Desert Isle Keeper
IOU
Known for her Commander in Briefs novels, author Kristy Marie touts her work as “romance with a side of smartass.” And she doesn’t disappoint. In her new romantic comedy, IOU, Marie delivers a wickedly clever love story in which comedic gaffes and situational humor provide an entertaining backdrop for an essentially heartfelt romance.
Sea lion fanatic Ainsley James gives up on becoming a marine biologist so that she can follow her pre-med boyfriend, Tucker, to Havemeyer University. It isn’t long before Ainsley catches Tucker having sex with her roommate in her apartment. Her immediate response is to accidentally start a curtain fire, which gets her evicted, and subsequent rumors of Ainsley’s insane pyromania hinder her search for a place to live. Tired of sleeping in her car, she becomes desperate enough to seek out the help of famed Havemeyer dealmaker Maverick Lexington. The mysterious college senior is known campus wide for performing favors in exchange for exorbitant IOU payments (written on playing cards). Ainsley asks Maverick to find her a new apartment so that she can stay in school, and she is willing to pay any price.
Soon after Maverick agrees to a deal with Ainsley, both parties begin to regret their new business arrangement. Maverick can’t stand Ainsley’s quirks and incessant questions, and Ainsley resents Maverick’s bullish demands. As the seemingly incompatible couple spend time together, they begin to see beyond their struggles and pretenses and fall in love with each other’s true selves.
Kristy Marie crafts a compelling slow-burn narrative that builds true intimacy between the spunky, candidly honest Ainsley and the broody, secretive Maverick. ‘Mainsley,’ as I’ve nicknamed the young couple, cares for each other in surprisingly tender ways that could melt even the most cynical reader’s heart. I lost count as to how many times I sent the couple virtual bear hugs, and I admit to having virtually bear hugged super-hot Maverick for an uncomfortably long time. I remain a tad obsessed with him even as I write this. There is something powerfully alluring about a hunky poker player who can casually seal a deal with a Queen of Diamonds kept inside the jeans back pocket covering his perfectly firm ass.
IOU’s engaging romance, insanely likable main characters, and steamy sex kept me reading into the wee morning hours. However, I did have some issues with the writing. At times, dialogue attribution is confusing, and details of the characters’ physical movements are not clearly defined. For example, there is a vaguely described make-out session in which it is uncertain as to whether Maverick is spitting beer into Ainsley’s open mouth. This strangely arousing scene was probably much clearer in the author’s imagination and got lost in translation to the page.
For the sake of my beloved Mainsley, I forgave (but obviously did not forget) Kristy Marie for a handful of ambiguous paragraphs. However, the author does redeem herself with a sweet, climactic twist and a satisfying ending. I enjoyed IOU so much that I wasn’t even seriously bothered by the inclusion of an epilogue that takes place six years in the future. (‘Future epilogues’ have emerged as my new pet peeve.) I enthusiastically recommend that romance readers add Kristy Marie’s IOU to their TBR lists ASAP.
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Book Details
| Reviewer: | Liz Donatelli |
|---|---|
| Review Date: | June 11, 2020 |
| Publication Date: | 04/2020 |
| Grade: | A- |
| Sensuality | Warm |
| Book Type: | Contemporary Romance |
| Review Tags: | college | enemies to lovers | new adult | slow burn |
I know you loved this but an accidental pyromaniac heroine described as both “quirky” and “spunky” sets off soooo many alarm bells for me.
She’s not especially quirky and she never sets anything on fire again. She is, however, one of those heroines who does a lot of what I think of as I do what I want behavior. I enjoyed reading about her for the most part but she is fairly removed from reality.
Well, that sounds properly spicy. Will pick it up soon!
Who picked out these names? Ainsley and Maverick? Oh, yeah. The author. What was she thinking? This is almost as bad as a recent romance where all the names were gender-neutral and no sexist pronouns were used.
“This is almost as bad as a recent romance where all the names were gender-neutral and no sexist pronouns were used.” What fresh hell was this?
Do I have to be the first one to say it? The cover of “IOU” just screams strip poker to me…
It’s supposed to. Maverick is obsessed with cards and deal making.
Yeah, I gathered that from the review, but still, I thought it bore mentioning.
:)
“Future epilogues have emerged as my new pet peeve.“ Don’t read HATE NOTES by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward: it has an epilogue set 26 years in the future. Even taking into account Harlequin Presents epilogues (which are often set a decade in the future and feature many children), HATE NOTES won my personal “book you’ve read with the epilogue set furthest in the future” contest.
Wow. This has inspired me to write my own 26 years later epilogue.
last chapter ends with a proposal
Epilogue:
Dr. FeelGood strides in the door looking as hot as ever in his baby blue scrubs.
Dabney ignores him, staring intently at her computer screen. Without looking up she asks, “How was your day?”
Dr. FG launches into a long description of a gory case. Dabney tunes him out, far more focused on how to code a new feature into AAR.
“Honey, are you listening?,” he finally asks.
“What? Yes! That sounds like an interesting case.”
The phone rings. It’s their youngest son, a freshman in college.
“Mom, thus far I hate it here.”
Dabney sighs. Dr. Feelgood pours them each a glass of wine and begins reading the paper.
Ten minutes later, after Dabney has reassured that child that it will get better, the phone rings again. It’s their oldest son who is living in California.
“Mom. My apartment has fleas. What do I do?”
This conversation takes five minutes and, when Dabney hangs up, she glances at Dr. FG who has fallen asleep in his chair.
Dabney returns to staring at her computer screen. The wine is good.
Lol. I think it was the late great film critic, Roger Ebert, who once observed, “Life would be impossible without the innocence of our ignorance about the future.”
OMG—had to come back one more time. In an amazing coincidence, I just finished Jewel E. Ann’s EPOCH and it has an epilogue set…100 years in the future! The story does have a paranormal element, but still…move over HATE NOTES, we have a new “epilogue set furthest in the future” champion!
OK, I’ve revised my epilogue to the 100 year mark.
Both leads are dead.
Uh uhn, Dabney. *waggles finger* If both leads are dead, it’s not a romance any more. Exception: You’re doing some paranormal storyline where hero and heroine are rocking the night away in heaven for all eternity. :)
Have you read any Carla Kelly books where the hero is a doctor/surgeon like The Hesitant Heart or The Surgeon’s Lady? I think you would really enjoy them.
I read The Surgeon’s Lady years ago and liked it. Jo Goodman also gets medicine right in her historicals by the way. As does Julia Quinn–no surprise there; she dropped out of med school and her husband is an MD.
SCREAMING.
Welcome to my world…. ;)