The Thing About Love (FBI/US Attorney #7) by Julie James is another enjoyable romance by this author, even though this one seems a little more on the lighthearted side. It’s a very character driven novel with a lot of dialogue, and not much shoot em up action. This is also a reunion story of sorts, even though the hero and heroine don’t have much if a positive opinion towards one another because of their interactions in the past. But these two unlikely people come together again to work undercover on a case that deals with bribery. They must put aside their differences to catch the bad guy. When they do, they become excellent partners, both in and out the bedroom.

Jessica was once a lawyer turned FBI agent. She is newly divorced from her Hollywood producer husband who never really understood her job. She has now moved on, and is excited to work a new case. But she’s in for more surprises when she finds out she must team up John, who she knew six years ago. She and John both trained together. Their relationship then was not on the best terms. She felt John was cocky and a know it all who thought she was a cupcake and couldn’t make it in the program. John never meant to offend her because he was insanely attracted to her. But they went their separate ways. John is also getting over a bad relationship- he found his girlfriend in bed with one of his close friends. An undercover assignment is just what he needs, even though Jessica is there to push his buttons.

Jessica and John are professionals, so they try to keep their feelings about one another to themselves. Through flashbacks, we see how these two first met and why they couldn’t stand one another. As they fall deeper into their assignment, which isn’t that dangerous or scary, they decided they have a lot more in common that they first thought. As they reach common ground, their respect for one another grows, which turns into something more deeper and sexual.

The Thing About Love is a strange title for this story, including the cover, which doesn’t fit because this romance is heavy on the FBI atmosphere even though the concentration is one Jessica and John bonding. These two are very smart, independent and hard working. They are equals in every way, which makes for a nice read, especially because they have great chemistry together. The love scenes fit the tone of the book, even though they aren’t too graphic or seductive. The joy in reading is watching the action unfold as Jessica and John try to take down their man.

Reading a Julie James’ novel is always a pleasing experience. The Thing About Love has many things to enjoy here, including a whip smart sexy heroine who not only makes the hero hum with satisfaction, but gives him a peace of mind because she is the special gift he once lost and found again. A great second chance at love for these two undercover agents.

It’s actually been a loooong while since I’d read a Julie James book, but something about this one sparked my interest, so I picked it up. Good choice, Past Jen!

Jessica Harlow (which, incidentally, is a super cool name for a heroine, no?) recently transferred to the Chicago FBI office. Her first case is to go undercover posing as an investor to catch a corrupt politician. The problem is, she’s paired with John Shepherd, her arch rival from the FBI Academy. John has been groomed to join the ultra-elite Hostage Rescue Team since he was first recruited to the FBI, but he’s been dragging his feet on applying. When his current relationship blows up at the start of the book, he decides it’s time to finally to do what he was groomed for and sign up for HRT. Jessica wants her first case in the new office to be a success to impress her new colleagues, and John wants to go out with a win. The problem is, neither one can stand the other. They have to figure out how to put aside their differences, and a pesky case of attraction, to get the job done.

I really loved the “he said, she said” premise of the conflict in this book. While Jessica and John share a history, they definitely did NOT experience that history in the same way! Hearing them each tell their own version of their time at the Academy was funny and very illuminating. Jessica obviously had a bit of a chip on her shoulder, but it felt very justified because she was a woman in a world dominated by hot shot men. She had to be tough, and it’s easy to see how that would make her seem standoffish and unapproachable. John has a very different take on the situation, and to him he was just trying to be friendly while she was the one being condescending. For example, both Jessica and John recall an incident from their very first meeting, where John makes a jokey comment and winks at Jessica. He meant it as a friendly, welcoming introduction, with no other agenda. She interpreted it as flirting and patronizing her. Yes, Jessica seems harsh in that scene, but to me it was such a clear example of how a man might not even consider that a gesture like a wink could seem off putting to a woman used to dealing with misogyny and harassment. For his part, John tries to be open and friendly with Jessica, until she starts obviously competing with him, which triggers his own insecurities about being all brawn and no brain. Both of them had perfectly understandable interpretations of the past, and both of them were very wrong about the other.

As usual, James does a wonderful job making the investigation details seem realistic. Jessica and John are both scarily good at their jobs, and both act like actual investigators would act (or at least how I imagine they would act!). While there’s a little bit of light action at the end, for the most part this book is all about the well-planned white collar investigation, not shoot-em-up high stakes battles. What James does so well, though, is blend the competent job performance and the intriguing personal relationship into an engaging story you want to keep reading.

