Highly Implausible Plot Line? Who Cares When It's So Totally Entertaining?

 

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Note:  While this review will not contain spoilers for Mormon Girl: Incognito, it may inadvertently reveal plot surprises from its predecessor, A Date With Danger.  As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.

Eight months ago, Jacklyn "Jack" Wyatt was just your average college co-ed.  Then, she got involved in an FBI sting operation, fell in love with special agent Damon Wade, and almost died during the rescue of a kidnapping victim.  Jack's undercover FBI gig ended in flames (literally) and now she's back to her boring old mall job.  On the plus side, Damon's a thoughtful, devoted boyfriend who makes Jack's heart skip several beats every time she sees him.  On the not-so plus side, he's evasive about his job, his family, his membership in the Church, and about his true feelings for his very patient girlfriend.  

When Damon travels to Las Vegas on business, Jack comes up with a brilliant plan to reignite their romance.  Unfortunately, her surprise visit to the Strip doesn't quite go according to plan.  Instead, she finds herself in the middle of another FBI operation, this time posing as a ruthless gunrunner.  Determined to protect Damon and his team by playing her part to perfection, Jack must trip her way (on stilettos, no less) through a world so unfamiliar it might as well be Mars.  To convince a crew of hardened thugs that she's a fearsome international arms dealers, Jack will have to fake her way through casino games, weapons demonstrations, and dangerous negotiations with the highest rollers in Vegas.  A tall order for a Utah native who's never played poker or held a gun and thinks bluffing is pretty much a mortal sin.  What's a good little Mormon girl to do?  

With Damon by her side, Jack knows she'll be safe.  Ish.  But when he reveals some shocking secrets about his past, she no longer knows whom to trust.  If she gets out of Vegas alive, the pair's going to have some serious DTR'ing to do ...

So, you know how LDS romantic suspense really isn't my jam?  While that hasn't changed, I have become a fan of Kari Iroz who happens to write ... wait for it ... LDS romantic suspense.  I know!  Whodathunkit?  The thing that I like about her books, A Date With Danger and its sequel, Mormon Girl: Incognito, is that they don't take themselves too seriously.  They're rom-coms more than anything else.  Our heroine, Jack Wyatt, is hilarious.  She's a funny, vulnerable, self-deprecating Everywoman who's impossible not to like.  Damon has less personality, but he's got hidden depths that I hope will be explored more in further novels (I'm keeping my fingers crossed for many more installments in this series).  Even more so than A Date With Danger, the happenings in Mormon Girl: Incognito are highly implausible; even still, they're totally entertaining.  I very willingly suspended my disbelief so I could follow along on Jack's misadventures in Vegas and, you know what?  No regrets.  I had a great time tearing through this fun, lighthearted novel.  Sure, it's far-fetched, but who cares when it's such an enjoyable read?  If you dig clean romantic comedy/suspense with a light sprinkling of LDS doctrine/culture, then you really ought to check out Jack Wyatt.  She's a gem.  

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of A Date With Danger by Kari Iroz and of the movie Miss Congeniality)

Grade:

 

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

 

for mild sexual innuendo, scenes of peril, and references to illegal activities 

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Mormon Girl: Incognito from the generous folks at Covenant.  Thank you!

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Want more opinions on Mormon Girl: Incognito?  Check out the other stops on its blog tour:

*June 19th: http://mybookaday.blogspot.com/

*June 20th: http://bonnieharris.blogspot.com/, http://gettingyourreadonaimeebrown.blogspot.com/

*June 21st: http://melsshelves.blogspot.com/, http://ilovetoreadandreviewbooks.blogspot.com/, http://rockinbookreviews.com/, http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com/, http://empowermoms.net/

*June 22nd: https://ldsandlovinit.blogspot.com/, http://lisaisabookworm.blogspot.com/, http://sweetlymadejustforyou.com/, http://katiescleanbookcollection.blogspot.com/, http://www.wishfulendings.com/

*June 23rd: http://minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com/, http://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/, http://literarytimeout.blogspot.com/, http://booksaresanity.blogspot.com/, http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/  

Please note:  My review was posted late.  Also, the giveaway associated with this blog tour has ended.