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Saylor Oz #1
Aphrodisiac
When her patient, a perfume maker and fashionista, is found dead after discovering an ancient formula with great powers, sex therapist Saylor Oz and her tough-talking best friend have less than one week to find the formula and stay one step ahead of a ruthless killer. Original.
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 2, 2008
1 person is currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Allyson Roy
3 books7 followersAllyson Roy aka Alice and Roy, husband and wife collaborating authors, combine mystery/suspense with comedy and a dash of romance in a series set in Brooklyn’s DUMBO section. APHRODISIAC won a Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.
"BABYDOLL is a fast, fun read with action that never stops. Allyson Roy is a future star."
--New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards
"Excellent mystery, engaging characters. . . Saylor Oz is one character not to be missed." --Romance Reviews Today
"Fast-paced with plenty of laugh-out-loud escapades." --Follow The Clue
"Will have the reader on the edge of their seat. . . delightfully sarcastic . . . wonderfully original and extremely well-written suspense." --Romance Junkies
"Full of action and mystery with a touch of local and ancient history." --Fresh Fiction
“. . . amazingly entertaining . . . will leave you breathless. I would recommend this to any hip, modern adult who likes thrilling rides, hot men, and women who know how to hold their own.”
-- Front Street Reviews
“. . . a novel full of a vast array of very unique and hilarious characters and will have readers looking forward to the further adventures of Saylor and her friends.”
-- No Name Cafe
“Aphrodisiac is an action-packed romantic suspense with a strong and complicated mystery . . . very creative in the way it plays out . . . fast moving read . . . Saylor is stubborn and sassy”
--Darque Reviews
“ . . . Roy’s sense of humor and inventiveness definitely make this an author to watch.”
-- Romantic Times
"BABYDOLL is a fast, fun read with action that never stops. Allyson Roy is a future star."
--New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards
"Excellent mystery, engaging characters. . . Saylor Oz is one character not to be missed." --Romance Reviews Today
"Fast-paced with plenty of laugh-out-loud escapades." --Follow The Clue
"Will have the reader on the edge of their seat. . . delightfully sarcastic . . . wonderfully original and extremely well-written suspense." --Romance Junkies
"Full of action and mystery with a touch of local and ancient history." --Fresh Fiction
“. . . amazingly entertaining . . . will leave you breathless. I would recommend this to any hip, modern adult who likes thrilling rides, hot men, and women who know how to hold their own.”
-- Front Street Reviews
“. . . a novel full of a vast array of very unique and hilarious characters and will have readers looking forward to the further adventures of Saylor and her friends.”
-- No Name Cafe
“Aphrodisiac is an action-packed romantic suspense with a strong and complicated mystery . . . very creative in the way it plays out . . . fast moving read . . . Saylor is stubborn and sassy”
--Darque Reviews
“ . . . Roy’s sense of humor and inventiveness definitely make this an author to watch.”
-- Romantic Times
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 17, 2008
This book rocks.
The plot is brilliantly constructed with dynamic characters that pull the reader into their world and keep them there. It's like being kidnapped and takend along for the ride.
Alyson Roy has picked up on the one element of the female psyche that keeps us up at night and written a story around it.
Aphrodisiac is not a traditional romance - it is SO MUCH MORE!!
The depth of the story creates a multidimensional plot that only gets richer with each pass. Not only will this book provide a richly entertaining distraction from everyday life, but it will be one that will be read until the binding falls apart. Why? Because the subtle detailing only gets more vibrant and brilliant with each and every read.
Well done.
The plot is brilliantly constructed with dynamic characters that pull the reader into their world and keep them there. It's like being kidnapped and takend along for the ride.
Alyson Roy has picked up on the one element of the female psyche that keeps us up at night and written a story around it.
Aphrodisiac is not a traditional romance - it is SO MUCH MORE!!
The depth of the story creates a multidimensional plot that only gets richer with each pass. Not only will this book provide a richly entertaining distraction from everyday life, but it will be one that will be read until the binding falls apart. Why? Because the subtle detailing only gets more vibrant and brilliant with each and every read.
Well done.
September 6, 2008
Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Sep08
What woman hasn’t dreamed of being irresistible to men? Of having any man you want at your feet, either figuratively or maybe even literally for those bad girls out there. Well Allyson Roy has written a cleverly plotted mystery about just that. “Aphrodisiac” is a slick, intricate mystery about a murder committed over an ancient aphrodisiac brought back to life.
Saylor Oz (don’t blame her, it’s a family name) is a sex therapist. She’s an unapologetic city girl who’s still ‘in the market’ for a man. When her best friend from childhood drowns and it’s called a suicide, Saylor doesn’t buy it. Sure Gwen was occasionally depressed, but she would never, absolutely never have been wearing a fanny pack! Add in a robbery and attempted attack, and Saylor is becomes even more convinced that Gwen didn’t commit suicide. But what the heck do her murderers want with Saylor?
I found “Aphrodisiac” a bit hard going. The plot was very clever, there were certainly a plethora of suspects and each had reasons to kill Gwen. The clues were cunningly interlaced throughout the story and I didn’t figure out the guilty party until the author revealed it at the end. The characters were sharply portrayed and never really deviated from expected behavior. Doesn’t all this sound great? It was.
What wasn’t so great for me was the attitude for lack of a better word. The vocabulary was very ‘street’. At least that what’s I think it was. I’m probably just too old and not ‘hip’ (or whatever it’s called nowadays) enough, but I found myself put off by just about every character involved. I’ve never lived in New York City and if most of the people who do talk like this then I think that’s a very good thing. The book is also written in first person and there were times it was hard for me to keep track of who was who and who was talking or thinking when. I was also a bit turned off by the gratuitous killings and beating administered by the bad guys. I get the fact that they’re bad. I guess this was just a bit too ‘gritty’ for me.
I think if you’re a younger reader who likes a more realistic, big city murder mystery…you would likely enjoy “Aphrodisiac” by Allyson Roy very much. As for me, when I want to read a mystery, I prefer the more gentle ‘cozy’ mysteries. But hey, variety is the spice of life and what’s not right for me may be just what another reader has been looking for.
What woman hasn’t dreamed of being irresistible to men? Of having any man you want at your feet, either figuratively or maybe even literally for those bad girls out there. Well Allyson Roy has written a cleverly plotted mystery about just that. “Aphrodisiac” is a slick, intricate mystery about a murder committed over an ancient aphrodisiac brought back to life.
Saylor Oz (don’t blame her, it’s a family name) is a sex therapist. She’s an unapologetic city girl who’s still ‘in the market’ for a man. When her best friend from childhood drowns and it’s called a suicide, Saylor doesn’t buy it. Sure Gwen was occasionally depressed, but she would never, absolutely never have been wearing a fanny pack! Add in a robbery and attempted attack, and Saylor is becomes even more convinced that Gwen didn’t commit suicide. But what the heck do her murderers want with Saylor?
I found “Aphrodisiac” a bit hard going. The plot was very clever, there were certainly a plethora of suspects and each had reasons to kill Gwen. The clues were cunningly interlaced throughout the story and I didn’t figure out the guilty party until the author revealed it at the end. The characters were sharply portrayed and never really deviated from expected behavior. Doesn’t all this sound great? It was.
What wasn’t so great for me was the attitude for lack of a better word. The vocabulary was very ‘street’. At least that what’s I think it was. I’m probably just too old and not ‘hip’ (or whatever it’s called nowadays) enough, but I found myself put off by just about every character involved. I’ve never lived in New York City and if most of the people who do talk like this then I think that’s a very good thing. The book is also written in first person and there were times it was hard for me to keep track of who was who and who was talking or thinking when. I was also a bit turned off by the gratuitous killings and beating administered by the bad guys. I get the fact that they’re bad. I guess this was just a bit too ‘gritty’ for me.
I think if you’re a younger reader who likes a more realistic, big city murder mystery…you would likely enjoy “Aphrodisiac” by Allyson Roy very much. As for me, when I want to read a mystery, I prefer the more gentle ‘cozy’ mysteries. But hey, variety is the spice of life and what’s not right for me may be just what another reader has been looking for.
October 14, 2008
I loved this book. It's quirky and laugh out loud funny from beginning to end, plus it keeps you guessing as to whodunit up until the climax. The heroine and her best friend play off each other in the style of a good buddy movie, and how can you not love a heroine who uses sex therapy to talk herself out of trouble? If you like humor with your mysteries, you will enjoy Aphrodisiac.
December 23, 2008
What a great mystery/comedy/romance! The characters and setting and local history are intriguing. Many delightful nuances to keep the senses titillated. Laugh out loud funny. Very entertaining...
October 22, 2008
Meet Saylor Oz. Yes, like the place where the wizard lives. And no, it does not help that Saylor, a sex therapist, is a rather small person. Of course, people like to nickname her Munchkin.
She's really more of a poking-into-things kind of person, like Dorothy. When Saylor's oldest friend, Gwen Applebee, is found to have committed suicide, Saylor is sure that it was a setup and that Gwen was murdered. For what, she doesn't know. But Gwen would never be caught alive with a fanny pack on her waist --- and that's what she's been caught dead in. The police won't listen, so Saylor enlists her best friend and roommate, Benita "Binnie" Morales, to help solve the mystery.
Just as soon as Saylor starts digging around, Gwen's murderers grab her and give her an ultimatum: she has seven days to hand over Gwen's tablet. Saylor has no idea what the tablet is or how she's going to find it, but she and Benita are determined to figure it out and save their lives.
That's enough for any girl to handle, but Saylor also has normal things to do, like work (she's hosting a party to sell Do-Me-Good sex toys). There are all the guys she's meeting and dating. Eldridge Mace, a bad boy boxer, is a curious one, and then there's the famous Hollywood director whose biggest reason for wanting to date Saylor is that she's not gorgeous like all the other women he's gone out with.
As Saylor and Binnie unravel more pieces of Gwen's mystery, they learn the real reason she was murdered. It seems Gwen's latest hobby and passion was perfume. Not only did she collect it, she was also working on developing her own. The tablet Saylor is searching for may have something to do with an ancient formula for a perfume that's more like a love potion, thanks to a love goddess older than Aphrodite.
While the Manhattan sex therapist uses her own knowledge on people and relationships, she comes closer and closer to clues leading to Gwen's tablet, both useful ones and failures. She and Benita learn more about a friend they thought they knew well, and they are led to more friends and foes, all of whom could have a tie to this strange perfume.
This sexy, exciting race against time is a gripping, fun read that is hard to put down. Just when things get a bit too tough, we, along with Saylor, are treated to a little romantic reprieve. There is just enough going on to keep the story interesting, but it never gets close to being smutty or too heavy-handed.
Obviously comparable to Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels, APHRODISIAC (the first in a sure-to-be successful series) has a bit more substance and more going for it. It is certainly more diverse, with characters of different ethnic backgrounds and sexual orientation. The Brooklyn setting lends itself to an array of different moods and supporting characters. Saylor's and Benita's lives are refreshingly like the lives of a lot of people --- there's some fun and glitz when you can manage it, like attending the launch party of a brand-new designer fragrance, but there's also the pressure of keeping track of friends and family, performing well at your job and paying rent. That depth makes the book a great read.
The plot was fun and just believable enough while being fresh. I've certainly never read another crime novel about perfume, and I'm excited to see what comes next for Saylor.
She's really more of a poking-into-things kind of person, like Dorothy. When Saylor's oldest friend, Gwen Applebee, is found to have committed suicide, Saylor is sure that it was a setup and that Gwen was murdered. For what, she doesn't know. But Gwen would never be caught alive with a fanny pack on her waist --- and that's what she's been caught dead in. The police won't listen, so Saylor enlists her best friend and roommate, Benita "Binnie" Morales, to help solve the mystery.
Just as soon as Saylor starts digging around, Gwen's murderers grab her and give her an ultimatum: she has seven days to hand over Gwen's tablet. Saylor has no idea what the tablet is or how she's going to find it, but she and Benita are determined to figure it out and save their lives.
That's enough for any girl to handle, but Saylor also has normal things to do, like work (she's hosting a party to sell Do-Me-Good sex toys). There are all the guys she's meeting and dating. Eldridge Mace, a bad boy boxer, is a curious one, and then there's the famous Hollywood director whose biggest reason for wanting to date Saylor is that she's not gorgeous like all the other women he's gone out with.
As Saylor and Binnie unravel more pieces of Gwen's mystery, they learn the real reason she was murdered. It seems Gwen's latest hobby and passion was perfume. Not only did she collect it, she was also working on developing her own. The tablet Saylor is searching for may have something to do with an ancient formula for a perfume that's more like a love potion, thanks to a love goddess older than Aphrodite.
While the Manhattan sex therapist uses her own knowledge on people and relationships, she comes closer and closer to clues leading to Gwen's tablet, both useful ones and failures. She and Benita learn more about a friend they thought they knew well, and they are led to more friends and foes, all of whom could have a tie to this strange perfume.
This sexy, exciting race against time is a gripping, fun read that is hard to put down. Just when things get a bit too tough, we, along with Saylor, are treated to a little romantic reprieve. There is just enough going on to keep the story interesting, but it never gets close to being smutty or too heavy-handed.
Obviously comparable to Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels, APHRODISIAC (the first in a sure-to-be successful series) has a bit more substance and more going for it. It is certainly more diverse, with characters of different ethnic backgrounds and sexual orientation. The Brooklyn setting lends itself to an array of different moods and supporting characters. Saylor's and Benita's lives are refreshingly like the lives of a lot of people --- there's some fun and glitz when you can manage it, like attending the launch party of a brand-new designer fragrance, but there's also the pressure of keeping track of friends and family, performing well at your job and paying rent. That depth makes the book a great read.
The plot was fun and just believable enough while being fresh. I've certainly never read another crime novel about perfume, and I'm excited to see what comes next for Saylor.
October 17, 2008
I will start by saying that "Aphrodisiac" by Allyson Roy, is not,in my humble opinion, a romantic suspense novel, as it claims to be. While the book was chock full of suspense, the romance actually fell VERY short of hitting its mark. Even the cover, and book name, seemed misleading to me. I am one of those people who are inevitably drawn to books by their cover art: hot looking guy & girl, mysterious, and very tempting title... I mean, come on, "Aphrodisiac"?! It has got hot novel with steamy scenes and HEA written all over it! You would think anyway...
Half way through the book, I contemplated giving up on it, but I always have a hard time stopping a book half way through because I think to myself, well, what if it gets better and I miss it? Not the case. It didn’t even have an HEA. I am sad to say, I was very disappointed in this book as a whole. This is unfortunate because even though I did not enjoy the books chemistry character wise, it had so much potential in my opinion to be a 5 star book because of the amazingly original premise and storyline. Which I actually am not going to go into because I have a hard time giving negative reviews since I'm usually such an avid book lover!
Having said all this, I will close by saying, while I personally did not enjoy "Aphrodisiac" I can fully see where someone who enjoys suspenseful murder mysteries could completely love this book.
Half way through the book, I contemplated giving up on it, but I always have a hard time stopping a book half way through because I think to myself, well, what if it gets better and I miss it? Not the case. It didn’t even have an HEA. I am sad to say, I was very disappointed in this book as a whole. This is unfortunate because even though I did not enjoy the books chemistry character wise, it had so much potential in my opinion to be a 5 star book because of the amazingly original premise and storyline. Which I actually am not going to go into because I have a hard time giving negative reviews since I'm usually such an avid book lover!
Having said all this, I will close by saying, while I personally did not enjoy "Aphrodisiac" I can fully see where someone who enjoys suspenseful murder mysteries could completely love this book.
October 7, 2008
I am currently reading this one and it seems to be a bit different ~ started right away with the mystery and is filled with quick wit humor ~
December 24, 2008
Couldn't put it down. Never a dull moment. Had me laughing out loud. Plenty of action packed suspense. Great urban characters and earthly flavor. Definitely recommend it.
January 29, 2009
Wow! I just finished Aphrodisiac and love it! I love Saylor Oz and Benita and Gwen. I loved being in Saylor's witty, sassy head, with all her insights, intelligences, and issues.
For a terrifically crafted Who-Done-It, I laughed so much reading it, enjoying the wit and intelligence, that it is just sheer good literature in any genre. With such smart writing and excellent storytelling, Aphrodisiac had me turning pages as much as Saylor did. Allyson Roy is terrific!
I am so excited that the second book in this series, Babydoll, is coming out soon (August). I am a dedicated fan. Few books leave me missing the characters like Allyson Roy's did. Indeed, the last itme I felt like this about a book series was with Harry Potter. Allyson Roy is such a brilliant and fun writer. And I have to confess, I loved the ancient Near Eastern lore being woven into the modern NYC context. Great. Soon, this series will be talked about like fans of Donna Leon, or here in Spain and France, from where I write, Freddy Vargas.
I just love being in Saylor Oz's head. Keep the books coming!!
For a terrifically crafted Who-Done-It, I laughed so much reading it, enjoying the wit and intelligence, that it is just sheer good literature in any genre. With such smart writing and excellent storytelling, Aphrodisiac had me turning pages as much as Saylor did. Allyson Roy is terrific!
I am so excited that the second book in this series, Babydoll, is coming out soon (August). I am a dedicated fan. Few books leave me missing the characters like Allyson Roy's did. Indeed, the last itme I felt like this about a book series was with Harry Potter. Allyson Roy is such a brilliant and fun writer. And I have to confess, I loved the ancient Near Eastern lore being woven into the modern NYC context. Great. Soon, this series will be talked about like fans of Donna Leon, or here in Spain and France, from where I write, Freddy Vargas.
I just love being in Saylor Oz's head. Keep the books coming!!
February 16, 2009
This book is funny, sexy, and smart. It's part mystery/romance/romantic suspense--which makes it v. exciting and fun to read. The author obviously did a lot of research into fragrance and the high-stakes world of expensive perfumes--a world I knew nothing about and really enjoyed. V. unique and interesting. This book is not your usual fare. Smarter. Funnier. Yes, a little grittier--but I enjoyed the realism.
Can't wait for Baby Doll to hit the shelves!
Can't wait for Baby Doll to hit the shelves!
April 1, 2009
I loved this book! It was refreshing to find a story that is outside the romantic suspense formula and sets itself apart. It had great suspense and had me laughing out loud! While the romance isn't what you typically get from a romantic suspense, the sexual tension left me anxious for the next book to see what happens with the main characters.
This is a great read and I highly reccomend it!
This is a great read and I highly reccomend it!
January 19, 2009
The cover through me off. It was very good...and funny.
February 6, 2009
A real hoot. I loved this book. Very hip language, cool characters. I actually laughed out loud. Surprising end to the mystery.
July 1, 2025
Raw and raunchy interspersed with silliness and suspense.
May 19, 2009
Sex therapist Saylor Oz is trying to get over the suicidal death of her childhood friend, Gwen Applebee. Gwen and Saylor were always considered to be odd ducks since Gwen was known as "the scarecrow" and Saylor was nicknamed "the munchkin", since she stands barely five feet tall. Now with Gwen gone, Saylor still has one good friend in her life, and that is Benita Morales, who was her college dorm roommate at NYU.
Things have been a bit sketchy lately ever since Benita and Saylor's apartment was broken into while they were living in the Brooklyn section of Williamsburg. They quickly moved to Saylor's aunt's loft and felt safe again. But as they were leaving a poetry reading one night, they were almost attacked by two muggers who seemed to be waiting for them. There are too many coincidences here, and Saylor thinks it has to do with Gwen's death. The way Gwen died was very strange, especially the fact that she was wearing a fanny pack which Gwen would have never worn alive since she was big into fashion. Plus the suicide note she left is full of secret messages that only Saylor would understand.
Saylor goes to the police thinking that Gwen could possibly have been murdered. The police laugh her off. Saylor is then kidnapped by some dangerous thugs who think she is in possession of something Gwen had that their boss wants. They want a tablet that has a top-secret formula for a perfume and have given Saylor five days to find this tablet, or they will kill her. Since the cops are no help, Saylor has no choice but to do what they want.
Soon Saylor and Benita must search for this hidden tablet and try to figure out who wanted Gwen dead and why. And if that weren't bad enough, Saylor has to put up with her aunt Lana, whom she adores, but who has the bad habit of walking around naked; the constant jokes about her last name; and retired boxing pro, Eldridge Mace, who gets Saylor's blood pumping and not from exercise. Mace tends to be around whenever Saylor is in trouble and wants to help her even though she feels she can handle things on her own. She wouldn't mind having a little fling with the Mace-man, but since her life is on the line, all thoughts of romance will just have to wait. Hopefully she and Benita can find the villain who killed Gwen and save the day, or, at least, save their own hides.
This may be Allyson Roy's first book, but it was definitely written like a pro. Roy can sure tell a story, and I believe she has a hit on her hands. APHRODISIAC had me chuckling over Saylor and the horrible situation she has found herself in. The plot may seem a bit loony at times, but the character of Saylor, and especially that of Benita, shows two great friends bonding in a time of distress.
There are so many other characters that add to the story such as Saylor's Aunt Lana, who is a great support for her niece, and the various friends of Benita and Saylor who bring some lighthearted moments to the story. Even the goons who threaten Saylor add some flavor, though the head goon, Curtis, is truly a nasty piece of work, especially when he has the gall to smack poor little Saylor around! Then there is the sexy and mysterious Eldridge Mace, who gets under Saylor's skin. Saylor and Mace have some interesting interactions, especially one such scene on a moonlit beach, but that is ruined when Saylor's nemesis, multimillionaire life coach Tara Buckley, comes along to push Saylor's buttons and lay claim to Mace.
Overall, APHRODISIAC is one story that has everything from an excellent murder mystery, engaging characters, and a few scenes that will give you a good chuckle or two. I would definitely keep an eye on any future releases by Allyson Roy because Saylor Oz is one character not to be missed. Hopefully, this is the start of even more books to come with Dr. Saylor Oz.
Things have been a bit sketchy lately ever since Benita and Saylor's apartment was broken into while they were living in the Brooklyn section of Williamsburg. They quickly moved to Saylor's aunt's loft and felt safe again. But as they were leaving a poetry reading one night, they were almost attacked by two muggers who seemed to be waiting for them. There are too many coincidences here, and Saylor thinks it has to do with Gwen's death. The way Gwen died was very strange, especially the fact that she was wearing a fanny pack which Gwen would have never worn alive since she was big into fashion. Plus the suicide note she left is full of secret messages that only Saylor would understand.
Saylor goes to the police thinking that Gwen could possibly have been murdered. The police laugh her off. Saylor is then kidnapped by some dangerous thugs who think she is in possession of something Gwen had that their boss wants. They want a tablet that has a top-secret formula for a perfume and have given Saylor five days to find this tablet, or they will kill her. Since the cops are no help, Saylor has no choice but to do what they want.
Soon Saylor and Benita must search for this hidden tablet and try to figure out who wanted Gwen dead and why. And if that weren't bad enough, Saylor has to put up with her aunt Lana, whom she adores, but who has the bad habit of walking around naked; the constant jokes about her last name; and retired boxing pro, Eldridge Mace, who gets Saylor's blood pumping and not from exercise. Mace tends to be around whenever Saylor is in trouble and wants to help her even though she feels she can handle things on her own. She wouldn't mind having a little fling with the Mace-man, but since her life is on the line, all thoughts of romance will just have to wait. Hopefully she and Benita can find the villain who killed Gwen and save the day, or, at least, save their own hides.
This may be Allyson Roy's first book, but it was definitely written like a pro. Roy can sure tell a story, and I believe she has a hit on her hands. APHRODISIAC had me chuckling over Saylor and the horrible situation she has found herself in. The plot may seem a bit loony at times, but the character of Saylor, and especially that of Benita, shows two great friends bonding in a time of distress.
There are so many other characters that add to the story such as Saylor's Aunt Lana, who is a great support for her niece, and the various friends of Benita and Saylor who bring some lighthearted moments to the story. Even the goons who threaten Saylor add some flavor, though the head goon, Curtis, is truly a nasty piece of work, especially when he has the gall to smack poor little Saylor around! Then there is the sexy and mysterious Eldridge Mace, who gets under Saylor's skin. Saylor and Mace have some interesting interactions, especially one such scene on a moonlit beach, but that is ruined when Saylor's nemesis, multimillionaire life coach Tara Buckley, comes along to push Saylor's buttons and lay claim to Mace.
Overall, APHRODISIAC is one story that has everything from an excellent murder mystery, engaging characters, and a few scenes that will give you a good chuckle or two. I would definitely keep an eye on any future releases by Allyson Roy because Saylor Oz is one character not to be missed. Hopefully, this is the start of even more books to come with Dr. Saylor Oz.
December 14, 2015
I agree with the many. Very cunning book, great plot, strong characters. Funny. I can totally believe Allyson is a comedian - it comes across well in the book. And I like, a lot, the grittiness of the characters.
But, as with reviewer Julie, I like my grit more in a courage and strength kind of way vs the NY scum and dense living that this book brought out. The assaults, the murders, the talk, the bars. Even Mr. (I forget his name) in the elevator. Way over the top and just added uncomfortable to the book. Also not my experience of the Big Apple (as a visitor, I might add). Extreme baseness. I would consider it unnecessary - or at least something that could have been toned down. I found it jarring, especially the scene of Saylor and Curtis in the car.
But. All that said. It all also fit, totally, with the story. Roy made it work and work well. I just didn't particularly like it.
**SPOILER ALERT*** Where I think Roy didn't hold true is that, with how down and dirty everything else was, there is no way Saylor and Bennie would have gotten away without being raped. At a minimum, Saylor in the Hummer, Bennie when she was captured. When Curtis kills people like flies, where is it in his character to not rape a pantyless woman at his disposal?
**END OF SPOILER***
I think Roy made a wise choice not to add that in. It would have knocked the book down and lost a lot of readers. But if you're going to push the envelope, I think you need to remain true to what you have created. Or else create something different. That is my criticism - the characters just didn't hold true even though, had they done so, I would have given the book about 1-2 stars. An interesting conundrum.
I also agree that Eldridge had a gap in character to not turn away all the women. The knight-in-shining-armor act doesn't fit with this behavior unless he needs endless adulation, and then that destroys the whole character line. For who he was portrayed to be, there is something not jiving here.
Really forgivable flaws - I don't know myself how I would write my way out of them. This was a great book. For all it's dirty, it was refreshing in how lively the plot was and the fullness of the characters.
But, as with reviewer Julie, I like my grit more in a courage and strength kind of way vs the NY scum and dense living that this book brought out. The assaults, the murders, the talk, the bars. Even Mr. (I forget his name) in the elevator. Way over the top and just added uncomfortable to the book. Also not my experience of the Big Apple (as a visitor, I might add). Extreme baseness. I would consider it unnecessary - or at least something that could have been toned down. I found it jarring, especially the scene of Saylor and Curtis in the car.
But. All that said. It all also fit, totally, with the story. Roy made it work and work well. I just didn't particularly like it.
**SPOILER ALERT*** Where I think Roy didn't hold true is that, with how down and dirty everything else was, there is no way Saylor and Bennie would have gotten away without being raped. At a minimum, Saylor in the Hummer, Bennie when she was captured. When Curtis kills people like flies, where is it in his character to not rape a pantyless woman at his disposal?
**END OF SPOILER***
I think Roy made a wise choice not to add that in. It would have knocked the book down and lost a lot of readers. But if you're going to push the envelope, I think you need to remain true to what you have created. Or else create something different. That is my criticism - the characters just didn't hold true even though, had they done so, I would have given the book about 1-2 stars. An interesting conundrum.
I also agree that Eldridge had a gap in character to not turn away all the women. The knight-in-shining-armor act doesn't fit with this behavior unless he needs endless adulation, and then that destroys the whole character line. For who he was portrayed to be, there is something not jiving here.
Really forgivable flaws - I don't know myself how I would write my way out of them. This was a great book. For all it's dirty, it was refreshing in how lively the plot was and the fullness of the characters.
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October 15, 2009I've read through ch 1 during breaks at work. Yumm....
May 1, 2010
This was my first romance novel...so, I was quite suprised to be reading about a sex scene in full detail. I got over that shock though.
Over all the story around the book was facinating!(spl?)
Over all the story around the book was facinating!(spl?)
December 25, 2010
more or less a typical romance, not for me
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March 24, 2011I wasn't expecting much for a book from the dollar store, but this was a fast and entertaining read with engaging characters.
April 18, 2011
I was expecting something totally different from this book, not the pretty fast-paced thriller/murder mystery... but ending up enjoying it once I got over my surprise.
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August 7, 2011Started out good and funny, then just stupid.
November 6, 2011
Pretty good read
February 22, 2013
Loved this book! Kept my interest from start to finish!
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