There were a few missteps, though. First, I felt like the conflict with John’s friends and the kerfuffle over his girlfriend never really went anywhere. There was never any real resolution there, so I didn’t quite understand the point. Also, John leaving to do HRT seemed a little forced. I mean, that was sort of the point because he clearly was clearly conflicted, but I felt like his conflict went on a little too long. I also wanted Jessica to be more honest with John. Some of the end drama would have been resolved by both John and Jessica just having a solid conversation earlier, instead of dragging out the angst.

Still, this story had a unique perspective and characters I liked getting to know.

Grade: 4 out of 5

I didn't realise before requesting this title that it is a part of the series. So I don't think I can enjoy it fully without reading the prior books in the series. Hence, I am not reviewing the title.

I wasn't able to get into this one. I tried until 14% and decided it just wasn't for me. Thank you for the opportunity to read this title.

The thing about this is that I thought it was romantic and sexy. I adored both John and Jessica and I was rooting for them from the very first page.

While I definitely enjoyed my experience reading this book, there are some issues with pacing and character development in the middle that left me wanting just a bit more.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this title. Unfortunately I didn't connect to this particular story and didn't continue. As I didn't finish, I won't be reviewing the title as we don't review DNF's on the blog. I've adored the previous works of this author and look forward to reading more titles from her.

FBI agent Jessica Harlow likes her job and wants to be the best. From the early days of her training, she’s been trying to overcompensate for her diminutive size and any perceptions of weakness because she’s a woman. Agent John Shepherd came through her same class at Quantico. Always at odds for top marks, they became bitter rivals.

Years later, they end up in the same field office and get assigned to the same case. They will have to work to put aside their competitive natures if they are to collaborate successfully. With the focus on the operation, the story has a substance in what would otherwise just be a fluffy romance of rekindled passions. James gives us a lot of context for their history and relationship which added a depth that improved it. The banter and wit James is known for, like, “She who nearly climbeth the man like a tree must owneth it” rounds out the corners and makes this a strong addition to her FBI/US Attorney series.

I wish we had had the chance to see John in action. He’s basically a superhero without the cape. James doesn’t take advantage of the character she’s created to show off his mad skills. I also took issue with the ending. She wrapped it up with a tidy bow, but before getting there, her own character, Jessica offers up an alternative ending. Frankly, I liked that one better. As usual, the families James creates around her characters are wonderful and I enjoyed their intrusions into the storylines. They make these overachievers relatable to the rest of us ordinary humans. Even though there are things I would change, I can definitely say I liked this book.

My Rating: B, Liked It

It’s actually been a loooong while since I’d read a Julie James book, but something about this one sparked my interest, so I picked it up. Good choice, Past Jen!

Jessica Harlow (which, incidentally, is a super cool name for a heroine, no?) recently transferred to the Chicago FBI office. Her first case is to go undercover posing as an investor to catch a corrupt politician. The problem is, she’s paired with John Shepherd, her arch rival from the FBI Academy. John has been groomed to join the ultra-elite Hostage Rescue Team since he was first recruited to the FBI, but he’s been dragging his feet on applying. When his current relationship blows up at the start of the book, he decides it’s time to finally to do what he was groomed for and sign up for HRT. Jessica wants her first case in the new office to be a success to impress her new colleagues, and John wants to go out with a win. The problem is, neither one can stand the other. They have to figure out how to put aside their differences, and a pesky case of attraction, to get the job done.

I really loved the “he said, she said” premise of the conflict in this book. While Jessica and John share a history, they definitely did NOT experience that history in the same way! Hearing them each tell their own version of their time at the Academy was funny and very illuminating. Jessica obviously had a bit of a chip on her shoulder, but it felt very justified because she was a woman in a world dominated by hot shot men. She had to be tough, and it’s easy to see how that would make her seem standoffish and unapproachable. John has a very different take on the situation, and to him he was just trying to be friendly while she was the one being condescending. For example, both Jessica and John recall an incident from their very first meeting, where John makes a jokey comment and winks at Jessica. He meant it as a friendly, welcoming introduction, with no other agenda. She interpreted it as flirting and patronizing her. Yes, Jessica seems harsh in that scene, but to me it was such a clear example of how a man might not even consider that a gesture like a wink could seem off putting to a woman used to dealing with misogyny and harassment. For his part, John tries to be open and friendly with Jessica, until she starts obviously competing with him, which triggers his own insecurities about being all brawn and no brain. Both of them had perfectly understandable interpretations of the past, and both of them were very wrong about the other.

