Mary’s review of Making Waves by Tawna Fenske
When Alex Bradshaw’s unscrupulous boss kicks him to the curb after 20 faithful years as an executive with the world’s largest shipping company, he sets out to reclaim his dignity and his pension. Assembling a team of fellow corporate castoffs, he sails to the Caribbean to intercept an illegal diamond shipment. None of them counted on quirky blonde stowaway Juli Flynn, who has a perplexing array of talents, a few big secrets, and an intoxicating romantic chemistry with Alex…
I discovered Tawna Fenske via her blog, which is absolutely hilarious and very ribald (Oh, go on. Visit her blog HERE. You know you want to.). Tawna’s the kind of girl I’d like to hang out with. We could ogle hot guys, chat about writing, and drink some yummy adult beverages. (Do I have a little girl crush on her? Maybe. But she’d understand and be totally cool with it.) Anyway, when she announced her first romance was coming out (back in August–yes, this post is just a little late), I immediately went out and pre-ordered it.
MAKING WAVES is hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the crazy fixes Juli and Alex get themselves into. The plot is completely over-the-top, which I adore when it’s done right (and this is done right). Alex and his merry band of corporate castoffs go rogue, with a wildly ridiculous plan to become pirates and rob (re-rob?) their boss of some precious cargo so they can retire in peace and prosperity, like they planned before said boss completely screwed them over.
Having just quit yet another job, Juli’s in town to fulfill her Uncle Frank’s last wish and dump his ashes in this particular area of the Caribbean. Alex and Juli meet at a bar and, before they can even finish their first drinks together, they’re playing an island version of The Newlywed Game. Yes, really.
Then there’s the scene when Juli takes her anti-seasick pills and it makes her completely loopy. And, of course, instead of getting on the charter boat that is to take her to dump Uncle Frank, she climbs into a window and accidentally stows away on Alex’s boat. Alex and his makeshift pirates are none-too-pleased with that turn of events. But she stays, causing trouble and making sparks with Alex. The interplay between the two of them is hot-hot-hot!
If Alex and Juli aren’t entertaining enough on their own, there’s the eclectic crew on board the ship. There’s the big dude, Cody, who insists on being called Cookie (since he’s taken over the galley); there’s Phyllis, who doesn’t know how to be girlie but doesn’t mind some lessons so she can seduce a special guy; and Jake, who’s just crabby about the whole thing. While Cookie’s my favorite, each one of the secondary character adds his/her own flavor to the story.
And then there’s the infamous cheese doodle scene. I won’t say too much about it except that I had to read it over because I laughed so much the first time, I was practically crying. I’ll leave you with this quote: “Oh, baby! I want to rub your cheese doodle ’til my hands turn orange.” p.277 Oh, yes. She went there.
Anyone who likes a lot of humor and a wild plotline in their romance should pick up MAKING WAVES.
Rating: 4.75/5.0
This book is available from Sourcebooks Casablanca. You can buy it here or here in e-format.
This sounds like it’s insanely fun!
Thanks for the review, I would have passed it up otherwise.
This was such a fun read! Can’t wait to read more from Fenske. I’ll have to check out her blog. 🙂
I enjoyed reading this book!