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Danger #3
Truth, Lies, and Second Dates
A sweet and sassy contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson!
Captain Ava Capp has been flying from her past for a decade. She’d much rather leave it, and her home state, behind forever. But when she finds herself back in Minnesota, against her better judgment, everything goes sideways in a way she never expected it to.
M.E. Dr. Tom Baker has never forgotten Ava and the cold case she ran away from. When she shows up unexpectedly in town, in spite of himself, sparks fly. Which is terrible because he can’t stop his growing attraction to her. Can these two Type-A’s let their guards down and work together to put Ava’s tragic past behind her for good? And keep their hands off each other at the same time?
Captain Ava Capp has been flying from her past for a decade. She’d much rather leave it, and her home state, behind forever. But when she finds herself back in Minnesota, against her better judgment, everything goes sideways in a way she never expected it to.
M.E. Dr. Tom Baker has never forgotten Ava and the cold case she ran away from. When she shows up unexpectedly in town, in spite of himself, sparks fly. Which is terrible because he can’t stop his growing attraction to her. Can these two Type-A’s let their guards down and work together to put Ava’s tragic past behind her for good? And keep their hands off each other at the same time?
320 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 2020
117 people are currently reading
1871 people want to read
About the author
MaryJanice Davidson
142 books5,402 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 407 reviews
November 17, 2022
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
1.5/5 ⭐
I'm speaking for myself here, my own experience with the book, everything is subjective when it comes to fiction.
I'm honestly not pleased with this, I'm sorry to say it.
I wanted to read something light and fun and nice. And maybe it was. For others.
I did appreciate the try in making everything light and fun but at some point, it became too much and it got confusing.
First of all, the characters were a bit childish, even though they were supposed to be funny and cute.
Second, for the whole plot, I felt like every time two characters were having a conversation I was supposed to crack some sort of HTML code because...I had no idea what were they talking about. The dialogue was all over the place and sometimes (for me) it made no sense.
Third, I think the whole book was a bit rushed at parts and also the whole 'mystery' thing - I didn't really have any of that.
I really wanted to have more good things to say about it than bad but I just...couldn't. I promised honesty.
1.5/5 ⭐
I'm speaking for myself here, my own experience with the book, everything is subjective when it comes to fiction.
I'm honestly not pleased with this, I'm sorry to say it.
I wanted to read something light and fun and nice. And maybe it was. For others.
I did appreciate the try in making everything light and fun but at some point, it became too much and it got confusing.
First of all, the characters were a bit childish, even though they were supposed to be funny and cute.
Second, for the whole plot, I felt like every time two characters were having a conversation I was supposed to crack some sort of HTML code because...I had no idea what were they talking about. The dialogue was all over the place and sometimes (for me) it made no sense.
Third, I think the whole book was a bit rushed at parts and also the whole 'mystery' thing - I didn't really have any of that.
I really wanted to have more good things to say about it than bad but I just...couldn't. I promised honesty.
February 11, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
(actual rating 1.5/5)
As much as I tried to enjoy this book, I really didn't, and ended up feeling more confused than anything. Believe me, I *actually* tried with this one, guys. But there's a certain point where I have to draw a line. Specifically, this passage:
Yes, that was a passage actually in the book.I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried. And if you're confused, well, you're not the only one.
Truth, Lies, and Second Dates attempts to tell the story of Ava Capp, an airplane captain who's been running away from her past for the past decade. After returning to her hometown for the memorial of her best friend who was murdered a decade ago, Ava gets tangled with an instance of vandalism, blamed for said murder, and meets the handsome M.E. Tom Baker. Together, they have to figure out who's behind it all, even as something more grows between them.
While I am aware that this book is supposed to be the way it is, with its usage of the subversion of common tropes, I felt that it didn't do its job as planned. Much of the text was quite confusing and circumlocutive, and hard to understand. It was like reading a stream of consciousness except the MC was trying too hard to be quirky:
This was particularly true in the first half of the book, but things somewhat improve in the second half.
The romance itself was breezy and good. Things progress fairly well and at no point does the relationship dynamic building between the characters seem particularly insta-love-like or forced.
That being said, this book was annoying to read. The writing style was distinct in that even though I was reading from a certain character's perspective (third person), I frequently got confused as to who I was reading about. I mean, with lines like:
and
it's very easy to think that you aren't reading a book, but rather, a dream journal.
The characters were also quite irritating and insufferable at times, and there was a fair amount of unnecessary drama, case in point being:
and
I also frequently got the feeling that story was getting stuck at times, with no real way of propelling it forward, or that the author was confused as to how to continue the story.
Additionally, I was left very unsatisfied with how things were wrapped up. It all seemed very convenient and rushed, just for the sake of ending the book and getting it done with. There were also some plotlines that weren't addressed as well as I thought that they should have.
All in all, I think that while this book had an interesting concept behind it all, things could have been executed much better, and that there was definitely a lot of potential with this one. I would recommend this book to people who have enjoyed MaryJanice Davidson's other books and her particular writing style.
((Sorry for any lasting trauma because of those quotes. It had to be done.))
(actual rating 1.5/5)
As much as I tried to enjoy this book, I really didn't, and ended up feeling more confused than anything. Believe me, I *actually* tried with this one, guys. But there's a certain point where I have to draw a line. Specifically, this passage:
Someone who had never met Danielle talked. And talked. And Ava was meanly glad to note that sitting in the back was making it harder for the gawkers to gawk. You couldn’t subtly stare at someone when you had to twist halfway round to see them. She met every guarded look and side-eye with a wide, toothy smile and raised eyebrows. She decided giving them a double thumbs-up would be overkill.
Yes, that was a passage actually in the book.
Truth, Lies, and Second Dates attempts to tell the story of Ava Capp, an airplane captain who's been running away from her past for the past decade. After returning to her hometown for the memorial of her best friend who was murdered a decade ago, Ava gets tangled with an instance of vandalism, blamed for said murder, and meets the handsome M.E. Tom Baker. Together, they have to figure out who's behind it all, even as something more grows between them.
While I am aware that this book is supposed to be the way it is, with its usage of the subversion of common tropes, I felt that it didn't do its job as planned. Much of the text was quite confusing and circumlocutive, and hard to understand. It was like reading a stream of consciousness except the MC was trying too hard to be quirky:
If they haven’t managed to say goodbye in ten years, why do you think a memorial marathon would help? Ava realized she’d been looking at this all wrong. It could have been worse. She could have had to go both nights.
“Terrible business,” Mrs. Monahan was saying, small hands fluttering like she didn’t know where to put them. “All of it. And then you went away.”
Flew away. Immediately. At the speed of sound, never to return except for the occasional layover and/or memorial service. And to stock up on moisturizer.
This was particularly true in the first half of the book, but things somewhat improve in the second half.