As usual, James does a wonderful job making the investigation details seem realistic. Jessica and John are both scarily good at their jobs, and both act like actual investigators would act (or at least how I imagine they would act!). While there’s a little bit of light action at the end, for the most part this book is all about the well-planned white collar investigation, not shoot-em-up high stakes battles. What James does so well, though, is blend the competent job performance and the intriguing personal relationship into an engaging story you want to keep reading.

There were a few missteps, though. First, I felt like the conflict with John’s friends and the kerfuffle over his girlfriend never really went anywhere. There was never any real resolution there, so I didn’t quite understand the point. Also, John leaving to do HRT seemed a little forced. I mean, that was sort of the point because he clearly was clearly conflicted, but I felt like his conflict went on a little too long. I also wanted Jessica to be more honest with John. Some of the end drama would have been resolved by both John and Jessica just having a solid conversation earlier, instead of dragging out the angst.

Still, this story had a unique perspective and characters I liked getting to know.

Grade: 4 out of 5

Julie James is a must read author for me. While her novels feature law enforcement and lawyers, the steamy romance is always front and center. This tale of two agents who get under each other skins placed together undercover was a delight!

Her eyes widened. “Ooh… was it hate sex? I’ve always wanted to have hate sex.”

The Thing About Love by Julie James unquestionably ranks as one of my favorite audios I’ve listened to this year! It stars two FBI agents in a sweet, funny, light-hearted, believable, seductive, well-written done-right story line . It’s an enemies-to-lovers trope tale and it’s hot… and sexy… and funny… and, well, just gloriously perfect! Even though this is the seventh book in the author’s FBI/US Attorney series, this installment - like the other books in this series - works entirely well as a stand alone, if that is your preference.

This is the story of Jessica Harlow and John Shepherd. They first meet at the Quantico FBI training facility where the two are highly competitive and quickly draw wrong first impressions of each other. After graduation, they happily go their separate ways expecting never to see the other again.

Fast forward to six years later as they find themselves both assigned to the Chicago office as partners on a high profile undercover case located in Jacksonville. Thank goodness, they are both professionals and their personal feelings for each other will not be factors as they work their case. If you believe that, I have land for sale in the middle of a yet-to-be-discovered ocean.

Jessica and John are written excellently! They are each likable and genuine. Both are driven to excel in whatever they do. Jessica is newly divorced and looking for a fresh start in the Chicago FBI office. John has recently separated from his long-time girlfriend after discovering her cheating on him with his best friend. Actually, they could each write a book on relationship hard knocks. Their constant need to compete with each other makes for some highly entertaining laugh-out-loud moments. Their chemistry is fantastic and their witty banter is both giggly and swoony. Julie has written this story alternating their viewpoints so readers get the inside track inside their heads. I couldn’t get enough of watching them interact from the sidelines.

It was a truly tough job to pick a few favorite quotes from this listen as the whole book qualified. But, I persisted and honed my choices down to just a few. Just know that there are a slew more where these came from.:

“Since you’re obviously in need of something to do, instead of shouting at me through this whole drill, isn’t there some tree you could fell with your bare hands, or a boulder somewhere that needs tossing?”
---
“I have a slight oral fixation.”
---
He growled low in his throat. “I don’t think I can do this the nice way, Jessica.”
---
“When do you leave?” she asked.
His fingers paused. “Labor Day weekend.”
So soon. Only two and a half weeks away. She nodded, going for a joke. “Good. That’s about when I was planning on getting sick of you, anyway.”
“Pfft. I’m already counting down the minutes until I can make my escape from this room.”
“It’s your room.”

