see if there really are sparks between her and her coworker, Nick.
August 17, 2017
review to come
March 1, 2013
This series is just so much fun. While Peach Sangria is a mystery, it's not your typical murder mystery. Tara is after terrorists by going after their source of money. It's a slow story to develop and there's a lot more character development going on, bulking up the book. But I like the character development so I don't mind at all that the "plot" isn't front and center and taking up Tara's every move.
In the land of character development, Ms. Kelly gave us a love triangle a few books ago, and it's resolved in this book. She also does something I don't think any author to date has done: gotten me to switch loyalties from one man to the other. Usually once a love interest is introduced, and it's a good one, I get really snippy about author's messing with the status quo. But Ms. Kelly has done a very good job of changing my loyalties and handling the love triangle resolution with grace.
Luckily the next book comes out in October and I'm looking forward to it!
In the land of character development, Ms. Kelly gave us a love triangle a few books ago, and it's resolved in this book. She also does something I don't think any author to date has done: gotten me to switch loyalties from one man to the other. Usually once a love interest is introduced, and it's a good one, I get really snippy about author's messing with the status quo. But Ms. Kelly has done a very good job of changing my loyalties and handling the love triangle resolution with grace.
Luckily the next book comes out in October and I'm looking forward to it!
August 18, 2013
another hilarious installment in the Tara Holloway series! I laughed out loud a LOT. This is just a great series.
only 1 small complaint about this book....a "bad" guy has a flight on Southwest Airlines and they go to DFW airport? Southwest Airlines does not fly out of DFW but Love Field. True the TSA adventure would probably be more interesting at DFW airport, but that was a significant editing error.
only 1 small complaint about this book....a "bad" guy has a flight on Southwest Airlines and they go to DFW airport? Southwest Airlines does not fly out of DFW but Love Field. True the TSA adventure would probably be more interesting at DFW airport, but that was a significant editing error.
August 6, 2017
The Death & Taxes series features Tara Holloway, a kick-ass IRS agent cleaning the streets by putting tax-cheaters and bad guys behind bars. Along the way, there's friendship, love and the occassional blunt-force trauma.
In Death, Taxes and Peach Sangria, heroine Tara Holloway tracks down a number of amusing litlte crooks while on the hunt for how criminals in America have been sending money overseas to support terrorism. The little crooks are hilarious. And the final solution was something I definitely didn't see coming soon enough, but which I kicked myself for not seeing earlier. I guess that's the measure of a good mystery, it keeps it a mystery until the end.
Death, Taxes and Peach Sangria, it must be said, is a fantastic title. And making the recipe for said peach sangria, which is printed in the book, is definitely on my to-do list. Right after: Read the rest of the series. I also gotta say, I'm loving the cover. The style, the colour - fantastic.
The book is well written, with a witty, dry sense of humour and a style that harkens back to classic private dick tone of voices. I was strongly reminded of the Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones and Drink Slay Love by Sarah Beth Durst. All have heroines who are spunky, gutsy, brave, sometimes clumsy, sometimes kick-ass, trouble-making, heart-breaking and a lot of fun.
I had someone contact me recently about feedback on a novel he was writing. It was about a super rich billionaire who decided to play hero by helping other really rich people get their money back after they'd been screwed out of their money by ponzi schemes or other tricks. I wrote back and told him that maybe he should reconsider his premise. First, it was very unlikely that some super rich billionaire who was formerly the head of one of the world's biggest companies was going to start a new company helping other rich people out. Second, there was absolutely no way readers were going to support the protagonist. Readers are averge or poor. Because rich people took their money. They're not going to have any sympathy at all for some rich guy who was tricked out of his cash. They're a lot more likely to say: fuck that guy, he got what he deserved.
I did sympathize with the author. The detective genre is a little stale; every book seems to be about murder. Money seems like a new angle, right? Unfortuntely, he went about it wrong. But Diane Kelly does it right. Her heroine and heroes are going after crooks who are screwing all of us, the readers, the good citizens, out of what they owe. Her protagnists are standing up for us, for the group, for the good. Real heroes. And I have to say, it's a damn nice change that they aren't just run-of-the-mill cops or private eyes. Well done, Diane!
