Smart Bitches Trashy Books | All of the romance, none of the bullshit.

It’s interesting, because I can totally related to being burned by a job I loved, and then stepping back to something I was not at all enthusiastic about, but which I could do competently.

Of course, it’s nice if the HEA includes something about being at peace with one’s occupational choice as well, especially since it seems the job was an important plot point.

Dude, the publisher info is wrong: it’s a 2008 release from Little Black Dress (which is a Headline imprint).

I liked how Sophie was treating people who believed in aromatherapy so much more than she did.  She’s a practical, empirical person and aromatherapy…is pretty much the opposite.  (Nonetheless, I dispute with people who say it’s all bunk: the oils might not have an emotional effect on you, but they can have a physical effect which is fully explainable by science).

I also had to have it pointed out to me that such is Sophie’s disbelief in the power of aromatherapy that whatever oil she’s using has the opposite effect on her than it’s supposed to.  Nice in-joke.

I’m envisioning this heroine as the New Age-y girlfriend/manager from Spinal Tap—Janine, I think her name was.  The washed-up British rockers on tour background sounds like a lot of fun.  I may check this one out.

she’s hired as the aromatherapist for an 80’s rock band

Hmm, why do I have no problem with the premises of vampires and dragons and magic and 8 million dukes in regency England, but ‘aromatherapist for an 80’s rock band’ just stops me in my tracks and makes me giggle?

I’m sold, off to buy it now . . . reminds me a bit of the film STRANGE FRUIT, which I adore.

Julie writes some great books.  If you can get your hands on them, try some of her earlier Mills and Boon Modern Extra books, also.  I loved Delicious and Being a Bad Girl.

The plot reminds me of The Fidelity files, by Jessica Brody. Love it thought. And a star from the 80 ? Remind me of Music and Lyrics, with Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant (I loved the idea of seeing a star who wore too tight pants and is coming back!!)

I’ve just been reading ‘One Night Stand’ in which Sophie is hired by the heroine to investigate who she slept with. Also a fun book, and while there’s a connection between the two, they aren’t connected stories: I read ‘Honey Trap’ before ‘One Night Stand’ - you don’t miss anything by reading them in that order..

I think what I particularly like is the way the books are set in a recognisable world - the pub that the heroine works in in ‘One Night Stand’ sounds like a pub you might find yourself in - it’s nice, realistic writing.
The other one of hers I’ve read is ‘Spirit Willing, Flesh Weak’ where the heroine is a fake psychic - and I’d recommend it as well.

Sold!  Sounds like a fantastic book.

Ok, I now know I’m a complete eBook convert: I’m totally annoyed that I can’t just buy and download this book. *grumble* I don’t wanna wait for paper!

Sounds interesting! I’ll add it to the Buy Eventually list. With 20 books still sitting in the TBR pile, I’ve promised myself not to buy more until I have nothing left to read *fresh*.

I had the pleasure of going to a reading Julie Cohen gave this summer to raise funds for a local library and I bought this book. It definitely transcends the average romance with its sharp characterizations and humor. I loved it (especially the hero), and look forward to reading more of her in the future. B+ at least!

I was lucky enough that one of my friends sent me this book, and I absolutely loved it. I *loved* the hero and the characterizations. I thought it was a fun, quick read and would definitely buy future books of Cohen’s.

SB recommendations plus amazon gift cards = win for me. Thanks!

Someone who goes around entrapping people by pretending to be willing to sleep with them is utterly dispicable, so I definitely will not be reading this book.  Did it occur to TSTL that she could have gone on being a private detective if she had confined herself to genuine detective work instead of semi-prostitution? Spamword is other73 as in “Why aromatherapy - which she doesn’t even believe in ( and therefore will have contempt for her clients) instead of the other 73 careers she could have chosen?”

I read a book about another agency like this: To Catch a Mate, by Gena Showalter.  Not the exact same plot- that one was about the agency going coed, and was awesome.  I liked the idea, and if someone would pay me to so that, I would.  That said, I hate the word “honey” associated with women.  It is just… I have no idea, but it sounds gross.