February TBR ~ Tangled Up In You ~ Rachel Gibson

Wow time flies it seems and I thought that I would be more prepared for this month TBR. I read my DIK book last week fully intending to post the review well in advance, but as usual for me here it is TBR Day and I’m just writing this on the sly here at work.

So when I first saw this month’s suggestion I realized that had never bought a book based on a DIK review. So the first thing I did was check out AAR review section and was I surprised to see how many books lurked in my TBR that were listed as DIK.

The biggest hurdle was trying to decide what title and then of course stopping myself from reading the AAR review. So with much thought I went a picked an author I know I always enjoy reading a book from.

FEBRUARY’S TBR is Tangled up in You by Rachel Gibson.

TANGLED UP IN YOU
Avon Books – August 2007
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-117803-0
ISBN-10: 0-06-117803-9

Maddie Dupree isn’t in Truly, Idaho looking for a husband, a boyfriend, or anything in between. Maddie is looking for the truth and is determined to uncover the untold story about the town’s sordid past—her past. As a child, Maddie lost everything, and now she’s back at the scene of the scandal—a local establishment that’s always belonged to the Hennessy’s—determined to uncover the truth, and nothing is going to stand in her way. Especially not a black-haired, blue-eyed Hennessy.

Everyone in Truly knows that the Hennessy men are irresistible, and the current owner, Mick, is no exception. His late father was a skirt-chasing-heartbreaker who ended up causing disaster for two families, So far, Mick’s managed to keep the ladies in line, but when he claps eyes on Maddie, with her luscious curves and tempting lips, he can’t resist getting tangled up with her.

But Maddie is keeping secrets, not the least of which is her true reasons for being in town. And when Mick discovers what’s really going on, there is going to be a whole lot of trouble in Truly.

So first things first, I probably should have done a bit more research before diving into Tangled Up In You, not that it was bad, in reality it was pretty damn awesome, but apparently it’s book three in a loosely tied series that Ms. Gibson wrote, starting with Sex, Lies, & Online Dating and ending with Not Another Bad Date. For me reading out of order is a big no-no, but I was engrossed in this book that I over looked my rule and finished it. * I then read Not Another Bad Date, still out of order and I’m reading Sex, Lies, & Online Dating now. That leaves I’m In No Mood For Love for last, so much for reading in order*

Once I got over the fact that I was learning background info on Lucy and Claire before reading their books I tore through Tangled Up In You like a cat escaping a wet paper bag. My husband was amazed that I read in one sitting while he watched One Sporting event after another. I spent most of the day laughing and at times crying as I read this novel, along with the ever present comments of my DH, his favorite being “You’re not even listening to me” Poor Hubby.

Maddie is fabulous; she’s funny, unassuming, and intelligent and best of all she has no qualms about going after what she wants. As a true crime Writer she has some interesting quirks and for Mick somewhat scary habits. She carries a Taser, mace, brass knuckles and she has to know ho to use all of them. I wondered as I read this story of Maddie and Mick that is True crime writing was her choice or if it chose her. Her mother’s death clearly had an impact on who she was as an adult; she took a tragedy, one that could have had negative affects and made it work for her.

Her attraction to Mick is troublesome and in her opinion could impede her investigation of her mother’s death; she doesn’t have time to fall under the charm of a Hennessey man, but fall she does. The interaction between Maddie and Mick is combustible and rife with sexual chemistry their biggest obstacle was the secrets that lay between them like the proverbial White Elephant, every time Maddie got close to telling Mick who she really was, she’d chicken out or he’d distract her with more of his kisses. It was funny actually to watch the confident Maddie melt for Mick, if not for the fact that the truth had the power to destroy all they built.

Mick on the other hand like his father before him has no trouble with the ladies; his trouble is with forever and ever. He saw the destruction his father affair’s created and staying single would ensure that he wouldn’t follow in the Hennessey footsteps. Of course he probably never thought he’d meet Maddie and if you ask the women of Truly they would tell you that capturing Mick Hennessy for their own was job number one.

Mick inherited all the Hennessey good looks, case in point Maddie finds herself at her neighbors Fourth of July Picnic, where she meets some of the ladies of Truly, one minute the single woman are friendly and nice, but then one of the woman sees Mick cozying up with Maddie and well if looks could kill, Maddie would be a corpse for sure.

I genuinely like Maddie and Mick they took their tragedy and managed to come out better for it. Mick might be his father’s son in looks, but inside where it mattered most he was able to see the mistakes his dad made. He was able to look beyond the quick fling and embrace true love, not just love for the moment. Maddie was able to get the course I think she needed to move completely beyond the past and really understand her mother through her journals and the people of Truly.

Funny, fast paced, witty and emotional Tangled Up In You has it all, characters I loved, a town I was glad to visit again and an HEA that was ore than well deserved. Ms. Gibson takes us to a town we all would want to live in, gives us the neighbors we wish we had out of and has me hoping that she let us visit Truly again and again.

9 out of 10