Scan barcode
mrose21's review
3.0
This was OK..
I'm glad I read it because it was an interesting take on a romance but its a little strange.
I don't really know how I feel about this book. Its OK. I wouldn't rush to reread this or continue on the series...
I'm glad I read it because it was an interesting take on a romance but its a little strange.
I don't really know how I feel about this book. Its OK. I wouldn't rush to reread this or continue on the series...
smitch29's review
4.0
I found this book to be intriguing and amusing. I was thoroughly entertained throughout the whole novel. It wasn't necessarily the most unpredictable plot, but it didn't really detract from its entertainment value much.
In this book, Ava is looking to make her life more exciting, and hoping to kick start her pledge as she house-sits for her friend while she's on her honeymoon. Ava even tries to look for jobs to extend her visa and stay in London longer. In a hurry to make a last minute job interview, Ava is forced to try and drive on foreign roads with a reversed car and driving system. Before she even makes it a few feet, she manages to kill a guy who's creeping around the garage. She's freaked and things just escalate further as a hot guy she saw previously starts accusing her of killing the guy on purpose and taking his target. Then she starts to get shot at. Within that short time frame, hot guy, aka Owen, wises up to the fact that she is innocent and helps her get out of the garage. They go on the lam as Owen tries to figure out what is happening and why Ava appears to be the target of another assassin. They have great chemistry, but they both recognize that Ava is vulnerable and fighting in a world she's never inhabited before. They go through some leads and close calls as they try to work out all the mysteries surrounding them. All the while, they grow closer, in part because they are pretty much stuck with each other.
I've never read anything quite like this book, so it was a nice change of pace for me. The characters could've been/shown their complexities a bit more. If they were just a tad deeper, it would've made the story that much better. However, the suspenseful story line helped drive the plot enough that it isn't too big of a deal.
I plan to check out what more this author has to offer, though from current reviews on some of her other books, I'm not convinced I'll like them as much as this one, but I'll check out at least one more.
In this book, Ava is looking to make her life more exciting, and hoping to kick start her pledge as she house-sits for her friend while she's on her honeymoon. Ava even tries to look for jobs to extend her visa and stay in London longer. In a hurry to make a last minute job interview, Ava is forced to try and drive on foreign roads with a reversed car and driving system. Before she even makes it a few feet, she manages to kill a guy who's creeping around the garage. She's freaked and things just escalate further as a hot guy she saw previously starts accusing her of killing the guy on purpose and taking his target. Then she starts to get shot at. Within that short time frame, hot guy, aka Owen, wises up to the fact that she is innocent and helps her get out of the garage. They go on the lam as Owen tries to figure out what is happening and why Ava appears to be the target of another assassin. They have great chemistry, but they both recognize that Ava is vulnerable and fighting in a world she's never inhabited before. They go through some leads and close calls as they try to work out all the mysteries surrounding them. All the while, they grow closer, in part because they are pretty much stuck with each other.
I've never read anything quite like this book, so it was a nice change of pace for me. The characters could've been/shown their complexities a bit more. If they were just a tad deeper, it would've made the story that much better. However, the suspenseful story line helped drive the plot enough that it isn't too big of a deal.
I plan to check out what more this author has to offer, though from current reviews on some of her other books, I'm not convinced I'll like them as much as this one, but I'll check out at least one more.
chroniclesofabookreader's review
4.0
Oh, how can you not love a book about a hot assassin having to take you under his wing in times of danger? ‘Cuz this girl loves that. Owen happens upon Ava in the most unnatural way, but before he knows it, she’s his saving grace.
“I’d never seen anyone so beautiful in my life. I couldn’t tell you what it was that drew me in. She would never be a model and she wasn’t sultry or glamorous, but just a look at her made me want to bundle her up somewhere safe so that I could enjoy her smiles forever.”
Ava has had a lot of loss in life, and she lives by routine. Sick of the rut she’s in, she decides to house sit in London for her newly married friend while she honeymoons in Italy. It’s while she’s there attempting to find a job so that she can stay in the country that she runs across Owen in a little cafe. He’s hard to miss with his devilish good looks. It’s only a quick glance, and before she knows it, he’s gone. A short while later she runs across him in her building. And she certainly never expected to end up running from flying bullets with Owen. Ava was a strong, resilient character who was able to retain that humor needed to keep her sane in incredibly trying times. Her wish of finding something outside of normalcy definitely came true.
