About the Book:
Island Chaptal — nerdy IT engineer by day, romance novel junkie by night — just walked into her messy New York apartment to find Mr. Right waiting for her. No, wait… Mr. Clean.
A gentleman professional killer with a bad case of OCD and zero tolerance for unsorted laundry, March isn’t there to kill her… yet. He wants the diamond her late mother stole for a sinister criminal organization. Island agrees to help him find it, facing the kind of adversaries who dismember first and ask questions later. Good thing she’s got March to show her the ropes. And the guns. And the knives.
The buttoned-up Island is soon having a blast racing from Paris to Tokyo following the clues in her mother’s will, and for the first time, she’s ready to get close to someone. But falling for a hit man may be the very definition of loving dangerously.…
Spotless marks the beginning of Island and March’s ongoing adventures.
4.5 Stars!!
Fantastic and refreshing and SO creative! The narrator Amy McFadden was fabulous. I have a new obsession and her name is Camilla Monk.
“Here’s one secret no one will tell you about getting laid after a date. DON’T TALK. Most girls blame either their looks or excessive timidity for their virginity. This is only true to an extent. These girls are also horribly annoying.”
—Aurelia Nichols & Jillie Bean, 101 Tips to Lose Your Virginity after 25”
Yes, the author begins each chapter with a parody of a romance novel because our adorable heroine Island is a romance junkie. I literally laughed out loud at the beginning of each chapter! What a creative twist! Now on to the plot.
March is a suave, handsome professional who breaks into Island’s apartment searching for a rare diamond that her mother stole many years ago. Oh, and March has OCD. I was hooked! March literally organizes Island’s messy apartment while holding her prisoner, much to her obvious dismay. And confusion.
“My knees buckled when I opened my underwear drawer–neatly folded and sorted by fricking color. March. I made damn sure I messed my stuff back into complete chaos while I fished for a bra and a pair of panties. This was a question of honor.”
I read and listen to a lot of books and ‘Spotless’ is an absolute delight. I already started listening to ‘Beating Ruby’ which is saying a LOT seeing as a I have a fairly short attention span for book series.
‘Spotless’ is one of those rare books that is smart, funny, sarcastic AND romantic. Yes, it is a story of a hitman and a virgin (the author’s own words!) but it is also a fast-paced romantic suspense story with nuanced characters, exotic locales and very flawed main characters.
“I’m sorry for being a little tense, Island. I suppose I’m not used to having guests in the front seat. My clients usually ride in the trunk, you know.”
March is exceedingly well-mannered and it is isn’t long before Island falls in love with this quirky professional hitman with his own code of honor. The story literally takes place all over the globe following clues left behind of Island’s mother. March obviously has a tender side but he is a dangerous man and doesn’t allow Island to grow too close to him. And she is still trying to figure out how to lose her V-card.
“I had sometimes met guys who looked like they worked out a lot; however, overly conservative social boundaries had restrained me from tearing their shirts open in public to check the goods.”
I feel like I have stumbled onto a treasure chest with the Spotless series. Why is Camilla Monk not a household word?? AND WHY HASN’T THIS SERIES BEEN MADE INTO A MOVIE YET? Or at least a mini-series. The characters are all unique, quirky and self-deprecating. While the reader is required to suspend disbelief in some parts, overall this is an addictive story with a top-notch narrator. Who, by the way, must speak several different languages throughout the book.
I highly recommend this fun book for both the unique cast of characters and yes, even for the chapter headings. Each one is a gem. I am looking forward to bingeing on this entire series!
