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Games People Play #1
The Fixer
He's known only as Wren. A wealthy, dangerously secretive man, he specializes in making problems disappear. A professional fixer, Wren hides a dark past, but his privacy is shattered when Emery Finn seeks him out--and what she wants from him is very personal. Some people disappear against their will. Emery's job is to find them and bring closure. Wren is the only person who can help solve Emery's own personal the long-ago disappearance of her cousin. Just tracking down the sexy, brooding Wren is difficult enough. Resisting her body's response to him will prove completely impossible. Anonymity is essential to Wren's success, yet drawn by Emery's loyalty and sensuality, he's pulled out of the shadows. But her digging is getting noticed by the wrong people. And as the clues start to point to someone terrifyingly close, Wren will have to put his haunted past aside to protect the woman he loves.--JoAnn Ross, New York Times bestselling author
374 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 27, 2016
223 people are currently reading
1422 people want to read
About the author
HelenKay Dimon
167 books990 followersHelenKay Dimon is a divorce lawyer-turned-romance author. After dedicating years to helping people terminate relationships she now writes romance novels full time. Her books have earned praise, appeared on bestseller lists, won numerous awards and twice been named Red-Hot Reads and excerpted in Cosmo. She sometimes writes erotic romance, sometimes writes romantic suspense and sometimes writes contemporary romance. But no matter what she's writing her books are always filled with smart banter and sexy times, and a HEA is guaranteed.
-"Sharp writing and plenty of sexy romantic sizzle..." - John Charles, Chicago Tribune
-"So smart, sexy and fast-paced, I devour her stories." - Lori Foster, NYT bestselling author
-"Lots of heat with lots of humor." - MaryJanice Davidson, NYT bestselling author
-"She's a delight." - Christina Dodd, NYT bestselling author
-"Sharp writing and plenty of sexy romantic sizzle..." - John Charles, Chicago Tribune
-"So smart, sexy and fast-paced, I devour her stories." - Lori Foster, NYT bestselling author
-"Lots of heat with lots of humor." - MaryJanice Davidson, NYT bestselling author
-"She's a delight." - Christina Dodd, NYT bestselling author
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
December 3, 2016
This book was a bit different from anything I can remember reading lately and I liked it. I'm new to this author but you better believe I'll be reading more of her work after this. This book was an interesting mix of contemporary and suspenseful romance, with a dash of mystery and intrigue thrown in. The blurb actually gives a pretty good idea of what the story is about, which I greatly appreciated.
What I liked:
* Wren. His character development was on point. I loved the mystery that surrounded him and the quirks of his personality that highlighted his uniqueness. This man had a heart of gold for those he allowed admittance to his circle and the lengths he was willing to go to for Emery were admirable. He was, by far, my favourite character of this story and I loved every bit of his POV. The parts about his past, how he came to be the man he was, everything about him commanded my respect.
* the suspenseful elements. I love when an author leaves me guessing until the last possible minute!
* the writing, of course. The author sucked me in with her writing. The way she wove this tale kept me interested and in an almost perpetual state of anxiety.
What I didn't like:
* I liked Emery well enough. She was strong, determined and opinionated. What I didn't like was how abrasive she could be. There were points where I felt as if I were suffering through her POV.
* I've heard that this author's books can be quite erotic but that was missing in this one for the most part. There were some steamy scenes but not to the level that my expectation levels were built up to.
Overall, I thorougly enjoyed the plot and couldn't help but fall for the mysterious Wren.
He’s known only as Wren. A wealthy, dangerously secretive man, he specializes in making problems disappear. A professional fixer, Wren hides a dark past, but his privacy is shattered when Emery Finn seeks him out—and what she wants from him is very personal.
Some people disappear against their will. Emery’s job is to find them and bring closure. Wren is the only person who can help solve Emery’s own personal mystery: the long-ago disappearance of her cousin. Just tracking down the sexy, brooding Wren is difficult enough. Resisting her body’s response to him will prove completely impossible.
Anonymity is essential to Wren’s success, yet drawn by Emery’s loyalty and sensuality, he’s pulled out of the shadows. But her digging is getting noticed by the wrong people. And as the clues start to point to someone terrifyingly close, Wren will have to put his haunted past aside to protect the woman he loves.
What I liked:
* Wren. His character development was on point. I loved the mystery that surrounded him and the quirks of his personality that highlighted his uniqueness. This man had a heart of gold for those he allowed admittance to his circle and the lengths he was willing to go to for Emery were admirable. He was, by far, my favourite character of this story and I loved every bit of his POV. The parts about his past, how he came to be the man he was, everything about him commanded my respect.
* the suspenseful elements. I love when an author leaves me guessing until the last possible minute!
* the writing, of course. The author sucked me in with her writing. The way she wove this tale kept me interested and in an almost perpetual state of anxiety.
What I didn't like:
* I liked Emery well enough. She was strong, determined and opinionated. What I didn't like was how abrasive she could be. There were points where I felt as if I were suffering through her POV.
* I've heard that this author's books can be quite erotic but that was missing in this one for the most part. There were some steamy scenes but not to the level that my expectation levels were built up to.
Overall, I thorougly enjoyed the plot and couldn't help but fall for the mysterious Wren.
Release Day: December 27, 2016
Genre: Contemporary/Romantic Suspense
POV: Dual - 3rd person
November 16, 2016
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
The Fixer by HelenKay Dimon
Book One of the Games People Play series
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: December 27, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***
Summary (from Goodreads):
He’s known only as Wren. A wealthy, dangerously secretive man, he specializes in making problems disappear. A professional fixer, Wren hides a dark past, but his privacy is shattered when Emery Finn seeks him out—and what she wants from him is very personal.
Some people disappear against their will. Emery’s job is to find them and bring closure. Wren is the only person who can help solve Emery’s own personal mystery: the long-ago disappearance of her cousin. Just tracking down the sexy, brooding Wren is difficult enough. Resisting her body’s response to him will prove completely impossible.
Anonymity is essential to Wren’s success, yet drawn by Emery’s loyalty and sensuality, he’s pulled out of the shadows. But her digging is getting noticed by the wrong people. And as the clues start to point to someone terrifyingly close, Wren will have to put his haunted past aside to protect the woman he loves.
What I Liked:
No one does romantic suspense like HelenKay Dimon. I have yet to read a book of hers that I didn't like. Usually you'll see me read historical romance novels, or contemporary romance novels, but romantic suspense seems to take a backseat. However, I know my go-to author for this genre is HelenKay Dimon. Her stories of sexy commanding alpha males and strong feisty women are so engrossing, moving, and lovable.
In this new series, Dimon takes on a new set of characters. We're not looking at a man in uniform - no, Wren is a business. He's a "fixer"; he's sort of like a private detective, except that he researches a problem, and then fixes it. He's a powerful, rich man, but he doesn't like to be known. No one knows who Wren is, in real life, and within the man himself. Until Emery. Emery has been trying to find Wren for the last weeks, because she found the name "Wren" in a file of her missing cousin's case. She is determined to find Wren to see if he something to do with her cousin's disappearance. Instead, Wren finds her, and he begins to help her. Emery finds this mysterious, totally formal and somewhat robotic man intriguing, and frustrating. Wren is not only helping Emery find the cousin, but he's protecting her from the danger that she unknowingly brought on herself.
I'm not sure if this is a new Dimon favorite of mine (Mine takes the cake at the moment), but it certainly comes close. From the start, there was something about this book that screamed my name. I knew I would enjoy it. Was it the cover? The mysterious synopsis? Simply the fact that it was written by HelenKay Dimon? We'll never know.
To start, I adored Wren. I haven't read a book featuring a hero quite like him. He comes across as robotic and distant, because he is precise and neat, deliberate and intelligent. He does not interact with fellow humans very often (except his best friend, and his housekeeper), and you can clearly tell by how he doesn't always pick up on subtle social cues. Don't get me wrong, the man is so observant and very, very good at his job. But sometimes he's a bit dense, when it comes to emotions and feelings. The "robotic" description would seem closest to his personality... except you quickly see that he is not that way at all. He wears black suits and crisp white shirts underneath every day; he is dangerous and powerful and exacting; but he is protective and direct, honest and genuine, and so selfless. Wren is easily the most complicated and complex character of the book, and he's my favorite character of the book.
I liked Emery a lot though! She is practically the definition of a strong and capable woman. She got on my nerves a few times (especially when she thought she was more capable of investigating than Wren - no honey, that's his job). But I loved how direct she was, how she went after what she wanted. She didn't always do well with Wren's commanding, bossy personality, because she's a bit bossy herself. Emery is impulsive too, but she's smart.
