Review: Playing With Fire - Gena Showalter

Playing With Fire – Gena Showalter

Grade: A+

Author: Gena Showalter

Series: Tales of An Extraordinary Girl #1

Publication: Harlequin Books (September 1^st, 2006)

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Format: Mass-Market Paperback, 379 pages

Earth, Wind & Fire aren't just a band anymore . . .

Used to be my greatest achievement was holding a job more than three days. Now suddenly I can shoot fireballs, chill your drink, or blow-dry your hair at fifty paces with a blink of my eye!

It all started when this crazy scientist dropped something in my Grande Mocha Latte. Of course I got wicked sick. Next morning I'm waking up with this total hottie bending over me. He tells me 1)his name's Rome Masters, 2)he's a government agent and 3)I can control the four elements with a thought.

He seems even less pleased by my (apparently irreversible) transformation than I am . . . Because now he'll have to kill me.

I gravitate toward paranormal romances, and I first read this book years ago when it came out; but it’s the kind of book you reread often. It’s hilarious, well-written, passionate, fast-paced and highly enjoyable.

24-year-old Belle Jamison isn’t having a good time. She works like crazy to support her father, who worked himself nearly to death when she was a teenager to give her nice things. But, she can’t seem to hold a job for longer than a couple weeks. Everything changes when a strange man runs into her cafe ranting about being in danger and leaves behind a small gift...a formula in her mocha latte that changes her from a normal woman into a four-element wielding marvel-esqe hero.

Enter Rome Masters. He’s the sexy-as-hell agent sent in to neutralize the danger Belle now poses to society; but finds he can’t do it due to:

A)     Being madly attracted to her; and

B)      Knowing that if he kills her he leaves her father on the streets.

So, what follows is a delightful rush of hot, hot passion; daring escapes, plenty of bad-guy action, and charming witty characters.

What I loved:

·         The chemistry between Belle & Rome, there’s never a moment you’re not aware of the attraction, and the back and forth banter is delightful; it leaps off the page

·         Tanner, a horny recently orphaned teenager who wears Crazy 8 Ball contacts and  dyes his hair blue. He helps Belle out and becomes something of an honorary team member. He’s hilarious and adorable; I want a Tanner for myself

·         Rome. Big, dark, sexy jungle-cat man. Enough said

·         Belle. She is the perfect romance heroine. She’s sassy, smart, mouthy, not above using her ‘girls’ to charm her way out of trouble, and still caring and emotional. What I love about Belle is she never slips into absolute stupidity, and even though she’s madly attracted to Rome she never disregards the danger she’s in due to her hormones. I love that she wasn’t sweet as cherry pie; but was never a ‘Sassy Sue’ and annoying.

·         The action. There’s a very real danger for Belle from enemy agents who want to recruit her—against her will if necessary. Pretty-Boy Vincent is chilling and smart, an excellent villain who is never over-the-top mwahaha evil; but is evil enough to make him believable.

Overall: a wonderful, wonderful book. It will stay on bookshelf forever.

Cover: I’m not sold on the UK cover. While I like the use of colour, I don’t like the positioning or the expression of the model. She’s very pretty; but doesn’t match Belle’s character at all; the expression is too soft and almost gentle; and the way she hold out the fireball in her palm isn’t at all like Belle’s fiery disposition. She’s more likely to be throwing it. nonetheless, it’s a pretty, attractive cover; I just don’t think it fairly depicts the character’s personality. 6/10.

The American cover I like much more. The model is still very attractive, but in a much less delicate way than the UK one. As well, I love the wildness of her curls, and the stubborn hand on her jutting hip. The expression is priceless; she’s saying to whoever she’s looking at ‘you are two seconds away from literally having your pants on fire’. I also find the use of the swirled font and bright flames surrounding her to be very dynamic and interesting as a cover. 10/10.