Review: A Decadent Treat for PNR Lovers!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 6, 2012
(4.25 star review for Night Owl Reviews written by Talina Perkins Bookin' It Reviews)FIRST LINE:Shaun drew back his arm, sucked in a breath, and took his shot. The instant his grip left the barrel, the dart ripped through the air with a precision only seen in that of a...well...drunk. Or someone inflicted with a bad case of nerves.TEASER:"How very perceptive of you. Now, why would an Irish hottie, erm, I mean a handsome man like you, need to use a matchmaking service?" Rachel, fancy asking a question like that? In avoidance, she craned her neck to cob a view of Knightsbridge and the people scurrying about below. He wasn't having any of it,so it seemed, and guided her to face him directly.PLOT:True to the title Sweet Irish Kisses is a decadent treat that I savored from beginning to end. Within thirty minutes I devoured the novella like a box of chocolates with my name on it! I loved the characters, their pasts and the way their true selves enriched the story by adding depth to their romantic connection. Rachel suffers from trust issues as does Shaun yet he is the stronger of the two and able to help Rachel begin to move past her inner fears. This leads to some comical situations but quickly moves into the sexy variety.The 1NightStand Series is a well loved collection of novellas by different authors that tell stories of unlikely couples ultimately finding love. Ms. Kenrick's Sweet Irish Kisses is a fabulous addition to this series! Her characters were a pleasure to spend time with and was nothing short of sizzling hot! Rachel and Shaun were a perfect mixture of Baileys and Kahlua!SETTING:Sweet Irish Kisses takes place in the heart of London between Bell's Irish Pub and Castillo Hotel in Knightsbridge.WRITING:Always smooth and entertaining, Ms. Kenrick's writing style flows nicely throughout the story. Her attention stays more on the characters rather than the setting which is fitting for the genre of the novella. I like her ability to dig deep within the characters feelings allowing them to step up and tell their story. It is as if the author really took the back seat on this one. Very well written indeed!CHARACTERS:Rachel is a shocker. Not the smoothest of heroines when it comes to class and eloquence but if all the heroines were the same, reading would become quite a bore very quickly. I liked how the author always seems to surprise me in this area. Rachel is deeply wounded but knows she needs to change in order for her life to be as she wants it - a family and white fence kind of life. I like her courage to force herself out of her shell and go against her own grain. It takes different kind of strengths to make up characters and I liked seeing her unique inner strength. Shaun, oh yes, the sexy and quite irresistible Irishman really was the gentleman that Rachel needed. In the beginning I thought Rachel would get an alpha male but he turned out to be a gentle soul without losing his sex appeal. Being the die hard alpha lover that I am, with one false move I could have lost interest in Shaun's story quickly, however the author handled it beautifully. He fumbled a bit but it was endearing and by the end I fell for his Irish brogue just as much as Rachel did!LAST THOUGHTS:This is my second novella by JoAnne Kenrick. I have become very fond of her story telling and definitely will pick up her next book! She knows how to write unique, if not quirky, characters that stay with me long after I've finished reading their stories. Keep up the great work Ms. Kenrick!