Customer Reviews

Sex, Lies, and Online Dating

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Rachel Gibson writes funny romances, and in my opinion, she's written a few of the best...and a few of the worst.

So I buy her books, but sometimes throw them at the wall.

My copy of Sex, Lies, and Online Dating isn't dented - neither is the wall or the cat - it's not great, but it's fun, and it has great characters. My major criticism is that in too many respects it's a one idea story - crime writer and cop meet online both doing 'research' and pretending to be someone they're not.

I'm also getting very tired of books that spend too much time trying to sell the author's next book; the epilogue of this one is primarily devoted to the major character of book two in the 'series.' It feels more like a sales pitch than literature.

That said, I found the book to be entertaining. The characters are well-drawn, the action moves along fast enough, and the suspense element works. And if you're looking for hot love scenes and fetching pets, Gibson does them equally well.

Lucy Rothschild is a famous mystery novelist. As research for a book she is writing about a killer who chooses her victims from on-line dating services, Lucy jumps into the dating pool, pretending to be a nurse. Little does she realize that there is a real serial killer wreaking havoc and mayhem in Boise. Her latest date is with a sexy plumber named Quinn McIntyre. Actually Quinn is really a homicide detective and he thinks Lucy fits the profile of serial killer perfectly. When they initially meet, sparks fly, and when one of Lucy's other on-line paramours starts choking, she realizes Quinn will realize she's not a nurse, since she panics and he has to come to the rescue. So it surprises her when she receives a sappy email from him inviting her out. The two share many passionate kisses and a couple dates before they find themselves back at his place. While in a passionate clinch, Quinn is so worked up and attracted to Lucy that he announces he'll get her help, just before discovring that victim #4 has been found. Realizing Lucy isn't the culprit, he comes clean with her, and she's humiliated and flees. When she suddenly becomes the pen pal of the real serial killer, she is forced to work with Quinn to catch the killer.

While it doesn't take a rocket scientist to guess the identity of the femme fatale, it sure is a fun ride! Gibson uses her trademark humor and sizzle to tell a funny and sexy story capturing the dilemmas of dating in the new millennium.

I liked this one. Its my first Rachel Gibson. After being disappointed in Lori Foster's novels ( I personally think she should stick to the anthologies -her's short stories are very good), I picked this one up and I'm glad I did.

Mystery writer Lucy is on assignment, a date to gather info on guys that she can use in her latest novel. She's been hooking up with men online and going to starbucks for 'mini' dates in the hopes that anyone of these guys will inspire a character.

Undercover cop Quinn in going on dates to find the female serial killer Breathless. She ties them up and suffocates them with dry cleaning bags.

Unfortuantely or fortunately, Lucy happens to have had contact with two of the previous victims. That makes her murder suspect number one. So what Lucy thinks is a real date (from his point of view anyway) is anything but. When Quinn finds out that she's writing a novel about murder that happens to include suffocating the male victims, he's convinced she's the murderer.

When Quinn realizes that she's not the murder and Lucy finds out the truth about his identity and the reason for their dates, she's devastated.

Only when the murder contacts Lucy, must she go to Quinn for help. So Quinn tries to protect Lucy from the pyscho and himself cause being next to the sexy lady does all kinds of things to his libido.

This book was really entertaining. The mystery was good, although a bit predictable. The characters were well drawn and the loves scenes were well written. I'll definitely be reading her other books.

Gibson introduces Lucy's three writer friends in this one. Clare's, the romance writer, is the next one.

Online dating has become dangerous. Three men have died, possibly at the hands of someone they connected with online. Quinn McIntyre, aka hardluvinman, is the detective on the job. He thinks he has a suspect in one n2u, better known as Lucy Rothschild. Since Lucy is a mystery writer, she is very coversant with police methods, which Quinn finds interesting as he has told her he is a plumber. As Lucy looks more and more like the murderer, Quinn begins to realize he really likes her, she is smart funny and fiesty. He doesn't want to believe he is falling for his main suspect. A sting set up to prove conslusively that Lucy is the murderer falls apart when the real murderer strikes again. When Lucy discovers she's been considered a murderer by the man she is beginning to fall in love with, her world falls apart. She is forced to contact Quinn when she receives threatening letters.

Gibson has constructed a clever plot, with enough romance and intrigue to keep your attention, her characters are likeable and ever so slightly flawed, making them a joy to read about.

