Twelve Sharp

Janet Evanovich’s Twelve Sharp was one sharp novel for me. I had never heard of her before, never seen her books (but then again I don’t book shop very much), and now I can’t wait to read another one! I felt like this book had mystery, a single, relatable heroine with a crazy job and friends, and just enough sex appeal and hot men to satisfy the women within. At the same time, this book had family, a sense of appreciation for friends and loved ones, and a caring father who was trying to do all he could for the love of a daughter.

At first, I was nervous about jumping into the twelfth book in a series, not knowing about the characters and the history behind each of them. However, I quickly felt like Evanovich introduced me to the them all, and got me caught up with the pertinent information I needed to know. This kind of reminds me of the Sex and the City series- you can watch each episode or see the movie stand alone and have a great time, but if you follow the series from beginning to end you get so much more! This book also made me wonder if Stephanie’s character or any of the other characters have changed much throughout the series or stayed true to who they are in this twelfth book?

The thing I liked most about this book was the characters Stephanie hangs out with throughout the novel. I liked how the book presented her in real life situations, from having dinner with her family, to outrageous situations such as frequenting the sex shop and struggling with the lady behind the counter. Stephanie Plum seems to be a real woman, down to earth, and admitting and questioning things that women often think about or question during the day themselves. For instance, Stephanie wonders about the men in her life, tries to convince herself that she can be better at her job, likes her cute car but then complains about it, ponders why she is friends with the people she hangs out with, and still loves the carbs from the bakery she frequents. I like how Evanovich presents her as a jeans and t-shirt kind of gal, who still manages to have this fascinating life and men chasing after her. I am a fan of the chick lit books, but sometimes the lifestyles and situations become so far out of my league, or so high class, that you cannot as easily relate. With Stephanie, I liked that she was a modern, independent woman with flaws, as opposed to the Manhattan socialites I normally like to read about. I liked how she values her family as well, as she is always making a point to go home, appreciates how the laundry gets done at her parents house, and more. She seems to have lots of cousins who take care of each other, and that’s also nice to see in a book like this.

I like how Evanovich changed my mind about Ranger throughout the course of this book. At first, I thought he was some fantasy figure, too good to be true, one of those men who know they are hot and that they can work their looks to their advantage if they want to. However, I loved how as the book went on, we got a deeper look at Ranger, and I began to want him as well! Who wouldn’t want someone who not only has looks and a suave air about him, but has the fatherly instincts to put his life on the line for a daughter he barely knows. He not only showed Stephanie that he cares for her and her safety and well being, but goes out of his way to protect her and let her in to him. Unfortunately for Stephanie and the readers, he seems to good to be true, and I felt for her as she struggles to maintain relationships with both him and Morelli. Morelli seems to be the quintessential good guy, the good boyfriend who would be faithful and loyal and who she should marry, and you almost feel sorry for him. Both men care for her, but its interesting they are both up front with her about what they want and can offer her, and it just causes even more confusion in Stephanie’s mind and my mind as a reader. All of this conflict just goes to show how Evanovich develops her characters, and constantly keeps her readers on edge, wondering who will change, and what they will do next throughout the course of the book. For that matter, I think I would really like to read the next couple books in the near future and see what happens next!