“‘I’m wrong for you, Ava, but damn if I can help the way I feel.’ His hands moved to cup my face and his lips touched mine in a fierce declaration of need.”
Owen is one of the best assassins in the world. He’s closed-off, thorough, detailed, and, well, deadly. He isn’t the best because he’s known for his smiles and lollipops of joy. Ava was a quick welcomed distraction, but he’s in town for his next hit. He certainly never saw it coming that she would somehow be involved, and he has to go against absolutely everything in him to protect her. Protect? That’s certainly a new word in his vocabulary. He’s only ever looked out for himself his entire life, and he’s definitely never felt anything for anyone. It was lovely seeing him thaw, seeing that dark exterior give way to a man who could truly care. He may be deadly, but his heart is big and ready to give.
“She was heaven and I was headed for the darkest pits of hell. If this was my only chance for bliss I was going to savor it before the angels kicked me out.”
This was a great change of pace storyline where the action is nearly from the beginning, and as they race to save themselves and figure out why the bad guys were after her in the first place, there’s this unresolved sexual tension that just slowly builds so deliciously as the story unfolds. Ms. Chase did an excellent job at writing Owen’s character–giving him just enough cold edge while still making him completely human and irresistible. And I would be remiss not to mention Ava’s character who was so brave under such dire circumstances. She made her tough while still relatable, because I don’t know about you, but I certainly have never been in her position. If you’re looking for something different, something that hasn’t been written about a lot, look no further than this book!
**Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review**
“I’d never seen anyone so beautiful in my life. I couldn’t tell you what it was that drew me in. She would never be a model and she wasn’t sultry or glamorous, but just a look at her made me want to bundle her up somewhere safe so that I could enjoy her smiles forever.”
Ava has had a lot of loss in life, and she lives by routine. Sick of the rut she’s in, she decides to house sit in London for her newly married friend while she honeymoons in Italy. It’s while she’s there attempting to find a job so that she can stay in the country that she runs across Owen in a little cafe. He’s hard to miss with his devilish good looks. It’s only a quick glance, and before she knows it, he’s gone. A short while later she runs across him in her building. And she certainly never expected to end up running from flying bullets with Owen. Ava was a strong, resilient character who was able to retain that humor needed to keep her sane in incredibly trying times. Her wish of finding something outside of normalcy definitely came true.
“‘I’m wrong for you, Ava, but damn if I can help the way I feel.’ His hands moved to cup my face and his lips touched mine in a fierce declaration of need.”
Owen is one of the best assassins in the world. He’s closed-off, thorough, detailed, and, well, deadly. He isn’t the best because he’s known for his smiles and lollipops of joy. Ava was a quick welcomed distraction, but he’s in town for his next hit. He certainly never saw it coming that she would somehow be involved, and he has to go against absolutely everything in him to protect her. Protect? That’s certainly a new word in his vocabulary. He’s only ever looked out for himself his entire life, and he’s definitely never felt anything for anyone. It was lovely seeing him thaw, seeing that dark exterior give way to a man who could truly care. He may be deadly, but his heart is big and ready to give.
“She was heaven and I was headed for the darkest pits of hell. If this was my only chance for bliss I was going to savor it before the angels kicked me out.”
This was a great change of pace storyline where the action is nearly from the beginning, and as they race to save themselves and figure out why the bad guys were after her in the first place, there’s this unresolved sexual tension that just slowly builds so deliciously as the story unfolds. Ms. Chase did an excellent job at writing Owen’s character–giving him just enough cold edge while still making him completely human and irresistible. And I would be remiss not to mention Ava’s character who was so brave under such dire circumstances. She made her tough while still relatable, because I don’t know about you, but I certainly have never been in her position. If you’re looking for something different, something that hasn’t been written about a lot, look no further than this book!
**Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review**
ari_at_the_bookish_coven's review
3.0
A cute and funny read about a reserved girl that accidentally meets an assassin and of course falls for him.Both Ava and Owen are likable and the story is fast paced.
Pick it up if you enjoy lighthearted spy thrillers with a bit of romance.
wilovebooks's review
5.0
An incredible mixture of suspense, romance, and laugh-out-loud humor. I loved this so much and could not put it down. Ava is just house-sitting, looking for a job so she can stay in the country when she accidentally kills someone and meets Owen, an assassin. The unlikely pair is pulled into a dangerous situation. Even though it should be dark, as Owen kills people for a living, the humor keeps things light without getting ridiculous. I loved the characters. I really can't recommend this enough. With romance, suspense, and humor, this is exactly my kind of book.
aflv_reads's review
5.0
What a funny romance suspense this is!!
Nichole Chase wrote a great book, presenting assassins as loveable characters and a terrifying story as humorous and sexy!
Despite it been written by Nichole Chase, who is a talented author, I was afraid of the book being cheesy. How would an everyday woman turn into an assassin? And adding the ‘accidental’ in the title, I was very cautious about this title, but it is Nichole Chase and she’s an author, who has proven with her beautiful stories that she is a remarkable writer, who deserves to be read and heard.
Owen, a man who kills for a living, has a heart of gold. He has a strong moral code and ideals, which is -unfortunately- more than we can say about other men, who have a ‘normal’ profession.
Ava, a woman who is tired of her boring life, wants a change. She wants to find excitement, joy and adventure; she wants to live a full life and who can’t relate to that?!
The story was never dull, and it felt like a river, endlessly and effortlessly flowing and passing from one place to another. Humor was always present and well-crafted. It didn’t diminish the story or the situations, but it added to it. It was like giving another layer of brilliance to an already good story.
The characters didn’t exactly grow, because I sense that they didn’t change. They didn’t find themselves, because they knew who they were. What they found was each others. I loved that. I loved that for once, the characters didn’t change in order to be with their other half. They simply altered -with a futuristic elements here- how they lived their lives.
So, we have humor and romance - entering the swooning part, because damn, Owen is swoon-worthy!!!!!!- We also have suspense. Again, everything felt like a well-planned choreography and we simply watched them perform and take us wherever and whenever they wanted to take us.
The story had such a natural flow with all the elements that I love and seek in a novel: Beautiful Romance. With some sexy scenes. Clever & Funny Dialogues. Intriguing Suspense.
It may not be the greatest book you’ve ever read, but it is amazing. Why?
You will fall for Owen. Fast and Hard.
You will sympathize and laugh with (and at) Ava and her personality.
You will be drawn to the story and you will not want to let it go.
Sexy. Funny. Smart. Adventurous.
I don’t know about you, but that right there is what I want in a book. That plus good writing, which is a given with Nichole Chase.
So, because I really don’t want to upset Owen and have Ava come and kick my ass, the Accidental Assassins receive 5 Amazing Stars, because I simply loved it.
Nichole Chase wrote a great book, presenting assassins as loveable characters and a terrifying story as humorous and sexy!
Despite it been written by Nichole Chase, who is a talented author, I was afraid of the book being cheesy. How would an everyday woman turn into an assassin? And adding the ‘accidental’ in the title, I was very cautious about this title, but it is Nichole Chase and she’s an author, who has proven with her beautiful stories that she is a remarkable writer, who deserves to be read and heard.
Owen, a man who kills for a living, has a heart of gold. He has a strong moral code and ideals, which is -unfortunately- more than we can say about other men, who have a ‘normal’ profession.
Ava, a woman who is tired of her boring life, wants a change. She wants to find excitement, joy and adventure; she wants to live a full life and who can’t relate to that?!
The story was never dull, and it felt like a river, endlessly and effortlessly flowing and passing from one place to another. Humor was always present and well-crafted. It didn’t diminish the story or the situations, but it added to it. It was like giving another layer of brilliance to an already good story.
The characters didn’t exactly grow, because I sense that they didn’t change. They didn’t find themselves, because they knew who they were. What they found was each others. I loved that. I loved that for once, the characters didn’t change in order to be with their other half. They simply altered -with a futuristic elements here- how they lived their lives.
So, we have humor and romance - entering the swooning part, because damn, Owen is swoon-worthy!!!!!!- We also have suspense. Again, everything felt like a well-planned choreography and we simply watched them perform and take us wherever and whenever they wanted to take us.
The story had such a natural flow with all the elements that I love and seek in a novel: Beautiful Romance. With some sexy scenes. Clever & Funny Dialogues. Intriguing Suspense.
It may not be the greatest book you’ve ever read, but it is amazing. Why?
You will fall for Owen. Fast and Hard.
You will sympathize and laugh with (and at) Ava and her personality.
You will be drawn to the story and you will not want to let it go.
Sexy. Funny. Smart. Adventurous.
I don’t know about you, but that right there is what I want in a book. That plus good writing, which is a given with Nichole Chase.
So, because I really don’t want to upset Owen and have Ava come and kick my ass, the Accidental Assassins receive 5 Amazing Stars, because I simply loved it.
yche09's review
5.0
A BREATH OF FRESH AIR FOR MY 2014!
