Tangled Up In You - Rachel Gibson

I was a bit worried about starting this one as I thought the previous one in this series was nothing special but now I'm really glad that I did. Because I enjoyed it very much!

Maddie is determined to uncover the untold story about the town's sordid past—her past. As a child, Maddie lost everything, and now she's back at the scene of the scandal—a local establishment that's always belonged to the Hennessys—determined to uncover the truth, and nothing is going to stand in her way. Especially not a black-haired, blue-eyed Hennessy.

Everyone in Truly knows that the Hennessy men are irresistible, and the current owner, Mick, is no exception. His late father was a skirt-chasing heartbreaker who ended up causing disaster for two families. So far, Mick's managed to keep the ladies in line, but when he claps eyes on Maddie, with her luscious curves and tempting lips, he can't resist getting tangled up with her.

But Maddie is keeping secrets, not the least of which is her true reason for being in town. And when Mick discovers what`s really going on, there is going to be a whole lot of trouble in Truly.


I really really liked Maddie. I found her a really likeable heroine and I felt that I really got to know her. She is funny, resourceful, independent and was a very interesting person. A true crime writer she decides to investigate the murder of her mother 29 years before at the hands of her lover's wife that also killed him and then commited suicide. She goes back to Truly, where the tragedy took place.

Mick Hennessy became an orphan when his mother killed his father, his father's lover and then committed suicide. Unlike his sister Meg, Mick only wants to forget about a past that brought him nothing but pain when he was growing up.

Maddie and Mick meet but she doesn't tell him her real name. They are initially attracted but things go wrong as soon as he finds out she is writing about about the crime. He wants her to give it up but she doesn't, she also doesn't tell him who she is even after they get involved. This was something I felt should have bothered me a bit but it didn't. Maybe because Maddie doesn't use Mick for information so I never really felt she was using him. Instead she came across as really in love and torn between telling him and having to face a negative reaction. Also she has to put up with everybody speaking of her mother as "the waitress" and blaiming her for getting involved with a married man. Although it's not a situation I feel should be taken lightly the fact is that the married party is the one that promised to love and to honor. It always annoys me to no end that women are always considered the guilty ones in this kind of situation!

When Maddie finally tells Mick I felt so bad for her that he reacted badly. Maddie was after all a victim just as he and his sister were and nobody seemed to remember that. Speaking of his sister she was really annoying and I'm glad she was kept in a very secondary role.

Grade: B+
Not as good as some of my favourites by her but a very satisfying read!