Fur Ball Fever

by: Maureen Fisher

Publishing Date: 9/5/11

Genre: Mystery (Romance)

Source: Provided by Author

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Description:

After a lifetime of impetuous mistakes, pet spa owner Grace Donnelly outdoes herself when she loses her elderly client’s prize pooch—a shoo-in to win the annual Jersey Shore Fur Ball. Money, careers, and lives are in jeopardy. Too bad her helpers consist of an aging hippie aunt, a renegade schnauzer, and a drag queen. Worst of all, the only man truly qualified to help is her former flame, the hunkiest bodyguard north of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Security specialist Nick Jackson faces his worst nightmare when Grace’s amateur investigation nearly blows his undercover operation. Unless he nails the con-artist who scammed local seniors and whacked a witness, his homicidal granddaddy will take justice into his own liver-spotted hands. To salvage his case, his sanity, and his ex-lover’s velvety skin, Nick joins forces with the sassy crusader who rubs him the wrong way—and so many right ways too.

Action bounces between a beach harboring washed-up corpses, a fancy yacht no honest preacher could possibly afford, and the bawdiest nightclub in Atlantic City. Hazards multiply like bunnies until exploding into romance, murder, and mayhem culminating in a Fur Ball extravaganza the locals will never forget.

My Review:
Grace Donnelly is a proud pet spa owner.  She got away from what her father and brother wanted her to do.  She loves dogs and what better way to give back to the furry community, then groom the animals she adores.  Unfortunately, she's supposed to be watching one of the prize dogs who is most likely to win the annual Fur Ball, but the beautiful dog has been stolen.  She has to find out who would steal the dog and why.  The only person to help her is her ex-boyfriend, Nick.  He's a security specialist so he'll be able to help her.  She doesn't really want his help though because of what happened in their past between them.  Nick is also investigating a past incident that happened to his grandfather and he has someone trying to kill him.  He wants to finally get the con-artist who took money from his grandfather and killed his grandfather's friend.
It's up to Nick to solve both mysteries, but of course Grace is being stubborn about receiving his help with her mystery.
This was very enjoyable mystery.  I loved strong, stubborn, Grace Donnelly and I adored her Aunt Beth.  (she made the book hilarious)  I also loved Nick because he managed to get through Grace's stubbornness and won her over with helping her with finding the dog that was stolen.  There was times I wanted to go through the book and slap her silly for Nick.  She got herself in some sticky situations, but some how always managed to get out it...barely of course.
I also adored how Nick stood up to Grace's father and brother.  Grace's father and brother were jerks to her.  They just didn't want to consider that she was surviving without them and doing great.  Her Aunt Beth even stepped in because she couldn't stand Grace's Dad.  
I enjoyed how the mystery of both the dog napping and Nick's mystery unraveled.  Definitely wasn't expecting the mysteries to play out that way and who was the actual dog napper.  
There was steamy scenes too between Grace and Nick when they got together.  I loved how everything fell in place for them even though Grace just didn't want to consider that Nick was a great guy.
I really enjoyed this book and the writing style of Maureen Fischer.  This was a really funny book and I found myself laughing out loud at times (especially with how Aunt Beth was).  
I recommend this book to mystery readers out there, animal lovers, and readers who want a good laugh.  You'll definitely enjoy this funny, mystery book.