EVIE EVER AFTER

Author: Beth Ciotta ISBN: 9780373773602 2/2009 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: HQN

Two out of three aint' bad—unless you're talking about dead guys! The body count on this job is freaking me out. Since I signed on to bust scam artists with Chameleon, the missions have been getting increasingly dangerousand so has my love life! There's Arch, my bad-boy Scottish lover, who's been keeping secrets so long, he may never come clean. Then there's my sexy boss, Milo, who's in hot water with some seriously bad characters. Maybe it's time for a whole new gig-one without cons or criminals. But first I have to bring in one more bad apple ...in my own inimitable style. After that, one of my guys had better step up to the plate, or it's hasta la vista for Evie....

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

In this final installment of Ciotta’s Chameleon Chronicles trilogy, the reader is treated to one last madcap adventure and we finally get to see who Evie chooses to be with: Milo or Arch. Having read all three books relatively close together, I felt that at least the first third of EVIE EVER AFTER was spent recapping what had happened in the previous two books. While, this would likely be helpful for readers new to the series, or more forgetful seasoned readers, I found this to be annoying at best. Only the barest of plot points is revealed, and as someone who was eagerly anticipating this final chapter, all of the retread of past information somewhat lessened my excitement. That said, though, once we got to the meat of the story, I was sufficiently entertained by the plot, Evie and all the others.

What about Evie’s attraction to Milo and her love affair with Arch? Without giving anything away, Evie finally makes a definitive choice. Ciotta includes a note to readers in the beginning revealing that readers are rooting for Arch and Milo evenly and promises to wrap things up in a way that pleases both sides. I’m not sure I was happy with the way the love affair turned out, but I enjoyed the ride. Overall, I really enjoyed EVIE EVER AFTER, as well as the other Chameleon Chronicles. Even though Evie’s story is technically over, I wouldn’t mind reading more adventures from the other members. Hint, Hint, Ms. Ciotta!

Jilian Vallade