Review: Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Kelly Martin

    

Synopsis:

Nancy Corbin makes a living screwing with the minds of Nashville's less than upstanding men.

As the owner of the underground business, Once Bitten, Nancy makes it her mission to give scorned women the justice they deserve. She lures in the man who has wronged her client, flatters him with her considerable charms, then strikes.

It's only business.

Until the ex-girlfriend of tabloid-proclaimed Romeo, Chad Harris, comes in. According to the ex, Chad is the worst Nancy has ever had the pleasure of manipulating. However, after their first encounter, Nancy isn't so sure.

As business becomes pleasure, will Nancy be able to finish the deal? Or will Chad prove to be more of a challenge than she ever realized?

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1989: ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY is part of the Love in the 80s: A New Adult Mix romance series. It is a stand-alone novella.

Don't miss the other Love in the 80s titles:
1980: You Shook Me All Night Long by Casey Bond
1981: Jessie's Girl by Lindy Zart
1982: Maneater by Cambria Hebert
1983: Cruel Summer by Amber Lynn Natusch
1984: Against All Odds by Rebecca Yarros
1985: Careless Whisper by Misty Provencher
1986: Why Can't This Be Love by R.K. Ryals
1987: (How Do I Get You) Alone by Cameo Renae
1988: Need You Tonight by Rachel Higginson

Review: Rating-5
You know the saying, nothing is ever what it seems. Nancy runs a quiet business, Once Bitten, where she gets revenge on the men who have scorned women. The business is discreet, quiet, and tame. Nancy might go on a date and set the guy up for a bit of embarrassment, or puts him in a sticky situation, nothing to raise too many eyebrows, just enough to make the scorned women happy and the man to feel a bit of regret. She uses this business to pay for college and stay afloat.

Some people might argue that I'm taking advantage of these poor souls in their state of weakness. I say, if they want to pay me, who am I to be their moral compass?

Nancy gets a call from a woman named Dana to help her get revenge on her ex. This time it's not a tame revenge the woman wants, she wants her ex to pay royally. In return Dana will pay Nancy enough money so she can finish out college.

I could retire on a beach with a drink and a cabana boy making my every dream come true.

The problem is, the man Nancy is hired to get revenge on is a celebrity playboy always in the tabloids. He's richer than sin, flaunts his money off, flaunts his good looks off.

     "Did you notice that before or after you knocked me down?" I have yet to take his hand. I have yet to figure out what he's doing here.
     "Before. I noticed your big brown eyes after I knocked you down."
     Smooth, dude. Real smooth.

The book has so many hilarious one-liners that are notorious in Kelly Martin's novels.

My hair isn't as close to Heaven as Amy's, but I'm knocking on Heaven's door.

In the end we have a college girl just trying to get by in a business that leaves her thinking love isn't real. A job with a rich play boy who is too darn good looking for his own good. And a huge decision to make that could make or break a girl full of hope.

Revenge is supposed to be easy. This isn't easy. This is torture.

In the end we're left with a funny, moral-questioning, swoon worthy read. I fell in love with these characters and I'm positive you will too. I mean, come on, Chad Harris knows how to play the ladies.

He smiles slyly. "Not in the slightest, ma'am. I promise to be on my best behavior."