'Jinxed' by Inez KELLEY

From the BLURB:

Frannie learned the hard way that a McHottie doesn’t always equal marriage material. She’s happy with her vanilla life. She has friends, a career and a double-D-powered vibrator. Then Fate shoves her, literally, into Prince Charming's lap. His declaration of love at first sight is cute - and spikes her bullcrap meter into the red zone.

She's more than willing to give in with her body. But she's barricaded her heart behind castle walls - and permanently welded the gates shut.

Tragedy taught Jinx that time is too precious to waste, so when a series of uncanny coincidences thrusts Frannie into his life, he holds on tight. He knows she thinks he's several fries short of a Happy Meal, but he's determined to breach the fortress around her heart and give her a Happily Ever After.

Even if he has to carry her fanny-first into his kingdom.

Warning: Includes jelly shoes, a narcoleptic cat, and meatloaf. The steamy sex scenes may lead to fogged windows and wet panties, so proceed at your own risk. Do not attempt to read without the following items: tissues, napkins for spewed beverages, and a booty call on speed dial.

‘Jinxed’ is a contemporary romance novel from Inez Kelley.

Air-travel is stressful at the best of times, but Frannie Sullivan just had the flight from hell. As well as getting oh-so-flattering travel-hair, a crick in her neck and leg cramps, Frannie managed to pick up a stalker/nut-job at the airport. Tall, dark and wickedly handsome, Frances ‘Jinx’ Sullivan had a seat mix-up with Frannie, and from the moment he laid eyes on her decided he’d have her.

An advantageous luggage mix-up ensures the two meet up again and Jinx decides he definitely, absolutely, positively has to have Frannie for himself. A marriage proposal soon follows and Frannie is utterly creeped out (/mildly flattered).

Jinx suddenly infiltrates every aspect of Frannie’s life, and weasels his way into her heart. He’s everything she should want – handsome, loaded, caring and eager to commit. Frannie would be over the moon if it wasn’t for her horrendous first marriage that left her wary and scarred.

But Jinx has his own reasons for rushing his and Frannie’s romance, and he won’t be taking ‘no’ for an answer.

It’s hard to do justice to the storyline of ‘Jinxed’. When written down it does seem like Jinx is a crazy stalker and Frannie is succumbing to Stockholm syndrome. But that’s not it at all! Jinx and Frannie have an awkward/hilarious first meeting on the airplane, and again when there’s a luggage mix-up. Jinx quickly realizes that Frannie is the girl for him, but she’s reluctant to accept his instant infatuation. At first, readers will be like Frannie and quickly skeptical of Jinx’s attraction – after all, Jinx is smoldering and Frannie (according to her ex-husband) is a vanilla, mediocre plain-Jane. Furthermore, ‘love at first sight’ is something only seen in Fairy Tales and Richard Curtis movies. But Kelley quickly surpasses the unbelievability of the romantic situation by including a number of crazy coincidences and connections between Frannie and Jinx. Plus, later on in the novel she sheds more light on Jinx’s reason for a hasty coupling with Frannnie . . . it’s still tinged with a syrupy sweetness, but there’s an undercurrent of sadness that makes it poignant and understandable (if still outlandish).

“Who in the hell do you think you are with that arrogant, high-handed, sexually dominant crap? You know what? Never mind. I don’t care. Just leave, now!”

Jinx leaned on the door frame and chuckled, which sent her volcanic ire skyrocketing. “Damn, you’re feisty. I'm going to marry you, know that?”

“And I'm going to commit you. Now out of my house, fruit loop!”

The novel is told from both Jinx and Frannie’s point-of-view. Frannie’s is sometimes a hard slog. She’s got little to no self-esteem, thanks to a five-year marriage that left her ruined and shame-faced – she’s constantly in a state of flux between lusting for and being skeptical of Jinx and his affections. But I quite liked that Frannie was battling body insecurities, and that she didn’t feel that she was enough for Jinx. It meant that the romance was all about Jinx affirming his feelings for Frannie and showing her how much he loves her . . . it was so nice to read a man fight for his girl. To know he wants her, and do anything to get her. ‘Jinxed’ is literally a modern fairytale, but instead of slaying dragons Jinx is slaying Frannie’s inner demons.

Having read Inez Kelley’s ‘Sweet as Sin’ and LOVED it, I knew she could write a whopper of a sex scene. She brings it again in ‘Jinxed’ – smoldering smut that is made all the sexier for the heady emotional complications between Frannie and Jinx. The sex is great because you know that by the time Jinx and Frannnie do get together, they have well and truly reached a point of connection and trust that makes the sex all the sweeter.

Inez Kelley is fast becoming a must-read author for me. She writes contemporary romances that are a winning combination of thoughtful, titillating and tender.

5/5