The pair together... they fit well together. They argue and bicker, and there are disagreements left and right (especially on Emery's side). Emery would say that Wren is so difficult (which he is - stubborn especially), and Wren would say that Emery is contrary. Their interactions are always entertaining.
I liked seeing the romance unfold, between Wren and Emery. Emery slowly begins to trust Wren as the book goes on, and Wren slowly begins to let Emery in. It was kind of bizarre that all of Wren's walls tumbled right down for this one woman, but Dimon made it very believable. Additionally, the chemistry was pretty hot. Combine an alpha male and an alpha female and you've got a whole lot of passion. It was great to see a romance in which both characters simply go after what they want.
I was a huge fan of the ending, and not just because of the HEA. You know in the climax, how there is often some "big reveal" or something that makes the couple temporarily break up? This is so so common in romance novels. In this case, Wren reveals something that he learns late in the book, about the missing cousin. Emery flips out and says a whole bunch of things that were wrong and insensitive, and she storms out.
Why I love this climax (and ending) is because Emery is the one who messed up, and Emery is the one to go after Wren. I love that both of them fight for each other (really, Wren does not give up), but it's Emery that goes after Wren (especially since she was the one who needed space). I love this! Yes! You mess up and then you fix your problems. I hate it when the woman messes up but it's the man that is grovelling. Not the case, in this book!
And there is a resolution, in terms of the missing cousin. That whole part of the book is so heartbreaking, and not just for Emery. There are parts of Wren's past that have nothing to do with Emery or her missing cousin, but all him to relate to Emery and her missing cousin. Wren's past is terribly sad, and you can clearly see how his past shaped him.
Anyway! Overall, I really enjoyed this book (clearly). I think there were a few minor things that are worth mentioning but those things definitely did not bother me enough for me to drop my rating. I absolutely cannot wait to read the next book in this series!
What I Did Not Like:
Minor things -- occasionally I found Emery to be irrational and b****y. She wasn't cruel to Wren at any point, but she could have been less abrasive.
Another minor thing -- usually Dimon's books are MUCH steamier! I was a little disappointed. Dimon dimmed the lights and the stopped the scene several times, in terms of sex scenes. So we're left with, like, two fully written sex scenes, and implications of other ones. And the fully written ones... I didn't hate them, but didn't love them either. There was no variety. Emery on top, Wren on the bottom... every time. No variety! The implied sex scenes were the ones that varied, and none of them were written out. Disappointing! I bet if this book had some of those varied sex scenes written out, this one would have gotten five stars. Because steamy! Variety! Good stuff.
Would I Recommend It:
If you like suspense, and adult romance, then I highly recommend any of Dimon's books, including this one. I recommend this book and you should read it especially for Wren. Discovering more about Wren bit by bit... *swoon* I adored him. I haven't ever seen a hero quite like him!
Rating:
4 stars. Dimon never disappoints me! She always delivers, and I'm glad for that. I am looking forward to reading The Enforcer (though I am a tiny bit disappointed that the next book is not about Garrett, Wren's best friend and second-in-command!).
The Fixer by HelenKay Dimon
Book One of the Games People Play series
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: December 27, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss
***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***
Summary (from Goodreads):
He’s known only as Wren. A wealthy, dangerously secretive man, he specializes in making problems disappear. A professional fixer, Wren hides a dark past, but his privacy is shattered when Emery Finn seeks him out—and what she wants from him is very personal.
Some people disappear against their will. Emery’s job is to find them and bring closure. Wren is the only person who can help solve Emery’s own personal mystery: the long-ago disappearance of her cousin. Just tracking down the sexy, brooding Wren is difficult enough. Resisting her body’s response to him will prove completely impossible.
Anonymity is essential to Wren’s success, yet drawn by Emery’s loyalty and sensuality, he’s pulled out of the shadows. But her digging is getting noticed by the wrong people. And as the clues start to point to someone terrifyingly close, Wren will have to put his haunted past aside to protect the woman he loves.
What I Liked:
No one does romantic suspense like HelenKay Dimon. I have yet to read a book of hers that I didn't like. Usually you'll see me read historical romance novels, or contemporary romance novels, but romantic suspense seems to take a backseat. However, I know my go-to author for this genre is HelenKay Dimon. Her stories of sexy commanding alpha males and strong feisty women are so engrossing, moving, and lovable.
In this new series, Dimon takes on a new set of characters. We're not looking at a man in uniform - no, Wren is a business. He's a "fixer"; he's sort of like a private detective, except that he researches a problem, and then fixes it. He's a powerful, rich man, but he doesn't like to be known. No one knows who Wren is, in real life, and within the man himself. Until Emery. Emery has been trying to find Wren for the last weeks, because she found the name "Wren" in a file of her missing cousin's case. She is determined to find Wren to see if he something to do with her cousin's disappearance. Instead, Wren finds her, and he begins to help her. Emery finds this mysterious, totally formal and somewhat robotic man intriguing, and frustrating. Wren is not only helping Emery find the cousin, but he's protecting her from the danger that she unknowingly brought on herself.
I'm not sure if this is a new Dimon favorite of mine (Mine takes the cake at the moment), but it certainly comes close. From the start, there was something about this book that screamed my name. I knew I would enjoy it. Was it the cover? The mysterious synopsis? Simply the fact that it was written by HelenKay Dimon? We'll never know.
To start, I adored Wren. I haven't read a book featuring a hero quite like him. He comes across as robotic and distant, because he is precise and neat, deliberate and intelligent. He does not interact with fellow humans very often (except his best friend, and his housekeeper), and you can clearly tell by how he doesn't always pick up on subtle social cues. Don't get me wrong, the man is so observant and very, very good at his job. But sometimes he's a bit dense, when it comes to emotions and feelings. The "robotic" description would seem closest to his personality... except you quickly see that he is not that way at all. He wears black suits and crisp white shirts underneath every day; he is dangerous and powerful and exacting; but he is protective and direct, honest and genuine, and so selfless. Wren is easily the most complicated and complex character of the book, and he's my favorite character of the book.
I liked Emery a lot though! She is practically the definition of a strong and capable woman. She got on my nerves a few times (especially when she thought she was more capable of investigating than Wren - no honey, that's his job). But I loved how direct she was, how she went after what she wanted. She didn't always do well with Wren's commanding, bossy personality, because she's a bit bossy herself. Emery is impulsive too, but she's smart.
The pair together... they fit well together. They argue and bicker, and there are disagreements left and right (especially on Emery's side). Emery would say that Wren is so difficult (which he is - stubborn especially), and Wren would say that Emery is contrary. Their interactions are always entertaining.
I liked seeing the romance unfold, between Wren and Emery. Emery slowly begins to trust Wren as the book goes on, and Wren slowly begins to let Emery in. It was kind of bizarre that all of Wren's walls tumbled right down for this one woman, but Dimon made it very believable. Additionally, the chemistry was pretty hot. Combine an alpha male and an alpha female and you've got a whole lot of passion. It was great to see a romance in which both characters simply go after what they want.
I was a huge fan of the ending, and not just because of the HEA. You know in the climax, how there is often some "big reveal" or something that makes the couple temporarily break up? This is so so common in romance novels. In this case, Wren reveals something that he learns late in the book, about the missing cousin. Emery flips out and says a whole bunch of things that were wrong and insensitive, and she storms out.
Why I love this climax (and ending) is because Emery is the one who messed up, and Emery is the one to go after Wren. I love that both of them fight for each other (really, Wren does not give up), but it's Emery that goes after Wren (especially since she was the one who needed space). I love this! Yes! You mess up and then you fix your problems. I hate it when the woman messes up but it's the man that is grovelling. Not the case, in this book!
And there is a resolution, in terms of the missing cousin. That whole part of the book is so heartbreaking, and not just for Emery. There are parts of Wren's past that have nothing to do with Emery or her missing cousin, but all him to relate to Emery and her missing cousin. Wren's past is terribly sad, and you can clearly see how his past shaped him.
Anyway! Overall, I really enjoyed this book (clearly). I think there were a few minor things that are worth mentioning but those things definitely did not bother me enough for me to drop my rating. I absolutely cannot wait to read the next book in this series!
What I Did Not Like:
Minor things -- occasionally I found Emery to be irrational and b****y. She wasn't cruel to Wren at any point, but she could have been less abrasive.