The romance itself was breezy and good. Things progress fairly well and at no point does the relationship dynamic building between the characters seem particularly insta-love-like or forced.
That being said, this book was annoying to read. The writing style was distinct in that even though I was reading from a certain character's perspective (third person), I frequently got confused as to who I was reading about. I mean, with lines like:
“Great! I mean, I won’t. Fly. I’m—my feet are here. On the ground. Definitely not flying, heh.” Oh my God. Staaaaawwwpp.
and
“It’s not like he was doing me any favors,” Ava mumbled, wishing she’d faked appendicitis or amnesia or blindness or a coma or scurvy—anything that would have gotten her out of the Monahan madness. Because here they all were, again. Upset and finger-pointing like they’d been paid. Again.
it's very easy to think that you aren't reading a book, but rather, a dream journal.
The characters were also quite irritating and insufferable at times, and there was a fair amount of unnecessary drama, case in point being:
“Ma! Is this why you told me to bring Ava?” Then he slapped his forehead. “Dumb question, of course that’s why.” He gave Ava an apologetic shrug.
“You were keeping things back ten years ago, and you’re withholding information right now, young lady!”
“I am not! And I’m pushing thirty, for God’s sake, so feel free to drop the always-condescending ‘young lady’ nonsense.”
Tom Baker realized he was nearing a full-on sprint and forced himself to slow down. It wouldn’t do to burst through the door of the Black Dog Café rushed and wheezing, then try to radiate calm disinterest while he had coffee with a possible murderess whose mouth and lush curves were sin personified.
It is deeply frigged that I am excited about this. And dammit, I am allowed to swear in the privacy of my own thoughts!
And there she was, Ava Capp, staring pensively out the window onto the street, either because she was pensive or because she was a sociopath who could mimic pensive, and he had no idea which it was.
Slept … in one of the drawers. Slept in one of the drawers? THE DRAWERS? Oh my God, he’s so weird and cool. Literally.
and
“Wait, so am I bad luck or a harbinger of doom or a vandal or a killer?”
“You’re the angel of motherfuckin’ death!” Xenia shrilled.
I also frequently got the feeling that story was getting stuck at times, with no real way of propelling it forward, or that the author was confused as to how to continue the story.
Additionally, I was left very unsatisfied with how things were wrapped up. It all seemed very convenient and rushed, just for the sake of ending the book and getting it done with. There were also some plotlines that weren't addressed as well as I thought that they should have.
All in all, I think that while this book had an interesting concept behind it all, things could have been executed much better, and that there was definitely a lot of potential with this one. I would recommend this book to people who have enjoyed MaryJanice Davidson's other books and her particular writing style.
((Sorry for any lasting trauma because of those quotes. It had to be done.))
August 21, 2021
Truth, Lies, and Second Dates by MaryJanice Davidson is the third book in the contemporary romance Danger series. As with a lot of romance series the books in the Danger series change the main characters in each book so they can be read as a standalone if choosing to do so. This third book of the series definitely had an element of mystery to it too even though the romance is the main focus.
Ava Capp is a Captain in the airline industry which is a suiting career for her since she had every intention of getting as far away as fast as she could from her hometown ten years ago. Now after a decade of distance though Ava finds herself landing back in Minnesota and it isn’t long before she comes across Dr. Tom Baker. Tom of course remembers Ava and the reason she left. Could Tom help Ava put the cold case that drove her away finally to rest?
When I first picked up Truth, Lies, and Second Dates I did not know that it was part of a series. While reading this one I always had the feeling that I had been dropped into a story that I didn’t quite know. Looking back I saw that the other books had different characters so I couldn’t put my finger on if this installment just needed a bit more depth or if I had missed an introduction from an earlier read. The characters were likable enough and I did enjoy having a mystery involved in the background but overall I would put this one at three and a half stars thinking it did need a bit more of something to really love.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Ava Capp is a Captain in the airline industry which is a suiting career for her since she had every intention of getting as far away as fast as she could from her hometown ten years ago. Now after a decade of distance though Ava finds herself landing back in Minnesota and it isn’t long before she comes across Dr. Tom Baker. Tom of course remembers Ava and the reason she left. Could Tom help Ava put the cold case that drove her away finally to rest?
When I first picked up Truth, Lies, and Second Dates I did not know that it was part of a series. While reading this one I always had the feeling that I had been dropped into a story that I didn’t quite know. Looking back I saw that the other books had different characters so I couldn’t put my finger on if this installment just needed a bit more depth or if I had missed an introduction from an earlier read. The characters were likable enough and I did enjoy having a mystery involved in the background but overall I would put this one at three and a half stars thinking it did need a bit more of something to really love.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
September 6, 2020
TRUTH, LIES AND SECOND DATES is what you get when you mix in a little bit of everything - mystery, hilarious witticisms, ironic twists, and romance. I've never read a book where it pokes fun at itself and its characters so much, making me laugh during the most inappropriate times. When a gun is being pointed at you, I
should not
be giggling!
Ten years ago, Ava's best friend was brutally murdered. After tragedy struck twice, she became dependent on pills, checked herself into rehab, and took to the skies. She's now a famous airline pilot with a nutty batch of close friends. Honestly, she fits right in. So when it comes to the memorial, she tries to escape it. What happens when circumstances seem to align out of nowhere, forcing her to come face to face with everything she left behind?
It was impossible to pick a favorite part or character. I chuckled, wheezed, cackled, and guffawed my way through this read. I loved how this story and its people didn't take themselves too seriously. From Ava's irreverence to Tom's literal sensibilities to the extras that were so much more than filler, I was beyond entertained. I did want more from the romance portion, but I was easily swayed by the mystery and the comedy that will make this book a popular pick. I was pleasantly surprised by all of the wonder I was blessed with by this new-to-me author and I will definitely be on the lookout for whatever she creates next.
Ten years ago, Ava's best friend was brutally murdered. After tragedy struck twice, she became dependent on pills, checked herself into rehab, and took to the skies. She's now a famous airline pilot with a nutty batch of close friends. Honestly, she fits right in. So when it comes to the memorial, she tries to escape it. What happens when circumstances seem to align out of nowhere, forcing her to come face to face with everything she left behind?
It was impossible to pick a favorite part or character. I chuckled, wheezed, cackled, and guffawed my way through this read. I loved how this story and its people didn't take themselves too seriously. From Ava's irreverence to Tom's literal sensibilities to the extras that were so much more than filler, I was beyond entertained. I did want more from the romance portion, but I was easily swayed by the mystery and the comedy that will make this book a popular pick. I was pleasantly surprised by all of the wonder I was blessed with by this new-to-me author and I will definitely be on the lookout for whatever she creates next.
