Sunday, January 14, 2018

BOOK REVIEW : HOLIDAY IN DEATH by J.D. ROBB - IN DEATH # 7 - CRIME ROMANCE - PIATKUS

By: J.D. Robb
Published By: Piaktus
Released: Available Now
Details: Paperback from library, 395 Pages

RATING: 5 STARS

Blurb: Goodreads

No one likes to be alone during the holidays. For New York's most posh dating service, Personally Yours, it is the season to bring lonely hearts together. But Lieutenant Eve Dallas, on the trail of a ritualistic serial killer, has made a disturbing discovery: all of the victims have been traced to Personally Yours. As the murders continue, Eve enters into an elite world of people searching for their one true love--and a killer searching for his next victim. A world where the power of love leads men and women into the ultimate act of betrayal...


BOOK REVIEW:


What can I say about the In Death series and make it new each book I review, because there is a formula in place?

I know—Roarke!

Sure he’s in every book, but there was something more in this installment. I had wondered how Nora aka J.D. Robb was going to handle his character over 46 books when I am only seven in, and I think she will do just fine. Roarke just does things that would make any female sigh.

I adore the way he accepts Eve’s dedication-to-the-job and doesn't complain and he loves her possibly more each book. He always makes himself included in most cases in the takedown of the villain. He does it to make sure she doesn’t get hurt. He is there for her, even though he probably shouldn’t be inserting himself into her case—but he’s not going to let the fact he doesn’t hold a badge stop him.

Detective McNab and Peabody are so amusing and I know we are going to get a lot more from these two. His clothing attire appears quite flamboyant, which doesn’t match his personality—I feel. Maybe I’m wrong. He is very witty, but he seems to be rather overdressed for his job. Not that it matters, but it feels kinda off to me when he appears clothed the way he is. Eh, if anything it is a splash of color on the page. :) I know it's the future, but Roarke seems very Christian Grey attired in my head, or maybe I am not paying attention. I think this quirk with McNab bothers me, but it shouldn't.



Eve looked over and saw Ian McNab swagger into the room. He had a big, satisfied grin on his pretty face, a knee-length vest in eye-searing fuchsia over his Christmas-green jumpsuit, and a striped ribbon of both colors binding back his long sweep of glinting gold hair.


I think J.D. Robb showed us a more emotional Eve in this instalment. She does get cranky, she can upset Peabody, but she does it from her heart and how she sees Peabody as more a friend than just a work colleague.

This makes her more real to me.

She isn’t perfect. She has very real female moments, which are all her and not the job. She had an extremely rough childhood, no solid parenting and she’s floundering about a bit in how to be a wife and live in Roarke's social world and be a good friend.

I can read a book where I wonder why the guy even bothers with the female lead, because she isn’t making me believe she-is-the-one with her behaviour. I know the author wants me to be brainwashed with their words, but the connection simply isn’t there, due to the writing.

Roarke is a man who could have anybody on any of the planets he visits. He is a man that keeps showing us why he is so deeply in love with a woman who was broken so young. Eve is beautiful no matter how she walks through the door after a rough day on the streets. She doesn’t need the bells and whistles and he doesn't ask for them, but he will zip her up in a dress he has purchased for her, because she isn't a girlie shopper—far from it.  

This is so damn romantic.

She has access to squillions and spends virtually nothing on herself.

But he knows his wife and he provides.

He gives her what she needs when she doesn’t realise she needs it, purely out of love and devotion and never control. You feel this through the author’s words.

You could strip the murder case from each book and you are still left with substantial pages filled with Eve and her Roarke. 

Until the next book...

#teamroarke


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