Another minor thing -- usually Dimon's books are MUCH steamier! I was a little disappointed. Dimon dimmed the lights and the stopped the scene several times, in terms of sex scenes. So we're left with, like, two fully written sex scenes, and implications of other ones. And the fully written ones... I didn't hate them, but didn't love them either. There was no variety. Emery on top, Wren on the bottom... every time. No variety! The implied sex scenes were the ones that varied, and none of them were written out. Disappointing! I bet if this book had some of those varied sex scenes written out, this one would have gotten five stars. Because steamy! Variety! Good stuff.
Would I Recommend It:
If you like suspense, and adult romance, then I highly recommend any of Dimon's books, including this one. I recommend this book and you should read it especially for Wren. Discovering more about Wren bit by bit... *swoon* I adored him. I haven't ever seen a hero quite like him!
Rating:
4 stars. Dimon never disappoints me! She always delivers, and I'm glad for that. I am looking forward to reading The Enforcer (though I am a tiny bit disappointed that the next book is not about Garrett, Wren's best friend and second-in-command!).
March 18, 2017
4.5 Stars
Smart, gripping, amusing and sexy, The Fixer is the first book in a fresh and engaging romantic suspense series by HelenKay Dimon.
This is one of those rare occurrences when a book managed to catch my full attention from page one. Usually it takes me a few chapters to get going, but here I was already certain of my future rating and ultimate enjoyment right off the bat.
The story follows Emery Finn, a young woman whose job it is to bring lost souls home and to provide closure for the families and friends of missing person’s. It’s a job that is close to Emery’s heart, having spent the past 13 years haunted by the disappearance of her then 13 year old cousin, Tiffany.
Upon her uncle’s death, Emery throws herself back into the task of solving her cousin’s disappearance, leading to the search for a mysterious man, only known as Wren, whose name was left among her uncle’s personal case files. Emery’s often forceful investigative techniques lead her to the man in question – who is anything but easy to find – and sets into motion surprising new leads in her case, as well as new and unexpected feelings of the heart.
Wren is a “fixer.” When important people need a problem solved quietly and discreetly, Wren is the man they turn to. He has a certain skill set that allows him to get difficult things done. Sometimes these things require a certain moral objectivity, but generally speaking, Wren works in the employee and in the assistance of those worthy of help. Very few know his true identity and even fewer know enough to get into contact with him. Yet, Emery has been asking enough questions and triggering enough of the slightly paranoid man’s alarms to gain his full, undivided attention. Emery is intriguing in ways Wren hasn’t found appealing in far too long, and her personal plight to find her missing cousin hits far too close to home, leading to Wren’s promise of assistance in solving the case once and for all.
I’d classify this as a romantic suspense, but it was fairly low on the suspense. Sure, the whodunit portion of the story was fairly basic, but I actually reveled in the simplicity of the mystery. It allowed me to focus on the characters and the enjoyment I was finding in the amusing banter they shared.
I loved how strong and determined Emery was. She didn’t suffer fools gladly, and although she was combative towards Wren a lot of the time, it was more amusing than annoying. She never behaved recklessly or irrationally, and she always trusted that he knew what was best in terms of her safety. Basically, she wasn’t a mindless damsel in distress, but she knew when to allow herself to be protected when needed. It was refreshing.
And then there was Wren. Oh boy, this guy was a delicious treat. He was mysterious in an intelligent, composed, protective, unwaveringly trustable kind of way. As a bit of a loner, Wren isn’t so great with the interpersonal skills, so the conversations, often monosyllabic and unintentionally bossy, came across as hilarious and inevitably charming. He put Emery first from the moment they met, and even though he wasn’t so great with expressing himself clearly, he opened up to her in ways he had never opened up to another in his life, which thankfully was something Emery recognised and valued the significance of. He was also hot and swoony, so there is that.
I enjoyed this story greatly and I’ve decided that HelenKay Dimon is a fantastic writer. Technically speaking, her writing quality is basically flawless, with no discernible typos or errors of any kind. I guess I notice this because it’s actually a rarity for me to get to the end of a book without having noticed some editing issue or another – which is kind of a sad state of affairs when I think about it. But, yeah, what I’ve read from Dimon has been exceptional and I’m now convinced I need to carve out some time to familiarise myself with her back catalogue.
Games People Play is definitely a series I’ll be keeping a keen eye on.
Smart, gripping, amusing and sexy, The Fixer is the first book in a fresh and engaging romantic suspense series by HelenKay Dimon.
This is one of those rare occurrences when a book managed to catch my full attention from page one. Usually it takes me a few chapters to get going, but here I was already certain of my future rating and ultimate enjoyment right off the bat.
The story follows Emery Finn, a young woman whose job it is to bring lost souls home and to provide closure for the families and friends of missing person’s. It’s a job that is close to Emery’s heart, having spent the past 13 years haunted by the disappearance of her then 13 year old cousin, Tiffany.
Upon her uncle’s death, Emery throws herself back into the task of solving her cousin’s disappearance, leading to the search for a mysterious man, only known as Wren, whose name was left among her uncle’s personal case files. Emery’s often forceful investigative techniques lead her to the man in question – who is anything but easy to find – and sets into motion surprising new leads in her case, as well as new and unexpected feelings of the heart.
Wren is a “fixer.” When important people need a problem solved quietly and discreetly, Wren is the man they turn to. He has a certain skill set that allows him to get difficult things done. Sometimes these things require a certain moral objectivity, but generally speaking, Wren works in the employee and in the assistance of those worthy of help. Very few know his true identity and even fewer know enough to get into contact with him. Yet, Emery has been asking enough questions and triggering enough of the slightly paranoid man’s alarms to gain his full, undivided attention. Emery is intriguing in ways Wren hasn’t found appealing in far too long, and her personal plight to find her missing cousin hits far too close to home, leading to Wren’s promise of assistance in solving the case once and for all.
I’d classify this as a romantic suspense, but it was fairly low on the suspense. Sure, the whodunit portion of the story was fairly basic, but I actually reveled in the simplicity of the mystery. It allowed me to focus on the characters and the enjoyment I was finding in the amusing banter they shared.
I loved how strong and determined Emery was. She didn’t suffer fools gladly, and although she was combative towards Wren a lot of the time, it was more amusing than annoying. She never behaved recklessly or irrationally, and she always trusted that he knew what was best in terms of her safety. Basically, she wasn’t a mindless damsel in distress, but she knew when to allow herself to be protected when needed. It was refreshing.
And then there was Wren. Oh boy, this guy was a delicious treat. He was mysterious in an intelligent, composed, protective, unwaveringly trustable kind of way. As a bit of a loner, Wren isn’t so great with the interpersonal skills, so the conversations, often monosyllabic and unintentionally bossy, came across as hilarious and inevitably charming. He put Emery first from the moment they met, and even though he wasn’t so great with expressing himself clearly, he opened up to her in ways he had never opened up to another in his life, which thankfully was something Emery recognised and valued the significance of. He was also hot and swoony, so there is that.
I enjoyed this story greatly and I’ve decided that HelenKay Dimon is a fantastic writer. Technically speaking, her writing quality is basically flawless, with no discernible typos or errors of any kind. I guess I notice this because it’s actually a rarity for me to get to the end of a book without having noticed some editing issue or another – which is kind of a sad state of affairs when I think about it. But, yeah, what I’ve read from Dimon has been exceptional and I’m now convinced I need to carve out some time to familiarise myself with her back catalogue.
Games People Play is definitely a series I’ll be keeping a keen eye on.
August 2, 2018
Maybe you guys can remember the TV series Cold Case with detective Lilly Rush? I loved that series and still watch reruns when I can. But getting back to the review.
Here cold cases are solved but its better. Cause there are alpha males and kickarse plots.
Characters & Chemistry.
Emery Finn has based her life around solving what happened to her cousin, her best friend Tiffany. She thinks she has finally found a link that will break the case open. She has been searching for Wren. She is convinced that he/she/it has something to do with her cousin missing.
Emery is a strong character and she knows her boundaries when it comes to finding out the truth. She is loyal to the end and the culprit is closer to her than she thinks. Through book 5 I knew who dunnit but I still enjoyed trying to figure out how and why it was done.
Wren is The Fixer. You have a problem? He can help you. It is vigilante justice but we all know that the system doesn’t always work. He is a creep (according to Emery) he likes to call himself mysterious. He is a recluse, elusive and he never steps into the limelight until now. He doesn’t do anything he wants to do.
I adore Wren (Levi) and his social awkwardness and that he has problems with social cues. He is strong and although he thinks he doesn’t care it is quite the opposite. He at a very young age also experienced loss and since then hasn’t wanted any attention.
Emery & Wren don’t get off to a good start.
“We need to come to an understanding” “Uh-huh, well, maybe we should understand that this seat is already taken,” she said. “By?” “Literally anyone else who wants it.”
But even with the slight animosity at the beginning they have chemistry. But with Wren’s demons and his social ineptness and the cold case heating up they get closer. Emery relies on Wren although she doesn’t really know anything about him.
What I enjoyed most is the banter between these two.
Writing, Plot & Pace.
I love this author's writing. The story and characters are engaging, and I loved getting to know them. Compared to book 5 I feel as if the author had some struggles with this book here. She has everything to make this book a hit be it the suspense, the banter and especially romance and the in-depth characters. There was something that didn’t make it a 5 star but I can’t pinpoint it if I’m being honest. This is slow in the romance build-up which is what I need at the moment. There is no other woman drama.
One of kind plot here. Through reading book 5 I still didn’t anticipate some things. There was never a dull moment and I had a lot of fun with this book.
Verdict.
I read the The Protector (book 5) in the series and just knew I had to go back to the beginning cause when I met Wren in that book I knew that is book was gonna be good. I recommend this book so start the series as I can see awesome things coming.
Here cold cases are solved but its better. Cause there are alpha males and kickarse plots.
Characters & Chemistry.
Emery Finn has based her life around solving what happened to her cousin, her best friend Tiffany. She thinks she has finally found a link that will break the case open. She has been searching for Wren. She is convinced that he/she/it has something to do with her cousin missing.
Emery is a strong character and she knows her boundaries when it comes to finding out the truth. She is loyal to the end and the culprit is closer to her than she thinks. Through book 5 I knew who dunnit but I still enjoyed trying to figure out how and why it was done.
Wren is The Fixer. You have a problem? He can help you. It is vigilante justice but we all know that the system doesn’t always work. He is a creep (according to Emery) he likes to call himself mysterious. He is a recluse, elusive and he never steps into the limelight until now. He doesn’t do anything he wants to do.
I adore Wren (Levi) and his social awkwardness and that he has problems with social cues. He is strong and although he thinks he doesn’t care it is quite the opposite. He at a very young age also experienced loss and since then hasn’t wanted any attention.
Emery & Wren don’t get off to a good start.
“We need to come to an understanding” “Uh-huh, well, maybe we should understand that this seat is already taken,” she said. “By?” “Literally anyone else who wants it.”
But even with the slight animosity at the beginning they have chemistry. But with Wren’s demons and his social ineptness and the cold case heating up they get closer. Emery relies on Wren although she doesn’t really know anything about him.
What I enjoyed most is the banter between these two.
Writing, Plot & Pace.
I love this author's writing. The story and characters are engaging, and I loved getting to know them. Compared to book 5 I feel as if the author had some struggles with this book here. She has everything to make this book a hit be it the suspense, the banter and especially romance and the in-depth characters. There was something that didn’t make it a 5 star but I can’t pinpoint it if I’m being honest. This is slow in the romance build-up which is what I need at the moment. There is no other woman drama.
One of kind plot here. Through reading book 5 I still didn’t anticipate some things. There was never a dull moment and I had a lot of fun with this book.
Verdict.
I read the The Protector (book 5) in the series and just knew I had to go back to the beginning cause when I met Wren in that book I knew that is book was gonna be good. I recommend this book so start the series as I can see awesome things coming.
September 8, 2018
“We need to talk about her. We need to have answers.” She did. Down to her soul. The guilt. The not knowing. Waking up every day thinking Tiffany could be one of those poor women chained to a bed somewhere in some sick bastard’s basement, unable to get out.
This had a bit of a different feel and texture than the usual romantic suspense/mystery, slower because this was about solving a decades old case but I enjoyed it for the most part because of the something new feel.
Our hero is quite different from the over-saturated with take control alpha, he was a solid quiet, composed, with some anti-social coloring. I can't say I ever felt like I "knew" him because of this little bit of dry, little bit of aloofness but he was also refreshing. I really liked the heroine and how she meshed with him, they played off each other very well.
“You still scare me a little.” She didn’t know why she admitted that, but it was absolutely true. There was no mistaking his smile now.
“The feeling is mutual.”
They had this slow dry heat thing that really worked but I just didn't get to see or completely feel them together because of the murder mystery components taking control of the story. The heroine is still searching for her cousin that went missing when she was a teenager and recently finding the hero's name in the case files leads her to him and has the hero being captivated against will for her and helping with the case.
“I got the impression you were attracted to me.”
“I’ll rein it in and say simply, yes.”
Her finger pressed into his wrist and his wild heartbeat thumped against her skin. She took that as a very good sign. “And if you didn’t rein it in this time?”
“The need to strip you naked and spread you out on that mattress is kicking my ass.” What was she even saying before that?
“Subtle.”
“There’s nothing subtle about how much I want you.”
They had chemistry but the hero ultimately remained too closed off in some ways for me, I felt walled off from him. The search for what happened to her cousin is crux of the story but it felt a little sluggish in the middle and had an ending that was fairly obvious and a bit announced and abruptly left.
She could fight her own battles, but it was pretty sexy to have a guy who wanted to stand up and help.
Dimon's writing draws me (I like how she writes the dynamics between the hero and heroine) and I like her voice but there also seems to be a feeling of things not quite clicking; her procedural writing is great but maybe some of the emotional aspect is missing for me? Either way, I'll keep reading her and I'll keep going with this series as I've already read one in it and liked it. If you're looking for romantic suspense that has a little bit of a different feel to it, this could be a change of pace.
Her spirit reeled him in and drove him mad.
I had to include this quote because of how deep in my soul I have felt this way before:
Caroline had the whole balanced-life, good-person combination down. By comparison, Emery felt like an unmade bed.
This had a bit of a different feel and texture than the usual romantic suspense/mystery, slower because this was about solving a decades old case but I enjoyed it for the most part because of the something new feel.
Our hero is quite different from the over-saturated with take control alpha, he was a solid quiet, composed, with some anti-social coloring. I can't say I ever felt like I "knew" him because of this little bit of dry, little bit of aloofness but he was also refreshing. I really liked the heroine and how she meshed with him, they played off each other very well.
“You still scare me a little.” She didn’t know why she admitted that, but it was absolutely true. There was no mistaking his smile now.
“The feeling is mutual.”
They had this slow dry heat thing that really worked but I just didn't get to see or completely feel them together because of the murder mystery components taking control of the story. The heroine is still searching for her cousin that went missing when she was a teenager and recently finding the hero's name in the case files leads her to him and has the hero being captivated against will for her and helping with the case.
“I got the impression you were attracted to me.”
“I’ll rein it in and say simply, yes.”
Her finger pressed into his wrist and his wild heartbeat thumped against her skin. She took that as a very good sign. “And if you didn’t rein it in this time?”
“The need to strip you naked and spread you out on that mattress is kicking my ass.” What was she even saying before that?
“Subtle.”
“There’s nothing subtle about how much I want you.”
They had chemistry but the hero ultimately remained too closed off in some ways for me, I felt walled off from him. The search for what happened to her cousin is crux of the story but it felt a little sluggish in the middle and had an ending that was fairly obvious and a bit announced and abruptly left.
She could fight her own battles, but it was pretty sexy to have a guy who wanted to stand up and help.
Dimon's writing draws me (I like how she writes the dynamics between the hero and heroine) and I like her voice but there also seems to be a feeling of things not quite clicking; her procedural writing is great but maybe some of the emotional aspect is missing for me? Either way, I'll keep reading her and I'll keep going with this series as I've already read one in it and liked it. If you're looking for romantic suspense that has a little bit of a different feel to it, this could be a change of pace.
Her spirit reeled him in and drove him mad.
I had to include this quote because of how deep in my soul I have felt this way before:
Caroline had the whole balanced-life, good-person combination down. By comparison, Emery felt like an unmade bed.
May 25, 2017
I do not recommend this book to autistic readers. I would advise trauma survivors to tread cautiously, & check out the trigger warnings before reading.
I read this book looking for a strong heroine, a story about a fixer, and heat. (That's how it was recommended to me.)
The heroine is definitely my favorite character in the book, and is strong in many ways. Some of the moments where she pushes back against controlling men in her life are the best parts of this book. (With a notable exception that I will get to in a bit.)
If you get on board with the non-negotiated power play in their sex life and see it as consensual, it is pretty damn hot, and one of the things that is working best in the book.
I don't enjoy the mystery part of mysteries, so I cannot speak to the whodunit part of the story, seek other reviews for information about the thriller/mystery piece.