And hey, anyone who can actually make you cheer for the IRS must be a wicked good author, right? :)
In Death, Taxes and Peach Sangria, heroine Tara Holloway tracks down a number of amusing litlte crooks while on the hunt for how criminals in America have been sending money overseas to support terrorism. The little crooks are hilarious. And the final solution was something I definitely didn't see coming soon enough, but which I kicked myself for not seeing earlier. I guess that's the measure of a good mystery, it keeps it a mystery until the end.
Death, Taxes and Peach Sangria, it must be said, is a fantastic title. And making the recipe for said peach sangria, which is printed in the book, is definitely on my to-do list. Right after: Read the rest of the series. I also gotta say, I'm loving the cover. The style, the colour - fantastic.
The book is well written, with a witty, dry sense of humour and a style that harkens back to classic private dick tone of voices. I was strongly reminded of the Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones and Drink Slay Love by Sarah Beth Durst. All have heroines who are spunky, gutsy, brave, sometimes clumsy, sometimes kick-ass, trouble-making, heart-breaking and a lot of fun.
I had someone contact me recently about feedback on a novel he was writing. It was about a super rich billionaire who decided to play hero by helping other really rich people get their money back after they'd been screwed out of their money by ponzi schemes or other tricks. I wrote back and told him that maybe he should reconsider his premise. First, it was very unlikely that some super rich billionaire who was formerly the head of one of the world's biggest companies was going to start a new company helping other rich people out. Second, there was absolutely no way readers were going to support the protagonist. Readers are averge or poor. Because rich people took their money. They're not going to have any sympathy at all for some rich guy who was tricked out of his cash. They're a lot more likely to say: fuck that guy, he got what he deserved.
I did sympathize with the author. The detective genre is a little stale; every book seems to be about murder. Money seems like a new angle, right? Unfortuntely, he went about it wrong. But Diane Kelly does it right. Her heroine and heroes are going after crooks who are screwing all of us, the readers, the good citizens, out of what they owe. Her protagnists are standing up for us, for the group, for the good. Real heroes. And I have to say, it's a damn nice change that they aren't just run-of-the-mill cops or private eyes. Well done, Diane!
And hey, anyone who can actually make you cheer for the IRS must be a wicked good author, right? :)
October 15, 2024
Nothing is seeming to go right. She finally decides that she needs to give Nick a try but at least she is woman enough to want to do it face to face instead of over the phone or in a text message but life kept lifing and it isn't until a near death experience that Nick takes the opportunity to step up. Josh finally got the break he was looking for. Her bestie finally got the proposal she wanted after leaving and making her counterpart realize what he was truly missing. Catching these folks in this book was hard on a person's ego and then some.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2024
My rating of this book has no reflection on Diane Kelly’s riding abilities. I love her riding style. She knows how to draw me in and keep me captivated! Characteristics in an author that are absolute necessities. In my opinion. All that having been said, this book caused me to lose respect for the main character, Tara. I have not liked the secondary character Nick in this book since the insertion of his character. My heart absolutely breaks for Brett!
August 23, 2022
Yay! We did not talk about girlie parts the whole book. Plus we have a new narrator that I enjoy much better - easier to listen to.
Fun progress in the storylines and narrowing down on the secondary characters
Fun progress in the storylines and narrowing down on the secondary characters
January 15, 2018
So funny, I LOL at the doctor's office while reading it. Everyone probably thought I was there for mental issues! Loved it.
November 6, 2018
Who would think the IRS could be interesting?
This series is a fun read! Can't wait to see what trouble and adventures Tara gets into next! Hoping to see more Nick!
This series is a fun read! Can't wait to see what trouble and adventures Tara gets into next! Hoping to see more Nick!
May 4, 2020
Did not read
November 8, 2021
Great series; wonderful cast of characters.
May 30, 2022
1st time I’ve read one of these. Found the neener neener annoying. Overall easy read and easy premise to follow. Didn’t grab me. Prefer the Kinsey Minho e books although this was similar.
