Member Reviews

Very funny, cozy mystery about one nice, albeit a bit clueless female FBI agent dipping her fingers in the case of forged art (and maybe more).
Serena Jones is lucky to be an object of several (more or less) hot guys's affection - and maybe having a feisty Aunt Martha as her too eager sidekick, too - because without them she would be a serious case of damsel in distress (and maybe a corpse, too). Luckily, while she is no Sherlock Holmes, she is sweet and very funny in a self-deprecating way, so I forgive her and this novel the lack of serious sleuthing and I am enjoying this coyzy, humorous series quite a lot. Because there is a nice human factor included - Serena's mother wishing for grandchildren (while staying grounded), Aunt Martha who would give any tough guy a run for his money and a couple of interested guys in Nate (meh) and Tanner (yeah!), not to mention Billy the Bad Boy cousin (who actually is my favourite guy in the series).
And Harold the cat.

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Another Day Another Dali is book two in the Serena Jones series and a great addition. Serena is a hoot. I love her quirkiness and the woman does find a way to get herself into the most interesting predicaments and of course, getting herself out of them is always entertaining.
As she hunts down art forgers, Serena inadvertently digs up truths about her grandfather’s cold case. Old hurts and perceived actions are in desperate need of clarification in her family. Serena is caught between two men who are helpful and cute. And if her mother gets her way, they’ll be on the Husband To Be list. If only Serena agreed.
I loved this story and especially Aunt Martha. She’s always fun. Sandra Orchard once again delivers a great mystery filled with suspense and a dash of romance.

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This is the first book of Sandra Orchard's I've read. Why haven't I read her books sooner?!?! This book is a delightful read, even if it is told in first person POV which I generally tend to avoid.

The plot of a missing Dali, multiple forged masterpieces being located, a couple of murders, and quite a few explosions is sure to keep the pages turning.

The dialogue is quirky and funny. Serena is a riot and her honesty is so refreshing. I'm not a fan of love triangles, so my patience was a bit tried while watching her interact with both Nate and Tanner in similar fashion, getting heart flutters and stomach flips with both of the men. Choose one already!! And let some other deserving woman of Serena's acquaintance snag the other worthy man! Totally unfair that this woman has two wonderful heroes in her back pocket and doesn't want to give up either one! Or so it seems.....

Tanner is your stereotypical SWAT FBI special agent. Tall, handsome, loyal, sworn to protect.....
Nate is a bit more complicated - compassionate, lovable, handsome, handy with repairs around the apartments, aficionado of old movies and art....
I guess I'll have to wait for the next installment of Serena Jones mystery to figure out whom she'll choose.

The secondary characters of Aunt Martha and her Italian "mobster" quasi-boyfriend are a bit over the top and clearly not totally realistic but they add to the quirky humor of the book and Serena's crazy out-of-control life.

Now I must go backward in time to read A Fool and His Monet. This book explained the gist of the first book since there were so many details that stemmed from the storyline of the first book. Still, reading the first book will likely give me a better foundation at understanding the characters as I eagerly await Over Maya Dead Body to release soon.

I was given ARC of the book by Revell via NetGalley. I was not required to give a favorable review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

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I just like Serena Jones. She's such a great main character, even if she drives me a little crazy sometimes! She's a study of contrasts- tenacious yet tender, keeps her romantic interests at "friends status" but has a secret hope to marry one day and raise a family. The mystery plot is set at a quick pace throughout the novel as Serena works the clues of two cases that overlap. Tanner, Nate, and Aunt Martha all help in various ways and provide an interesting dynamic. I can't wait for the next Serena Jones mystery!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

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This is the 2nd book in a fun series with a quirky heroine who is involved in the world of art theft all while trying to figure out the mystery behind her Grandfather's murder.
I truly love the concept of this series but get a little tired of the heroine and the guys that seem to fall at her feet, it is really hard to relate to her and she doesn't come across as super realistic. At least the writing style is engaging and witty at times so it makes the book bearable, I just wish there was more of a connection with the main characters.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

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I love this series! First of all, I have a thing about specialist law enforcement. I have no idea why, but I do. So the fact that Serena Jones is an FBI agent who investigates art fraud is an immediate draw card for me. But what has really taken me by surprise with this series is the character of Serena Jones herself —not to mention her supporting cast: Aunt Martha, the wannabe detective; Harvey, the duly self-entitled cat; and of course we can't leave out fellow FBI officer Tanner, and Nate, the superintendent of Serena’s apartment complex. Never have I been so torn over which guy a character should end up with!

The suspense in these novels has been great. It's fast-paced (in that there is always something happening), and the plot is an intricate tangle of clues, suspicions, and action that really keeps you hopping. When it comes to the romance, I am normally wary of a series that follows the same character— and therefore stretches the romance across the series—but the tension has been simmering away nicely, just below the surface, and everyone except Serena can see the water is slowly reaching boiling point! I think part of the reason it is working so well is that the novel is written entirely from Serena’s point of view (in the first person), which means that much of the romantic tension is in the subtext. I’m a big fan of romantic subtext!

Last, but not least, I love Serena’s dry ‘voice’ and sense of humour. She might be a trained FBI agent, but she has no delusions of grandeur. She’s refreshingly ordinary, down-to-earth, and unpretentious, and she and Tanner really do bounce off each other well when it comes to their banter. There is something very natural about their rapport, in spite of (or perhaps, because of!) the latent romantic tension. And although the characters definitely take their job seriously, there is a wry, ‘take-it-in-their-stride’ feel to the way they respond to whatever comes their way—the mishaps, the interfering family, AND the intense moments!

If you’re looking for a romantic suspense series that will keep you hooked and make you laugh along the way, I strong recommend you introduce yourself to Serena Jones!

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http://www.terristeffes.com/2016/10/october-reads.html

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Another Day Another Dali has the earmarks of a cozy mystery like quirky characters and hilarious situations but it also has a serious storyline that lends to the mystery designation. This is the second book in the series and I enjoyed it even more than the first.

Serena Jones is a special agent with the FBI and she works in the art theft division. She is located in the St. Louis area so it was fun to read about familiar landmarks and be able to clearly visualize what was going on. Her family, especially her Nana and her aunt, are priceless additions to the cast of characters.

As I said earlier this book tends to lean towards a cozy mystery but it goes much deeper in the plot than a regular cozy does. In fact I'm quite pleased with the twists and turns that this story took. There are several suspects with ample motive but in the end it turns out to have unexpected entanglements that give the story depth.

In my opinion this isn't really a stand alone title. The first book A Fool and His Monet has a completely different mystery to solve. What connects the two stories is the characters and the unsolved murder of Serena's grandfather. That particular murder also involves an art theft so Serena is continually trying to use her resources to bring closure and solve the crime. If you skip the first book I don't think you'll get a really good grasp of all the underlying nuances that are taking place between the characters.

Another Day Another Dali is a quick read but worth every one of those minutes. Aside from the obvious mystery there is also an ongoing romantic triangle playing out between Serena and her apartment super Nate and her friend and trainer Tanner. For the record I'm on team Tanner! I look forward to the next installment to finally find out all the details in her grandfather's murder and to see who she winds up with. I recommend this book (and series) to anyone looking for a light read that is full of funny people and situations.

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