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Gorgeous #2
Drop Dead, Gorgeous!
Ah, weddings -- every single woman's reminder that she'll probably die alone, covered in cat hair and dressed in unflattering sweatpants. And as far as bad wedding experiences go, my friend Stacy's could take the cake. 1) I'm dateless 2) I'm a bridesmaid, and 3) Someone just attempted to whack the groom (known, no kidding, as The Boss) in the middle of the ceremony. Whoa...hang on. I might not relish reception food or doing the Electric Slide, but anyone who tries to ruin a girlfriend's big day by bumping off her true love will have to go through me first. So now I, assistant hairdresser Jenny Branch, am helping to hunt down a real-life bad guy, and the prime suspect is Kevin Stone, who claims to be working undercover for a group called Covert Ops Protection. Riiight. All of this is hard to believe -- my new role as spy-in-training, the fact that I'm surrounded by people with freaky superhuman powers, and most of all, the way that this unbelievably sexy villain/double agent/whatever Kevin is makes every (and I mean every) nerve-ending tingle the second he comes into view...and it appears to be mutual. Living with flying bullets and constant danger is a long way from sweeping up hair at the end of the day. But if it means being around Kevin, a girl could get used to it...
221 pages, Hardcover
First published March 2, 2006
42 people are currently reading
967 people want to read
About the author
MaryJanice Davidson
142 books5,397 followersMaryJanice Davidson is an American author and motivational speaker who writes mostly paranormal romance, but also young adult and non-fiction. She is the creator of the popular UNDEAD series and the time-traveling historical fiction A CONTEMPORARY ASSHAT AT THE COURT OF HENRY VIII. MaryJanice is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author who writes a bi-weekly column for USA Today and lives in St. Paul with her family. You can reach her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
July 28, 2009
IT'S SO AWFUL. The author claims in the gratingly unfunny Author's Note that you can read this book without reading the first book in the Gorgeous series (Hello, Gorgeous!), but this is a big fat lie. In the first three pages alone, there is someone named The Boss -- but someone else is called "boss." Three weddings are mentioned in one page -- one of them involves the boss, but a different one involves The Boss. Try to guess which is which! And if you happened to skip the Author's Note, you wouldn't even know that The Boss was involved in infecting the boss with nanobytes in order to make her a superhero. I'm not kidding.
June 12, 2023
Good story
June 12, 2009
So I chose this book and the other 'Drop Dead Gorgeous' (note no punctuation on the other title), because I saw them both on the chick lit shelf at the library and could no resist reading two books with the same title. If I had to choose I would have picked this one over the other, which is ironic because I really enjoyed the other one (a more straightforward romance) much more.
This book had a mark against it to start with because it is the second in a series (Hello, Gorgeous!) being the first. But I was on holiday and could not go and get the first book to read first, and had a limited selection for reading, so I plunged in anyway. The introduction, which gave the background of the story/universe, was confusing yet amusingly written. The story does stand on its own fairly well, but it takes a bit of time to figure out what is going on. Part of the trouble is that the backcover description was in first person, the introduction was about a different character, and the whole book was written in third person about the minor character from the first book.
My feeling upon getting to the end of the book was that not much had happened. The events seem minor and not strung well together. Basically the plot could be condensed to 'attack by bad guy, mission to the bad guy lair, escape from bad guy lair, end'. Seriously, not much happens except some hot sex between the two main characters. There was some obstacles to overcome that were very easily overcome. There was a romantic attachment easily given on both sides that didn't have much problem igniting into passion.
This is in the line of my least favourite genre anyway, the romantic screwball comedy. And the characters weren't very believable. But I was entertained for a bit during my holiday, and I thought the author had potential. Probably easier to sum up as, 'decent writing, but not my cup of tea.'
This book had a mark against it to start with because it is the second in a series (Hello, Gorgeous!) being the first. But I was on holiday and could not go and get the first book to read first, and had a limited selection for reading, so I plunged in anyway. The introduction, which gave the background of the story/universe, was confusing yet amusingly written. The story does stand on its own fairly well, but it takes a bit of time to figure out what is going on. Part of the trouble is that the backcover description was in first person, the introduction was about a different character, and the whole book was written in third person about the minor character from the first book.
My feeling upon getting to the end of the book was that not much had happened. The events seem minor and not strung well together. Basically the plot could be condensed to 'attack by bad guy, mission to the bad guy lair, escape from bad guy lair, end'. Seriously, not much happens except some hot sex between the two main characters. There was some obstacles to overcome that were very easily overcome. There was a romantic attachment easily given on both sides that didn't have much problem igniting into passion.
