Book Title: Only Trick
Author: Jewel E. AnnSeries: Standalone
Release Date: April 13th, 2015
Genres: Romance: Contemporary/Erotica, Humor
“Don’t Look Back in Anger”
In one night, I lost five years of my life. Here’s what I know..
I was homeless.
I’m a recovering drug addict.
My inked skin crawls from lustful eyes.
I have a serious aversion to women.
My gay partner is a home wrecker.
I own a gun and I’m a damn good shot.
I’m a makeup artist, but it’s an insult to my talent.
I’ve never wanted to possess anything except my Ducati … until I met Darby.
Now here’s what I know since that day in the ER when she pieced me back together … nothing—but a few random thoughts.
My new “friend” is distracting, clingy, and obsessed with acronyms, emojis, and phrases like “breakfast soul mates.”
I didn’t want to like her, but she crawled under my skin and swallowed me whole. Now we’re best friends and she’s my new addiction. I'd drink her from a shot glass, snort her up my nose, or inject her into my veins if I could. What I won’t do … is ever tell her that.
She doesn’t know me … I don’t know me. When those missing years come back, I think she will hate me … I think I will hate me.
My parents named me Patrick Roth, and this is my story.
BUY LINKS
{READ MORE FOR ALLISON'S ARC REVIEW!}
Only Trick was such an all-around great book! I requested an arc of this book strictly from the book blurb. The author was not known to me but something about it just looked different. I took a chance and I'm so happy I did!
In a nutshell, Darby Carmichael is a Physician's Assistant working in a busy Chicago Emergency Room when a squirrel comes in needing stitches. Now, I had zero clue what a squirrel was so I'll spoil it as I don't want you thinking the dude has a long fuzzy tail and stores up nuts in his cheeks- a squirrel is a hot-ass guy. But I digress...Patrick Roth (aka Trick) needs his hand stitched up and when Darby enters, she's tripping over herself at the sight of him.
"Cut my hand...tightening a bolt." Yep, his voice is just as dark as the rest of his suffocating sexiness. It's deep with a slight raspy edge that allows me to actually feel it, not just hear it. He might as well have said, "I just dropped by to suck on your nipples."
Darby runs into Trick soon after when she needs her hair and makeup done for a election dinner. The daughter of a US Senator, it's all about image with her father. Trick is an makeup artist... At first a bit aloof, cocky, yet Darby can resist her attraction to him. Dark hair, tattoos...guy liner? What guy is hot in guy liner!? Trick.
Trick hides behind his cocky good looks. A victim of a car accident, he suffers from amnesia. Five years of his life are wiped clean. One thing he knows for certain...he's not comfortable around women. He doesn't trust them for some reason. And it's more than them constantly touching and falling all over him. So he calls himself gay. Which has worked...till Darby.
First, I fell in love with the humor in this story. At the risk of comparing authors, I think it's fair in this instance. There's an undercurrent of endearing comedy infused throughout the book much like you'd find in a Penny Reid story. Seriously, from page one I was laughing out loud at Darby's inner monologue. You find yourself smiling at your e-reader because you just can't help but love her. She doesn't have many people she can call friends so she latches onto Trick whether he likes it or not. His friendship is what she really pushes for at first. And she has a backbone. Not a weak heroine, thank f$ck.
Trick- in a blink of an eye, you go from laughing out loud at Darby to wanting to save this damaged hero. He doesn't stand a chance with her. All his previous antics to keep people at arm's length fail with Darby. She's immune to his aloofness. Chivalry is dead with him at first. But once he's on her radar, all bets are off. After all, don't we ALL want a 'gay' BFF? Commence her BFF emoji filled texts. He hates emojis! Loved this aspect of their relationship.
Second, the book really invests the reader wholeheartedly in their love story. Early on, Darby struggles with her growing feelings for her 'uninterested' best friend. Everything is strictly platonic so talk about lady blue balls! But rest assured, it's ramps up. I'll admit, in the middle, the day to day aspect of their life dragged a bit for me, but it all was for a purpose...to get our hearts so wrapped up in these two, the twist in the end is that much more shocking to the heart. Gah. What's Trick's story? How can someone get hit by a car and have nobody looking for him or caring about what happened to him?
Third, steam. Holy smoking kindles! Me likey Trick in zee bedroom...and elevator, and couch, and closet...you get me. Smokin! Combine his physical attributes to his dirty talking, and I'm in love!
Fourth, the secondary characters were zee bomb. His gay partner Grady almost stole the show for me. I'd LOVE to see an MM of his story. But her Nana was my show stopper. I had a total Betty White visual the entire book whenever she opened her mouth.
"You used to be able to tell by the ear piercing—right for gay left for straight. Or is it the other way around? Anyway, these days everything gets pierced and so it becomes terribly confusing.”
Only Trick is the WHOLE PACKAGE. Steam, comedy, mild angst, slow-building suspense, endearing characters...just an all-around enjoyable read.
The only reason I deducted the half star was the tiny bit of drag in the middle. It served a purpose in the end though. But it was mainly due to a certain plot twist in the epilogue.
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jewel is a free-spirited romance junkie with a quirky
sense of humor.
With 10 years of flossing lectures under her belt, she
took early retirement from her dental hygiene career to stay home with her
three awesome boys and manage the family business.
After her best friend of nearly 30 years suggested a few
books from the Contemporary Romance genre, Jewel was hooked. Devouring two and
three books a week but still craving more, she decided to practice sustainable
reading, AKA writing.
When she’s not donning her cape and saving the planet one
tree at a time, she enjoys yoga with friends, good food with family, rock
climbing with her kids, watching How I Met Your Mother reruns, and of
course…heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, panty-scorching novels.
GIVEAWAY
Custom design Timbuk2 bag and signed paperbacks of the Holding You Series, Undeniably You, and Idle Bloom - all to ONE winner
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