REVIEW: Golden In Death by J.D. Robb

Title: Golden in Death (In Death #50)
Author: J.D. Robb
Publisher: St. Martin Press
Publication Date: February 2020
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Suspense
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: In the latest thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, homicide detective Eve Dallas investigates a murder with a mysterious motive―and a terrifying weapon.

Pediatrician Kent Abner received the package on a beautiful April morning. Inside was a cheap trinket, a golden egg that could be opened into two halves. When he pried it apart, highly toxic airborne fumes entered his body―and killed him.

After Eve Dallas calls the hazmat team―and undergoes testing to reassure both her and her husband that she hasn’t been exposed―it’s time to look into Dr. Abner’s past and relationships. Not every victim Eve encounters is an angel, but it seems that Abner came pretty close―though he did ruffle some feathers over the years by taking stands for the weak and defenseless. While the lab tries to identify the deadly toxin, Eve hunts for the sender. But when someone else dies in the same grisly manner, it becomes clear that she’s dealing with either a madman―or someone who has a hidden and elusive connection to both victims.

My Thoughts: I really enjoy all the various plots and investigations J.D. Robb creates for Eve Dallas and the Scooby gang. I find them all interesting and intriguing, but I have to say Golden in Death sets the bar really high for standing out in a crowd. Imagine living your life, doing your thing and the delivery of a seemingly innocuous package changes everything. Inside the package is a golden egg that, when opened, emits toxic fumes that kills everyone in close proximity. We’re not talking quick and painlessly either. These victims suffer…badly. I found that quite terrifying as we live in an age of just about everything you can think of can be delivered to your front door.

The first victim is a pediatrician who appears to have nothing in his past that would make him a target, but nevertheless, he is targeted and killed and it’s just the beginning for Eve and her crew as they piece together the evidence before the killer sends the next package.

Obviously, Eve will achieve victory, but I am still impressed after fifty installments in this series how she goes about investigating the clues. She’s smart, sharp and focused and she doesn’t stop. Where some details may get past others, Eve rarely, if ever, drops the ball. She is quick to realize how dangerous this case is for everyone and wastes no time ensuring those she cares for have their guard up. I love how far she has come from the Eve way back in the first book. She has learned to relationship, receiving and giving, and though most people usually baffle her or piss her off, it has been a great joy to see her growth. I can’t wait to see where this series goes next.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book to all readers as this series will appeal to fans of most genres. The plots are riveting, the characters are engaging, and each book just leaves me wanting more.

REVIEW: Milked by Lisa Doyle

  Title: Milked
  Author: Lisa Doyle
  Publisher: Simon & Fig
  Publication Date: November 2014
  Genre: Women’s Fiction
  Buy the Book: Amazon | BN

  Description: By and large, Amanda Keane makes pretty good decisions. Okay, she   might not have the best taste in men, but she’s got great friends, a good job, and an   independent spirit. That is, until her 30th birthday ushers in a whirlwind romance   with a sexy Irish musician who leaves her, not at the altar as she imagined, but   accidentally pregnant. And when he disappears, she’s downsized out of a job, her apartment is robbed, and lapsed health insurance coverage leaves her with a C-section to pay for, Amanda is launched headfirst into the life of a broke single mom. But her friend and uber successful ob-gyn, Joy, clues her in to an unlikely temp position with one of Chicago’s celebrity elite that just may be the answer to all her woes. Or could it be just the beginning?

It’s with serious trepidation that Amanda embarks on her surprisingly lucrative new career: underground wet nurse to the offspring of Chi-town’s rich and famous. Amanda must quickly understand how to live at the whims and mercy of the one percent as she deals with the irony of nursing – and loving – someone else’s child, while still making ends meet for her own daughter. And then there’s Cute Daycare Dad (aka Dan), who’s obviously interested in her. But can she afford to tell him what she really does for a living? Is her new job (something she thought went out with the 19th century) a shameful thing? Just another way of selling her body. Or does it have something to teach her after all?

A novel of motherhood, its many demands, and all the little triumphs along the way, MILKED is a warm and witty debut about making tough choices and traveling the roundabout road to happiness.

My Thoughts: This story isn’t like anything I have ever read and that’s probably why I found it so interesting and entertaining. This story is about a young woman who seems to have a good grasp on her life, good friends, good job but has never found the relationship and family she wants to settle down for. After a passionate fling with a hot, Irish musician, she finds herself pregnant and alone. Then to add insult to injury, she loses her job, her apartment is burglarized, and she is quickly running out of money. Just when things appear to be at their worst, her friend tells her about an opportunity for some temp work as a nanny with an elite Chicago family. A nanny with a special skill set that Amanda happens to have being a new mother herself. This family needs a wet nurse and Amanda is more than qualified as she has weaned her daughter, but her milk supply has not diminished. At first, I was shocked by the notion that this is something she would consider. I must be honest and say it took me several beats to wrap my mind around the idea of a stranger breast-feeding your child. Ironically, a lot of people would find it off-putting, so much so, that Amanda is expected to sign non-disclosure agreements to protect the privacy of the family she works for. What made this story interesting for me is how adept Amanda is and how much she enjoys the job.

I really liked Amanda and her determination to make a home for herself and her daughter, though I was glad when she finally relents and gets help tracking down the father so he can provide financial support. That was the only thing I did not like about this book was how long it took Amanda to go after him. She should have done it months earlier, but when she finally did, things went smoothly, and she is successful. I didn’t care for the families Amanda works for. I thought they treated Amanda poorly and though she only works for two families in this story, that was more than enough. What starts out as a way to put food on the table and keep a roof over her head inspires Amanda to become a lactation consultant, helping families who are struggling with breast-feeding and the anxiety that often compounds the problem.

Amanda’s love interest is Dan, a single father she meets at the day care center she takes her daughter to. They have an instant connection and I liked him, but he doesn’t know what Amanda’s nanny gig really entails and it would be an understatement to say it doesn’t go well when he finds out.

My Final Verdict: Overall, this was a very entertaining story with characters I found easy to relate to and like. The story moved at a very enjoyable pace and though the idea of a wet nurse might be odd for some people, I applaud the author for tackling this subject and making it thought-provoking. I recommend this book to fans of women fiction who are looking for something a little different without taking too far a detour to the happy ending.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Milked from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.