I have always been a big fan of assassins with some heart. This book blows it out of proportion because the plot doesn't only contain action packed scenes, it also has a good back story to go along with. There's also mystery and a hint of drama. However, what's the best here for me is the love part.
AVA AND OWEN SITTING ON A um...hmm.. STOLEN CAR... K-I-S-S-I-N-G!!!
Okay so that part didn't really happen, but their love story is still so cute!
You'd appreciate the cuteness because Owen is not a character that I could imagine being that open, that adorable and that... just plain macho mixed with romantic. They are perfect for each other!!!!
The story actually revolves around Ava killing someone accidentally and then getting shot at herself. From thereon, she goes on a wild goose chase to find the perpetrator, of course with my dear, dear OWEN. I said that the love part is cute, but some parts of this book is downright ugly. It's ugly because I would guess that it really is happening somewhere in the world. Be ready for some drama and open your minds for Owen. You have to understand why he is how he is. You also have to give Ava a shot. She's a perfect example of a woman who's still finding her own way in the world. I could probably relate to her a lot because I feel the same way. I'm still trying to figure things out for myself. She's like that. I think many readers would like her because she's adaptable and she's not whiny. It's really very surprising that her character is not portrayed as damsel, but also not a girl version of G.I. Joe. She's somewhere in between which makes her more interesting.
The ending sure is surprising. I didn't see it coming! I smell a series, so I have to ask the author about it. That would be awesome! I don't want to give out major spoilers, so I'll just say that there are a few VERY, VERY INTERESTING characters here that are worth writing about. Just saying. ;)
All in all, of course I'm giving this a perfect score!!!
I have always been a big fan of assassins with some heart. This book blows it out of proportion because the plot doesn't only contain action packed scenes, it also has a good back story to go along with. There's also mystery and a hint of drama. However, what's the best here for me is the love part.
AVA AND OWEN SITTING ON A um...hmm.. STOLEN CAR... K-I-S-S-I-N-G!!!
Okay so that part didn't really happen, but their love story is still so cute!
You'd appreciate the cuteness because Owen is not a character that I could imagine being that open, that adorable and that... just plain macho mixed with romantic. They are perfect for each other!!!!
The story actually revolves around Ava killing someone accidentally and then getting shot at herself. From thereon, she goes on a wild goose chase to find the perpetrator, of course with my dear, dear OWEN. I said that the love part is cute, but some parts of this book is downright ugly. It's ugly because I would guess that it really is happening somewhere in the world. Be ready for some drama and open your minds for Owen. You have to understand why he is how he is. You also have to give Ava a shot. She's a perfect example of a woman who's still finding her own way in the world. I could probably relate to her a lot because I feel the same way. I'm still trying to figure things out for myself. She's like that. I think many readers would like her because she's adaptable and she's not whiny. It's really very surprising that her character is not portrayed as damsel, but also not a girl version of G.I. Joe. She's somewhere in between which makes her more interesting.
The ending sure is surprising. I didn't see it coming! I smell a series, so I have to ask the author about it. That would be awesome! I don't want to give out major spoilers, so I'll just say that there are a few VERY, VERY INTERESTING characters here that are worth writing about. Just saying. ;)
All in all, of course I'm giving this a perfect score!!!
mischievousreads's review
3.0
Review originally posted on: Mischievous Reads
Woah boy. This book just went like Carly Rae Jepsen's career. Shoot's up..... then comes crashing down.
I've been so excited to read this book ever since I first saw it on Goodreads, because who wouldn't love an assassin story featuring a clueless heroine and a hot assassin hero? The synopsis just grabbed me. In fact, the title itself grabbed me.
Ava's life just turned upside down within a couple of hours. From simply house-sitting in London for her newly married couple friends to accidentally killing a man and then all of a sudden, she's on a hitman's list, and is now running away with Owen, the hot guy she met at the cafe earlier who turns out to be an assassin. Why she's being hunted down, she's not sure. Even Owen isn't sure, but together they team up to get to the bottom of the whole fiasco.
See how cool that sounded like? Clueless American heroine and hot British assassin on the runaway -- speeding getaway cars, dodging bullets, gun holsters and hidden knives, and all other assassin stuff. I was so pumped for these scenarios, and yes, these were featured at the beginning and it got me really excited.
