Chloe has finished her masters degree and taken a job as a forensic scientist back in her home town of Albuquerque, New Mexico, only the press will not leave her alone. They follow her to crime scenes and report on her every move, eager to show that her marriage to Hollywood A-lister, Jason Vanderholt, is on the brink of collapse. Millions of fans who dream of their own celebrity romance with him want this more than anything. This scrutiny comes at a particularly bad time as Chloe's first case is a crime against a child roughly the same age that Chloe was when she survived a homicide attempt.
Now that she sees the case from an adult's perspective, she realizes it's much harder than she ever dreamed. It's even worse for Jason, who is two steps removed from the crime. He must watch and try to support his wife as she battles with past demons and tries to keep up with a nameless suspect who evades identification and capture. Never has Jason been more frustrated with his job, its frivolities, and its lack of connection to the real world. When he storms off the set of his latest movie, the press goes wild with conjecture. Perhaps he never was anything more than a pretty face after all.
Together, Chloe and Jason must find their way past all the popping flashbulbs and through the dark maze of the criminal investigation to discover whether they can balance their professional goals with the demands of a celebrity marriage. The odds are entirely against them.
Excerpt:
Dave turned and leaned back against the car. I noticed he positioned himself so that Jason couldn’t see his face. “You might want to plan a surprise visit to LA. Maybe a few. Do what you did for his birthday the year before last and just show up.”
“Okay…”
“And don’t tell me anything about your plans or schedule.” His voice was pitched low. It was obvious he did not want Jason to overhear.
“Sorry?”
“’Kay, listen close because I can really only say this once. I’m Jason’s employee, so that’s where my loyalties lie. Don’t give me any power over you, not even the power to know when you’re likely to show up next, because if Jason ever asks me to help him do anything you don’t want, I’ll do it. That’s how these things work. It’s nothing personal.”
My head spun a little as these words sank in. “So if Jason wanted to cheat on me and lie about it-”
“I can make sure you never know, but only if I’ve got your schedule and can anticipate when you’re likely to show up.”
“That happen a lot?”
“I can’t tell you. You can’t trust me.” He pushed off the car and handed me a paper bag. “Hope you like beef.”
My phone rang to the tune of the theme song from Jason’s cheesiest movie. “Hey gorgeous,” he said. “Just thought I’d drop by.”
“Hello husband who is nowhere near me right now.”
“I know, I’m so far away. Wonder what time zone this even is.”
“It’s all just so glamorous.”
“Let me guess, you’re waiting on the warrant?” His parents had both worked for the DA’s office, so he knew a thing or two about the criminal justice system.
“Yep.”
“I’m sorry I can’t get out and wait with you.”
“Me too, but thanks.”
By now Dave had moved around to the driver’s side and opened the door to get in.
“Thank you for bringing two meals,” I called out to him.
“Hey, I know how to buy people off, all right? Food’s one of the best bribes.”
“I have never made you buy anyone off.” Jason sounded genuinely offended.
“Oh, that’s right. You haven’t, officially.” He tilted his head in a way that conveyed giving a wink.
Review rating: 4 LIGHTNING BOLTS
Review: Nobody's Damsel is the next installment after Someone Else's Fairytail, and I'm so glad to have been able to revisit with Jason and Chloe. I enjoyed their story in that book, and it's neat to see what happens after they end up together.
Real life kicks in, and the pair have so much to work out. Readers get a glimpse into after the HEA, and that's appealing to me. We get to understand just what happens after characters find the one they love. It's got a great real life aspect to it, making it easy to relate to.
Chloe, the heroine, has a chance to face her past, so to speak, when she takes on something that reminds her of her own history. There's a bit of emotion and angst to go through, that makes this a compelling, dramatic read. Can I just say, I love the way Jason is with her, and I'm so glad we got to see more of these two?
Great job to the author for weaving in a bit of drama, emotion and contemporary setting in Nobody's Damsel. Can't wait for more!
Author Bio:
E.M. Tippetts grew up in New Mexico and now lives in London, where she raises two boisterous toddlers, designs jewelry, and writes novels. A former attorney, she used to specialize in real estate and estate planning, specifically literary estate planning. She currently has five novels out, Time & Eternity, Paint Me True, Someone Else's Fairytale, Castles on the Sand, and Nobody's Damsel (Fairytale 2).
Connect with E.M.
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These are great reads!
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