Happily Ever Ninja
by Penny Reid
Publication Date: January 21, 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Humor
From the USA Today Best Selling Author of ‘Truth or Beard’
There are three things you need to know about Fiona Archer… I would tell you what they are, but then I’d have to kill you.
But I can tell you that Fiona’s husband—the always irrepressible and often cantankerous Greg Archer—is desperately in love with his wife. He aches for her when they are apart, and is insatiable when they are together. Yet as the years pass, Greg has begun to suspect that Fiona is a ninja. A ninja mom. A ninja wife. A ninja friend. After fourteen years of marriage, Greg is trying not to panic. Because Fiona’s talent for blending in is starting to resemble fading away.
However, when unexpected events mean Fiona must take center stage to keep her family safe, her response stuns everyone—Greg most of all. It seems like Greg’s wish has come true.
Except… not.
When all is said and done, can Greg handle this new version of his wife? Will his irrepressible cantankerousness push her away? Or can the couple find a way forward without either being forced to step back into the shadows?
This is a full length, 100k word novel, and is the 5th book in the Knitting in the City Series. All books in the series can be read as a standalone except book #1.5
Excerpt One:
“What are you doing?”
“What do you think I’m doing?” He unbuttoned his pants and unzipped them.
Perhaps it didn’t make any sense, but I didn’t want Greg to see me naked. Not when I was still furious with him. Not when he was angry with me. Even though we’d been together for eighteen years, married for fourteen, and made two children together, when we were arguing I didn’t like the vulnerability of bare skin.
“Oh, no. No, no, no.” I sat forward in the tub, hiding my nakedness. “We haven’t talked through everything yet. I’m angry with you, and I know you’re still upset with me.”
He shrugged. “Then we’ll have angry intercourse.”
“We’re not having intercourse.”
“Then I’ll give you angry cunnilingus.”
Damn him, but that made me laugh.
Greg’s eyebrows bounced once on his forehead and he grinned, his pants falling to the ground.
“I don’t want any of your angry oral sex, thank you very much.” I crossed my arms over my chest, endeavoring to keep my expression stern . . . and failing.
“Of course you do. Angry oral sex is the best kind of oral sex. And we are so rarely angry with each other. We should take advantage of this opportunity.” His thumbs hooked into his boxers with the intent of pulling them down.
“Do not take off your boxers.”
Greg didn’t remove his boxers, but he didn’t withdraw the threat of his thumbs either. “You know, I’ve heard it’s a good idea to fight while naked. I think I read that in a very important medical text book written by Albert Einstein’s cousin, Dr. Olga Einstein.”
My Review
Every time Penny Reid writes a new book, I wait oh so patiently (well mostly patiently) for it's release. I've been especially excited for Fiona and Greg's story since they've been the "married couple" of the series. With her trademark smart humor, a feisty heroine and a swoon worthy hero, Penny wrote another brilliant addition to the Knitting in the City series.
After reading about how Greg and Fiona met in college in Ninja at First Sight (definitely suggest reading prior to this book), I was excited to see how their HEA played out. Having been married for so long with two kids, life inevitably becomes mundane but Fiona and Greg are making it work. They love each other and are dedicated to each other and their family. Even though Fiona is an ex-CIA agent turned stay at home mom and Greg is away a lot of the time working on oil rigs trying to do his part to save the planet, they still make time for each other and are as in love as they were in college. But as the years pass, life gets in the way and when their past and present start to converge, they have to put their mundane life on hold as they try to save their future.
I loved that this took a real look at the lives of people together for a long period of time. I could see myself in both Greg and Fiona. Their struggle to stay connected when work and kids get in the way was very relatable. Penny took every day life events and used that to make me emphasize with both Fiona and Greg. Then, of course, Penny took the plot in a direction I never expected but makes so much sense for these Knitting in the City characters. Even in those situations, she made me smile and fan myself, get frustrated and anxious but left me with the knowledge that true love is a real and palpable thing even if it takes work to maintain.
Greg and Fiona's story is told mainly from Fiona's point of view with snippets from Greg in the past. It was ingenious way of story telling so that we could really get to understand Fiona but truly understand Greg's actions throughout the story. Add in the real life letters from real couples at the start of each chapter and this book felt like a true depiction of life with your one true love.
Penny continues to be one author I know I can turn to for a unique love story that will make me think, laugh and sigh in satisfied contentment knowing that there is someone out their for everyone.
Reviewed by Paige
★★☆ 4 "Worth It" Stars ☆★★
Buy it
Read it
Love it
About the Author
About the Author
SEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-6, girl-4 as of this writing).
By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their stories.
No comments:
Post a Comment