Since the story is written in first-person, bouncing from AVA's POV to Owen's, we get a good glimpse on their own personal thoughts. Ava was just funny to begin with. She was just an ordinary American woman trying to spruce up her life by agreeing to house sit for her best friend in London, then all of a sudden, she gets ended up in a hitlist. How her character was trying to stay sane from the whole craze was just funny, and her whole life depended on Owen to survive. However, althroughout the story, she starts to become comfortable with the lifestyle and starts to pick up on the basics.
Meanwhile, Owen was epic, especially at the beginning. He was cool, smooth and suave, especially with his job. He's the dream hero; hot, sexy and smart, except that he kills for a living. But nearing the end of the book, his POVs started to become kind of annoying when he starts going all possessive over Ava. It's both romantic and aggravating at the same time, because of his disregard to his professionalism due to his feelings for Ava.
The whole climax appeared to be absolutely anti-climactic; the reason behind why Ava was being targeted in the first place. It appeared to be kind of unexpected but the whole shebang just got me thinking, "That's it? That's the 'bang' of the story?". Everything just went downhill from there towards the ending. Imagine a graph going up, up, up... then it suddenly shoots down like a plane crash. That's what happened.
This book could have been better. The characters were fun and witty, and the most of the dialogues where hilarious, but if only the whole action included would actually make sense and live up to the book's potential. However, I'm still looking forward to reading the next book as this seems to be the start of a new series.
Woah boy. This book just went like Carly Rae Jepsen's career. Shoot's up..... then comes crashing down.
I've been so excited to read this book ever since I first saw it on Goodreads, because who wouldn't love an assassin story featuring a clueless heroine and a hot assassin hero? The synopsis just grabbed me. In fact, the title itself grabbed me.
Ava's life just turned upside down within a couple of hours. From simply house-sitting in London for her newly married couple friends to accidentally killing a man and then all of a sudden, she's on a hitman's list, and is now running away with Owen, the hot guy she met at the cafe earlier who turns out to be an assassin. Why she's being hunted down, she's not sure. Even Owen isn't sure, but together they team up to get to the bottom of the whole fiasco.
See how cool that sounded like? Clueless American heroine and hot British assassin on the runaway -- speeding getaway cars, dodging bullets, gun holsters and hidden knives, and all other assassin stuff. I was so pumped for these scenarios, and yes, these were featured at the beginning and it got me really excited.
Since the story is written in first-person, bouncing from AVA's POV to Owen's, we get a good glimpse on their own personal thoughts. Ava was just funny to begin with. She was just an ordinary American woman trying to spruce up her life by agreeing to house sit for her best friend in London, then all of a sudden, she gets ended up in a hitlist. How her character was trying to stay sane from the whole craze was just funny, and her whole life depended on Owen to survive. However, althroughout the story, she starts to become comfortable with the lifestyle and starts to pick up on the basics.
Meanwhile, Owen was epic, especially at the beginning. He was cool, smooth and suave, especially with his job. He's the dream hero; hot, sexy and smart, except that he kills for a living. But nearing the end of the book, his POVs started to become kind of annoying when he starts going all possessive over Ava. It's both romantic and aggravating at the same time, because of his disregard to his professionalism due to his feelings for Ava.
The whole climax appeared to be absolutely anti-climactic; the reason behind why Ava was being targeted in the first place. It appeared to be kind of unexpected but the whole shebang just got me thinking, "That's it? That's the 'bang' of the story?". Everything just went downhill from there towards the ending. Imagine a graph going up, up, up... then it suddenly shoots down like a plane crash. That's what happened.
This book could have been better. The characters were fun and witty, and the most of the dialogues where hilarious, but if only the whole action included would actually make sense and live up to the book's potential. However, I'm still looking forward to reading the next book as this seems to be the start of a new series.
llewis's review
4.0
The story was good. The actual writing not so much. I really liked Ava and Owen as characters and I would continue reading the series to see what else they get up to. Mavis and Kenny are great characters too.
I want to say the writing gets better as the story continues but I'm not too sure. I can't tell if I just got used to it or if it really did improve. If you can make it up to the point where the accidental assassination happens you are home free. After that the action and story really picks up and you worry less about the writing.
Also, I'm surprisingly okay with where the story ended.
Oh the scenes are good not too tame and not overly wild.
I want to say the writing gets better as the story continues but I'm not too sure. I can't tell if I just got used to it or if it really did improve. If you can make it up to the point where the accidental assassination happens you are home free. After that the action and story really picks up and you worry less about the writing.
Also, I'm surprisingly okay with where the story ended.
Oh the scenes are good not too tame and not overly wild.