July 1, 2025
This high quality humourous mystery is loaded with excitement, romance, and lots of twists and turns. I'll definitely read more books in this series!
July 9, 2025
Another fun read - this had a little more interesting side characters that Tara has to go after.
March 20, 2013
Who knew that working for the IRS could be laugh-out-loud funny, hazardous to a heroine's health and seriously sexy, all at the same time? In the skillful hands of award-winning author Diane Kelly, the IRS is all that and more. Death, Taxes, and Peach Sangria is the fourth installment in Kelly's Tara Holloway series, and I guarantee this book will give you the giggles faster than any fruit-flavored wine ever could.
My head throbbed as I followed Eddie down the hall to the elevators. In retrospect, three glasses of sangria last night might have been a bad idea. Not only did I have a headache now, but I'd had to get up twice during the night to pee. On the bright side, though, I'd received my recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.
Kelly's characters are funny and flawed and eminently lovable. Former tomboy Tara enjoys an ongoing love affair with firearms, and channels Annie Oakley every time she picks up a gun. She also has an interfering family, two crazy cats, a soft spot for the underdog and an aversion to doing laundry. And who can resist Tara's boss Lu, who wears her hair in a pinkish-orange beehive and uses a Slim Jim to stir her strawberry-flavored Slim-Fast!? Then there are the men folk. Tara's landscaper boyfriend is kind and attentive — when he's around. He does a lot of traveling, and Tara's just not feeling the love anymore. Fellow agent Nick Pratt, on the other hand, makes her feel quite a lot — mostly in her nether regions. Now, not only does Tara have to bring down the terrorists' co-conspirator, she has to cough up a decision — should she stick with Mr. NoMoreSpark, or take a chance on Agent TooSexyForHisBadge?
The terrorist story line is sobering, yet blends seamlessly into the irreverent narrative, and provides an effective change of pace from the comedy that trails Tara and her tax-savvy team. Speaking of pace, it's definitely perky — before you know it you'll find yourself on the last page, scolding not only the book fates for bringing you to the end much too quickly, but the book's author, for leaving you — and Tara — in an extreme state of anticipation! The next Tara Holloway adventure, Death, Taxes, and Hot Pink Leg Warmers, doesn't come out until June, so I might as well kill some time doing something constructive. Like, maybe, my taxes? On the up-and-up, of course, since I don't want someone like hunky, determined Special Agent Nick Pratt coming after me. Wait, maybe I do...
My head throbbed as I followed Eddie down the hall to the elevators. In retrospect, three glasses of sangria last night might have been a bad idea. Not only did I have a headache now, but I'd had to get up twice during the night to pee. On the bright side, though, I'd received my recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.
Kelly's characters are funny and flawed and eminently lovable. Former tomboy Tara enjoys an ongoing love affair with firearms, and channels Annie Oakley every time she picks up a gun. She also has an interfering family, two crazy cats, a soft spot for the underdog and an aversion to doing laundry. And who can resist Tara's boss Lu, who wears her hair in a pinkish-orange beehive and uses a Slim Jim to stir her strawberry-flavored Slim-Fast!? Then there are the men folk. Tara's landscaper boyfriend is kind and attentive — when he's around. He does a lot of traveling, and Tara's just not feeling the love anymore. Fellow agent Nick Pratt, on the other hand, makes her feel quite a lot — mostly in her nether regions. Now, not only does Tara have to bring down the terrorists' co-conspirator, she has to cough up a decision — should she stick with Mr. NoMoreSpark, or take a chance on Agent TooSexyForHisBadge?
The terrorist story line is sobering, yet blends seamlessly into the irreverent narrative, and provides an effective change of pace from the comedy that trails Tara and her tax-savvy team. Speaking of pace, it's definitely perky — before you know it you'll find yourself on the last page, scolding not only the book fates for bringing you to the end much too quickly, but the book's author, for leaving you — and Tara — in an extreme state of anticipation! The next Tara Holloway adventure, Death, Taxes, and Hot Pink Leg Warmers, doesn't come out until June, so I might as well kill some time doing something constructive. Like, maybe, my taxes? On the up-and-up, of course, since I don't want someone like hunky, determined Special Agent Nick Pratt coming after me. Wait, maybe I do...
