Pink Jinx - Sandra Hill

Hello Lovelies!!! Finally I'm getting another review up! I know, it's been a couple of days, and I apologize. But, I've been busier than a one legged man in A... oh, you get the picture. We here at DeeandDee have been working on switching over to the beta version of Blogger and it's taking a LOT of work. The reason for the switch is to make it easier for you guys to find reviews. They will be tagged and you'll be able to search just contests, or Authors A-D, etc. The template isn't what we want yet, but most of the posts have already been put over there. As I was moving posts, I did notice one thing, I've come a LONG way, baby! I'm getting much bettah at reviewing, and I hope that continues. I'm not sure when it will be up and running with us posting only over there, but believe me, YOU will be the first to know!!! And now, Without Further Ado...

Pink Jinx by Sandra Hill
(BCC)

Baited...Straitlaced Boston lawyer Veronica "Ronnie" Jinkowsky knows some-things fishy when her estranged grandfather lures her to his New Jersey treasure-hunting business with woeful takes of old age and bankruptcy. But she never expected the salty old dog to shanghai her into a hunt for pink diamonds with her poker-playing, four-time ex-husband Jake Jensen in tow.

Hooked...Betting her heart on Jake was always a losing proposition, yet just the sight of his come-hither blue eyes is still enough to melt her steely resolve. Now Ronnie's on a high seas adventure that throws together lost gems, a lost ship, and lost love-not to mention a Mafia widow, her two goons, and an elderly Cajun matchmaker.

And Going Down for the Last Time! Trapped with the man she could never learn to live with-and was never happy without-is Ronnie fated to be forever jinxed in matters of the heart?

All in all, this BCC isn't bad. It does a good job at describing the book and has no major misleading statements in it. In fact, it was because of the BCC I laid the money down. So when I finished reading it, I was glad to discover I didn't feel cheated.

Ronnie Jinkowsky has lived her life terrified of her grandfather Frank Jinkowsky. It is because of him she is terrified of the ocean, hates the smell of sea water, and is terrified of roller coasters. He is a gruff man that has never seemed to care much for her and has at times bordered on the cruel, so when suddenly he turns all of his assets over to her, including his treasure hunting business, Ronnie is suspicious, and doesn't want it. Unfortunately, the trust he set up is iron-clad, and Ronnie would know, after all, she's a tough corporate lawyer.

Determined to get to the bottom of this, Ronnie uncovers that her ex-husband Jake Jensen has just recently invested $100,000 in Jinx,Inc. Off to Atlantic City Ronnie goes to confront Jake and find out what he knows. The problem is, Ronnie and Jake aren't just divorced, they are divorced FOUR times. Ronnie has never been able to resist Jake. She loves him. She just can't live with him. He is a professional poker player, and the instability of it all has always scared Ronnie.

While in the middle of a major poker tournament, Jake spots Ronnie. During his first break he pulls her aside and finds out why she showed up now of all times. You see, Jake loves Ronnie just as much as she loves him. But like Ronnie, he doesn't see anyway they can live together. If he learnt anything from their four failed marriages, it was that they just don't work. Unfortunately, Jake wasn't ready to see her, because his heart and mind underwent the same longing they always do. And just as they start talking, Ronnie gets the surprise of her life, Jake's fiance shows up.

After running for the bathroom to be sick, Ronnie heads back to tell her Grandmother she is taking off for a few days to figure out what she is going to do with Jinx, Inc and is given an ultimatum. Leave now for your grandfather's and you have no job, and no grandmother. Well, what's a girl backed into a corner supposed to do?

Ronnie leaves and heads to Frank's to find out what he expects and finds that the old glorious house he once loved is falling apart, most of his treasures are off the walls, and her once well put together, polka-loving grandfather is wearing rags and has Don King hair. Her first instinct is to run, far,far away, after all, what has this man ever done for her? She just needs to figure out a plan first.

But Frank has a plan all his own. He knows he's been a terrible grandfather to Ronnie, and an even worse father to her dad, his son. And he's getting older and he wants to set things right between them, and if by doing so he gets her and Jake to finally grow up and stay together, well then, all the better for him, he wants a great-grandbaby from them, so he can finally do it right.

This book was hilarious. It wasn't just funny though, there were some strong emotions the characters had to deal with, and Hill tackled those feelings with true to life charm. I have only read one other book by Hill, and that was her, The Red Hot Cajun , and while I don't remember a great deal of that book, I do remember I really did enjoy it. And it was neat seeing some of the people from that book join the wacky cast of characters in this one. Tante Lulu is back, and oh man, that old lady is as funny as ever.

Another thing that really tickled my funny bone was the four marriage thing between Ronnie and Jake. Each marriage had a name, there was The Sappy Marriage, The Cowboy Marriage, The Tequila Marriage, and the Insanity Marriage. Hill incorporates the background of the marriages into the start of chapters and it works very well. You can see shades of their past and it gives the reader just enough to see the parallels to their present.

This is the first book in a new series for Hill, and I will definitely be checking out the rest of them. I'm also going to see if I can't find all the Cajun books and check them out as well.

For a fast paced, fun and touching read, I highly recommend, Jinx. It has it all, laughs, tears, and action. Oh, and some really, really, hot sexy love scenes. And let me tell you, she writes them very well!

Take Care