According To Plan [Paperback]

Madison J. Edwards (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 3, 2011

What do you do when things don't go According to Plan? For starters, you trick, deceive, and lie to the very person who ruined your best laid plans.

Welcome to the world of Shelby Stewart, Private Investigator, who's been hired to find Harrison Grant. To complicate matters further, her ex-partner, ex-lover, ex-everything Tank shows up looking for Harrison as well, albeit for a very different reason.

Harry is the prime suspect in the grisly murder of a call girl, Lulu, in L.A. That wouldn't be so bad, but Tank plans on staying at Shelby's house, and makes it obvious he's quite willing to help her heat the sheets, again. Shelby knows that sex with Tank is dangerous, fast, and sometimes a little dirty. Now is not the time to become side-tracked. Besides, this job could launch her company into a whole new stratosphere, so it's imperative she remain focused.

Frustration becomes Shelby's newest partner as she makes plans to out maneuver Tank in their parallel quest. Tank, on the other hand, is always one step ahead of the game--and is not what, or who, Shelby thought.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Reading Between the Wines - Shadow
Wow! I need some ice water after reading this! It's a scorcher! This book, from the beginning started off with a bang! The characters had an attraction that burned the pages...This book has it all; bad guys, mystery, romance and the sex..oh my!
WARNING: After reading, find a fireman who knows how to use his hose!

September 20, 2011 - Bookin' It Reviews - Talina Perkins
According to Plan has been described as sexy, sinful, erotic and suspenseful and has earned a place at the very top of my own TBR pile!

Unputdownable Book's Review - Naj
According to Plan is a fun read with steamy scenes, touching moments, slight mystery and loads of action. The characters warmed up to me immediately after the book started and Tank was my ultimate favorite. 
A sizzling, fun, action-packed book with inseparable characters and an unputdownable writing style.

I just finished According to Plan and I must tell you it's the sweetest, sexiest, well written erotic romance story I've read in a while. I usually "tolerate" the female lead who play opposite an alpha male. But you created an absolutely wonderful, believable, funny, sexy woman I came to care a lot about. Of course, I'm in love with Tank!

I really really loved According to Plan. I hated it when I cried, but I loved it because I cried. I was so mad at you and I did not want to sleep last night, cause that is where i started crying. But I woke up with my iPad next to me and refused to do anything else until I finished. LOVED IT. I really do hope that Caleb gets his own story. 5 Stars.

From the Author

According to Plan

This book is what other authors would call the 'book from your heart' because it's my first. I didn't look to see what was selling the best, or what was popular, I wrote what was inside me.
 
Tank, my single minded, determined hero epitimizes the qualities of a hero - sacrificial love at all costs. Shelby, the reluctant heroine doesn't know if she can trust Tank again. He broke her heart once, how can she know he won't again.

So the dance begins. Shelby keeps trying to shore up the defenses around her bruised heart, and Tank chips away at it, one scorching kiss at a time.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press (August 3, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1937389200
• ISBN-13: 978-1937389208
• Product Dimensions: 0.4 x 5.2 x 7.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,261,194 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Madison J Edwards grew up in small town Saskatchewan and never imagined she'd live anywhere else. Then she met a dashing Air Force Captain, and the rest is -as they say- history. Now she can't imagine life anything other than what she's been blessed with.

She is a wife, mother, grandmother, lover of raspberry kisses, squishy hugs and non-fat, no-foam lattes (in that order). When she's not busy writing, or thinking about writing, or taking another class about writing she loves to spend time with family and friends, amazing them with her recall of completely trivial, nonsensical facts.

www.madisonjedwards.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Loved! Action packed, sultry and full of fun! October 10, 2011

By Nikki B

Format:Kindle Edition

Shelby and Tank have a tumultuous past...mainly him leaving her for another woman with no warning. Now they are back in each others lives for longer then their last few booty call hookups. Shelby has been assigned a new case, one she knows no one is telling her the whole truth about. Nothing feels right about it, other the Tank shacking up at their house again. Shelby isn't dumb though, and if she can get out from under tank's watchful eye she might be able to unravel the case of the missing socialite Harrison.

Tank never wanted to hurt Shelby, but with her in the cross hairs of a big crime boss, he did what he had to do. Now he's back, and looking to make Shelby his again, but he still can't tel her the whole truth. There are things about him she can't know....for now. When the action hits a little close to home again, is Tank willing to lay it all out there?

LOVED this book. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I absolutely adore Madison Edwards and she has now become a go to author for me. I found According To Plan to be highly engaging, quirky, sexy and just downright fun to read! I loved Shelby and her infectious personality. She was funny and snarky and I just loved her attitude and take on life. She is a no holds barred type of girl but when it comes to Tank she just can't say no. No matter how much her heart doesn't want to be broken again when he leaves her, her body craves him and is drawn to him again and again. I thought her inability to "pull one over" on Tank was hilarious and how he turned the tables on her every time great! She just couldn't understand how he was always one step ahead of her.

