Do Your Worst is Rosie Danan at her sparkling best. Ancient curses, American expats, mysticism versus reality – this book has it all, and it wraps it up in a spirited, fun-loving package. A couple of things kept this bubbling under a flat-out A for me, but it’s still a great read and a definite DIK.
Riley Rhodes is on a mission. She’s trying to make a name for herself in the supernatural marketplace as a spellbreaker, having come from a long line of American mystics. Riley is hired to go to a tiny Scottish village called Torridon to break a long-held curse on Arden Castle. The curse is of unknown origin, and she’s trying to figure out how to lift it.
Clark Edgeware is an archeologist whose larger-than-life father, Archie, is known for his showboating. Archie has become the fictionalized subject of a big screen movie, and Clark isn’t wild about this–he’s already sick o dwelling in his dad’s shadow. When Clark is given the opportunity to do a minor excavation of Arden Castle so the property can be redeveloped by a new buyer, he jumps at the chance. Clark absolutely doesn’t believe in magic or ghosts, so an enchanting first meeting ends poorly when he finds out why Riley is in town.
Clark and Riley immediately clash over their methodology, with Clark concentrating on what’s in front of him when it comes to possibly salvageable artifacts, and Riley trying to figure out how and why the castle was cursed in the first place and how to free the land. Banter ensues, but can love be far behind?
Not in a Danan novel, and you know you’re gonna have plenty of opposites-attract fire added into the mix along the way. Do Your Worst is funny, fast-paced and well-written, and everything you want in a contemporary romance.
Each of our protagonists is trying to prove themselves as a person in their own right rather than an adjunct to the family line. The chemistry between them is generally aces, and there’s plenty of push-and-pull heat to keep the reader turning pages.
The Scottish setting is fun and well-used. But Do Your Worst does have a couple of flaws. The book could’ve used more flashbacks to explain what was really happening in the castle, and sometimes the banter between Riley and Clark skews a little mean. But overall, everything works beautifully. This is a romantic feast of a novel.
Grade: A-
Book Type: Contemporary Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Publication Date: 11/2023
Recent Comments …
Thanks for this review. Sounds cheesy as hell and not in a good or fun way
I enjoyed this more than you did but I too struggled with the premise. Unlike The Hunger Games where it…
Thank you . I read the free sample and the nonsense you expound on above was sufficiently grating to me…
It’s really special!
I was Shane when l was 10 ye old l love the theme song what a thing between Shane and…
This is on sale today for $1.99 You can shop for it using the AAR link https://www.amazon.com/?&linkCode=ll2&tag=allaboutromance&linkId=65de0a5258814b1bf11d6ba02ea21d19&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl