Vows, Vendettas and a Little Black Dress

For getting me so into another series that I feel that I have to rush out & boy every single book. When I got this book from the vine program, I wasn't aware that it was the fifth in a series. I wouldn't have immediately guessed it from the writing- it was smoothly written enough to where even a new reader like myself could get drawn into it. Now I just have to read everything else so I can get the whole story. Sophie Katz isn't your typical San Francisco native. Not only is she a well published author, but she also has a penchant for getting herself into trouble. On the night she discovers that one of her best friends is getting married to the man of her dreams, her friend Dena is shot in the back. Despite a long list of lusty encounters, everyone initially seems to be at a loss as to who would do such a thing. Well, until they discover that one of the wives of Dena's ex flings (who didn't tell her he was engaged) has a vendetta against Dena & her shop! I loved this book. Seriously. It's fantastic & if not for that pesky interruption I call work, I'd have kept at this book & read it in one go. I loved that I was able to pick up the fifth volume in a series & be able to keep up with everything that's gone on so far. Sure, I did occasionally feel like I'd missed out on some obvious references to past books, but overall the book was fantastic. I loved the characters, loved the storyline, loved the writing... EVERYTHING! I also loved that the character of Sophie was half black & Jewish, but didn't make a huge deal out of it. It was great. The book might be a little fluffy for some mystery readers, but it still doesn't detract from how much I enjoyed this book. So yeah... the storytelling styles of Kyra Davis is going to be putting a huge dent in my wallet. I simply *have* to have the previous four books in this series!

I just finished Vows, Vendettas and a Little Black Dress. This series has been a fun distraction from the distress of real life and political craziness that surrounds us, and this new book was in no way a disappointment. For a couple of days I holed up with Sophie and her band of eccentric, difficult and ultimately lovable friends and forgot to check the daily news. Reading one of Kyra Davis' books is like a vacation. I end the book with a bit of sadness that it is over, but I'm refreshed and re-energized. I look forward to the next installment of this wonderful series. I have also read Davis' stand alone novel, So Much For My Happy Ending. It was very good, and although fun, definitely had a more serious message. I hope to see this author write other kinds of books. She has a novel voice and an interesting perspective.

Originally posted at: [...] Kyra Davis's characters are a hoot. I laughed aloud over Sophie Katz's antics and frequently shook my head over her reasoning. Her mind strings together seemingly unrelated things and comes up with the truth of the situation just in the nick of time. And the mysteries she's trying to solve aren't easy. Sophie is the type of girl whose good side you want to be on. She's loyal to a fault, but has a tendency to act first and think later. At one point, she launches herself across the room to punch someone in defense of an injured friend. She frequently needs to be reminded to remember her own safety when pursuing possible bad guys. Sophie is a good friend, but not an easy one. There are moments I felt sorry for her hunk of a boy friend, Anatoly, but he isn't perfect either. He keeps secrets from Sophie and...well, I don't want to spoil anything. Actually, the "good friend, but not an easy one" could be said for most of Davis' characters. They are all high maintenance people, just this side of difficult. That might be why I like them so much--they may not be like any people I know, but I can definitely believe they could be real people, and they fit so well together. They kept me laughing and turning the pages. There are a lot of references to kinky acts and steamy situations in this book, but most of it is left to the reader's imagination earning this book a spicy or sensual heat level rather than hot. This could be a hot book--it just depends how good your imagination is (*WINK*). This is the fifth Sophie Katz book. Each book stands alone but, like any good series, the characters develop from book to book. Vows, Vendettas And A Little Black Dress ends with such a great hook, I'm longing for the next installment. I recommend the entire series.

What a ride following the investigation with Sophie as she's determined to find the person who shot Dena and ruined Mary Ann's big news. What I liked most about this book are the characters, especially Marcus and Leah, and all the twists and turns that the author had in place that lead to the killing surprise. This was a very good read and I can't wait to read book six.

Sophie Katz is at it again! In the first few pages, Mary Ann tells Sophie and Dena about her engagement. Before they can celebrate, Dena gets shot in the back, can no longer feel her legs, and the Doctor's think she may never walk again. As the story unfolds, Sophie and Anatoly both try to discover who shot Dena, although both go at it in different ways. The emotions are high, and the suspense is so thick you can almost cut it with a knife. All the characters that we have come to know and love are in the book, and the writing is, as always in Kyra Davis books, fast paced and thoroughly enjoyable!