Review: Weddings and mobsters in Vegas done right
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 8, 2013
Here's another "Got wasted in Vegas and ended up married" story, and it was great fun, proving that predictable works if it's written well. Laura is in Las Vegas for her younger sister's bachelorette party. It's also Laura's birthday, not that anyone remembers. She's having a miserable time until one of the bridesmaids gives her some "generic aspirin," and then Laura is wandering the Strip in a loopy haze. She meets David outside of a wedding chapel, and he asks her to do him a favor. Laura always tries to help others, so she agrees. She thinks it's a dream when they get married, but the next morning she realizes that it wasn't.David is working undercover for the FBI, tracking down a witness. When the wrong people see him in Vegas, he tells them that he's there to get married. Enter Laura. David wants her to forget about him and go back to safety, but Laura can't stop trying to help him, protect him, look out for him.Laura is a preschool teacher, a size 12, used to sacrificing herself for her sister, used to being the unattractive, boring afterthought in her family. But when she sees bad guys threaten her new husband, she busts out her inner actress and distracts them. It's fun to watch her discover her inner bravery and hidden talents.David's life has centered around bringing down one particular mob boss. He hasn't had room in his life for relationships. Capering with Laura makes him wish for something he didn't know he wanted, and it also uncovers a pretty sexy protective side.As the bad guys circle, Laura and David grow closer. He even buys her a birthday cake, which would melt my heart in an instant. Danger intensifies their relationship, and pretty soon -- after a few interruptions -- they are exploring the benefits of their marriage. The author does a great job of describing Las Vegas. From the canals of Venice to Circus Circus, from Fremont Street to the Bellagio Fountains, from the sounds of Treasure Island cannons to the crowded sidewalks, I felt like I was there.When they've done their job, David sends Laura back home to safety, with the expectation that she'll get an annulment. The final HEA happened quickly, both from a book-timeline standpoint and from a writing standpoint. I could have been held in suspense a little longer, but I'm not complaining.Overall this was fun, amusingly suspenseful, and sweet.Rating: B +This review also posted on Red Hot Books