Wednesday, March 3, 2010

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Something About You by Julie James


ISBN 978-0-425-23338-2
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Romantic Suspense
(c) March 2010, Berkley Sensation
Julie James' website

Rating: 5 stars

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble 

"Delightful, light-hearted, romantic romp. Hard to put down!"

Julie James never fails! Something About You is hilariously funny, the humor coming from the characters' interaction and/or thoughts. Within the first few paragraphs of Chapter One, I was alternately smiling, chuckling or bursting with laughter.

Cameron Lynde became the unwitting witness to a murder in the hotel room next to hers, and who should be the FBI agent in charge of the investigation than Jack Pallas, the agent who believed she'd almost destroyed his career three years ago. Each didn't want to work with the other, and having no choice, sharp, cheeky and sarcastic remarks abound in their dialogue, but soon, they couldn't deny the attraction that flared up between them.

I like Cameron and Jack, because they are flawed, thereby believable, real and human. The difficulty Cameron faced three years ago was plausible, and although I hate the fact that she didn't act the way I thought she should, I realized that, given her position, her hands are tied. The way our hands are tied sometimes. Jack's anger and the way he lashed out are all things we can relate to.

However, despite the danger to herself, Cameron still tried to right the wrong about to be committed in the best capacity that she could. I like her idealism and strength of principles, that with each criminal she helped put behind bars, she was helping to make the world a better place in her own small way. I like that she's smart and friendly and likeable, an ordinary woman who doesn't have airs due to her position and who is, in Jack's words, "fucking gorgeous". Both Jack and Cameron are professionals, that they are able to set aside their "hostile" feelings for each other long enough so that they didn't get in the way of the business at hand. And I like that in the end, Jack got the justice that he was angling for, although that made the ending a little too neat.

Early on in the book, the author revealed the villain and his motive. I believe this slowed down the book a little, as I remember feeling I couldn't wait to finish reading the chapter so I could get on to more Cameron-Jack interaction scenes. Also, revealing the villain this early took away one of the joys of romantic suspense for me: trying to guess who the villain is from the clues dropped throughout the story and his motive.

That said, the emotional development between Jack and Cameron was done well, in my opinion. I love seeing how sweet and romantic Jack could be, the way he goes all tense and protective when Cameron was in danger. *melts* I also absolutely love the presence of the supporting cast--most notably, Jack's partner Agent Wilkins (I loved the way he was portrayed as the total opposite of Jack, and I laughed out loud upon reading Jack's and Collin's reaction to him on p. 77 of the book), and Cameron's friends Collin and Amy. I love seeing the dynamics of their interaction with Jack and Cameron, and I especially like the way Collin and Amy were portrayed--concerned and supportive of Cameron, yet having that air of teasing irreverence that comes with being good friends for a long time.

In all, I enjoyed this book a lot (read it in two days) and I look forward to being taken for a wild, hilarious ride again in Ms. James' next book.

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble  

* I enjoyed this book so much The Raving Readers is giving away a copy of Something About You!

How to enter?

In the book, Cameron has Collin and Amy who stood at her side through thick and thin and who "threatened" Jack should he ever hurt Cameron again. So, tell us: What is the nicest thing that your best friend or anyone has ever done for you?

No geographical restriction, so everyone on this planet is welcome to enter.

Extra chances to win:
+ 3  if you're a follower of this blog
+ 2  if you follow us on Twitter or Facebook
+ 1  for every time you spread the word about this contest via Facebook, MySpace, Twitter,
          your blog, website or other form of social media. Be sure to come back here and
          post the links. For example, you tweeted about this contest twice and also announced
          it on your Facebook. That's 3 additional chances!

If you do all of the above, at a minimum, that's 7 chances to win! But note that the barest minimum to qualify is that you have to post your answer to the question.

Contest ends on March 5 (Friday), 1159pm EST.

Winner will be picked via Randomizer.org and announced on March 6 (Saturday).

Good luck!

15 comments:

Reena Jacobs said...

My best friend is my husband. The nicest things he does for me are the little things. Like coming home after working all day just to cook dinner before he heads out for another job (not even having time to eat before he goes), even after I've spent the entire day lounging around. Bringing home gummy bears I mentioned casually in the middle of the night. Disappearing for 10 minutes then returning with a pile of wood to start a fire cause pulled out a blanket and wrapped myself in it. Things like that shows me he's thinking of only me.

+ 3 if you're a follower of this blog
+ 2 if you follow us on Twitter or Facebook
+ 3 for every time you spread the word about this contest via Facebook, MySpace, Twitter

= +8 extra chances

myspace: http://www.myspace.com/reenajacobs

twitter: @Reenajacobs

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?ref=profile&id=100000625830951

Robin K said...

The nicest thing ever done for me was when my husband moved me out of my moms (hostile environment) and into his grandma's house. He is a true hero to me to this day.