September 27, 2020
My favorite thing about this frothy romantic cozy mystery was the way it turned so many of the romantic story tropes on their heads. Ava, our heroine, is the pilot, with a spunky and funny flight attendant sidekick G.B., who is a man (and one of my favorite characters in the book). I liked the window into the world of flying, which is not one I’ve read about too much from the pilot’s perspective. I also enjoyed the author’s cute and funny footnotes about flight facts and trivia and other interesting details in the book. I also enjoyed the romance/horror tropes list in the book but did not think the horror ones worked quite as well.
Though I really liked Ava and G.B., I couldn’t quite get into the banter or narration of the book. I felt like it was striving for a Bridget Jones-y tone but the narration never quite connected me with the character. I also felt like the book couldn’t quite decide if it wanted to be a romance or a mystery and shifted kind of awkwardly between the two.
A cute and creative idea with some good characters, though. And, like it’s heroine, the book stuck the landing. 3+ stars.
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for the advance copy.
Though I really liked Ava and G.B., I couldn’t quite get into the banter or narration of the book. I felt like it was striving for a Bridget Jones-y tone but the narration never quite connected me with the character. I also felt like the book couldn’t quite decide if it wanted to be a romance or a mystery and shifted kind of awkwardly between the two.
A cute and creative idea with some good characters, though. And, like it’s heroine, the book stuck the landing. 3+ stars.
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for the advance copy.
September 3, 2020
Fun, weird, and nerdy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’ve never read this author before and I was delighted to just really be super engaged in the story from the get-go. I read 3/4 of the book on the first day. I kept sneaking in a chapter or two even while I was supposed to be doing other things. That’s certainly an earmark of a great story.
I love that the characters are intelligent and a bit wise to the world. There’s not a lot of gameplaying and I find I enjoy that more and more in books today.
This one has to do with a cold case murder and the renewed search for “Who Dun It”. It is a very unique plot that’s intertwined throughout the book. You just become invested in the characters and the outcome. Great twist at the end too!
The character development is awesome. Davidson really elevated the story with her fun characters by showcasing their intelligence, and quirky, wacky ways that she built into each one of them. They’re very unique and definitely not boring. Plus, you get a bit of snark (yay) with delightful humor and wit throughout.
I have to say I was surprised by this story and definitely thrilled that I enjoyed it as much as I did. Truth, Lies, and Second Dates is an atypical murder mystery sorta romance (huh?) that begs you to keep turning those pages while cheering on the unexpected and definitely atypical boyfriend material!
Fun, weird, and nerdy. Awesome!
* Copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/truth-lies-a...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’ve never read this author before and I was delighted to just really be super engaged in the story from the get-go. I read 3/4 of the book on the first day. I kept sneaking in a chapter or two even while I was supposed to be doing other things. That’s certainly an earmark of a great story.
I love that the characters are intelligent and a bit wise to the world. There’s not a lot of gameplaying and I find I enjoy that more and more in books today.
This one has to do with a cold case murder and the renewed search for “Who Dun It”. It is a very unique plot that’s intertwined throughout the book. You just become invested in the characters and the outcome. Great twist at the end too!
The character development is awesome. Davidson really elevated the story with her fun characters by showcasing their intelligence, and quirky, wacky ways that she built into each one of them. They’re very unique and definitely not boring. Plus, you get a bit of snark (yay) with delightful humor and wit throughout.
I have to say I was surprised by this story and definitely thrilled that I enjoyed it as much as I did. Truth, Lies, and Second Dates is an atypical murder mystery sorta romance (huh?) that begs you to keep turning those pages while cheering on the unexpected and definitely atypical boyfriend material!
Fun, weird, and nerdy. Awesome!
* Copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/truth-lies-a...
January 10, 2021
Lighthearted and enjoyable fluff with a little murder thrown in. Reviewed for Fresh Fiction - https://freshfiction.com/review.php?i....
March 7, 2024
If you know me or have ever noticed my reviews, you will notice that I very rarely give out a five-star review. That means that no matter where I've gotten the book, I am totally honest with my opinions!
I loved, loved, loved everything about this book. If there is a romance trope or a horror trope out there MJD put it in her book. And that is what the point of this book and the others in this series are all about -tropes, cliches, etc.
I laughed at parts and got frustrated in others. I didn't figure out the who-dun-it until it was pointed out to me and I love that fact. The romance was great with only one sex scene Oofta! The fact that Ava is a pilot who saved an entire plane was just thrilling!
How MJD used these cliches and made almost everything and every one the opposite of what we've come to expect just made my day.
To tell the truth I'm getting ready to re-read this (It's going on my comfort reads shelf and I'm going to be buying my own copy!)to see if I missed anything. I admit I devoured this book quite fast and had so much fun with it!
*ARC supplied by the publisher and author. Bless their little hearts!~
I loved, loved, loved everything about this book. If there is a romance trope or a horror trope out there MJD put it in her book. And that is what the point of this book and the others in this series are all about -tropes, cliches, etc.
I laughed at parts and got frustrated in others. I didn't figure out the who-dun-it until it was pointed out to me and I love that fact. The romance was great with only one sex scene Oofta! The fact that Ava is a pilot who saved an entire plane was just thrilling!
How MJD used these cliches and made almost everything and every one the opposite of what we've come to expect just made my day.
To tell the truth I'm getting ready to re-read this (It's going on my comfort reads shelf and I'm going to be buying my own copy!)to see if I missed anything. I admit I devoured this book quite fast and had so much fun with it!
*ARC supplied by the publisher and author. Bless their little hearts!~
October 12, 2020
I ended up enjoying this story about airline pilot Ava, who happens to fly into Minnesota, her home state, right before a memorial to the woman who had been her best friend but was brutally murdered.
There are some flaws in the plotting of this novel particularly as it applies to who actually committed the murder, but I can’t specify my complaints without giving some stuff away. I’ll just say I liked Ava and Tom, the medical examiner that she falls for.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES DECEMBER 15, 2020.
There are some flaws in the plotting of this novel particularly as it applies to who actually committed the murder, but I can’t specify my complaints without giving some stuff away. I’ll just say I liked Ava and Tom, the medical examiner that she falls for.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES DECEMBER 15, 2020.
July 12, 2022
4 stars!!! THIS WAS SO FREAKING HILARIOUS. I finished it one sitting and i could not stop laughing at the silly jokes. I also didn't expect a romantic suspense from this cover but I enjoyed the murder mystery elements.
January 20, 2021
This book kind of reminded me of Stephanie Plum. You know if Stephanie was a pilot instead of a bounty Hunter, lived in Minnesota instead of New Jersey, and only had one man after her instead of two. I do have to say though this book would have definitely benefited from Lula and grandma. this book was very quirky, goofy, campy, and over the top. A blend of mystery, romance, and humor. The book pokes fun at itself, the genre, all the over used tropes. at times I found the book quite amusing while other times I found it all a bit annoying. this style of book I’d imagine is really hard to right, because it’s a hard line to balance between humor and overdoing it. As I mentioned above reminded me of Stephanie Plum, just wasn’t quite as authentic, if that makes sense? I guess I felt at times it was just a little too forced. this is not to say I didn’t like the book I had a good time reading it, but I do recognize that this book is definitely not going to appeal to everybody.
*** Big thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
*** Big thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
August 21, 2020
I loved the idea: a gutsy female pilot, a sexy medical examiner, a cold case, and lots of tropes and laughs.
But humor evokes such diverse responses. In this case, TRUTH, LIES, AND SECOND DATES didn’t fly for me. Which means you may well adore it.
3 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 15 Dec 2020
Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#TruthLiesAndSecondDates #NetGalley
But humor evokes such diverse responses. In this case, TRUTH, LIES, AND SECOND DATES didn’t fly for me. Which means you may well adore it.
3 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 15 Dec 2020
Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.
#TruthLiesAndSecondDates #NetGalley
October 18, 2020
This was a fun rom-com with a cast of characters that were all as entertaining as the other. Each one was unique, quirky, hysterical, and lovable. The one character that was the “adult” in the group was Tom’s niece who was a small child genius and I loved her more than any of the others.
While Ava and Tom are definitely the main characters, the romance was on the light side but the humor carried the story enough so that element wasn’t missed too terribly much. Watching Ava and Tom try to solve the mystery was more fun than suspenseful. I found myself trying to figure out who, what and how so I could get a jump on the reveal, but I was unsuccessful.
This has a fast pace, lots of one liners that had me laughing out loud, and a slow burn romance. This is written in a style that isn’t my normal go to read, with what often bordered on what I consider immature humor. Normally, I would regret this choice but these characters were so likable I couldn’t help but enjoy this book in every way.
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
While Ava and Tom are definitely the main characters, the romance was on the light side but the humor carried the story enough so that element wasn’t missed too terribly much. Watching Ava and Tom try to solve the mystery was more fun than suspenseful. I found myself trying to figure out who, what and how so I could get a jump on the reveal, but I was unsuccessful.
This has a fast pace, lots of one liners that had me laughing out loud, and a slow burn romance. This is written in a style that isn’t my normal go to read, with what often bordered on what I consider immature humor. Normally, I would regret this choice but these characters were so likable I couldn’t help but enjoy this book in every way.
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
October 3, 2020
Mary Janice Davidson…this author sums up what can happen when humor, heart, heat and witty/gritty storytelling hits the pages! TRUTH, LIES AND SECOND DATES is sassy, fun read that defies readers to try to NOT at least chuckle at what may normally seem the most inappropriate times.
Airline pilot, Captain Ava Capp has a past she has avoided for years. Now she is back where the nightmare began and Medical Examiner Dr. Tom Baker remembers the young woman who disappeared after a murder case went cold. In spite of the circumstances, when he sees her again, there are sparks and where there are sparks, there is fire and trust me, you will get caught up in the heat.
Great characters, terrific dialogue, type “A” personality clashes and romance, all while finally putting an unsolved murder to rest and giving Ava a second chance on life, forgiving herself and possibly learning to trust in others, as well as her heart.
A fun read, in spite of the serious parts, once again, Mary Janice Davidson has done it, again!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from St. Martin's Griffin! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Publisher : St. Martin's Griffin (December 15, 2020)
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Airline pilot, Captain Ava Capp has a past she has avoided for years. Now she is back where the nightmare began and Medical Examiner Dr. Tom Baker remembers the young woman who disappeared after a murder case went cold. In spite of the circumstances, when he sees her again, there are sparks and where there are sparks, there is fire and trust me, you will get caught up in the heat.
Great characters, terrific dialogue, type “A” personality clashes and romance, all while finally putting an unsolved murder to rest and giving Ava a second chance on life, forgiving herself and possibly learning to trust in others, as well as her heart.
A fun read, in spite of the serious parts, once again, Mary Janice Davidson has done it, again!
I received a complimentary ARC edition from St. Martin's Griffin! This is my honest and voluntary review.
Publisher : St. Martin's Griffin (December 15, 2020)
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com
April 22, 2021
I enjoyed this lightweight and funny mystery, complete with a bit of romance, some humour, and the author’s shameless attempt to include as many horror/thriller tropes as possible. Sometimes the dialogue went too far down the bantering path but for the most part it was great entertainment.
January 29, 2022
DNF @ 15%
Damnit, I tried y’all. I tried. This is the second book I’ve attempted by this author, the first being The Love Scam, which I also DNF’d and clearly we just don’t mesh.
This one has been sitting on my NetGalley backlog for ages though, and I’ve told myself for the past year that I WILL read it. But I just can’t do it.
Immediately, the writing was rambly, the story all over the place, and the characters were over-the-top. Just a few pages in, and “heroine” encounters her deceased best friend’s twin brother … who is dating a woman that looks eerily similar to his dead twin … oh, and she’s also his second cousin. But his excuse is: it’s okay because it’s legal. I’m over here like: Weird, but okay, just keep going. Clearly the author is trying to do something here.
Then, the heroine is somehow (that whole conversation was all over the place, I don’t even know???) coerced into going to the 10 year memorial for her dead best friend. Her friend was brutally murdered and the heroine was so affected by it, that she skipped town and cut ties with everyone. Except, the writing over the death is so clinical and even crass at times, I found it difficult to believe the heroine really even cared. I’m supposed to believe she does, but the evidence wasn’t there.
We learn the heroine is supposed to be some badass pilot who pulled a Miracle on the Hudson (aka she’s a woman Sully), but it’s brought up SO much (yet vaguely) in the first few chapters that I was sick of hearing about it.
The last straw for me was the introduction of the love interest and that’s where I stopped. The encounter was so awkward and then he’s described as being “clean shaven and unabashedly bald” and I was like NOPE. Immediately pictured Mr. Clean. Honestly, bald men can be hot af. My issue here isn’t even that. It’s that this book reads as though the author was trying to be quirky and go against all expectations in the romance genre—except it’s just done badly and I can’t even say it’s funny or ironic. Hell, I know I’m only 15 percent in, but this book absolutely doesn’t read as a romance in the least. I don’t even know what it is, but it’s not that.
Damnit, I tried y’all. I tried. This is the second book I’ve attempted by this author, the first being The Love Scam, which I also DNF’d and clearly we just don’t mesh.
This one has been sitting on my NetGalley backlog for ages though, and I’ve told myself for the past year that I WILL read it. But I just can’t do it.
Immediately, the writing was rambly, the story all over the place, and the characters were over-the-top. Just a few pages in, and “heroine” encounters her deceased best friend’s twin brother … who is dating a woman that looks eerily similar to his dead twin … oh, and she’s also his second cousin. But his excuse is: it’s okay because it’s legal. I’m over here like: Weird, but okay, just keep going. Clearly the author is trying to do something here.
Then, the heroine is somehow (that whole conversation was all over the place, I don’t even know???) coerced into going to the 10 year memorial for her dead best friend. Her friend was brutally murdered and the heroine was so affected by it, that she skipped town and cut ties with everyone. Except, the writing over the death is so clinical and even crass at times, I found it difficult to believe the heroine really even cared. I’m supposed to believe she does, but the evidence wasn’t there.
We learn the heroine is supposed to be some badass pilot who pulled a Miracle on the Hudson (aka she’s a woman Sully), but it’s brought up SO much (yet vaguely) in the first few chapters that I was sick of hearing about it.
The last straw for me was the introduction of the love interest and that’s where I stopped. The encounter was so awkward and then he’s described as being “clean shaven and unabashedly bald” and I was like NOPE. Immediately pictured Mr. Clean. Honestly, bald men can be hot af. My issue here isn’t even that. It’s that this book reads as though the author was trying to be quirky and go against all expectations in the romance genre—except it’s just done badly and I can’t even say it’s funny or ironic. Hell, I know I’m only 15 percent in, but this book absolutely doesn’t read as a romance in the least. I don’t even know what it is, but it’s not that.
October 24, 2021
First let me begin by saying that this is one of my favorite authors! MaryJanice Davidson has yet to disappoint! I completely loved this book!! Our heroine is a strong willed woman who won't take crap from anyone. She's the kind of pilot I always pray for when I board a plane. Strong, brave and knowledgeable.
She has avoided going to her home town because of the murder of her best friend, but circumstances take her back and she is confronted with uncovering the truth and finding the murderer. She and our hero gather clues, face dangers, and finally find the true killer. But, since this is the wonderful Ms. Davidson writing it, there is mountains of humor along the way. Excellent book!! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's for this wonderful gift!! .
She has avoided going to her home town because of the murder of her best friend, but circumstances take her back and she is confronted with uncovering the truth and finding the murderer. She and our hero gather clues, face dangers, and finally find the true killer. But, since this is the wonderful Ms. Davidson writing it, there is mountains of humor along the way. Excellent book!! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's for this wonderful gift!! .
Read
September 7, 2020The hook for this book was the snarky narrator. Ava can get pretty manic at times—she’s got a lot of emotional baggage, what with the murder of her best friend Danielle when they were seventeen, followed by the deaths of her parents in a car wreck. Not helped by Danielle’s drama-llama family blaming her for the murder.
So her solution was to become an airline pilot, which keeps her always on the move. That includes relationships. Her hookups are all wham, bam, slam—out the door she goes, preferably without any words at all much less maudlin goodbyes or promises.
Until she feels obliged to return to the scene of so much misery for Danielle’s ten year memorial. Ava’s hatred of her hometown has extended to the entire state of Minnesota, which only begins to mitigate when she meets a big, bald medical examiner named Tom.
This is actually a murder mystery combined with a romance, with thriller aspects. The murder mystery seemed a bit tacked on, which I was okay with, as I was mostly reading it for the romance, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The humor in the narrative voice veered between great banter, dark stuff about death, wild riffs, and footnotes* that were half a crackup and half surprisingly informative about the airline industry from the inside.
At the start the author warns the reader that she intends to stuff in as many tropes in the genre as she can, and it added to the fun watching for them.
*the narrative claim that ice cream sandwiches, which are doughy and disgusting, are the pinnacle of the ice cream truck experience is a howling travesty. Everybody knows that the true empyrean of the ice cream truck menu is chocolate covered bon bons.
Copy provided by NetGalley
So her solution was to become an airline pilot, which keeps her always on the move. That includes relationships. Her hookups are all wham, bam, slam—out the door she goes, preferably without any words at all much less maudlin goodbyes or promises.
Until she feels obliged to return to the scene of so much misery for Danielle’s ten year memorial. Ava’s hatred of her hometown has extended to the entire state of Minnesota, which only begins to mitigate when she meets a big, bald medical examiner named Tom.
This is actually a murder mystery combined with a romance, with thriller aspects. The murder mystery seemed a bit tacked on, which I was okay with, as I was mostly reading it for the romance, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The humor in the narrative voice veered between great banter, dark stuff about death, wild riffs, and footnotes* that were half a crackup and half surprisingly informative about the airline industry from the inside.
At the start the author warns the reader that she intends to stuff in as many tropes in the genre as she can, and it added to the fun watching for them.
*the narrative claim that ice cream sandwiches, which are doughy and disgusting, are the pinnacle of the ice cream truck experience is a howling travesty. Everybody knows that the true empyrean of the ice cream truck menu is chocolate covered bon bons.
Copy provided by NetGalley
September 16, 2025
I truly feel horrible with what I’m about to say, but this book was bad. Like really really bad. I think the number one issue that could have made the book here is this author needs a new editor pronto! This book was edited and formatted SO poorly. Half the time I couldn’t follow what was going on cause I had no idea who was talking or that we had changed scenes, so I don’t understand half of the book really. Secondly, there were ENTIRELY too many parenthesis and footnotes. This is the only fiction book I’ve ever read that had freaking footnotes. I think it was the author’s way of trying to connect with her readers on certain things, but it really had no place in this book. That’s what social media is for. And then the parenthesis made it SO hard to follow what was going on.
I gave it 1.5 stars cause I think the plot idea was there, but the execution was horrendous! I think if she had a proper editor this book could have been better. The one major issue I’m having plot wise was the ending. Like all of a sudden, bam! We know who the killer was cause they did something crazy, but it literally came from nowhere cause I had no idea we went from one scene to the next cause it was just there all of a sudden. So that really turned me off. And then the whole scene read super goofy and really turned me off to what could have been a cool ending had it been executed well. Overall, it was a huge miss. Save your time. Don’t read this book. I hope this author can improve her writing moving forward. And that her editor is fired. Cause yikes.
I gave it 1.5 stars cause I think the plot idea was there, but the execution was horrendous! I think if she had a proper editor this book could have been better. The one major issue I’m having plot wise was the ending. Like all of a sudden, bam! We know who the killer was cause they did something crazy, but it literally came from nowhere cause I had no idea we went from one scene to the next cause it was just there all of a sudden. So that really turned me off. And then the whole scene read super goofy and really turned me off to what could have been a cool ending had it been executed well. Overall, it was a huge miss. Save your time. Don’t read this book. I hope this author can improve her writing moving forward. And that her editor is fired. Cause yikes.
December 5, 2020
Rating: 2.5 stars
This new to me author liked to spike her writing here with pretty much non-stop, back and forth, flippant, at times funny, often quirky banter. It didn’t matter if it was conversations between the main couple, co-workers, or anyone she met on the street, Captain Ava Capp, the heroine, kept them coming, folks. So did Dr. Tom Baker, the hero, and everyone, it seemed. At first, I was enjoying it. But like eating too much chocolate cake, too much can simply lead to being too much to digest. I started to feel like I was watching a ping pong match of words. Along with nothing significantly happening by 77%, I also found it starting to become somewhat exhausting. The pace never actually picked up that much, even by the end.
Oh, my favorite part had to be the captain of the airways pilot heroine. It was so cool to see her in action and talking FAA lingo. Not that I speak that language, mind you. Walking into her past footsteps and reliving her heroic work related rescue was icing on the cake. The calm, quiet, protective, had fighter skills, determined demeanor hero had a lot of heroine to live up to. He seemed her opposite but in a complimentary way. I did enjoy their chemistry and camaraderie. I couldn’t help but picture the face and soft spoken mannerism of the fictional character Tom Keen from The Black List, btw.
So, anyone else out there confused why the heroine was wrongly suspected/accused for a single second of committing a strange, out there, bizarre crime right after a memorial service? I just didn’t get why she’d be on anyone’s radar for that type of blame. The much more serious, previous, forefront of the whole plot, ten years in the making accusation had me baffled, as well. It just didn’t resonate or mesh with me to the point it really lowered my overall rating and enjoyment of the whole book.
The writing didn’t flow consistently all the time to the point I didn't feel the need to hang onto every word, especially by mid-way. Meaning, I started skimming, folks. The turbulence of lack of progress in the plot, the talking in circles, and bizarre evil villain reveal had me tempted not to finish it. I did, however, but felt it morphed into a “Say what?” strange murder mystery wrap-up.
I did like seeing Ava and Tom becoming an unlikely couple. After all, it isn’t often you run into a virgin hero. Their unique personalities and skill sets set them apart but somehow complimented each other.
Romance Safety Gang:
Title: Truth, Lies, and Second Dates, Author: Mary Janice Davidson, Pages: 320, pub date: 12/15/20, stand-alone, calm, soft spoken, protective, good guy hero, sassy mouthed cool pilot heroine, OTT strange plot backdrop with a bizarre out of the blue killer revealed, virgin hero a few years younger, no OW/OM after meeting, very slow moving plot, constant banter got tiresome, writing didn’t consistency flow some of the time, liked their chemistry and camaraderie.
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review. There is no affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author, publisher, NetGalley, or PR firm.)
This new to me author liked to spike her writing here with pretty much non-stop, back and forth, flippant, at times funny, often quirky banter. It didn’t matter if it was conversations between the main couple, co-workers, or anyone she met on the street, Captain Ava Capp, the heroine, kept them coming, folks. So did Dr. Tom Baker, the hero, and everyone, it seemed. At first, I was enjoying it. But like eating too much chocolate cake, too much can simply lead to being too much to digest. I started to feel like I was watching a ping pong match of words. Along with nothing significantly happening by 77%, I also found it starting to become somewhat exhausting. The pace never actually picked up that much, even by the end.
Oh, my favorite part had to be the captain of the airways pilot heroine. It was so cool to see her in action and talking FAA lingo. Not that I speak that language, mind you. Walking into her past footsteps and reliving her heroic work related rescue was icing on the cake. The calm, quiet, protective, had fighter skills, determined demeanor hero had a lot of heroine to live up to. He seemed her opposite but in a complimentary way. I did enjoy their chemistry and camaraderie. I couldn’t help but picture the face and soft spoken mannerism of the fictional character Tom Keen from The Black List, btw.
So, anyone else out there confused why the heroine was wrongly suspected/accused for a single second of committing a strange, out there, bizarre crime right after a memorial service? I just didn’t get why she’d be on anyone’s radar for that type of blame. The much more serious, previous, forefront of the whole plot, ten years in the making accusation had me baffled, as well. It just didn’t resonate or mesh with me to the point it really lowered my overall rating and enjoyment of the whole book.
The writing didn’t flow consistently all the time to the point I didn't feel the need to hang onto every word, especially by mid-way. Meaning, I started skimming, folks. The turbulence of lack of progress in the plot, the talking in circles, and bizarre evil villain reveal had me tempted not to finish it. I did, however, but felt it morphed into a “Say what?” strange murder mystery wrap-up.
I did like seeing Ava and Tom becoming an unlikely couple. After all, it isn’t often you run into a virgin hero. Their unique personalities and skill sets set them apart but somehow complimented each other.
Romance Safety Gang:
Title: Truth, Lies, and Second Dates, Author: Mary Janice Davidson, Pages: 320, pub date: 12/15/20, stand-alone, calm, soft spoken, protective, good guy hero, sassy mouthed cool pilot heroine, OTT strange plot backdrop with a bizarre out of the blue killer revealed, virgin hero a few years younger, no OW/OM after meeting, very slow moving plot, constant banter got tiresome, writing didn’t consistency flow some of the time, liked their chemistry and camaraderie.
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review. There is no affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author, publisher, NetGalley, or PR firm.)
November 3, 2020
Truth, Lies and Second Dates by MaryJanice Davidson is a mystery with a touch of romance, snarky dialogue, humor, insight into the world of commercial aviation and a heroine that is smart, independent and good at her job.
I hadn't read any books by this author before this one and I was delighted to be engaged in the story from the first chapter. A smoothly paced plot, plenty of twists, no viable suspects, fiction tropes scattered throughout and the cutest genius I have ever been introduced to in a book made this an easy and fun afternoon read.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
I hadn't read any books by this author before this one and I was delighted to be engaged in the story from the first chapter. A smoothly paced plot, plenty of twists, no viable suspects, fiction tropes scattered throughout and the cutest genius I have ever been introduced to in a book made this an easy and fun afternoon read.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
Read
September 4, 2020This was pretty different than I thought it'd be. There is such a weird mystery and it just wasn't handled well? Plus the romance wasn't that cute or exciting either. I'll never understand why romance books even have third person POVs though like who is this for? But that is personal preference and this book was not for me.
Thank you to netgalley for the arc
Thank you to netgalley for the arc
September 3, 2020
I haven't read anything by this author before, but the blurb peeked my interest. Strong female lead "flying" away from her past when she meets the sexy medical examiner who turns her world upside down? I'm intrigued.
Truth, Lies, and Second Dates follows the strong-willed and blunt Ava Capp (Captain Capp) as she reluctantly goes to her best friends memorial service. Her friend was brutally murdered 10 years ago and try as she might, she can't fake her way out of attending. Well lucky for her, shortly after the service, she meets Tom Baker - the clumsy yet handsome medical examiner who just wants to help solve her friends cold case.
Tom is adorable which makes Ava and Tom so perfect together. She talks too much and is sarcastic and he thinks everything through and is very literal. It's like two halves that fit perfectly together. I just wish there was a little less murder solving and a little more sexy times. *wink wink* Also. Abe and Hannah are equally adorable.
The novel was slow at first, but by about 50%, I had a hard time putting it down. I just didn't really understand the parenthesis and foot notes. Lost .5 of a star rating in my books because of this.
3.5 / 5 stars (rounded up to 4)
A huge thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this book for my honest review.
Truth, Lies, and Second Dates follows the strong-willed and blunt Ava Capp (Captain Capp) as she reluctantly goes to her best friends memorial service. Her friend was brutally murdered 10 years ago and try as she might, she can't fake her way out of attending. Well lucky for her, shortly after the service, she meets Tom Baker - the clumsy yet handsome medical examiner who just wants to help solve her friends cold case.
Tom is adorable which makes Ava and Tom so perfect together. She talks too much and is sarcastic and he thinks everything through and is very literal. It's like two halves that fit perfectly together. I just wish there was a little less murder solving and a little more sexy times. *wink wink* Also. Abe and Hannah are equally adorable.
The novel was slow at first, but by about 50%, I had a hard time putting it down. I just didn't really understand the parenthesis and foot notes. Lost .5 of a star rating in my books because of this.
3.5 / 5 stars (rounded up to 4)
A huge thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this book for my honest review.
December 9, 2020
Truth, Lies, and Second Dates is another winner for the queen of dark humor, MaryJanice Davidson. This is a murder mystery that will leave you wondering “Who Dunnit?”
No one does cynicism, or insanely relatable, yet highly entertaining inner monologues quite like her. I love that with any MaryJanice novel, there is a guarantee of unique yet lovable characters and a plotline so intensely captivating that you can kiss sleep goodbye!
Ava Capp has some dark shit in her past that she would rather not come to light with her recent fame as Captain Belly Flop. Her emotional baggage has made her a serial dater and the queen of no strings attached.
Tom Baker is classic geek chic with a hotter than sin body only rivaled by his wicked smart brain. He thinks Ava could be a sociopath or the woman of his dreams, he isn’t 100% sure but he’s anxious to find out. I love how complex Tom's personality is and truly enjoyed his quirks and general bluntness in social situations.
Together, Ava and Tom hilariously navigate a series of unfortunate events - from crashing a memorial to throwing up in the loo- to clear Ava’s name.
As a reader, getting acclimatized to the author's random use of italics, endnotes, and bizarrely quoted facts took some time, but once you do, it's like looking inside the character's brain. There is no filter for the characters and I love how the author manages to incorporate a diverse range of unlikely characters together and makes it work.
I would recommend this to persons who love murder mysteries with a twist, dark humor and laugh out load dialogue. Huge thanks to the author and NetGalley for providing me with an arc.
No one does cynicism, or insanely relatable, yet highly entertaining inner monologues quite like her. I love that with any MaryJanice novel, there is a guarantee of unique yet lovable characters and a plotline so intensely captivating that you can kiss sleep goodbye!
Ava Capp has some dark shit in her past that she would rather not come to light with her recent fame as Captain Belly Flop. Her emotional baggage has made her a serial dater and the queen of no strings attached.
Tom Baker is classic geek chic with a hotter than sin body only rivaled by his wicked smart brain. He thinks Ava could be a sociopath or the woman of his dreams, he isn’t 100% sure but he’s anxious to find out. I love how complex Tom's personality is and truly enjoyed his quirks and general bluntness in social situations.
Together, Ava and Tom hilariously navigate a series of unfortunate events - from crashing a memorial to throwing up in the loo- to clear Ava’s name.
As a reader, getting acclimatized to the author's random use of italics, endnotes, and bizarrely quoted facts took some time, but once you do, it's like looking inside the character's brain. There is no filter for the characters and I love how the author manages to incorporate a diverse range of unlikely characters together and makes it work.
I would recommend this to persons who love murder mysteries with a twist, dark humor and laugh out load dialogue. Huge thanks to the author and NetGalley for providing me with an arc.
October 27, 2022
This was a fun book with a suspense added in. Captain Ava Capp, AKA Captain Belly Flopper (read the book for the story, it is told more than once) loves to fly and she is an extraordinary pilot. She will do anything, and I mean anything to stay away from her home state of Minnesota. However, it is the 10-year anniversary of her BFFs death and they are having a memorial for her and she is tricked into going. Now is is back in Minnesota and Dr. Tom Baker (ME who has not met a cold case or any death he doesn't want to talk about) seeks her out. These two have off the charts chemistry but when Ava is poisoned, her lotion is dosed, and her drug screen is tampered with, all at the same time, it is evident something hinky is going on. Add in a genius Hannah (I adored her) and her grandfather (the one who holds it all together) and this team is solid. Was it a comedy or a suspense or a bit of both? Yeah, it was just plain fun.
**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**
**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**
December 5, 2020
BOOK PREVIEW: Truth, Lies, and Second Dates by MaryJanice Davidson
Let's see what we have here…
STORY... Captain Ava Capp has been “literally” flying from her past for a decade. She’d much rather leave it, and her home state, behind forever. But when she finds herself back in Minnesota, everything goes sideways in a way she never expected.
M.E. Dr. Tom Baker has never forgotten Ava and the cold case she ran away from. When she shows up unexpectedly in town, in spite of himself, sparks fly.
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT WITH THIS BOOK?.... Sounds like we could have a touch of spicy romance on our hands here… Stay tuned for my personal Jalapeno Rating on this one to see if this story has the “heat setting” you prefer!
Definitely all in... ✨😎✨
Truth, Lies, and Second Dates by MaryJanice Davidson
2020 New Book Releases | December
Contemporary Romance Books | Romantic Comedy Books | Spicy Romance Novels | Romance Fiction
--------------------
All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Books & DIY Home Ideas | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com ... Including my video tutorials for DIY home ideas inspired by recommended books to support you in bringing your favorite books to life in your life and home.
You can see all my December Book Previews & additional features for Truth, Lies, and Second Dates by MaryJanice Davidson at https://www.thisismyeverybody.com/boo...
✨😎✨A big thank you to MaryJanice Davidson, St. Martin’s Press (St. Martin’s Griffin) and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in my review are my own.
Let's see what we have here…
STORY... Captain Ava Capp has been “literally” flying from her past for a decade. She’d much rather leave it, and her home state, behind forever. But when she finds herself back in Minnesota, everything goes sideways in a way she never expected.
M.E. Dr. Tom Baker has never forgotten Ava and the cold case she ran away from. When she shows up unexpectedly in town, in spite of himself, sparks fly.
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT WITH THIS BOOK?.... Sounds like we could have a touch of spicy romance on our hands here… Stay tuned for my personal Jalapeno Rating on this one to see if this story has the “heat setting” you prefer!