July 17, 2014
Tara and her partner, Eddie, are IRS agents. They have a stack of cases of wacky people to catch who are tax frauds. In addition, they are helping the CIA try to catch terrorists who are sending money home to fund their murderous activities (I found this a bit heavy).
There is lots happening on the love front. Tara is torn between staying with Brett, her nice boyfriend of a couple months, or pursuing something with her co-worker, Nick, who she can be herself with. Her friend, Alicia, feels that she and her boyfriend, Daniel, are going nowhere so moves out and moves in with Tara. Another friend, Christina, gets engaged to Dr. Ajay. Her boss, Lu, co-worker, Josh, and even Nick join an online dating service and start meeting some of their matches.
This is the fourth book in the Tara Holloway series (and the fourth book I've read by this author). I read the first one and third one in the series within the last couple of weeks but haven't read the second one (yet!) ... they work as stand alones as there was enough information from the past ones so you know what's going on.
I enjoyed this one. I liked the writing style ... it was funny and sarcastic. It is written in first person perspective from Tara's point of view. As a head's up, there is some swearing.
I liked Tara, though I found her a bit annoying as she struggled to decide between Brett and Nick. She wanted to have a break from Brett so she could check things out with Nick and she was surprised when Nick got mad about this. I didn't think it was right that she wanted to put Brett on the back-burner in case things didn't work out with Nick. But Nick, as cool as he is, handled the situation well by not waiting for her. Their colleague, Josh, was funny. He's a computer geek who finds someone on the dating site who is a geek too but is also way more edgy than he is.
There is a lot of peach sangria consumed ... and the recipe is right in the beginning of the book (and it sounds delish!).
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2014/07...
There is lots happening on the love front. Tara is torn between staying with Brett, her nice boyfriend of a couple months, or pursuing something with her co-worker, Nick, who she can be herself with. Her friend, Alicia, feels that she and her boyfriend, Daniel, are going nowhere so moves out and moves in with Tara. Another friend, Christina, gets engaged to Dr. Ajay. Her boss, Lu, co-worker, Josh, and even Nick join an online dating service and start meeting some of their matches.
This is the fourth book in the Tara Holloway series (and the fourth book I've read by this author). I read the first one and third one in the series within the last couple of weeks but haven't read the second one (yet!) ... they work as stand alones as there was enough information from the past ones so you know what's going on.
I enjoyed this one. I liked the writing style ... it was funny and sarcastic. It is written in first person perspective from Tara's point of view. As a head's up, there is some swearing.
I liked Tara, though I found her a bit annoying as she struggled to decide between Brett and Nick. She wanted to have a break from Brett so she could check things out with Nick and she was surprised when Nick got mad about this. I didn't think it was right that she wanted to put Brett on the back-burner in case things didn't work out with Nick. But Nick, as cool as he is, handled the situation well by not waiting for her. Their colleague, Josh, was funny. He's a computer geek who finds someone on the dating site who is a geek too but is also way more edgy than he is.
There is a lot of peach sangria consumed ... and the recipe is right in the beginning of the book (and it sounds delish!).
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2014/07...
February 19, 2013
Tara Holloway is a riot and can rival Stephanie Plum any day. In fact, I think they would probably be best friends were they ever to meet. Once again, Diane Kelly takes us deep into the world of IRS Tax Fraud and we follow Tara, along with her partner, Eddie on a wild goose chase for some tax cheating hussy! This book starts with a recipe for Peach Sangria and only gets better from there. I just have to say that I love the covers of these books and I think they get better each time. I am forever a fan of this series and will push them off onto anybody who is willing to listen.
