BOOK REVIEW - ELEVEN ON TOP by JANET EVANOVICH - STEPHANIE PLUM # 11 - HEADLINE - CONTEMPORARY CRIME

By: Janet Evanovich

Published By: Headline

Released: Available Now

Details: Paperback, OP Shop find, 371 Pages

RATING: 4.25 RANGER 'BABE' STARS!

Blurb: Goodreads

Stephanie Plum is thinking her career as a fugitive apprehension agent has run its course. She's been shot at, spat at, cussed at, fire-bombed, mooned, and attacked by dogs. Stephanie thinks it's time for a change. So she quits. She wants something safe and normal. But the kind of trouble she had at the bail bonds office can't compare to the kind of trouble she finds herself facing now...

Stephanie is stalked by a maniac returned from the grave for the sole purpose of putting her into a burial plot of her own. He's killed before, and he'll kill again if given the chance. Caught between staying far away from the bounty hunter business and staying alive, Stephanie reexamines her life and the possibility that being a bounty hunter is the solution rather than the problem. After disturbingly brief careers at the button factory, Kan Klean Dry Cleaners, and Cluck-in-a-Bucket, Stephanie takes an office position in security, working for Ranger, the sexiest, baddest bounty hunter and businessman on two continents. Tempers and temperatures rise as competition ratchets up between the two men in her life—her on-again, off-again boyfriend, tough Trenton cop Joe Morelli, and her boss, Ranger. Can Stephanie Plum take the heat? Can you?

BOOK REVIEW:

I am still going strong with this series, because I take it the way it is meant to be—well, I think it is meant to be a poolside read.

I’m going to say it…Steph had a moment of growth in this installment.

HALLELUJAH!

I saw her intelligence shine through. She is a quick learner when Ranger and his guys are doing the teaching. She got that computer sorted in no time.

THE WOMAN DOES HAVE SKILLS!

Who knew?

Finally—Janet.

I am gonna say it…Joe does nothing for me.

Blasphemy!

I know. I’m sorry #teamjoe.

It’s not my fault, it’s Janet’s. She writes Steph and Joe’s scenes very wooden. I get nothing, but the surface and some sex. At least with Ranger I get a man who is witty, sexy, sexy-witty combo, he lays his cards on the table, he flirts with smiles. We are interested to see about his past, where he lives. Joe is Joe. He’s a warm blanket.

I still got no clue why Steph is hanging onto Joe—no offence Joe. If you were given more depth of character, then I could work with this, but you aren’t. It is Joe and Bob. Steph and Joe-the-friend-with-benefits. Lawdy I want to love Joe, I want to be torn between him and Ranger as a reader…but I got squat.

I may have another 12 books of this too…eeeep!

In this installment, Janet gets Steph to leave Bounty Hunting behind and try some odd jobs on for size—needless to say none of them work out.

*coughnosurprisestherecough*

Ranger to the RAWRRRR rescue.

Dude gives me a lady-boner.

Lula is Lula.

Grandma Mazur is typical Grandma Mazur.

Did Rex get fed in this one?

Joe is typical Joe…with a leg cast and messing his home with boys-get-togethers.

Cars are blowing up.

Steph is getting filthy.

Ranger is being dreamy Ranger.

Ranger uses the word “Babe” with a smile.

We get to go onto another floor of RangeMan.

Everybody wears black.

There is a mystery to solve, Scooby!

I did like the twist. Nice one, Janet. 

Ranger is flirty. Steph is flirty.


We got into the Explorer, and I couldn’t sit with the gun rammed into my pants. “I can’t do this,” I said to Ranger. “This dumb gun is too big. It’s poking me.”

Ranger closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the wheel. “I can’t believe I hired you.”

“Hey, it’s not my fault. You picked out a bad gun.”

“Okay,” he said, swiveling to face me. “Where’s it poking you?”

“It’s poking me in my … you know.”

“No. I don’t know.”

“My pubic area.”



Now when is a gun able to be dumb? Just when Steph was getting that much more intelligent…she talks like a teenager. 

Bahahaha.

It simply doesn’t matter. I am hooked. I know almost before I start the next book what the layout will be, but I can’t seem to stop. This series is just silly, and remarkably full of Ranger and Steph flirting and shenanigans.

I wonder if I will tire of the series, eventually? I hope not.

I do love we get to know something more about Ranger. I am surprised it took Steph those few paragraphs to ask. I was like “Steph ask the bloody question”.

Bottom line is: I laugh. I giggle. I'm addicted.

Twelve Sharp is up next.