This is in the line of my least favourite genre anyway, the romantic screwball comedy. And the characters weren't very believable. But I was entertained for a bit during my holiday, and I thought the author had potential. Probably easier to sum up as, 'decent writing, but not my cup of tea.'
January 5, 2011
I normally really love Mary Janice Davidson's work, but this book was just somewhat lacking. I don't know....there needs to be a little angst, little humor, etc for a good chick lit book and this just felt somewhat shallow. I was amused (spoiler) that the bad guy's lair was the Iowa State Fairgrounds, but then I got distracted again when it wasn't described like the fair really is and that threw me off again too. Oh well.
June 11, 2015
This book started out a little slow, but got a lot better toward the end. There were just enough twists and turns to keep me interested. I think it might have been a little better if I would have read the first one in the series before this one, although I had everything figured out pretty quick.
June 1, 2021
My favourite series by MJ the best ones, I re read these books all the time never get bored of them, the story plot is fantastic keeps you gripped the whole way through
October 2, 2017
I didn't read the first book. In fact, I didn't even know there was a first book when I picked this up from the library, and I did not read the author's note. (Was I supposed to?) The cover reminded me of Rhonda Pollero's Finley Anderson Tanner series, so I picked it up. By the way, Rhonda Poller's books are awesome!
The Jennifer Branch character reminded me a bit of Finley with the humor in the book. However, Jennifer is not as funny, and the plot seemed to be lacking Everything in the book happens in a couple of days (maybe just one?), and the start and stop for each scene is so clean. It reminds me of wrapping gifts. One is done, so move on to the next. It wasn't very deep at all. Shallow comes to mind. Maybe it was supposed to be? Vague is another word I'd use to describe the book. I like more details, and maybe I'd get them if I read the first book in the series. I plan to go back and read it.
Who would like this book? Someone who likes mildly funny mysteries without too much depth. It wasn't a bad book book, and I'm not sad that I read it. It was a really fast read, and chapters were over very quickly. In fact, there are 41 chapters and one epilogue in 200 pages. There was too much sex at the end. It added to the shallowness of the characters though.
The Jennifer Branch character reminded me a bit of Finley with the humor in the book. However, Jennifer is not as funny, and the plot seemed to be lacking Everything in the book happens in a couple of days (maybe just one?), and the start and stop for each scene is so clean. It reminds me of wrapping gifts. One is done, so move on to the next. It wasn't very deep at all. Shallow comes to mind. Maybe it was supposed to be? Vague is another word I'd use to describe the book. I like more details, and maybe I'd get them if I read the first book in the series. I plan to go back and read it.
Who would like this book? Someone who likes mildly funny mysteries without too much depth. It wasn't a bad book book, and I'm not sad that I read it. It was a really fast read, and chapters were over very quickly. In fact, there are 41 chapters and one epilogue in 200 pages. There was too much sex at the end. It added to the shallowness of the characters though.
October 30, 2020
Yes you don’t technically need to read Hello Gorgeous before reading this one but if you’re like me and want to know all the ins and outs of secret organizations at the start of a book rather than learning along the way you might want to. Plus Mirage and Lone Wolf sound like fabulous characters to read about. Everything is wrapped up very neatly at the end, almost too neatly but you read MJD for the witty banter and hilarious pratfalls right? If yes then this is worth reading but not one you’d recommend to someone who hasn’t already read MJD’s more notable work. It’s a quick, comfort read that is set in a spy world anyone seeking to get anything else out of this book should look else where.
April 25, 2025
Even if you create a silly world everything within that world still needs to make sense and be sensible/logical - the plot for this 2nd in the series was just stupid. STUPID! A hair salon receptionist goes undercover to help catch the deadly/ruthless gang of criminals - even in this bizzarro world that makes no sense.
And there were quite a few mistakes - like changing the name of the secret group.
And there were quite a few mistakes - like changing the name of the secret group.
April 29, 2025
This book felt like a fever dream. The author has a very distinct voice, that leaves the reader feeling like they are overhearing a hyper receptionist tell a gossipy story to at least 6 of her friends at the office.
The plot made no sense, the twists were bland, and the only thing written well was the sex scenes, and even those felt a bit rushed.
But hey, I read it, and could even finish the whole thing without giving up. So definitely not the worst.
The plot made no sense, the twists were bland, and the only thing written well was the sex scenes, and even those felt a bit rushed.
But hey, I read it, and could even finish the whole thing without giving up. So definitely not the worst.