I was excited to read a story centering a fixer, but I gotta say, it did not satisfy me on this front. I was hoping for something that had more detail about this aspect of his job, how he did it, what it looked like, but it was actually really vague. I kept reaching for it, hoping, and it would slip through my fingers. It was like I was just supposed to buy all these things the book told me about him, without ever getting to see them, or the fixing having any meat to it. It made him seem unreal, and it's not the only thing that made him seem unreal, elusive, not three dimensional.
The other piece was the way he was framed as a disabled character, both the depiction of PTSD and the coding of him as autistic.
The hero is very much framed as a trauma survivor, with a tragic past that has made him a man with grey morals and barely leashed rage. The reader gets so many details of his trauma history, without actually having him feel like a real trauma survivor. So, the details just feel exploitative and othering. As a trauma survivor myself, who spent 20 years in the trauma field, it felt like he was a caricature of the skewed idea society has of trauma survivors, not someone who had been through what I am told he survived. It felt false and inaccurate. On top of that, it framed him as broken because of trauma in a way that felt deeply ableist to me as a reader.
In addition, he is coded as autistic, and the depiction of that is intensely ableist. He is described as being unable to communicate, have relationships, have feelings, talk to people alone. The talking to people alone thing is a huge plot point, his friends are often trying to intervene in him ever having private conversations. He is othered all throughout the book by pretty much everyone in it. The heroine frequently says ableist things that frame him as a robot, someone with no emotions or empathy. She mostly does this in response to his controlling and creepy behavior, but also in response to his communication difficulties. At the same time, its like the book justifies him stalking her, being "creepy", being controlling , like it was saying he did those things because he was autistic. Without ever saying the word autistic, this story constantly evokes ableist tropes about autistic people, including the one where they "learn to feel" by falling in love. His characterization felt deeply toxic in its ableism, and was harmful to me as an autistic reader. It hurt to read this book.
The story also feels like it justifies his controlling behavior and stalking by framing it as romantic and protective and in contrast, not as abusive as another relationship. This is an awful way to frame these behaviors.
I never got on board with them as a couple. He treated her quite badly, and she was also pretty horrible to him. And it felt like I was being told they loved each other, not shown how that happened, so I didn't buy it.
Trigger warnings:
I read this book looking for a strong heroine, a story about a fixer, and heat. (That's how it was recommended to me.)
The heroine is definitely my favorite character in the book, and is strong in many ways. Some of the moments where she pushes back against controlling men in her life are the best parts of this book. (With a notable exception that I will get to in a bit.)
If you get on board with the non-negotiated power play in their sex life and see it as consensual, it is pretty damn hot, and one of the things that is working best in the book.
I don't enjoy the mystery part of mysteries, so I cannot speak to the whodunit part of the story, seek other reviews for information about the thriller/mystery piece.
I was excited to read a story centering a fixer, but I gotta say, it did not satisfy me on this front. I was hoping for something that had more detail about this aspect of his job, how he did it, what it looked like, but it was actually really vague. I kept reaching for it, hoping, and it would slip through my fingers. It was like I was just supposed to buy all these things the book told me about him, without ever getting to see them, or the fixing having any meat to it. It made him seem unreal, and it's not the only thing that made him seem unreal, elusive, not three dimensional.
The other piece was the way he was framed as a disabled character, both the depiction of PTSD and the coding of him as autistic.
The hero is very much framed as a trauma survivor, with a tragic past that has made him a man with grey morals and barely leashed rage. The reader gets so many details of his trauma history, without actually having him feel like a real trauma survivor. So, the details just feel exploitative and othering. As a trauma survivor myself, who spent 20 years in the trauma field, it felt like he was a caricature of the skewed idea society has of trauma survivors, not someone who had been through what I am told he survived. It felt false and inaccurate. On top of that, it framed him as broken because of trauma in a way that felt deeply ableist to me as a reader.
In addition, he is coded as autistic, and the depiction of that is intensely ableist. He is described as being unable to communicate, have relationships, have feelings, talk to people alone. The talking to people alone thing is a huge plot point, his friends are often trying to intervene in him ever having private conversations. He is othered all throughout the book by pretty much everyone in it. The heroine frequently says ableist things that frame him as a robot, someone with no emotions or empathy. She mostly does this in response to his controlling and creepy behavior, but also in response to his communication difficulties. At the same time, its like the book justifies him stalking her, being "creepy", being controlling , like it was saying he did those things because he was autistic. Without ever saying the word autistic, this story constantly evokes ableist tropes about autistic people, including the one where they "learn to feel" by falling in love. His characterization felt deeply toxic in its ableism, and was harmful to me as an autistic reader. It hurt to read this book.
The story also feels like it justifies his controlling behavior and stalking by framing it as romantic and protective and in contrast, not as abusive as another relationship. This is an awful way to frame these behaviors.
I never got on board with them as a couple. He treated her quite badly, and she was also pretty horrible to him. And it felt like I was being told they loved each other, not shown how that happened, so I didn't buy it.
Trigger warnings:
February 12, 2023
3,5. This was a fun and racy who dun it. Romance suspense- Imagine 007 if he was on the spectrum. At times there was more telling then showing in the writing but I still enjoyed the pace and the story.
February 11, 2017
Very entertaining, somewhat suspenseful romance. The hero is a bit of an odd duck for this type of set up, and the heroine is quite independent but not TSTL. They make a good pair.
December 18, 2016
4 Stars - 3 Flames
Wowza!
I've never heard of this author and I'm now trying to find anything that was written by her. Side note - HOLY COW, there are so many books that look good!!!!! Looks like I'm gonna be fighting my fellow reviewers to get my hands on more of Ms. Dimon.
Emery has been searching for her missing cousin for over a decade. Ok, searching seems like a bad choice of words. More like obsessed with trying to find out what happened to her so many years ago. In fact, one would say that her obsession guided her in the direction of her profession, but I digress. For years Emery and the detectives ran in to road block after road block, but after her uncle passes away, Emery thinks that she's finally found a clue...a name. But dog on it, that name is just that. Although people have heard of the name, no one has ever met this person. Until Emery digs a little too deep. Now that name wants to know what she wants.
Wren (sigh). Yep. My new obsession. This man. Good Lord, this man. He's intelligent, handsome, rich, and does things his way. Well....until he meets Emery. He's not quite sure what to do with her. After all, he breaks more than a few of his own personal rules whenever she's around and he's having a really hard time trying to figure out why. Well, not really. But he's having a hard time admitting the reason why. When it becomes apparent that he's the only one who could honestly and successfully help Emery solve this missing persons case, he'll stop at nothing to make sure she gets her answers. Even when the answer she seeks may ruin everything he finally wants.
The suspense in this book is amazing. Although I had my guesses as to "who did it", the way it all plays out is beautifully done. More impressive though was the relationship between Emery and Wren. This two are seriously perfect for each other in every way. The banter and dry humor had me smiling through more than half of this read (my hubby actually asked me what I was smiling at once - oops). The back story of Wren's. His second in command. The mystery behind almost everything. It's all amazing. Honestly.
I'm so happy that this is just the beginning of a promising series. The way this author writes pulls me in so much so that I was actually dreaming about these characters. Now THAT'S a very hard thing for me to admit considering how many books I read...in a week...lol. If you're reading this review, just thinking about whether you should pick it up. Don't hesitate any more. Do it. You won't be sorry!
*I received this book from the Jeep Diva in exchange for my honest opinion.
Wowza!
I've never heard of this author and I'm now trying to find anything that was written by her. Side note - HOLY COW, there are so many books that look good!!!!! Looks like I'm gonna be fighting my fellow reviewers to get my hands on more of Ms. Dimon.
Emery has been searching for her missing cousin for over a decade. Ok, searching seems like a bad choice of words. More like obsessed with trying to find out what happened to her so many years ago. In fact, one would say that her obsession guided her in the direction of her profession, but I digress. For years Emery and the detectives ran in to road block after road block, but after her uncle passes away, Emery thinks that she's finally found a clue...a name. But dog on it, that name is just that. Although people have heard of the name, no one has ever met this person. Until Emery digs a little too deep. Now that name wants to know what she wants.
Wren (sigh). Yep. My new obsession. This man. Good Lord, this man. He's intelligent, handsome, rich, and does things his way. Well....until he meets Emery. He's not quite sure what to do with her. After all, he breaks more than a few of his own personal rules whenever she's around and he's having a really hard time trying to figure out why. Well, not really. But he's having a hard time admitting the reason why. When it becomes apparent that he's the only one who could honestly and successfully help Emery solve this missing persons case, he'll stop at nothing to make sure she gets her answers. Even when the answer she seeks may ruin everything he finally wants.
The suspense in this book is amazing. Although I had my guesses as to "who did it", the way it all plays out is beautifully done. More impressive though was the relationship between Emery and Wren. This two are seriously perfect for each other in every way. The banter and dry humor had me smiling through more than half of this read (my hubby actually asked me what I was smiling at once - oops). The back story of Wren's. His second in command. The mystery behind almost everything. It's all amazing. Honestly.
I'm so happy that this is just the beginning of a promising series. The way this author writes pulls me in so much so that I was actually dreaming about these characters. Now THAT'S a very hard thing for me to admit considering how many books I read...in a week...lol. If you're reading this review, just thinking about whether you should pick it up. Don't hesitate any more. Do it. You won't be sorry!
*I received this book from the Jeep Diva in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 1, 2020
ok listen, so this guy is so Feared and Respected and Mysterious literally like only 5 most trusted people know his real name, the most powerful people reach out to him to have him solve their unsolvable problems, there is no thing that he cannot fix with his incredible Skills and— and— AND— he reveals his identity in the first 20 pages of the book to some random hot woman (and then other people because she wanted him to!!), then proceeds to make mistake after mistake, ignores his Super Important Work for her, keeps spilling his entire secret sad life story to her after two weeks of knowing each other, and basically becomes a horny teddy bear who happens to also speak like a robot. (actually this book’s writing in general felt as if a bot spit it out). the heroine acts like she’s 15, so i guess maybe they suit. hot plot includes a scene where the hero knocks the heroine out (via pressing a special pressure point) and then picks her unconscious body and puts it on a private plane TO KEEP HER SAFE~ and then they proceed to circle above dc bc he DOESNT WANT TO VIOLATE HER TRUST BY TAKING HER OUTSIDE THE CITY WHILE SHES UNCONSCIOUS. when she comes back to shes like IM SHOCKED! you shouldnt have done that! BUT IM ALSO STILL HORNY FOR YOU? hes like ok but id do it again to Keep You Safe. shes like *giggle* you’re such a weirdo. then they go to his fancy house and fuck
WOW ROMANCE!!
i picked this up for MYSTERY & DANGER & AWFUL POWERFUL PEOPLE DOING NAUGHTY NASTY THINGS but there was none of it here just boring boring- i fell asleep
WOW ROMANCE!!
i picked this up for MYSTERY & DANGER & AWFUL POWERFUL PEOPLE DOING NAUGHTY NASTY THINGS but there was none of it here just boring boring- i fell asleep
February 7, 2017
3.75 FIXER STARS
This was refreshingly different and a nice surprise. I enjoyed the alpha male in Wren and I liked how Emery was a strong minded woman. Those two combinations together is a recipe for exciting banter and constant power struggles between each other.
This was refreshingly different and a nice surprise. I enjoyed the alpha male in Wren and I liked how Emery was a strong minded woman. Those two combinations together is a recipe for exciting banter and constant power struggles between each other.
October 29, 2018
1ère lecture pour le prochain Festival du Roman Féminin. Je ne connaissais pas l'auteur, c'est une bonne pioche. Du romantic suspens qui tient la route, malgré quelques longueurs.
La romance est plutôt en second plan finalement, mais les personnages sont attachants qu'ils soient principaux ou secondaires. Je lirai avec plaisir la suite
La romance est plutôt en second plan finalement, mais les personnages sont attachants qu'ils soient principaux ou secondaires. Je lirai avec plaisir la suite
October 12, 2018
3.5 STARS
May 25, 2020
Enjoyed it. Liked the awkward hero.
May 31, 2019
Mouais, bien mais sans plus. Ya une bonne dynamique entre les deux héros, mais on attend quand même le dernier quart du livre pour enfin avoir une avancée sur la disparition de la cousine... comme si l’auteur se rappelait soudainement qu’il fallait résoudre ce ptit détail xD
August 9, 2016
Emery’s job is to find the missing… whether that means reuniting a family or bringing closure, she’s determined and her cousin’s mystery is the case she’s focused on again. A random clue in her uncle’s files leads her to the name “Wren.” So she starts asking around, trying to find this person who could be involved in the disappearance of her cousin and gets more than she bargained for.
No one really knows who Wren is… he’s wealthy, and secretive and he makes problems go away… hence the name “the fixer.” His past and privacy are important to him and when Emery starts digging and asking all the wrong people how to find him, he’s determined to shut her down. He just wasn’t expecting to be drawn to her in ways he never would have predicted.
I loved that there was a bit of a mystery to this story… Emery is searching for clues about the night her cousin disappeared. There are a couple of very apparent suspects but she’s still hoping that she’s alive somewhere, she just needs the lead that will provide the answers. When she finally finds Wren, it’s not the lead she had hoped for, but his connections and talents might provide useful in other ways… getting the answers she needs.
Neither can deny the physical spark between them, but Emery won’t let Wren in if he doesn’t start sharing who he really is, and Wren surprisingly shares more with her than he has with anyone ever.
I really think my favorite parts in this book were when Emery and Wren were getting to know each other… there is a bit of a running joke that Wren is very stoic and unemotional … and not quite human. Mostly because Wren is used to getting his way and not having to ask permission when he makes a decision for someone, and he tends to make a lot of decisions for Emery instead of with Emery, and she doesn’t let him get away with it.
Despite the seriousness it really provided a bit of cute to their budding relationship.
Like I said, the mystery here was an added bonus, and I loved the twists and turns and while I had an inkling of suspicion at who was responsible for her cousin’s disappearance, Dimon really provides some feasible suspects that will have you guessing until the end.
If you like romantic suspense with a strong and determined heroine this is definitely going to be a book for you. Get this on your TBR right away!
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
No one really knows who Wren is… he’s wealthy, and secretive and he makes problems go away… hence the name “the fixer.” His past and privacy are important to him and when Emery starts digging and asking all the wrong people how to find him, he’s determined to shut her down. He just wasn’t expecting to be drawn to her in ways he never would have predicted.
I loved that there was a bit of a mystery to this story… Emery is searching for clues about the night her cousin disappeared. There are a couple of very apparent suspects but she’s still hoping that she’s alive somewhere, she just needs the lead that will provide the answers. When she finally finds Wren, it’s not the lead she had hoped for, but his connections and talents might provide useful in other ways… getting the answers she needs.
Neither can deny the physical spark between them, but Emery won’t let Wren in if he doesn’t start sharing who he really is, and Wren surprisingly shares more with her than he has with anyone ever.
I really think my favorite parts in this book were when Emery and Wren were getting to know each other… there is a bit of a running joke that Wren is very stoic and unemotional … and not quite human. Mostly because Wren is used to getting his way and not having to ask permission when he makes a decision for someone, and he tends to make a lot of decisions for Emery instead of with Emery, and she doesn’t let him get away with it.
Despite the seriousness it really provided a bit of cute to their budding relationship.
Like I said, the mystery here was an added bonus, and I loved the twists and turns and while I had an inkling of suspicion at who was responsible for her cousin’s disappearance, Dimon really provides some feasible suspects that will have you guessing until the end.
If you like romantic suspense with a strong and determined heroine this is definitely going to be a book for you. Get this on your TBR right away!
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
February 8, 2017
When I read the synopsis for this book I totally fell in love and was super excited to read it. Not only did I love it, it surpassed my expectations! It had an excellent storyline with a great feel to it, I was hooked!
Seriously, right from the beginning I was hanging on every word. Since this was romantic suspense, in my head I was expecting intensity but what I got surprised me and I loved it. It had this light, fun vibe happening that had me smiling. Wren and Emery where great characters. They had awesome verbal sparring going on that was challenging and entertaining. One of my favorite things is animosity between characters so this was perfect for me.
I loved Emery so much. I loved how strong she was and her perseverance and dedication. The woman is the definition of determined, it was great. Wren was equally fantastic. Closed off but protective, I loved learning all of his details. I really liked Wren’s history and how it was laid out, keeping me guessing and wanting more. I was on edge of my seat as he opened up. It was really fantastic seeing him grow and step outside of his comfort zone. Both Emery and Wren had amazing chemistry and loved watching it build. It was fun and sweet and passionate (and oh so hot!).
The story involving Emery's past was great too. I loved all the suspense and the challenge that it brought to their growing relationship. While I did think the story story was light in a fun, witty, verbally combative way, there was a good bit of tension too as the story unfolds and all the pieces come together. It was a really solid story and I thought the writing was excellent. Really great details and great pace, it flowed nicely. I was excited while reading and couldn't turn the page fast enough.
I loved Wren’s friend Garrett and the relationship they had. Anything that has to do with manly friendships and male bonding I'm a big fan of and I loved everything I got. I am just so impressed and excited for more. This was a fantastic introduction to the series and I love all the possibilities that could come next. Sign me up for the next story!
This was great romantic suspense, not only that, it was just fun and sexy with intriguing characters, solid storyline, and a fantastic build. Frankly, the lighter vibe was refreshing! It was everything I could have asked for.
Seriously, right from the beginning I was hanging on every word. Since this was romantic suspense, in my head I was expecting intensity but what I got surprised me and I loved it. It had this light, fun vibe happening that had me smiling. Wren and Emery where great characters. They had awesome verbal sparring going on that was challenging and entertaining. One of my favorite things is animosity between characters so this was perfect for me.
I loved Emery so much. I loved how strong she was and her perseverance and dedication. The woman is the definition of determined, it was great. Wren was equally fantastic. Closed off but protective, I loved learning all of his details. I really liked Wren’s history and how it was laid out, keeping me guessing and wanting more. I was on edge of my seat as he opened up. It was really fantastic seeing him grow and step outside of his comfort zone. Both Emery and Wren had amazing chemistry and loved watching it build. It was fun and sweet and passionate (and oh so hot!).
The story involving Emery's past was great too. I loved all the suspense and the challenge that it brought to their growing relationship. While I did think the story story was light in a fun, witty, verbally combative way, there was a good bit of tension too as the story unfolds and all the pieces come together. It was a really solid story and I thought the writing was excellent. Really great details and great pace, it flowed nicely. I was excited while reading and couldn't turn the page fast enough.
I loved Wren’s friend Garrett and the relationship they had. Anything that has to do with manly friendships and male bonding I'm a big fan of and I loved everything I got. I am just so impressed and excited for more. This was a fantastic introduction to the series and I love all the possibilities that could come next. Sign me up for the next story!
This was great romantic suspense, not only that, it was just fun and sexy with intriguing characters, solid storyline, and a fantastic build. Frankly, the lighter vibe was refreshing! It was everything I could have asked for.
December 27, 2016
When Emery Finn was twelve/thirteen years old, her cousin and best friend Tiffany was abducted and went missing. Emery could have easily been in that same position had she been their earlier or snuck out with Tiffany, she thought. Now years later, Emery works for an organization that is all about giving family closures and finding out what happened to the Jane and John Doe's and giving them an identity. She has also never given up on finding out the truth about her cousin, especially since there is nobody else alive who cares about the truth as Tiffany's parents are now both deceased. All Emery has is a name "Wren, " and she has put all her resources and favors into finding out who Wren is as she believes he is the one behind it all. Wren aka Brian Jacobs has been tracking down Emery Finn and looking to see why she wants to find him so badly. You see, Wren is a powerful person - he is a Fixer. Curious Wren visits Emery and soon finds himself tangled with her and her line of questioning. Once everything is eventually straightened out, Wren finds himself developing feelings for Emery and will do everything in his power to find out what happened to Tiffany that fateful night. What will happen though when the truth is revealed and could hurt more people than do any good? Will justice still be served for Tiffany? I have to admit; I loved the character of Wren. He is "not normal, " yet he is adorable and you can tell he cares about Emery. In a way, his personality reminded me of Mal from Stage Dive series - just less Maniac. Wren aka Brian Jacobs is now being added to my list of Fictional Book Boyfriends. The Fixer by HelenKay Dimon was an amazing read, and if you love Romantic Suspense with a love of quirky characters, then this is one that you have to add to your must-read list, and I now can't wait to read the rest of the series when they are released.
February 12, 2017
Emery is looking for the man she thinks abducted or killed her cousin many years ago. She finds Wren's name in her uncle's files on the case and thinks he's connected. Turns out, he was just someone that the man thought might help.
Wren becomes quickly intrigued with Emery and the case, and agrees to help her. Despite their differences, they realise they make a good team.
I enjoyed this. I love awkward heroes and while I didn't quite buy that such a successful manipulator of people could be so clueless, I was willing to go along with it.
My only real complaint about the book is that I got quite frustrated by the circular conversations. Their conflict was almost entirely due to the fact that they couldn't communicate - particularly in the beginning. So, one of them would say something (fairly obvious to the reader) and the other character would demand an explanation, which they may or may not end up getting. It got better towards the end because Emery began to understand Wren. But I don't think he ever really learned to understand her.
Other than that, the book was fine. I thought the villain was a bit too obvious, but maybe that was just me.
Wren becomes quickly intrigued with Emery and the case, and agrees to help her. Despite their differences, they realise they make a good team.
I enjoyed this. I love awkward heroes and while I didn't quite buy that such a successful manipulator of people could be so clueless, I was willing to go along with it.
My only real complaint about the book is that I got quite frustrated by the circular conversations. Their conflict was almost entirely due to the fact that they couldn't communicate - particularly in the beginning. So, one of them would say something (fairly obvious to the reader) and the other character would demand an explanation, which they may or may not end up getting. It got better towards the end because Emery began to understand Wren. But I don't think he ever really learned to understand her.
Other than that, the book was fine. I thought the villain was a bit too obvious, but maybe that was just me.
September 17, 2016
LOVED this book! Wren is so awkward, sexy, and wonderful. Emery is tough, and doesn't take any crap from him. Together, they are AMAZING! A great start to this new series!
April 30, 2018
http://www.voluptueusementvotre.fr/20...
Nouveau venu dans la collection #LoveAddiction, L’homme de l’ombre fait la part belle au mystère et raconte son histoire avec un bon équilibre entre romance et suspens.
Je suis une adepte de ce genre de roman et c’est sans surprise que je me suis lancée dans cette nouvelle saga avec à sa tête une auteure totalement inconnue, mais qu’il me tarde déjà de retrouver dans d’autres ouvrages. Helenkay Dimon a une plume assurée, sincère et minutieuse. Elle arrive à donner sa version des faits, parsemée de petits détails qui donnent envie aux lecteurs de savoir où elle souhaite en venir et surtout vers quoi l’on se dirige. Le moins que l’on puisse dire, c’est que je me suis laissée porter et que je n’ai pas le moindre regret.
Emery et Wren sont des personnages aux antipodes l’un de l’autre. En effet, la jeune femme est une véritable pile électrique que l’on a parfois bien du mal à suivre. Si j’admire sa combativité et sa détermination, je dois reconnaître qu’elle m’a également exaspéré par certains de ses comportements assez puérils. Heureusement, le caractère taciturne et autoritaire de Wren contrebalance cette excessivité et permet de ne pas se focaliser sur cet aspect du récit.
Entre eux, rien n’est simple et il est évident que leur rapprochement ne cessera de faire des étincelles. J’ai adoré suivre leurs échanges, les voir se confronter, se jauger et surtout se séduire. Car, bien que l’enquête de fond soit prenante, le thème principal est bien la romance et ces deux-là ont tout à apprendre sur le sujet.
C’est donc pas à pas qu’ils prennent leur marque et tentent de faire le tri entre leurs émotions et le puissant désir qui les anime. S’ils se révèlent un peu rouillé côté flirt, ils n’ont rien oublié de la passion et de la sensualité. Que ce soit dans un lit, contre un mur ou sur un plan de travail, Emery et Wren n’ont besoin d’aucun rappel en la matière et ne manquent pas de libérer la pression qui pèse sur leurs épaules de la plus torride des façons.
Si leur relation semble se construire au fil des pages, ce livre aborde un sujet peu commun dans la romance : la culpabilité du survivant. Je m’explique. Emery a perdu sa cousine Tiffany il y a 13 ans et a organisé sa vie à partir de cet instant fatidique au point de choisir son métier en vue de la retrouver. Elle officie à présent en faveur des personnes disparues et met tout son être dans la résolution d’affaires difficiles et parfois sans issue. Helenkay Dimon n’hésite donc pas à traiter ce thème à travers son héroïne avec la plus grande prudence, mais également la plus grande authenticité ce que j’ai vraiment apprécié.
L’homme de l’ombre est un premier opus qui m’a enchanté et dont je ressors satisfaite. Aucune question n’est laissée en suspens et je trouve que l’auteure a bien mené son récit. Il me tarde à présent de découvrir le prochain volet qui portera sur un couple inconnu, mais pas moins intéressant, j’en suis sûre. Rendez-vous le 06/06 pour savoir ce qu’il en est.
Nouveau venu dans la collection #LoveAddiction, L’homme de l’ombre fait la part belle au mystère et raconte son histoire avec un bon équilibre entre romance et suspens.
Je suis une adepte de ce genre de roman et c’est sans surprise que je me suis lancée dans cette nouvelle saga avec à sa tête une auteure totalement inconnue, mais qu’il me tarde déjà de retrouver dans d’autres ouvrages. Helenkay Dimon a une plume assurée, sincère et minutieuse. Elle arrive à donner sa version des faits, parsemée de petits détails qui donnent envie aux lecteurs de savoir où elle souhaite en venir et surtout vers quoi l’on se dirige. Le moins que l’on puisse dire, c’est que je me suis laissée porter et que je n’ai pas le moindre regret.
Emery et Wren sont des personnages aux antipodes l’un de l’autre. En effet, la jeune femme est une véritable pile électrique que l’on a parfois bien du mal à suivre. Si j’admire sa combativité et sa détermination, je dois reconnaître qu’elle m’a également exaspéré par certains de ses comportements assez puérils. Heureusement, le caractère taciturne et autoritaire de Wren contrebalance cette excessivité et permet de ne pas se focaliser sur cet aspect du récit.
Entre eux, rien n’est simple et il est évident que leur rapprochement ne cessera de faire des étincelles. J’ai adoré suivre leurs échanges, les voir se confronter, se jauger et surtout se séduire. Car, bien que l’enquête de fond soit prenante, le thème principal est bien la romance et ces deux-là ont tout à apprendre sur le sujet.
C’est donc pas à pas qu’ils prennent leur marque et tentent de faire le tri entre leurs émotions et le puissant désir qui les anime. S’ils se révèlent un peu rouillé côté flirt, ils n’ont rien oublié de la passion et de la sensualité. Que ce soit dans un lit, contre un mur ou sur un plan de travail, Emery et Wren n’ont besoin d’aucun rappel en la matière et ne manquent pas de libérer la pression qui pèse sur leurs épaules de la plus torride des façons.
Si leur relation semble se construire au fil des pages, ce livre aborde un sujet peu commun dans la romance : la culpabilité du survivant. Je m’explique. Emery a perdu sa cousine Tiffany il y a 13 ans et a organisé sa vie à partir de cet instant fatidique au point de choisir son métier en vue de la retrouver. Elle officie à présent en faveur des personnes disparues et met tout son être dans la résolution d’affaires difficiles et parfois sans issue. Helenkay Dimon n’hésite donc pas à traiter ce thème à travers son héroïne avec la plus grande prudence, mais également la plus grande authenticité ce que j’ai vraiment apprécié.
L’homme de l’ombre est un premier opus qui m’a enchanté et dont je ressors satisfaite. Aucune question n’est laissée en suspens et je trouve que l’auteure a bien mené son récit. Il me tarde à présent de découvrir le prochain volet qui portera sur un couple inconnu, mais pas moins intéressant, j’en suis sûre. Rendez-vous le 06/06 pour savoir ce qu’il en est.
June 26, 2025
1. christan grey wanna be.
2. emery, do you not understand discretion?? idk how wren fell for you because you clearly were not considerate of every boundary he had in place to keep himself and his company safe. stupid girl.
2. emery, do you not understand discretion?? idk how wren fell for you because you clearly were not considerate of every boundary he had in place to keep himself and his company safe. stupid girl.
July 21, 2018
THE FIXER won the Romance Writers of America RITA award for romantic suspense this week and I do see why, even though I can't give it top marks for personal reasons.
Overall story? Great, no question. Wonderful blending of diverse characters and a plot that kept me reading until I was finished.
Hero? Wren was wonderful in many aspects, and I ached for him. Overbearing? Yes. Controlling? Yes. Stalkerish? Umm...yes. But if you like alpha heroes (and I do), you can get past those issues, especially since the heroine (Emery) calls him on it almost every time. (Loved it when she threatened him with a baseball bat, and he accepted it!)
Secondary characters? Hoo boy, extremely well done (no cardboard characters here), especially Garrett McGrath. Which is why I was thrilled to see he has his own story (THE NEGOTIATOR, a novella), which I bought this morning and can't wait to read.
Heroine? Here's where I had a problem. I read the reviews posted on this site after I read the book (something I do a lot), and I have to disagree with the reviewers who didn't like Emery from the get go. I actually loved her for most of the story, but then she did something that made me truly dislike her. I hate spoilers, so I won't say what she did, but cruel and vindictive in a heroine just doesn't work for me. Those traits are fine in a villain, but not in a heroine. So I had difficulty recovering from that, and couldn't understand why Wren forgave her so easily. Yes, yes, I get that love is forgiving, and sometimes good people do bad things and we forgive them...eventually. That part of the story seemed rushed to me, and I wanted Emery to suffer more before Wren forgave her.
Nevertheless, I give this book a definite thumbs up, and am looking forward to reading more by HelenKay Dimon.
Overall story? Great, no question. Wonderful blending of diverse characters and a plot that kept me reading until I was finished.
Hero? Wren was wonderful in many aspects, and I ached for him. Overbearing? Yes. Controlling? Yes. Stalkerish? Umm...yes. But if you like alpha heroes (and I do), you can get past those issues, especially since the heroine (Emery) calls him on it almost every time. (Loved it when she threatened him with a baseball bat, and he accepted it!)
Secondary characters? Hoo boy, extremely well done (no cardboard characters here), especially Garrett McGrath. Which is why I was thrilled to see he has his own story (THE NEGOTIATOR, a novella), which I bought this morning and can't wait to read.
Heroine? Here's where I had a problem. I read the reviews posted on this site after I read the book (something I do a lot), and I have to disagree with the reviewers who didn't like Emery from the get go. I actually loved her for most of the story, but then she did something that made me truly dislike her. I hate spoilers, so I won't say what she did, but cruel and vindictive in a heroine just doesn't work for me. Those traits are fine in a villain, but not in a heroine. So I had difficulty recovering from that, and couldn't understand why Wren forgave her so easily. Yes, yes, I get that love is forgiving, and sometimes good people do bad things and we forgive them...eventually. That part of the story seemed rushed to me, and I wanted Emery to suffer more before Wren forgave her.
Nevertheless, I give this book a definite thumbs up, and am looking forward to reading more by HelenKay Dimon.
March 31, 2022
"The Fixer" - written by HelenKay Dimon and published in 2017 by Avon, HarperCollins. The plot here is the merest sketch, created to accompany the heavy romance. Handsome, mysterious Wren flies under the radar working as a Fixer, very similar to the Equalizer TV series, and he has a violent past to go along with the bad-boy image. Emery works in a similar capacity, helping to investigate cold cases, especially her cousin's disappearance years ago. Their paths cross and of course there's an instant attraction. That's about it! Readers who enjoy "open door" situations will like this one and I thought it was a pretty decent read, tailored for that crowd.
March 25, 2025
I liked it but that doesn’t mean it was good! Mystery books are kind of predictable. Wren was made out to be this enigma but never really did anything special.
Maybe I missed it but there was a discrepancy near the end which linked the family friend and the dad and both the burglar? How’s Tyler gonna get caught in 4k then they magically figure out the dad robbed her?
It was a nice spicy new relationship book though so that was pretty sweet.
Maybe I missed it but there was a discrepancy near the end which linked the family friend and the dad and both the burglar? How’s Tyler gonna get caught in 4k then they magically figure out the dad robbed her?
It was a nice spicy new relationship book though so that was pretty sweet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2019
I've never read a romantic suspense novel before. I think this was mostly romantic with a sprinkle of suspense. It was engaging and I enjoyed it enough that I'll check out more of Ms. Dimon's books. Woo.
May 28, 2019
J'ai aimé l'histoire et les personnages. Il m'a juste manqué un peu plus d'action pour mettre 4 étoiles. L'enquête est résolue trop facilement, avec peu d'effort/d'enquête de la part des personnages. J'ai tout de même envie de lire la suite.
September 5, 2017
OMG, this was fast-paced, crazy-full of sexual tension, and there couldn't have been two characters more opposite...and yet more completely right for each other than Wren and Emery. On top of all that, it also has a great cold-case mystery that gets solved.
February 20, 2018
Intense story! Really enjoyed the characters, the banter, the relationship between Emery and Wren and the mystery. The subject matter isn't my usual cup of tea but I had read the second in the series and wanted to catch up with the first.
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