The Bliss Factor

FBI #5

by Penny McCall

The author of Packing Heat makes her readers blissfully happy...

An undercover FBI agent with amnesia remembers how to fall in love when he meets Megan Blissfield, the world's most buttoned-up accountant.

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Romance, Contemporary, Suspense, Contemporary Romance

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 2, 2010

About the author

Okay, so I have to write a new bio because, well, life happens whether you want it to or not. And while I was at it, I decided to answer that question everyone asks me: How did you start writing? The only answer I have is To keep the voices in my head from driving me crazy. Now, you probably think those voices mean I am crazy, except for a couple things. When I write down what they're saying, they leave me alone. And they never tell me to kill or maim anyone. Both of those are definite pluses in my book. So, where do the voices come from? That's a toughie, so I'll start at the beginning. I'm the seventh of nine children, and we are not chips off the old block. We all possess distinct, unique personalities. In the summer my mom would send us outdoors until lunch time (for her own sanity, I'm sure) and we'd amuse ourselves in the woods behind our house, catching tadpoles, sneaking into the orchard next door, tormenting each other. We used to take picnic lunches and I remember this one time we put ants in my brother's mustard sandwich. Not those puny little sugar ants, either, big, fat black ones. Another time we buried his watch in the sand pile behind our house. He's still holding a grudge. Hey, we were kids before cable and video games, we had to find some way to amuse ourselves.

So, the voices? Well, I turned out to be that kid who was painfully shy. I was only happy with my nose in a book (okay, and tormenting my brother, but it was my sister's idea, and really, he deserved it), and when I wasn't reading I made up stories in my head. If I'd had the courage and discipline to write them down I'd be the most prolific author ever. So, why didn't I? Life, that's why. Marriage, crafts, kids, crafts, gainful employment, crafts, divorce. And did I mention crafts? I've done it all, ceramics, knitting, macramé, origami, crocheting—I even sold a couple of original patterns. Yeah, I know, the voices weren't impressed either. The crafts didn't shut them up for long, so one day I exorcised them onto paper, and after writing at least a half dozen historicals, the you-sound-too-contemporary comments in all those rejection letters finally sank in and I tried my hand at writing contemporary romance. My first story, Happily Ever After, sold in exactly four days, followed by four more to the now discontinued Precious Gems series at Kensington Publishing. I wrote another four for Harlequin's American series, all nine under the name, Penny McCusker. And then the voices got sassy and took me into the world of life-or-death, car chases, gunfire, and sarcasm, and I'm happily chugging along in that vein as Penny McCall.

I realize after all this rambling that I haven't exactly answered the question of where the voices come from, but hey, you'll just have to accept that they exist. I have.

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Woohoo! First headless hero of the year! We're off to a good start.

After the intial snort-hysterical-giggle combo, the rest of the book was a slog. It's not bad -- the writing is OK. The problem is the tone. It's set at a Renaissance Faire, for heaven's sake. There's a trebuchet. And amnesia. And ye olde dialogue. And inept henchmen. And the FBI. And did I mention the frickin' amnesia?! How can I possibly take anything seriously after all of that? Childhood pain or wartime trauma or old wounds or lost love, or lies, or betrayal, or eyes shimmering with tears, even! -- give me anything you've got -- after you've set your book at a Renaissance Faire, it's too late. Give it up. It's officially a comedy.

[Judith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a tight, finely woven tapestry of suspense and romance, set against the culture of the wandering entrepeneurs of the Renaissance Faire. It is not the easiest book to read -- the build-up of the romantic involvement of the main characters is extended and as such can almost drive one crazy, just like long slow loving. The resolution of the mystery also is involved, but as a mystery literature fan I found it well written and the plot well developed. The tension between the loves doesn't go away anytime soon, either. A beautifully written book and a good read!

[Pattianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE BLISS FACTOR - FBI #3 - (Conn and Rae) Renaissance Fair agent looses his memory, the parents of our heroine are counterfeiting.

The author of Packing Heat makes her readers blissfully happy...

An undercover FBI agent with amnesia remembers how to fall in love when he meets Megan Blissfield, the world's most buttoned-up accountant.

[Lhenry · Rating 3 out of 5]

All in all I liked this book, but it was a very odd story. I never rea a book where the characters did so much running around in circles. I liked the over the top-ness of the story for the most part, but a few incidents just didn't seem to work for me. Wasn't too enchanted with Rae, but liked the other characters. I will try another one by this author, so I guess I liked it well enough!

[Tracy's Place]

DNF I may go back and read it some time but I just found myself bored after about 150 pages.

[Michele bookloverforever · Rating 1 out of 5]

disappointed.

[Ruby Branson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had so much potential to be very funny. Yet it fell short. The book was an alright read but not a great read.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting the entire book or most of it to be set at the renaissance faire, but instead it just seemed to be on a continual chase, and it did not keep my interest.