+ 3 follow blog
+ 2 Twitter (@intensewhisper)
+ 1 Tweeted (http://twitter.com/IntenseWhisper/status/9933948626)

Kaetrin said...

My best friend is also my husband and I suppose the nicest thing he's done for me recently was to shave my legs for me!! I burned my upper thigh quite badly about 4 weeks ago and wasn't allowed to shower (sponge baths only) for just over 2 weeks and I couldn't bend very well. So, he broke out the razor on my behalf.

He did comment that he didn't think "shaving legs" was in the marriage vows - but I reminded him that they do say "in sickness and in health and for better for worse"!!!

Shana said...

@Reena Jacobs Your husband is so sweet. Truly, it's the little things that matter. :)

@Robin K I'm sorry for your past experience but glad your husband (I guess he wasn't your husband then) was there for you and he knew what to do to help.

@Kaetrin I hope you're feeling better!

Thank you for sharing your stories, ladies. It's great that you have someone to count on when you needed them most.

Sunny G said...

I loved Julie James' Practice Makes Perfect and I've been waiting for this one to come out! Hope I win a copy. LOL

Anyway, the nicest thing anyone did for me (that I remember) was when my cousin threw me a surprise birthday party. I was so touched that she remembered and went to all that effort.

Scorpio M. said...

I like to travel but I am seriously bad at foreign languages. Luckily, my best friend and travel buddy is very good at languages or at least very willing to attempt to speak it. I am always grateful when she takes the lead to get us out of a jam in unknown places. She never loses her patience or gets upset at me because she knows how shy I about it. That is a VERY nice friend and I am thankful :)

+3 follower of your blog
+2 follow on Twitter and FB
+1 FB post
+1 Tweeted!

http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=588195960

http://twitter.com/scorpio1m/status/9954123055

Thanks for the chance to win. *fingers crossed* I loved all of Julie James' books so far and this one sounds SOOOOO good.

Madison Blake said...

I just want to say I loved all of Julie James' books and Something About You is no exception! Pls don't enter me in the drawing, as I already have a copy.

Anonymous said...

I've heard so many great things about Julie and her books.

The nicest thing anyone has ever done for me is to let me know that I'm appreciated. It's always nice to be reminded of that.

Diana

CallMeKayla said...

one of the smaller nice things that one of my friends did for me lately was just being honest. He told me I did not look so good that day. It was nice to have an honest opinion instead of a "oh of course you look good!" where you end up strutting around thinking you look hot when you are just looking like a hot mess.

+3 blog follower
+2 twitter follower- bookluver09

kaylajohnson3969@sbcglobal.net

Spav said...

A few years ago I got a kitten. It was so small and cute. Anyway, I was showing it to a friend and then a kid asked me if the kitten was mine. He looked quite inocent so I told him that yes, it was mine and then he asked me if he could hold him. I didn't see anything strange until he took the kitten and then started running and got into his bycicle and started shouting that the kitten would be better off with him. My friend and I started running after him but I got tired and had to stop, but he kept running trying to catch the kid. He never caught him, but he was there for me when I cried for my kitten.

+3 Blog folower
+2 Twitter follower (@Sparima)
+1 Tweet: http://twitter.com/Sparima/status/9967461911
+1 Blog post: http://fictionkingdom.blogspot.com/2010/03/few-international-giveaways.html
+1 Sidebar: http://fictionkingdom.blogspot.com

spav05(at)gmail(dot)com

dobby said...

Hi!

The nicest thing anyone has done for me is when my sister took me and my and my family out for a meal for my birthday. It was really sweet and unexpected.

+3 I'm a follower.
+2 Twitter follower (@dobby_23)
+1 Tweet http://twitter.com/dobby_23/status/9968391224

Thanks!

j.man said...

I keep reading such rave reviews for Something About You. Please count me in for the contest.

One of the nicest things an ex-bf ever did for me was make an emergency run to 7-Eleven for maxi pads. I was caught unawares and we were in college, no car, so he roller-bladed and faced embarrassment and picked some up for me. It was so sweet.

jennifer(dot)manolio(at)gmail(dot)com

Elie said...

The nicest thing anyone has every done for me was stick around even when I was being a jerk and didn't deserve it.

+3 new follower
zenfoxflowerATyahooDOTcom

ErotRomReader (Janna) said...

First I want to say that it's great that this is an international contest!

I have to think hard for the nicest thing I friend has done for me, there are many to choose from. I think it was two friends coming all the way to the airport of Brussel (Belgium) to pick me up and drive me home, so that I didn't have to go by train. After hours of flying from India it was great to be picked up by car. Brussel is a few hours drive from Amsterdam, so it was a long trip for them. Really nice!

I did all the things for extra entries ;)

Great giveaway and review girls!!

Silver @ TRR said...

Thanks, Janna! You have awfully nice friends there! I'd like to think I would also do that for a friend, when there's a need.

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