Wednesday, December 25, 2024

Book Review: Decker & Joy

Title: Decker & Joy

Author: Elle Rush

Date: 2016

Publisher: Deidre Gould

Quote: "A year after hanging out his shingle as a private investigator, his dream of being hired as a private detective was dying a painful death."

Then Decker the detective is assigned to track an espionage device, disguised as an Elvis doll, that's been mysteriously lodged in the walls between a "Pure Bred" pet store and a store called "Kitten Caboodle" that sells pet toys and screens adopters for actual pets. There is no store that humanely cares for rescued animals without control-freaking. Joy, the control freak who runs "Kitten Caboodle," would like to keep all four of the kittens she has for sale, pardon me, pricier "adoption," but at least she makes it hard for people to "adopt" them. Joy lives in an apartment where she's not allowed to have a pet of her own. She likes Decker, though, and so do the kittens. 

It's a sweet Christmas romance so we know where this is leading. Well, not quite. A company in Winnipeg is actually setting up meetings between potential couples whose names remind people of Christmas carols. Decker and Joy are single. Will they become a couple? Will they move to Winnipeg as a couple? Do people who've been given Christmas-carol names adapt more easily to a place where at least all their Christmases will be white, and probably most of their other holidays as well?

Is this what it takes for employers in Winnipeg to hire people?

The writer known as Elle Rush, we are told at the end, is based in Winnipeg. So maybe she would know. 

Anyway, it's a cute, funny, clever romance. I laughed. Enjoy it, or just enjoy the thought of it, as you like. Merry Christmas, Gentle Readers. God help us every one.

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