Definitely all in... ✨😎✨
Truth, Lies, and Second Dates by MaryJanice Davidson
2020 New Book Releases | December
Contemporary Romance Books | Romantic Comedy Books | Spicy Romance Novels | Romance Fiction
--------------------
All my reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Books & DIY Home Ideas | Denise Wilbanks at www.thisismyeverybody.com ... Including my video tutorials for DIY home ideas inspired by recommended books to support you in bringing your favorite books to life in your life and home.
You can see all my December Book Previews & additional features for Truth, Lies, and Second Dates by MaryJanice Davidson at https://www.thisismyeverybody.com/boo...
✨😎✨A big thank you to MaryJanice Davidson, St. Martin’s Press (St. Martin’s Griffin) and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in my review are my own.
April 30, 2020
Truth, Lies, and Second Dates is an extremely witty novel that is refreshingly self-aware. MaryJanice Davidson adeptly navigates through tropes while simultaneously embracing and subverting them.
Captain Ava Capp is perfectly happy flying commercial planes through the friendly skies. No roots, and definitely no commitments. Is she running away from the losses of her past? Maybe. Is she slightly emotionally closed off? Probably. All that aside, this pilot is about to be thrown back into her past troubles when she is unexpectedly grounded in her hometown. Add in Dr. Tom Baker, the medical examiner who is as hot as he is brainy? Things are about to get really interesting.
This is the first Davidson novel that I’ve read, and I was blown away by how incredible her dialogue writing is. It’s sharp, fast-paced, and thoroughly witty from beginning to end. It was honestly a joy to read. As I mentioned earlier, the writing in this book is wholly self-aware; in many ways, it’s an homage to the romance and thriller genres. Told in close third person, there are a couple of moments in the narrative where the viewpoint shifts abruptly, but said moments don’t have an injurious effect on the overall story. Ava is a strong, flawed protagonist who is fascinating to read. Tom is a refreshingly unique character who defies a lot of expected romantic stereotypes in the best ways. The supporting characters are also all entertaining and delightful to read.
Truth, Lies, and Second Dates is funny, witty, and well written. A definite must for your TBR stack.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.
Captain Ava Capp is perfectly happy flying commercial planes through the friendly skies. No roots, and definitely no commitments. Is she running away from the losses of her past? Maybe. Is she slightly emotionally closed off? Probably. All that aside, this pilot is about to be thrown back into her past troubles when she is unexpectedly grounded in her hometown. Add in Dr. Tom Baker, the medical examiner who is as hot as he is brainy? Things are about to get really interesting.
This is the first Davidson novel that I’ve read, and I was blown away by how incredible her dialogue writing is. It’s sharp, fast-paced, and thoroughly witty from beginning to end. It was honestly a joy to read. As I mentioned earlier, the writing in this book is wholly self-aware; in many ways, it’s an homage to the romance and thriller genres. Told in close third person, there are a couple of moments in the narrative where the viewpoint shifts abruptly, but said moments don’t have an injurious effect on the overall story. Ava is a strong, flawed protagonist who is fascinating to read. Tom is a refreshingly unique character who defies a lot of expected romantic stereotypes in the best ways. The supporting characters are also all entertaining and delightful to read.
Truth, Lies, and Second Dates is funny, witty, and well written. A definite must for your TBR stack.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.
January 17, 2021
A cute and upbeat romance that follows Ava, a spunky pilot, and Tom. With the romcom tropes and all (well used, I must also add), comes other horror aspects and a great meshing of all of the above. Fun read for sure.
December 14, 2020
Truth, Lies, and Second Dates is my 1st Davidson book! I was excited to dive in, and I didn't really look into the book much before starting.
The cover and title made me think this would be fluffy. There are certainly light, fun times, but there was a darker side as well that was unexpected (but not unwelcome). Ava has a tragic past that is haunting, but her current life is vibrant, funny, and full! I really loved the side characters in the story; it reminded me a bit of the side characters in a Stephanie Plum book-zany! After many years away, Ava returns to her hometown and the source of her painful past. It is there she connects with the ME, Dr. Tom Baker. Together with Tom, she begins to solve the mystery of what happened years ago, find love, and learn to forgive herself.
Personally, the romance is light. Its not bad or anything, but as a hard core romance reader, I categorize this more women's fiction with a romance than straight up romance. The driving force of the story is in Ava's growth as a character-accepting her past, coming to terms with it, putting it behind her, etc. Ava and Tom are great, but their romance isn't the focal point.
Fans of Kristen Higgins, Janet Evanovich, and Christina Lauren will enjoy this comedy of errors and find it a delightful way to pass a weekend in front of the fire!
POV: 1st
Tears: no
Triggers:
Series/Standalone: standalone
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
other low heat romances like Passion on Park Avenue by Lauren Layne, Size 12 is not Fat by Meg Cabot, My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella...then you will probably like Truth, Lies, and Second Dates!
Truth, Lies, and Second Dates
December 15, 2020
This book made me giggle with all of the tropes and kept me enthralled with the mystery of who killed Danielle ten years ago and why was it resurfacing?
I had read a previous book in this "series" that was ok, not horrible but not great. So I was a little hesitant to read this book but am glad since I was pleasantly surprised. I loved Hannah, the precocious niece of Dr. Tom Baker, the ME for the town in Minnesota. She is just a little too smart for her own good, but she helps keep Tom grounded...most of the time. I loved the nerdy talk from Tom and Hannah and even Ava.
The tropes are what kept me in stitches - yes everything was expected when it came to the characters, but it all worked in my mind. G.B. and India are two hoots on top of everything else.
The romance between Ava and Tom took time to grow but when they finally came together, sparks galore. They had some missteps but it worked well into the storyline. It was interesting that they were both interested in the macabre of Minnesota.
"Who knew the capital of Minnesota was such a hotbed of exotic/weird murders?"
There are remnants of the previous book at the beginning and the end involving Blake from the 2nd book. I like how it was tied together to create a flow from one story to the next even though they were not intertwined.
We give this book 4 1/2 paws up.
I had read a previous book in this "series" that was ok, not horrible but not great. So I was a little hesitant to read this book but am glad since I was pleasantly surprised. I loved Hannah, the precocious niece of Dr. Tom Baker, the ME for the town in Minnesota. She is just a little too smart for her own good, but she helps keep Tom grounded...most of the time. I loved the nerdy talk from Tom and Hannah and even Ava.
The tropes are what kept me in stitches - yes everything was expected when it came to the characters, but it all worked in my mind. G.B. and India are two hoots on top of everything else.
The romance between Ava and Tom took time to grow but when they finally came together, sparks galore. They had some missteps but it worked well into the storyline. It was interesting that they were both interested in the macabre of Minnesota.
"Who knew the capital of Minnesota was such a hotbed of exotic/weird murders?"
There are remnants of the previous book at the beginning and the end involving Blake from the 2nd book. I like how it was tied together to create a flow from one story to the next even though they were not intertwined.
We give this book 4 1/2 paws up.
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