March 10, 2020
The beginning was a little hard to read having not read the first book but after a chapter or two the background was covered and this new story flowed easily. This book made me definitely want to check out not only the first book of the series but others she has written. The only real issue I had with the book was the ending sort of fell flat compared to the rest of the book.
November 26, 2019
Ok. This isn’t great. But did anyone else notice the huge typo in chapter one that refers to “Jessica’s wedding to The Boss”? Ummm. Stacy is the character in this book. Jessica is the main friend character from Davidson’s Queen Betsy books. Weird that such a thing wouldn’t be caught in editing.
April 12, 2020
Confusing beginning, by the time you figure out what is going on you are halfway through the book. By the end of the book it feels like nothing really happened and an unbelievable love story got shoved in there somehow. Would not recommend.
January 28, 2021
Sorry I love MJD but woah this shouldn't never have been written. It was so bad just jumped around and was a waist of time. And the first on of this series was a rather slow but fun book.. She has to realize not every book needs to be made in to a series...
June 14, 2024
This book was odd. It is supposed to be a standalone, but also a follow up to another book that you didn’t need to read. I feel like I should have read it first to get some contacts that wasn’t made obvious. At least it was fast. It did have some funny parts.
August 2, 2018
Sloppily written, plotless drivel. It got two stars for the likeable characters, who don’t deserve such an incoherent mess. Well below MJD’s usual standard.
June 21, 2019
characters are a caricature, plot barely exists, hilarious, a little unclear with dialogue and weird parentheses. fun for something i dug out of a paper bag in a garage
August 30, 2024
Quick beach read about spies. I liked the small romance hidden in a spy story.
April 2, 2012
Setting: OSI headquarters, The Snakepit/Kansas World Fair grounds, Grand Hotel/Minneapolis
Theme: trusting yourself, overcoming bad childhoods, love
Characters:
Caitlyn James / Dimitri: Back for Jessica’s wedding. Caitlyn still grousing about the Boss, Dimitri is unemotional to others but passionate with Ciatlyn. They work for the Boss as they agree with his requests/dommands.
Stacey / The Boss: Getting married, two years have passed. Someone takes a shot at Jessica, but hits the Boss in the shoulder – after the guests escorted out, the ceremony continues, they are not going to reschedule. At the end, The Boss realizes he has a family – of Stacey, Caitlyn & Dimitri,& Jenny & Kevin ahhhhh.
Charmer / The Boss’ daughter: Head bad guy at the snakepit, and working out her own rebellion against her father, the Boss (which we find out at the end). Hmmmm
Jenny Branch: Caitlyn’s unassuming manager at Mag’s, but a woman of many talents. When the cake decorator gets a migraine, she leaves the cakes and frosting – so Jenny steps in and frosts and decorates a beautiful cake (getting her bridesmaid’s dress very messy)… She can shoot a gun perfectly, she has a black belt, she has multiple degrees, and she is only 25 (doesn’t watch tv). She was raised by alcoholics, her mother dying, her father very indifferent except to remind her that she has nothing to offer the world. She is ready to ‘star in her own movie’.
Kevin Stone: 3rd generation mafia family – his early memories were of attempts made on his father’s life and moving a lot. As a teen he decides he wants a different way, and he does not lie for his siblings or father to keep them out of jail, and he joins the good guys… and ends up in COPS… and goes undercover to infiltrate the Snakepit, figuring his family would not find him. He is undercover for 4 years, but funding ended for COPS a year earlier, and they didn’t pull him out. And the Snakepit head guy, The Charmer wants Jessica killed before she is to be married, and sends Kevin to the hotel.
Plot: The Boss is shot instead of Jessica, and he sends Caitlyn / Dimitri after the shooter… But Jenny finds him in the bathroom, and disarms him (realizing he was probably letting her) – and of course there are fissions of attraction between them. When who he is and his assignment is confirmed, and with a bit of chagrin over his not being pulled when his agency was disbanded, he is brought into headquarters.
Somehow it is decided that he is to go back and do some harm, get copies of what he can… and Jenny volunteers to go with him, to act as his hostage, to act as a secretary in the OSI, to get him back in. hmmmm she wants more in her life, she wants to prove she is not worthless.
