Double Plum: Plum Lovin' and Plum Lucky

Stephanie Plum Between the Numbers/Holiday Novels #2-3

by Janet Evanovich

From #1 blockbuster bestselling author Janet Evanovich comes DOUBLE PLUM, two Stephanie Plum novels in one!

PLUM LUCKY
Looking to get lucky? Stephanie Plum has a way of attracting danger, lunatics, oddballs, bad luck . . . and mystery men. And no one is more mysterious than the unmentionable Diesel. He's back and hot on the trail of a little man in green pants who's lost a giant bag of money. Problem is, the money isn't exactly lost. Stephanie's Grandma Mazur has found it, and like any good Jersey senior citizen, she's hightailed it in a Winnebago to Atlantic City and hit the slots. With Lula and Connie in tow, Stephanie attempts to bring Grandma home, but the luck of the Irish is rubbing off on everyone: Lula's found a job modeling plus-size lingerie. Connie's found a guy. Diesel's found Stephanie. And Stephanie has found herself in over her head with a caper involving thrice-stolen money, a racehorse, a car chase, and a bad case of hives.

Plum Lucky is an all-you-can-eat buffet of thrills, chills, shrimp cocktail, plus-size underwear, and scorching hot men. It's a between-the-numbers treat no Evanovich fan will want to miss!

PLUM LOVIN'
Mysterious men have a way of showing up in Stephanie Plum's apartment. When the shadowy Diesel appears, he has a task for Stephanie--and he's not taking no for an answer. Annie Hart is a "relationship expert" who is wanted for armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. Stephanie needs to find her, fast. Diesel knows where she is. So they make a deal: He'll help her get Annie if Stephanie plays matchmaker to several of Annie's most difficult clients. But someone wants to find Annie even more than Diesel and Stephanie. Someone with a nasty temper. And someone with "unmentionable" skills. Does Diesel know more than he's saying about Annie Hart? Does Diesel have secrets he's keeping from Stephanie and the two men in her life--Ranger and Morelli? With Stephanie Plum in over her head, things are sure to get a little dicey and a little explosive, Jersey style!

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Humor

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 3, 2017

About the author

Janet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series, the Lizzy and Diesel series, twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels and Trouble Maker graphic novel, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author, as well as the Fox and O'Hare series with co-author Lee Goldberg.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just received the "New Release" notice from Goodreads. Today is December 29th, 2016. This "book" is actually a double novel collection of books #12.5 and #13.5 of the Stephanie Plum series, which has 28 individual books in it so far. It is NOT a new book. >:(

Not only were these each published alone previously in 2007 and 2008, but they were also previously published as a triple-book set (including book #8.5) in 2009. Evanovich is just repackaging old books in different combinations.

I don't appreciate being misled. Evanovich is putting out books slower and slower, and I accept that in stride. But advertising it as a "new" release got my hopes up for nothing. Out of disappointment and frustration, I give this "book" a 2-star rating. (I refrain from giving it a 1-star, because the stories are actually good. When I read them the first time, a decade ago, I gave them five stars.)

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

what can I say...

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two more installments of the Stephanie Plum saga that are both hilarious and captivating at the same time. Plum Loving is based on the run up to Valentine's Day, while Plum Lucky involves leprechauns and pots of gold. They also both include the mysteriously elusive Diesel that makes the bounty hunter's love life still a little more complicated than it already is ... and neither Lula nor Grandma Mazur are helping matters either.
Janet Evanovitch's 'Plum' series continues to compel readers despite its more than twenty adventures thus far. Somehow the author keeps o coming up with new ideas as to endanger the hapless bond enforcement agent who captures fugitives more by luck than skill and with the help of her security expert mentor as well as on and off again boyfriend who works for the local police. Long may it continue to entertain us.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know when you feel like something is a train wreck and you can't look away? That's how I feel about this series of books. They are certainly nothing of literary quality, but I suppose that is the charm, and that is why I continue to read some. This was another incredibly easy and fast read. I have spent too much time in a moving vehicle as of late, and these are a great read for traveling. Super easy vernacular, larger font and adequate line spacing to follow easily while moving. The story? Well, this was another incredibly far fetched story line (and borderline cheesy) as Diesel appeared again (a quasi superhero with powers?). The appearance of Randy Briggs was my favorite. I don't know what it is about that little person, but he is by far my favorite character in the series. This book had cleaner language (thankfully as some of them were too rank for my taste - curse words used in a fashion that seems as if they are just used to be edgy). Would I recommend the book? Absolutely not. Do I want credit for pages red, you betcha! lol

[Jennifer Layne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I immediately fell for Stephanie Plum ... how can you not! She is a train wreck with plenty of mascara, and a fantastic family! Can't wait for more adventures!

BTW ... I am TOTALLY Team Ranger! Also Lula is AMAZING ... we all need a Lula in our lives! I have decided I want to be adopted by the Plums so I can have a Grama Mazur!

I have read the first 22 as well as the In-Between the Plums stories and I am so ready for the next several!

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that contains both the second and the third Plum "between the books" novella's featuring Stephanie and Diesel. I reviewed them separately so won't get into too many details other than to say they were fine, they were fun, funny, entertaining and even fluffier than the usual books.

Recommended for completionists but if you haven't read all the official Stephanie Plum books then I would direct you there first.