Karen White is one of my favorite narrators. I’m ecstatic that she’s narrating this series. Not surprisingly, she aces every aspect of The Thing About Love! She nails the personality of both main characters with authentic, consistent and realistic-sounding male and female voices. Her pacing couldn’t be better. The end product is polished and professional. I literally could not put this audio down and I’m sure those around me on a pedestrian bridge that I frequently walk wondered what was going on as I burst out laughing at the hilarious banter throughout. I further confess to listening to some of this audio in my hot garage because I didn’t want to hit stop. Karen’s performance, without a doubt, added to my enjoyment of this read. If you are an audiophile, I would highly recommend that you elect to listen to The Thing About Love. Julie and Karen are a pairing made in heaven!

I sure wish Julie could write faster as I can’t get enough of her books! I absolutely adored this book and would listen to it again. If you are looking for a highly suspenseful read, don’t pick it up. But, if you enjoy sexy, feel-good contemporary romances with just the right amount of angst, do yourself a favor and check out The Thing About Love!



Suggested Reading Order:
SOMETHING ABOUT YOU (Book #1)
A LOT LIKE LOVE (Book #2)
ABOUT THAT NIGHT (Book #3)
LOVE IRRESISTIBLY, (Book #4)
IT HAPPENED ONE WEDDING (Book #5)
SUDDENLY ONE SUMMER (Book #6)
THE THING ABOUT LOVE (Book #7)

Can you believe this is my first Julie James book? I'm almost embarrassed to admit that. What I'm not ashamed to admit, however, is how much I enjoyed The Thing About Love. I don't know that I could've picked a more perfect book to introduce me to Julie's writing. It had everything — fantastic characters with insane chemistry, super sexy (and sweet) times and a little bit of suspense. 

I enjoyed Jessica and John so much! I'm a sucker for a hate-to-love story, so I was down with this one before I even started reading it. These two gave great banter and sexual tension. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about them getting to know each other and getting over their spotty past from when they were in the Academy. They made one heck of a team — in and out of the bedroom — and it made the book that much more fun to read. 

I do know this much — this won't be my last Julie James book. I have every intention of attacking her backlist ASAP. 

FAVORITE QUOTES

There are few greater bonds than that between a man and the guy—or girl—who will be standing next to him if the shit hits the fan.

Although, for the record, she noted that his facial scruff was quickly approaching that fine line between dirty-hot and "MAN LOST AT SEA, SURVIVES ON KELP AND RAINWATER FOR THREE WEEKS!"

"Just to clarify, are you trying to get under my skin as much as possible, or is it simply an inherent talent of yours?"

"Why weren't we doing this six years ago?"
"Because you didn't like me six years ago."

"I love when you're on the edge like this. You're so goddamn sweet. So mine."

Such a fun flirty book! Julie James has turned into a must read for me! The characters, the plot, all of it adds up to a great read!

I was expecting to like this more than I did, considering how much I've enjoyed other works by James. I was hoping for a stronger hero out of Jessica, especially considering the FBI plot of the book. I was surprised at how unengaged I was with John, he never seemed to fully flesh out as a character. Three stars for this one, but I will look for more by James in the future!

The Thing About Love is Julie James' newest book and it is my absolute favorite of all the books she has written!

Julie James really never puts a foot wrong. Her characters are smart people and try to do the right thing. This is another winner!

OMG, absolutely loved. Julie James hasn't written anything I haven't liked, but this one? Blew all of the others out of the water! The dynamic between Jessica and John was fantastic, whether they were in their earlier antagonistic phase (or was it antagonistic? Poor John, LOL) or their reluctant let's-make-the-best-of-this-op phase, or their OMG these two are setting the pages on fire phase, they are absolutely fantastic together. If you like romantic suspense that's high on the romance and snark and does a decent job with the suspense, you can't go wrong with Julie James!

(I got a NetGalley copy, but actually listened to the audio from Audible because I love the narrator. She does a fantastic job every time--definitely worth the expense!)

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A

Seriously... Julie James could put out any story and I'd probably love it. She writes with intellect, heat, and enough heartfelt emotion that she can't help but fall in love with each character.

DNF. I couldn't get past the first few chapters. The characters voices just wouldn't settle for me.

As this was my first Julie James book, I was really enjoying the tension between the two characters and the profession of both characters, but for some reason it wasn't keeping my attention. Every time I'd pick it up, I'd end up putting it down a few pages later. It was very well-written and had great multi-dimensional characters, but there was just no spark. Unfortunately, I never made it through the novel after trying again weeks later. It certainly could have just been where I was during the times I tried to read it, and I'll be giving it another go, or another of hers, in the future.