They go, she is taken to the interrogation room for 3 hours, (and here is where the science doesn’t quite make it)… she is drugged, she spills her guts – of what they instilled in her the night before (not the truth of being a fake secretary?!?)… she has a capsule of something in a tooth to release to counter the drugs affects which she pops at the 3rd hour… the interrogator decides to rape her, seeing her as helpless – she kung fus him, knocking him senseless, just as Kevin comes to her rescue – and he kicks him into unconsciousness. He has already had time to snag what info he can and to plant charges in strategic areas. He takes Jessica to the Charmer, the Charmer locks them up together in a holding cell… they have quick sex… he picks the lock… they take all night to get out of World Fair grounds, disabling some guards, hiding in the Snakehouse (where they have sex again, to keep Kevin’s mind off his fear of snakes) and in the Fun House… and as they approach the gates, Charmer is there, and she is surrendering to them (hmmm?), and … they take her in… to daddy’s office … hmmmm
And Kevin and Jenny have a night of great sex – in a bed… but when she wakes up, he is gone… leaving a note, making some excuse about being alone too long and not wanting her to have to deal with bad guys. Eight days later, in Prague on an op, Jenny shows up to complete trade off of information… and makes it clear she goes where he goes… Jenny is a new OSI operative… ahhhh
Theme: trusting yourself, overcoming bad childhoods, love
Characters:
Caitlyn James / Dimitri: Back for Jessica’s wedding. Caitlyn still grousing about the Boss, Dimitri is unemotional to others but passionate with Ciatlyn. They work for the Boss as they agree with his requests/dommands.
Stacey / The Boss: Getting married, two years have passed. Someone takes a shot at Jessica, but hits the Boss in the shoulder – after the guests escorted out, the ceremony continues, they are not going to reschedule. At the end, The Boss realizes he has a family – of Stacey, Caitlyn & Dimitri,& Jenny & Kevin ahhhhh.
Charmer / The Boss’ daughter: Head bad guy at the snakepit, and working out her own rebellion against her father, the Boss (which we find out at the end). Hmmmm
Jenny Branch: Caitlyn’s unassuming manager at Mag’s, but a woman of many talents. When the cake decorator gets a migraine, she leaves the cakes and frosting – so Jenny steps in and frosts and decorates a beautiful cake (getting her bridesmaid’s dress very messy)… She can shoot a gun perfectly, she has a black belt, she has multiple degrees, and she is only 25 (doesn’t watch tv). She was raised by alcoholics, her mother dying, her father very indifferent except to remind her that she has nothing to offer the world. She is ready to ‘star in her own movie’.
Kevin Stone: 3rd generation mafia family – his early memories were of attempts made on his father’s life and moving a lot. As a teen he decides he wants a different way, and he does not lie for his siblings or father to keep them out of jail, and he joins the good guys… and ends up in COPS… and goes undercover to infiltrate the Snakepit, figuring his family would not find him. He is undercover for 4 years, but funding ended for COPS a year earlier, and they didn’t pull him out. And the Snakepit head guy, The Charmer wants Jessica killed before she is to be married, and sends Kevin to the hotel.
Plot: The Boss is shot instead of Jessica, and he sends Caitlyn / Dimitri after the shooter… But Jenny finds him in the bathroom, and disarms him (realizing he was probably letting her) – and of course there are fissions of attraction between them. When who he is and his assignment is confirmed, and with a bit of chagrin over his not being pulled when his agency was disbanded, he is brought into headquarters.
Somehow it is decided that he is to go back and do some harm, get copies of what he can… and Jenny volunteers to go with him, to act as his hostage, to act as a secretary in the OSI, to get him back in. hmmmm she wants more in her life, she wants to prove she is not worthless.
They go, she is taken to the interrogation room for 3 hours, (and here is where the science doesn’t quite make it)… she is drugged, she spills her guts – of what they instilled in her the night before (not the truth of being a fake secretary?!?)… she has a capsule of something in a tooth to release to counter the drugs affects which she pops at the 3rd hour… the interrogator decides to rape her, seeing her as helpless – she kung fus him, knocking him senseless, just as Kevin comes to her rescue – and he kicks him into unconsciousness. He has already had time to snag what info he can and to plant charges in strategic areas. He takes Jessica to the Charmer, the Charmer locks them up together in a holding cell… they have quick sex… he picks the lock… they take all night to get out of World Fair grounds, disabling some guards, hiding in the Snakehouse (where they have sex again, to keep Kevin’s mind off his fear of snakes) and in the Fun House… and as they approach the gates, Charmer is there, and she is surrendering to them (hmmm?), and … they take her in… to daddy’s office … hmmmm
And Kevin and Jenny have a night of great sex – in a bed… but when she wakes up, he is gone… leaving a note, making some excuse about being alone too long and not wanting her to have to deal with bad guys. Eight days later, in Prague on an op, Jenny shows up to complete trade off of information… and makes it clear she goes where he goes… Jenny is a new OSI operative… ahhhh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2012
Yes, I know. I keep torturing myself with MaryJanice Davidson. I don't know what's wrong with me but I just can't seem to give her up and, well, I wanted to see how this series ended. Drop Dead, Gorgeous! actually wasn't a bad follow up to Hello, Gorgeous but having finished it I still don't really know what the point of the whole thing was other than getting everyone together by the end of the story.
That said, I enjoyed Drop Dead, Gorgeous! a lot more than the previous book mainly because the heroine and hero weren't as immature and crass as the previous characters and we actually got a little background into their family histories and why they ended up how they were. I liked both Jenny, the assistant hairdresser that's looking for adventure in her life, and Kevin, the undercover agent who'd been forgotten by all of his superiors for years and thought hey fit together nicely. A little quirky and funny but not over the top annoying or crass. I loved that Kevin, the big strong, tough agent was freaked out by snakes. Was kinda cute.
The premise was the two of them going back undercover into a splinter cell that was causing trouble and finding who was behind the whole thing. The plot was a little light and honestly the bad guy was pretty weak. Ridiculous really and left me rolling my eyes doing the whole "seriously?! that was the reason for all of this?!!" Ah well. Wasn't expecting my world to be changed from this one ;) It was decent fluff with enough actual humor and interaction between the characters to keep me entertained for a couple hours. Would be good for a weekend beach read where you just want something light and fluffy that doesn't need too much concentration.
Originally posted at Herding Cats & Burning Soup
That said, I enjoyed Drop Dead, Gorgeous! a lot more than the previous book mainly because the heroine and hero weren't as immature and crass as the previous characters and we actually got a little background into their family histories and why they ended up how they were. I liked both Jenny, the assistant hairdresser that's looking for adventure in her life, and Kevin, the undercover agent who'd been forgotten by all of his superiors for years and thought hey fit together nicely. A little quirky and funny but not over the top annoying or crass. I loved that Kevin, the big strong, tough agent was freaked out by snakes. Was kinda cute.
"This is where they keep the cobras and the rattlers and the cottonmouths." In the poor glow of the penlight, he looked poistively green. "Ugh!"
"Kevin, calm down. It's off-season--there aren't any snakes in here at all."
"Maybe one got away. Maybe it's lurking in the dark ready to bite our feet--"
"You're afraid of snakes? You?"
"They wait," he said, and she could hear how his voice shook. She had to think about bullets and Dr. Loman and Charmer's hadns to keep from laughing. "They bite in the dark."
...
"I just--hate them. They give me the fu--the creeps. They're not like a dog. You can't train 'em."
"You never heard the old 'they're more scared of you than you are of them' thing?"
"That," he replied, "would be impossible."
She took his hand, which was cold, and rubbed the knuckles. "We won't stay here long," she soothed. "Just until the patrol leaves."
He shuddered and didn't answer.
The premise was the two of them going back undercover into a splinter cell that was causing trouble and finding who was behind the whole thing. The plot was a little light and honestly the bad guy was pretty weak. Ridiculous really and left me rolling my eyes doing the whole "seriously?! that was the reason for all of this?!!" Ah well. Wasn't expecting my world to be changed from this one ;) It was decent fluff with enough actual humor and interaction between the characters to keep me entertained for a couple hours. Would be good for a weekend beach read where you just want something light and fluffy that doesn't need too much concentration.
Originally posted at Herding Cats & Burning Soup
November 8, 2012
Although DROP DEAD, GORGEOUS! is the second in the GORGEOUS series, the author states herself that if you can't afford to help her pay her mortgage by buying the first book, HELLO, GORGEOUS!, don't despair -- this book can stand alone quite nicely.
Where in the first book we were introduced to Caitlyn, the nanobyte-filled new superhero of the O.S.I., we're now given a glimpse into the staid, steadfast life of Jennifer "Jenny" Branch. She's the secretary/receptionist/administrative assistant of Mag, the salon owned and operated by Caitlyn -- who also happens to have parental issues, a brown belt in judo, the ability to shoot a gun with accuracy, and the desire to get a real life.
That opportunity arrises when Stacy, Caitlyn's best friend and a co-worker at Mag, is nearly gunned down during her wedding to The Boss, the leader of the O.S.I. When Jenny overpowers the gunman (or, actually, when the gunman allows himself to be overpowered), Jenny gets her chance to star in her own action-adventure movie. It seems that Kevin Stone, once a covert operative for C.O.P.S., has been deep undercover in The Snakepit for four years - and then was forgotten by his superiors when the operation lost government funding.
What follows is Kevin's reemergence into the lair of the bad guys, accompanied by Jenny. Sex, as sex always does in an MJD story, follows, as does a quick and intense romance.
DROP DEAD, GORGEOUS! is romantic fluff - but fun romantic fluff. This is a super-quick, easy read, but it's good for a couple of hours of laughs.
Where in the first book we were introduced to Caitlyn, the nanobyte-filled new superhero of the O.S.I., we're now given a glimpse into the staid, steadfast life of Jennifer "Jenny" Branch. She's the secretary/receptionist/administrative assistant of Mag, the salon owned and operated by Caitlyn -- who also happens to have parental issues, a brown belt in judo, the ability to shoot a gun with accuracy, and the desire to get a real life.
That opportunity arrises when Stacy, Caitlyn's best friend and a co-worker at Mag, is nearly gunned down during her wedding to The Boss, the leader of the O.S.I. When Jenny overpowers the gunman (or, actually, when the gunman allows himself to be overpowered), Jenny gets her chance to star in her own action-adventure movie. It seems that Kevin Stone, once a covert operative for C.O.P.S., has been deep undercover in The Snakepit for four years - and then was forgotten by his superiors when the operation lost government funding.
What follows is Kevin's reemergence into the lair of the bad guys, accompanied by Jenny. Sex, as sex always does in an MJD story, follows, as does a quick and intense romance.
DROP DEAD, GORGEOUS! is romantic fluff - but fun romantic fluff. This is a super-quick, easy read, but it's good for a couple of hours of laughs.
January 1, 2010
The second book in the Gorgeous Series. It was a really fun and fast read - but it has some issues. Here is what bothered me:
The main character is 22 year old Jenny Branch. She is really really gorgeous and talented at everything she does and she thinks she is not talented and plain looking. It's stupid. Girl is A CATCH and she thinks she is a common brown bird. Seriously. I just didn't buy it. I didn't belive her.
The Snakepit situation. I heart me some Mary Janice Davidson - but I have to say I get REALLY tired of the huge threat situation turning out to not be a huge threat situation. Come. On. It's anti-climatic and really it's a cheat to your readers if you keep sucking the wind out of your own plot. COME. ON.
Kevin Stone. And before I forget about it - what is with the names? Jenny Branch and Kevin Stone? What - did MJD look out the window and go Stone and Branch??? Anyway - Here is my gripe with the male love interest. Four years of your life are pissed away in a stupid hell-hole bad guy undercover thingy and you only get a little upset about it for a moment? Um....What? Shouldn't you be sent into a tail spin?
So here is the sum up here. The characters are shallow and not real believable. The plot is weak and betrays itself. And YET the writing style and humor (as always with Mary Janice Davidson books) saves the day. I can rarely put the books down because they are FUN. So you finish the book smiling despite the problems it has.
The main character is 22 year old Jenny Branch. She is really really gorgeous and talented at everything she does and she thinks she is not talented and plain looking. It's stupid. Girl is A CATCH and she thinks she is a common brown bird. Seriously. I just didn't buy it. I didn't belive her.
The Snakepit situation. I heart me some Mary Janice Davidson - but I have to say I get REALLY tired of the huge threat situation turning out to not be a huge threat situation. Come. On. It's anti-climatic and really it's a cheat to your readers if you keep sucking the wind out of your own plot. COME. ON.
Kevin Stone. And before I forget about it - what is with the names? Jenny Branch and Kevin Stone? What - did MJD look out the window and go Stone and Branch??? Anyway - Here is my gripe with the male love interest. Four years of your life are pissed away in a stupid hell-hole bad guy undercover thingy and you only get a little upset about it for a moment? Um....What? Shouldn't you be sent into a tail spin?
So here is the sum up here. The characters are shallow and not real believable. The plot is weak and betrays itself. And YET the writing style and humor (as always with Mary Janice Davidson books) saves the day. I can rarely put the books down because they are FUN. So you finish the book smiling despite the problems it has.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2013
Is this a stand alone book?? Yes a person could read this without reading the first book. I saw on other reviews that some people were confused thinking there were TWO bosses. NO if you read very carefully Jenny states that Caitlyn is her boss before referring to her as boss. AND she only does it 1-2x tops out of the entire book so I'm not sure how this confused people. But moving forward. Even though this was sold as a stand alone book as a person who did in fact read the first book it was somewhat disapointing. I wanted to know the Boss's POV and I wanted more Stacy! I wanted the reception and honeymoon or at least reference to such. Also I saw many typos or inconsistances. Dimitri's last name was changed. O.S.F. is now O.S.I. Why?? Stacy went from a college graduate who was a ditzy Real Estate agent to a Pre Law student?! I understand a lot can change in two years but what's up with all that???? Despite those minor details it was an okay story however I felt like towards the end sex was used a filler.AND we were given more history on the hero then the heroine and there was no pov or reasoning for his drastic actions towards the end or her response. I would have liked to have known more of their emotions or thought processes leading up to the ending. It's NOT a bad book, just not as well written as other books by Mary Janice Davidson.
June 29, 2013
Ok, 3.5 stars. You know those old James Bond movies? The ones where you snicker now at the thoughts of Her Majesty's Secret Service giving a crap about some organization cornering the market for monosodium glutamate (yes; that was actually a plot once)? Well, while the bad guy wasn't actually after MSG, she might as well have been. Actually, I'm not sure what nefarious scheme she was up to. Then again, like the MSG plot, it probably would have made little sense if it had been actually addressed.
So that's the loose plot interwoven around the H/h hooking up and eventually finding themselves in the surreal position of having the villain give herself up voluntarily because apparently she wanted to see her father (their boss!!). So ok, this is afterall, a MJD book so corny and silly is to be expected. That the H's father was the Clouseau of crime was pretty amusing too. So now I've read it, grinned a few times, snickered a few times and... Other than her squishing his testicle for dumping her 'for her own protection", there weren't any real laugh out loud moments. Oh, I can see that bit of violence will bother SOMEone. OTOH, at least she wasn't doing a Ms Havesham waiting for him to have pity on her.
So that's the loose plot interwoven around the H/h hooking up and eventually finding themselves in the surreal position of having the villain give herself up voluntarily because apparently she wanted to see her father (their boss!!). So ok, this is afterall, a MJD book so corny and silly is to be expected. That the H's father was the Clouseau of crime was pretty amusing too. So now I've read it, grinned a few times, snickered a few times and... Other than her squishing his testicle for dumping her 'for her own protection", there weren't any real laugh out loud moments. Oh, I can see that bit of violence will bother SOMEone. OTOH, at least she wasn't doing a Ms Havesham waiting for him to have pity on her.
January 25, 2016
The book is written quite differently than the first volume. This one tends to have different people narrating different chapters.
Dmitri and Caitlyn are married, and Stacey is going to marry the Boss. Jenny, the Boss' secretary, decorates the wedding cake. Someone shoots the Boss before the ceremony can begin. Jenny ends up catching the would-be killer
The guy says he was out to kill Stacey, not the Boss. Dimitri is known as the Wolf, Caitlyn as Mirage, and Jennifer is herself getting involved in dangerous things. However, it turns out Jenny is an expert shot and is extremely good at various martial arts.
Jenny is taken to the a place called the Snakepit for her interrogation. She's going to try and become a double agent, infiltrating the Snakepit for the Boss.
The rest of the novel is what happens when she does that, and how she and Kevin, another agent, fall in love.
I don't think this novel is as good as the first in the series, nor is it as good as some of her other series. There's too much point-of-view jumping around, and actually I think there's too much sex. Some sex is fine, but this novel is totally laden with it. Also, the humor doesn't seem to be as well done as in other of her works.
Dmitri and Caitlyn are married, and Stacey is going to marry the Boss. Jenny, the Boss' secretary, decorates the wedding cake. Someone shoots the Boss before the ceremony can begin. Jenny ends up catching the would-be killer
The guy says he was out to kill Stacey, not the Boss. Dimitri is known as the Wolf, Caitlyn as Mirage, and Jennifer is herself getting involved in dangerous things. However, it turns out Jenny is an expert shot and is extremely good at various martial arts.
Jenny is taken to the a place called the Snakepit for her interrogation. She's going to try and become a double agent, infiltrating the Snakepit for the Boss.
The rest of the novel is what happens when she does that, and how she and Kevin, another agent, fall in love.
I don't think this novel is as good as the first in the series, nor is it as good as some of her other series. There's too much point-of-view jumping around, and actually I think there's too much sex. Some sex is fine, but this novel is totally laden with it. Also, the humor doesn't seem to be as well done as in other of her works.
November 17, 2014
synopsis:
jenny is an assistant at a hairdresser shop. on the eve of a wedding, someone tries to kill the bride, and jenny catches the culprit. it turns out that kevin has been undercover for 4 years, and forgotten about, because the group that he worked for are now defunct. kevin is the son of a bumbling, yet somehow successful, crime family, and rebelled by entering law enforcement. it is decided that to forestall a terrorist attack, kevin will have to go back undercover, and take jenny with him as a hostage.
what i liked: i'll be honest: the introduction by the author where she is exhorting people to pick up the previous book in the series was cute and amusing. if the rest of the book had been like the introduction, it would have been at least a 3-star read. as it was, it didn't measure up to the introduction.
what i didn't like: pretty much everything. jenny and kevin seemed ridiculous, the bad guy was ludicrous, the story ran off the rails.
jenny is an assistant at a hairdresser shop. on the eve of a wedding, someone tries to kill the bride, and jenny catches the culprit. it turns out that kevin has been undercover for 4 years, and forgotten about, because the group that he worked for are now defunct. kevin is the son of a bumbling, yet somehow successful, crime family, and rebelled by entering law enforcement. it is decided that to forestall a terrorist attack, kevin will have to go back undercover, and take jenny with him as a hostage.
what i liked: i'll be honest: the introduction by the author where she is exhorting people to pick up the previous book in the series was cute and amusing. if the rest of the book had been like the introduction, it would have been at least a 3-star read. as it was, it didn't measure up to the introduction.
what i didn't like: pretty much everything. jenny and kevin seemed ridiculous, the bad guy was ludicrous, the story ran off the rails.
July 9, 2013
Let me start by saying that I loved MaryJanice Davidson's Undead series! They were hilarious and I really got into the story. That being said, I thought that Davidson would carry that on to the Gorgeous books but that isn't the case. There was definitely the humor that MaryJanice has with her cute little retorts but this book made me feel like I was going all over the place.
One minute it was being told by Jenny and the next by Kevin, which is in itself not a bad thing but I couldn't keep up when that would happen. In the beginning I was very confused about who the characters where and their part in the book. It took me about three chapters to get that straight in my head.
I have to say I am a little disappointed because I was looking for an awesome and hilarious read and it kind of fell through for me.
One minute it was being told by Jenny and the next by Kevin, which is in itself not a bad thing but I couldn't keep up when that would happen. In the beginning I was very confused about who the characters where and their part in the book. It took me about three chapters to get that straight in my head.
I have to say I am a little disappointed because I was looking for an awesome and hilarious read and it kind of fell through for me.
April 2, 2013
Maybe it's because I didn't read the first book in the series, and maybe it's because I read some classical literature before I picked up this book, but the choppiness, the lack of character development, the loosely woven plot line, and references to sci-fi attributes (which I normally like) that weren't explained thoroughly or clearly enough were enough to make me dislike this book. I feel like the author was either tired or in a rush to get this one out and didn't give it enough time to actually develop into a full-fledged book. And all of this is really sad, because I found the premise of the book to be quite entertaining in theory. It's really too bad the execution of that premise turned out to ruin the book.
October 2, 2007
Overall, I enjoyed the book and the excitement of the spy plot.
The author said this was not a continuation of Hello, Gorgeous!, but I feel it's better that I had already read Hello, Gorgeous! before reading Drop Dead, Gorgeous!.
I was glad that even though the main characters were not Dmitri and Caitlyn, they were still a part of the story. However, I didn't like the way the author portrayed their relationship in this book, like they don't really get along. I guess that could just be Jennifer's view (the main character). I also got annoyed by Jennifer's lack of self-worth of her image.
The author said this was not a continuation of Hello, Gorgeous!, but I feel it's better that I had already read Hello, Gorgeous! before reading Drop Dead, Gorgeous!.
I was glad that even though the main characters were not Dmitri and Caitlyn, they were still a part of the story. However, I didn't like the way the author portrayed their relationship in this book, like they don't really get along. I guess that could just be Jennifer's view (the main character). I also got annoyed by Jennifer's lack of self-worth of her image.
July 30, 2012
I just couldn't get into this book. Maybe because it's book 2 in the series but I didn't like Caitlyn, didn't like The Boss, didn't like the couple who were supposed to be the lead characters in this book. The whole thing seemed too far out there for me. It was an all over the damned place, confusing mess! I say it's unfinished, but I do know how it ends, purely because about halfway through I couldn't take it anymore and skipped to the end! Thank goodness it was a library book!
I used to love the Betsey series, and I do like the Wyndham Werewolfs, Fred the Mermaid wasn't terrible (wasn't great either though...) but the Gorgeous series and her Cadence Jones books just stunk!
I used to love the Betsey series, and I do like the Wyndham Werewolfs, Fred the Mermaid wasn't terrible (wasn't great either though...) but the Gorgeous series and her Cadence Jones books just stunk!
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