Book 24, 2018

[chez_jae]

Ready to Were by Robyn Peterman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Over the course of two evenings, I read the ebook Ready to Were by Robyn Peterman. It's the first installment in the author's "Shift Happens" series.

Essie McGee swore she'd never return to Hung Island, Georgia, after Hank Wilson cheated on her and broke her heart. She left town in the middle of the night and moved to Chicago, where she joined WTF (the Werewolf Treaty Federation) and has become a top operative. However, when female werewolves begin disappearing from Hung Island, Essie is sent back there to find out what's going on. Her bff, Dwayne, who's a gay vampyre, states that she'll fall back into bed with Hank, but Essie is determined not to let that happen. She intends to go in, do her job, and get out. Too bad that Hank is sexy as sin and that Essie's own, inner wolf, is gaga for him.

The story was hilarious, peopled with zany characters and fraught with ridiculous situations. Essie's Granny is a tough cookie, Dwayne was a hoot, and Hank's brother Junior was a secret genius. Essie has to put herself into danger to solve the case, but she has a lot of help on her side.

If I have any complaints, it was how both Essie and Dwayne could shriek and scream and flail like tween girls. Essie is supposed to be a bad ass undercover operative, and Dwayne is 300 years old. A little more control and decorum, please? Also, there's the fact that Hank couldn't keep his mind on business. Dude, Essie left you. Insisting that she engage in hand-to-hand combat to prove herself is both skeevy and far too transparent. And, when Essie initially returned home, the first thing her Granny did was tackle her in the front yard and rip out her belly button ring, claiming that she told Essie she couldn't get any tattoos or piercings until she was 50. Excuse me?! Essie is an adult, and she can do whatever the hell she wants.

Favorite lines:
♣ "You think you have problems? Try running naked through coals while being pelted with boar's teeth."
♣ "The sound was incredible. Absolutely fabulous--like fornicating cats and Madonna."
Dwayne had the best lines!

This one had me laughing out loud at many points, and I am eager to read more in the series. Giving it four stars. Would have been five, but for the aggravating points.

****