Loads of fun and great romance is exactly how I would describe this book by Rachel Gibson. I have thoroughly enjoyed her books in the past and this one was no exception. It not only had some very fulfilling romance with very likeable characters especially the sexy Quinn, the suspense was very well done, making this book a great read. I'm now awaiting eagerly for her next book called I'm in no mood for love which features Clare who was Lucy's friend in this book.

Having read one historical novel after another, I wanted to read something contemporary for a change. I've had Rachel Gibson's Sex, Lies and Online Dating on my TBR pile ever since it first came out last January. I'm glad I finally decided to give this a whirl. Lucy Rothschild is a successful mystery author doing research for her next novel. She meets up with men she chats with on the Internet to "kill them off." Well, to kill their character counterparts off in her novel, that is. What she doesn't know is that her current research scheme and the plot of her work-in-progress are a little too close to what is happening in real life. And in comes hardluvman, one of the Internet men she meets up at Starbucks. Quinn McIntyre isn't another Internet loser meeting her for possible sex. He's gorgeous! But she doesn't know that he is also an undercover detective seeking the murderess of various men. He thinks that she is meeting them via the Internet, and Lucy is a prime suspect. Despite the fact that she may be a psycho killer, he feels undeniable lust for the pretty, shapely blonde. And Lucy likes him too, but there is something fishy about the man who says he's a widower moving on with his life. There are various twists throughout the novel.

This is one fun novel! I loved Gibson's See Jane Score and It Must Be Love, but disliked Lola Carlyle Reveals All and hadn't picked up any of her books for quite a few years. I like this author's fun, witty and refreshing romances. She has such a great voice and creates characters that entertain you as well as make you relate to them. Lucy is a great and independent heroine. It is so refreshing to read about a thirty-four-year-old single woman who has no qualms about ending up a spinster. No woe-is-I-unmarried-woman angst here! And Quinn is such a guy's guy. He talks, thinks and behaves like a guy. So many times I've read romance novels with men that have women's analytical and angst-driven views on relationships and they somehow sound unbelievable to me. Most men don't talk about their feelings the way women do, and I'm glad Gibson makes that clear with her hero. And Quinn is so sexy! Sigh. Tall, dark, handsome and alpha male-ish heroes are my favorites and he is one of those. The mystery plot is very well done. I wonder if Gibson has written a romantic suspense before this one. She's done a good job of keeping me guessing while making the story nice, lighthearted and fun. Sex, Lies and Online Dating is perfect for beach reading or for relaxing on a hammock on a warm sunny day with a good book. I will give her novels a whirl whenever I'm in the mood for something light and contemporary. Enjoy this fun offering!

The writer's style is contemporary, including having parts of the story told via e-mails to and from other characters. The main character, Lucy, is a mystery writer. She has four friends (other writers as well) who get together for margaritas and critiques. Lucy is working on her latest novel about a female serial killer who meets her victims online and then kills them. Lucy joins an online dating service and uses her "dates" as research. In other words, she uses the guys she dates as models for her victims in her new novel. Meanwhile, a real serial killer is running rampant in the city mimicking Lucy's plot. Quinn, an homicide detective, goes undercover online to find the serial killer. Instead, he finds Lucy, but she fits the profile and so he thinks she's the serial killer. By the time he figures out she's not a killer, he's crossed the line and she can't forgive him. They end up reluctantly teaming up to catch the real killer and fall in love.

The writer's style is easy and quick to read and the plot is fun. This is a great beach or rainy day read. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

New concept in a book for me. I like the online dating concept for the mystery. Enjoyed the characters and the crime writer concept. They were fleshed out pretty well. A lot of twists that kept me interested. Felt like Gibson really wanted to get the reader interested in what was going to happen to the characters. Hope the sequel is just as good or better.

After my daily Soap Opera was cancelled I decided to return to the genre where I first encountered Romance- books! My first book was Rachel Gibson's "I'm in No Mood for Love!" I had to try her other books! I love the way she develops a story and uses humor. Wonderfully romantic and not at all boring. I have a high stress job and reading books that do not carry heavy themes or topics is a form of stress relief. Thank you Ms. Gibson!

I thoroughly enjoyed Sex, lies and online dating. I actually did read it on vacation along with a stack of other books. This is the only one I really laughed along with. Well done Rachel!
Tami Casias
Crystal Bound