Oh my goodness, Tank.....*le sigh*...What can I say? I do love a big hulk of a man who isn't afraid to give a girl whats coming to her. *WINK* He was awesome. His ability of giving Shelby exactly what she needed when she didn't know she needed it was just great. I felt for him having to leave her the first time, but thought his coming back every so often was a bit selfish. He obviously knew how much it hurt her when he left, but he still showed up occasionally for some quick, hot sex and then left again, tearing new holes in her fragile heart. Otherwise, wow, protective, big....heh...and incredibly sexy. Where can I find me one of those?

My biggest gripe with this one is that about half way through the book the story line changes and it threw me for a loop. When the story opens Shelby has been hired to find the socialite Harrison. That is pretty much resolved about the half way mark and then another side story line becomes center show. I would have much rather Edwards have stuck to one main protagonist. I think either story line could have been greatly expanded on if given the chance and I would have liked it much better. As it was things got a big disjointed in the middle with Shelby losing her memory before picking back up again around the 3/4 mark. Though at that point, the feel of the story was a bit different so some readers may not be able to reconnect with the other protagonist.

I enjoyed the action this book provided and thought that Tank lived up to his role as Hero. I also really liked his ability to share his emotions. The sex scenes were SMOKING HOT and were incredibly well wrote. There is no room for imagination with Edwards writing, whoa they were.....just whoa! The book is neatly wrapped up at the end. I can see how some people may not like the neat ending but I loved how it fit in with the story title and so I liked it. Also, I'm a sucker for those happily ever after endings. :)

According To Plan is a great addition to any contemporary romance library! I loved most every aspect of this one and can't wait to see what Madison Edwards churns out next! Let's hope Tank has a long lost brother out there ;)

I give According To Plan by Madison Edwards 4 stars!

Nikki- Ramblings From A Chaotic Mind

4.0 out of 5 stars Gave a 3.5 - Enjoyable February 4, 2012

By M. Kelly

Format:Kindle Edition

Reviewed at Another Look Book Reviews

As an erotic suspense, According to Plan carried out a pretty good story. I do enjoy an interesting back story between the characters. I love where the reader gets the opportunity to pick up on a relationship well established.

There is no doubt as you start in with According to Plan that Shelby and Tank have a precarious history. It was quite obvious from the start that Shelby was still hanging on to some bitter and hurtful feelings. I think that those emotions mixed with her nymphomaniac behaviour towards Tank made me quite confused if not frustrated. I liked Shelby but even though she had apparent smarts, she was so incredibly weak where Tank was concerned. He'd interfere with her plans or investigation and where she'd start off spitting mad, (deservingly so) the minute he'd smile or stroke her cheek, she'd practically pull down her thong for him. I didn't like that. I prefer a heroine who is adept and who insists a man work for his forgiveness and allows a bit of deserved grovelling.

I like a story with first person narrative. My favourite narrative is third person as I prefer being told the a story more from a narrator's point of view. But I do not care for a mixture of both flipping back and forth between chapters. That is my personal preference. This back and forth style was really driving a wedge in me for really liking According to Plan as much as I think I could have. I want to be completely transparent about that because there are numerous readers who wouldn't give that casting back and forth another thought.

There was some action, suspense and a few emotional scenes that completely redeemed According to Plan for me. I started to become suspicious of the secondary characters, wondered where the author was taking us and I was really curious on how the plot was going to unfold. There were some new characters that were introduced in the second half of the book that really caught my interest. One of these new players was a delicious rancher named, Caleb. This well mannered cowboy was sure to add a bit more conflict to the story and succeeded charmingly.

The intimate scenes between Shelby and Tank were erotic and very well done. Lots of emotion and even though early on in the book neither one of the couple openly professed their love, it came out easily translated in their love making.

Teasers: strip billiards, awesome best friend Polly, bomb, bed footboard

4.0 out of 5 stars Where's a good skillet when you need one? October 30, 2011

By Blue Shedevil

Format:Paperback

Shelby and Tank met at a beach party and it was instantaneous lust. After some heavy pursuit and persuasion on Tank's part, the two became a couple and eventually bought a house and started a small PI business together. Then one day Tank just up and left and Shelby had pretty decent evidence that he hadn't left because of her cooking. If it looked like a bimbo and acted like a bimbo, then chances were it was a bimbo. Tank still showed up occasionally looking for a bootie call and this time Shelby was determined to disconnect that particular phone. When Tank starts interfering her her current missing person's case, things start to get dicey and the facts just aren't adding up. Tank acts like he wants to repair their relationship, but he's hiding something and unless he comes clean, then Shelby's just not buying.

As much as I loved Tank, had I been Shelby, I would have beat that man with a cast iron skillet if he had dared show up at my doorstep. Granted as it turns out, Tank had a perfectly sound and honorable reason to skip out the way he did (at least according to a male mind), but Shelby wasn't aware of those reasons. Shelby was waaaaaay more tolerant and waaaaay less violent than I would have been. To give credit where credit was due, he did keep her confused with an over abundance of orgasms, the man was relentless. He also had Shelby's BFF, Polly working in his favor. We all know that I measure the worth of a good book on balance and fairness, and let me just say, Tank gets his payback in a most unpleasant and traumatic way. By the end of the book, I even felt sorry for his secretive butt. According to Plan was a good romantic suspense filled with a LOT of very hot sex. It was worth the time and will definitely warm you up on those chilly autumn nights.