Tara’s relationship with Brett still remains out in left field and with the help of her best friend and some strong Peach Sangrias, Tara tries to work out the kinks in her love life. Tara and Brett have been trying for a good while now to work things out and to be honest I am to the point where I am tired of it, so I know they are. Then we have Nick, who is perfect in every way and who I desperately want to see Tara with! I love watching Tara chase after tax cheaters with names like, “The Deduction Diva” and “The Tax Wizard,” while trying to balance out her love life. It just makes the wild goose chase that much more fun!
Tara’s character and I would obviously be best friends if we were to ever meet. I love Tara’s spark and her spunky personality and I swear it gets better with each and every installment in this fast-paced series. I love the dialogue between Tara and most of the other characters because her personality just comes out so vividly through her language. Tara’s love life, her career, and her charming personality are all reason enough for me to recommend this series to anyone and the reason why I will follow it as an avid reader all the way to the end!
***A big thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review***
Tara’s relationship with Brett still remains out in left field and with the help of her best friend and some strong Peach Sangrias, Tara tries to work out the kinks in her love life. Tara and Brett have been trying for a good while now to work things out and to be honest I am to the point where I am tired of it, so I know they are. Then we have Nick, who is perfect in every way and who I desperately want to see Tara with! I love watching Tara chase after tax cheaters with names like, “The Deduction Diva” and “The Tax Wizard,” while trying to balance out her love life. It just makes the wild goose chase that much more fun!
Tara’s character and I would obviously be best friends if we were to ever meet. I love Tara’s spark and her spunky personality and I swear it gets better with each and every installment in this fast-paced series. I love the dialogue between Tara and most of the other characters because her personality just comes out so vividly through her language. Tara’s love life, her career, and her charming personality are all reason enough for me to recommend this series to anyone and the reason why I will follow it as an avid reader all the way to the end!
***A big thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review***
May 14, 2014
So if you know Stephanie Plum from many of Janet Evanovich’s novels then you might want to get to know Tara Holloway. The Death, Taxes, and series is penned by author Diane Kelly. The latest in the series will be coming out this month. I am sharing Death, Taxes, and Peach Sangria. Are you ready for an adventure?
Synopsis:
Tara and her partner Eddie have been assigned some cases by Lu their boss. They have to go around and check out businesses to make sure that they handling the money correctly. There is a secondary purpose which has to do with the other case they were assigned. This case is to follow the trial of terrorists who have been arrested. In the meantime at the office everyone is looking for a hook up. Nick is also interested in joining the Double D dating service, and Tara has had her eye on him for a while. She wants a chance with him but can’t tell her current boyfriend Brett. Will she be able to express her true feelings? Will she catch thieves who helped the terrorists?
My Thoughts:
I met Diane last summer at the National Romance Writer’s conference. They had a signing that night. There were many authors there I had a great time talking with Diane. I didn’t that her novels would be similar to Janet Evanovich. I enjoy both writers.
Tara is an interesting character. I came into the series in the middle so I really can’t tell you much about her. I also might give something away from the story that you all need to check out for yourselves. The novel is written from her point of view. She is interesting as a narrator. There are other characters that help move the story along but they all can’t hold a candle to Tara.
This novel is worth checking out!
Synopsis:
Tara and her partner Eddie have been assigned some cases by Lu their boss. They have to go around and check out businesses to make sure that they handling the money correctly. There is a secondary purpose which has to do with the other case they were assigned. This case is to follow the trial of terrorists who have been arrested. In the meantime at the office everyone is looking for a hook up. Nick is also interested in joining the Double D dating service, and Tara has had her eye on him for a while. She wants a chance with him but can’t tell her current boyfriend Brett. Will she be able to express her true feelings? Will she catch thieves who helped the terrorists?
My Thoughts:
I met Diane last summer at the National Romance Writer’s conference. They had a signing that night. There were many authors there I had a great time talking with Diane. I didn’t that her novels would be similar to Janet Evanovich. I enjoy both writers.
Tara is an interesting character. I came into the series in the middle so I really can’t tell you much about her. I also might give something away from the story that you all need to check out for yourselves. The novel is written from her point of view. She is interesting as a narrator. There are other characters that help move the story along but they all can’t hold a candle to Tara.
This novel is worth checking out!