Enjoyable but nothing memorable.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two great stories with Diesel and Stephanie in one book. The first book, Plum Lovin Stephanie and Diesel have to play match maker at Valentines Day. In Lucky Plum Diesel and Stephanie team up to catch a guy who thinks he is a Leprechaun. They end up going to Atlantic City to find Grandma Mauser gambling with mob money. They need to rescue a race horse who needs surgery on his leg and get the mob money back to Trenton. Really funny events take place and everyone is safe in the end.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephanie is a bounty hunter and Lula was her side kick. If you ask me they were plun crazy. She has a wayof attracting danger and lunitics, oddball, and myststery men, who sometimes jusy pop up out of no ware. Take Diesel, he's back and hot on the trail of a little man in green pants who's lost a big bag of money.
Watch yourback and look both waysbecause trouble is in the air.

[Wilma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The usual fun read from Evanovich. Stephanie and Diesel have two adventures. First one involves some guy who makes other people break into a rash. (?) And introduces the bad guy Delvina who kidnaps a horse and Stephanie's grandma.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with a sense of humor.

[Susan Katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had actually read "Plum Lovin'" before, but didn't remember. . .and it made me laugh out loud just as Evanovitch books usually do. Now I'm glad that I have held on to all my old ones. Maybe when I run out of things to read (HA!) I can re-read them!

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are a fan of the series you will like this book. It goes by the formula.
It is a quick entertaining read.

[Niccole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good supplement of in between books, but be cautious of where you are in the series. In one of the series, Lula and Tank were still together, then in the between book, they had broken up.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent "between the numbers" stories.
Love this series!

[Chang Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun read. Love all the characters.

[Nance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Stephanie Plum series. They are a fast paced read that makes me laugh out loud!

[Beth Matsoukis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A double shot of Stephanie Plum and the gang. Nothing new here. Just two fun, light stories that don’t need a lot of heavy thinking to digest.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pair of totally weird and wacky stories, lovable, entertaining, vintage Stephanie Plum.
Suspend all your usual critical filters and enjoy another ride-along with Stephanie!

[Connie Glasgow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun read with Diesel, Stephanie & Grandma getting into all kinds of mischief.
Can't wait till Morelli makes Stephanie his bride - or not - really like the characters!

[Linda K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never read a Stephanie Plum book I didn’t love and laugh my guts out while reading it! Janet Evanovich never disappoints.

[Kelly Ruggeri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both books were good. Quite a bit funnier than her numbered series.

[Cathy Briant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining bit of fluff.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun romp or two with Jersey Girl Stephanie Plum.

[T Funk]

A fun quick read. These are the ones you take on the plane, sit on the beach, or spend evenings with in your garden.

[Bethel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super funny Plum crazy !! Two stories and I laughed and laughed.

[Marilyn Fontane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Double Plum by Janet Evanovich is an anthology of two previous "holiday between numbers" books, Plum Lucky and Plum Lovin'. Since this is only my third Stephanie Plum book, I am not sure exactly what a "holiday between numbers" book is (Yes, I realize the series is One for...Two for... Three... etc., and neither of these two have numbers in the title, but why not and why "holiday"?), but Plum Lovin' is sort of a Valentine's book and Plum Lucky is sort of a St. Patrick's Day or at least a leprechaun book. In any case both are laugh-out-loud funny. I am definitely getting and reading more of this series.
Besides being "between numbers" books, both involve Diesel, another bounty hunter, who goes after impossible, unmentionable cases, not the simple bond skippers Stephanie goes after. Both Morelli and Ranger are in the background, but the main male character is definitely Diesel. Both Grandma and Lula have staring roles and the major criminal is Mafia leader Lou Delvina.
In Plum Lovin' Diesel is holding Annie Hart, a relationship expert, who Stephanie wants to bag. Diesel says she must take care of Annie's 5 clients, all of whom are looking for romance on Valentine's Day, while he keeps her hidden (to catch his man) until she can take her in. Taking care of Annie's clients is a tough job, but basically Stephanie manages--with hilarious results. However one of the five is Stephanie's own formerly perfect sister's tentative husband, who truly loves her but is afraid of the marriage ceremony. Stephanie pretends she is going to marry Diesel in order to make a last minute substitute with her sister and her hopeful husband, Kloughn. Since all the books talk about Stephanie and Joe with sidewise jumps to Ranger, the thought of marriage to someone else--particularly such a rough one as Diesel makes for some humorous family fun.
In Plum Lucky, Grandma Mazur finds a duffle bag of money which she proceeds to spend (at an Atlantic City casino). It was "lost" by Snuggy the leprechaun (horse race jockey) who stole it from Delvina to save the life of Doug, the horse, who because of an injured leg cannot race anymore, and so they were going to get rid of him, rather than pay for the expensive operation. Delvina, of course, wants his money back and holds Doug and then adds Grandma hostage, but since a lot of the money was spent, he demands the whole amount that was stolen. Snuggy wants the money to get Doug the operation. Stephanie and Diesel both want their respective criminals--and of course freedom from the Mafia. The resulting activities make this one of the funniest books I have ever read.

[Joanne]

be careful this is a reprint combing # 2 and #3 between the numbers, luckily saw that posted on another site!!!

[REGINA]

Just saw this is #2 and #3 in the same book....dang! I was excited there was a new between the numbers book.

[Sherrie Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, although I'm not a fan of the Diesel character.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much fun reading this book!!

[Jennifer Shoalmire]

I love Janet and Stephanie!!!!