Book Review: "The Lowe Job" by Grace Alexander

I thought this was absolutely great. Such gossipy, soapy fun, but with some serious themes thrown in. Grace Alexander hit her debut novel out of the park!⁣

⁣ “It started with a blow job. They had aspirations for it to become the most notorious blow job of all time. It was a lofty aim. They knew that realistically they were never going to beat that blow job—you know the one—but the least they could do is try.”⁣

⁣ Lili Lowe is a beautiful and intelligent young woman who wants a career in politics. Her intelligence is often discounted because of her looks, and she is valued by her boss, who is a member of Parliament. One day she is caught by the paparazzi giving her boss a blow job in his car. A scandal erupts that threatens to ruin her life, while her boss seems to escape reasonably unscathed.⁣

⁣ But Lili has a hidden asset: her mother, Lydia. Once a ruthless talent agent, Lydia has a plan to milk the scandal for all it’s worth. Her machinations lead to media opportunities, endorsement deals, and a reality show called The Lowe Job. Lili, Lydia, and her three other daughters become household names—whether they want to or not.⁣

The book follows the Lowe women through the ups and downs of post-scandal life, and also traces the past of each of them. Lili’s three sisters—ambitious Stevie, ethereal Iris, and distraught teenage Katie—each have their own reactions to their newfound fame, and each has their own issues to deal with.⁣

⁣ I really couldn’t get enough of this book. It definitely had some very pointed commentary about the double standard that exists between men and women when a sex scandal erupts. These are not totally likable characters, but I was hooked on their stories.

The book will publish 6/16.⁣

Book Review: "The Accomplice" by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and Aaron Philip Clark

I’ll admit that of all the celebrity authors out there, I never would’ve expected a crime novel from Curtis Johnson, aka rapper 50 Cent. And while I’m often dubious about celebrities writing books, when I saw a blurb from S.A. Cosby, how could I resist?

From a young age, Nia Adams was fascinated by law enforcement and crime scenes. Her dream was to become a Texas Ranger, and now, she’s the first Black female Ranger. It’s not always easy under that kind of scrutiny but she’s really good at what she does.

It’s 2004. Nia and others are called in to stop a bank robbery in progress. While the other law enforcement officers present try to keep Nia from intervening, she steps in just in time to prevent total disaster.

When she is sent to a remote Texas town to investigate another bank robbery, she can’t understand why a Ranger needs to be involved. There are things about this robbery that perplex her, and despite the fact that the local sheriff has no concerns, she decides to do some more digging. But she has no idea of the web she’s stepping into.

Desmond Bell is a veteran of the Vietnam war, still haunted by what he saw back then. He’s more than a bank robber; his preferred currency is secrets that his employer can use as leverage for blackmail. But when Desmond targets a powerful family, which includes a potential presidential candidate, he’s taken on enemies that will stop at nothing to protect their interests.

Nia finds herself caught in the middle of two powerful nemeses. Every step forward puts her life and career in danger, and puts others in the crossfire. Who will blink first?

While I’m always a bit dubious when a book by a celebrity is co-authored so you don’t know how much of a part they actually played, I enjoyed this. Although the pacing was uneven and the ending felt a bit rushed, I’d definitely read another of Jackson’s crime novels.

Book Review: "The Unlikely Heir" by Jax Calder

Callum can’t seem to figure out what he wants out of life. He changed majors in college five times, abandoned a master’s degree, and now works in an insurance company call center.

He is utterly unprepared when a date is interrupted by a man claiming to be from Scotland Yard, who says Callum is now the heir to the British throne. Apparently a number of his relatives got embroiled in a scandal and are being removed from succession, so Callum—the son of a deceased prince and an American actress—needs to go to England right away.

“When you find yourself on a private royal jet in midair over the Atlantic, it’s a good sign your life has taken a slightly surreal twist.”

News of Callum’s ascension to the Prince of Wales isn’t met with a great deal of enthusiasm in England. The last thing they want is an American to be the future king. And when Callum’s lack of coordination and penchant for putting his foot in his mouth is on full display, a movement to abolish the monarchy starts picking up steam.

One person who is charmed by the new prince is Oliver, England’s prime minister. While he feels empathy for the way Callum is being treated by the press and political leaders, it quickly becomes apparent that he feels a lot more than empathy for the prince. And Callum definitely reciprocates those feelings. But a relationship between the future king and the prime minister could never work.

I thought this was so sweet, romantic, and enjoyable. The chemistry between Callum and Oliver was intense, and their characters, as well as the banter and the situations Callum kept finding himself in, were funny and endearing. I’m excited that there’s a sequel, too!

Book Review: "Bi-Partisan" by Dallas Smith

This was all kinds of sweet and romantic! It’s also the start of a new series called District Love, and I’m always excited when books take place here in Washington, DC.

Jamie is a first-term congressman from North Carolina. He really feels like he’s making a difference, even though he hates the constant pressure to go after supporters so he can raise money for re-election. He’s not even assured a second term, with his district being redrawn.

Lately, Jamie has been coming to the realization that he is bisexual, even though he’s never been with a guy. But with an election on the horizon—and the possibility his opponent might be ultra-conservative, it’s probably not a good time to come out. However, he agrees to go to a trendy queer bar with his friends.

Adrian is a handsome veterinarian and cat dad. His social anxiety keeps him from dating, and makes crowds a bit challenging, but he’s not above going out dancing with friends. And when his eyes meet Jamie’s across the crowded bar, the two of them are quickly drawn to each other, to the delight of their friends, all of whom think both men could use some romance.

Of course, a photo of Jamie and Adrian leaving the bar is quickly leaked online. Rather than turn this into a crisis, they agree to pretend they’re in a relationship, so that no one thinks Jamie’s sleeping around. We romance readers know what happens with fake dating, but would a real relationship with a politician be the right prescription for Adrian, who’d rather spend time alone or with animals?

Thanks so much to Pride Book Tours for a copy of the book and for inviting me on the tour. I loved the combination of emotions, humor, and a dash of steam in this book, and really appreciated the discussions about social anxiety and chronic illness, which doesn’t usually happen in a rom-com. I’m all in for the next book!!