March 7, 2013
No one ever likes to lose in the game of love
Tara Holloway is used to the criminals she chases down as an IRS Special Agent on a daily basis. Right now that appears to be less complicated compared to her personal life, which is one hot mess.
Tara has to decide between two men with one a perfect fit compatibility wise, and another with the ability to knock her socks off. Both men wait patiently for her to decide while she thinks about playing it safe or moving outside her comfort zone. She is also pretty focused on trying to not be shot, again.
Her friends need help to manage their own life crisis, the criminals will not stop trying to cheat the IRS, and everyone suddenly wants to find their internet soul mate. Tara figures out whom to trust, whom to handcuff, and who can outrun her all the while knowing answers to everyone’s questions but her own.
Diane Kelly takes readers on another fun, action packed, hotter than a summer in Texas ride.
Tara Holloway is used to the criminals she chases down as an IRS Special Agent on a daily basis. Right now that appears to be less complicated compared to her personal life, which is one hot mess.
Tara has to decide between two men with one a perfect fit compatibility wise, and another with the ability to knock her socks off. Both men wait patiently for her to decide while she thinks about playing it safe or moving outside her comfort zone. She is also pretty focused on trying to not be shot, again.
Her friends need help to manage their own life crisis, the criminals will not stop trying to cheat the IRS, and everyone suddenly wants to find their internet soul mate. Tara figures out whom to trust, whom to handcuff, and who can outrun her all the while knowing answers to everyone’s questions but her own.
Diane Kelly takes readers on another fun, action packed, hotter than a summer in Texas ride.
December 26, 2013
Although Death, Taxes and Peach Sangria is the fourth Tara Holloway novel, it is the first for me. Tara and her peers at Criminal Investigations track down and attempt to arrest tax evaders, IRS criminals. Similar to Stephanie Plum, Tara supposedly works while we read about everyone in her office enrolling in a dating service, her girlfriends romantic trials, her dirty laundry, her lack of domestic talent and her own questionable relationships. There are attempts at car explosions, gun battle, and numerous bodily injuries. I generally like my federal agents to be focused, sharp and serious about their job. Zany, silly law enforcers, who do not follow true procedures, make a cute book to pass the time but can't be taken too seriously. If you like a light hearted, Stephanie Plum type of book, you may enjoy this read. If you like more serious federal or criminal law enforcement novels, then I would take a pass.
April 5, 2013
I figured this book would be a fun read when I opened it up to a Peach Sangria recipe on the first page. From there it was a silly little "adventure" with a variety of characters in some hilarious situations. It made the IRS seem cool and fun and a bit kick a** which is not something I would have said before reading this book. I did wish that the book had come with some of the Peach Sangria as it is mentioned quite a bit. Worth a read, especially since (at least in this book) the author did not feel the need to muck up the story with some un-needed sex. Was really more of a 3-3.5 stars but I gave it the extra bit out of appreciation for keeping it "clean". :) Will definitely be checking out the authors other books, especially if they're like this one.
*I won this book in a GoodReads First Reads giveaway*
*I won this book in a GoodReads First Reads giveaway*
November 1, 2013
Another good addition to the series. Tara is on the case to find the money trail for terrorists in her own unique style, which usually involves the discharge of her firearm. While ferreting out tax fraud may not be the most exciting thing, things never seem to work out as easily as Tara would hope. The resulting mayhem is what gives this series its charm and humor, along with the wacky people she meets along the way. And that always makes for a fun read.
Tara has also made a decision about her love life - to follow her heart - but it turns out that's easier said than done. Things do get resolved on the love front...to a certain degree. Though I'm happy with the "who", I'm not thrilled with the "how". Now, at least, things can move forward and I look forward to seeing how that plays out. We also get some happy developments for several of Tara's friends!
Tara has also made a decision about her love life - to follow her heart - but it turns out that's easier said than done. Things do get resolved on the love front...to a certain degree. Though I'm happy with the "who", I'm not thrilled with the "how". Now, at least, things can move forward and I look forward to seeing how that plays out. We also get some happy developments for several of Tara's friends!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews