Sandy M’s review of Believe It or Not by Tawna Fenske
Contemporary Romance published by Sourcebooks Casablanca 6 Mar 12
I’ve been looking forward to Tawna Fenske’s second book since I read her debut, Making Waves, a number of months ago. She sold me on that book and any future works with her humor and her lovable and quirky characters. Is the sequel as good as the original, so to speak?
Almost, but not quite. Even after all these months I still remember Alex and Juli from Making Waves, their unique and hilarious first meeting, their high sea adventures, their steamy love scenes, and the unusual use of that black thong. While I like Drew and Violet in this book, and the quirkiness is still there, all told Believe It or Not just doesn’t have the same punch as MW.
Violet has come home to Portland, Oregon from Portland, Maine to help at her mother’s psychic shop while she goes through surgery and subsequent recuperation. Mom is a psychic, though Violet doesn’t believe in them, but she agrees to take over as resident psychic until her mother is home. That’s even though she knows she doesn’t have a psychic bone in her body. She’s an accountant, for heaven’s sake. Her life is orderly and she thrives on repetition and off-the-wall facts and trivia. But because it’s her mother, she’s determined to do what it takes to keep the business afloat.
Having gotten rid of one high-maintenance, high-strung woman, Drew isn’t ready for another one, especially the daughter of Miss Moonbeam, the quacky psychic who’s been against his two-night-a-week exotic male dancers from the start. His club isn’t a strip joint, so he gets a bit agitated when people refer to it as such. Even Violet gives him grief over it. Another reason to stay very far away from her. Wonder why he’s unable to do that?
These two are so different from one another and they want different things. And they’re each wrong for the other. Or so they think. As Violet goes through her days giving readings to her mother’s clients and taking care of new clients’ books. Drew goes through his hiring a new dancer to be trained, choosing accompanying music for their routines, and continuing to date the bimbos he’s gotten used to since his divorce. He also can’t help rummaging through the mutual storage closet situated between his place and Moonbeam’s just to get a look at Violet. When she begins to see Moonbeam’s boring doctor, that doesn’t sit well with Drew at all.
Violet does enjoy her time with the doc, however. He’s normal. Something she’s wanted her entire life, something she finally has on the East Coast – away from her mother. Why then doesn’t her heart stutter and her blood pump like it does when Drew is near? After a bit of success with her readings – all due to the music Drew plays next door – suddenly everything begins to go wrong. Blackmail, threats, and the possible loss her mom’s business are just the tip of the iceberg. Her problems even cascade over into Drew’s business, and he’s not a happy man when he finds out.
I expected to laugh out loud a lot while reading this book, just like I did with Making Waves. Mostly I had smiles, maybe a few chuckles, and only a couple of really laughter-filled moments. One of those I do have to share with you. Because Violet has one of those brains that has a lot of crazy and useless info running around in it, this scene is priceless and gives an example of the banter between her and Drew at times.
After a long silence, Violet sighed. “I’m sorry I yelled at you. It wasn’t your job to tell me about Frank.”
“I know.”
“I’m just scared.”
“I know.”
Moonbeam trusts me to keep her business running. It’s my job to protect it…to make sure everything goes okay.”
“I know.”
She looked at him. “Is there anything you don’t know?”
Drew thought about it for a minute. “I don’t know what that blue stuff is in the Magic 8 Ball. That’s always perplexed me.”
“It’s alcohol with blue dye dissolved in it.”
Drew grinned. “Now my life is complete.”
Violet sighed again. “I’m going to bed.”
“Okay. Need company?”
I have to say that I did laugh at that for several minutes. This is Violet to a T, as you’ve come to know her throughout the book. Actually, same for Drew. He’s the happy-go-lucky guy who’s out for a good time before it all changes for him later on. They are a cute, fun couple. For me, what’s lacking is the charm Alex and Juli have. Drew and Violet take their individual reasons for not starting a true relationship too far, there’s too many interrupted love scenes. Sexual tension can only go so far before that very taut string just breaks, and by the time they actually do the deed, the string had been broken for a number of chapters for me.
Maybe it’s not fair to compare this book to the previous one. But that’s something readers do all the time when they find that gem of a book that’s remembered for a long time. Believe It or Not has its moments. The quirkiness and humor are still a plus. Ms. Fenske does both well, and she gives me a good time reading, despite my issues with this story. I do look forward to her next book.
Grade: B-
Summary:
It’s your typical “reluctant fake psychic” meets “jaded owner of a male strip club” love story. With a twist.
Violet McGinn doesn’t believe in psychic powers. That’s one thing she has in common with Drew Watson, the infuriatingly hot owner of the bar next door to Miss Moonbeam’s psychic studio. There’s just one problem – Miss Moonbeam is Violet’s mother. And for the next few weeks, Violet must fill mom’s shoes at the psychic studio.
Drew can’t figure out who’s nuttier – Miss Moonbeam, or her gorgeous daughter trying desperately to live the normal, straight-laced life mom never gave her. The one thing he knows for sure is that he doesn’t need another type-A female meddling with his life, career, or heart. So why can’t he get her out of his head?
Before Drew and Violet know what hit them, they discover that while normal may be nice, weird can be wonderful. Even worse, there just might be something to this psychic crap after all…
Read an excerpt.
