Agnes and the Hitman

Goodreads recommended this one to me because I have read Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.

They are right. If you are a fan of the Stephanie Plum series, you will most likely enjoy this book. It has the same basic formula, of feisty heroine, sexy hero, and is chock full of wacky characters, murder, mayhem and humor. And unlike the Stephanie Plum series there is no love triangle and there is a satisfying conclusion between the hero and heroine. A plus in my book.

This book won't change your life, but it is a light and fun read and although I rarely laugh out loud when reading I did while reading this novel. ( )

The Storyline

Agnes is not your normal chick-lit heroine. The fact that she’s known as ‘Cranky Agnes’ could give you an idea. The fact that she’s used a frying pan in more ways than just cooking (I’ll give you a hint, one guy now has a metal plate in his head) could also give you another idea. There’s also an incident with a meat fork but I won’t spoil the fun for you. Or maybe it’s the mental conversations she has with her therapist.

”Fuck you,” Agnes said, bent over the edge of the cake.
Angry language, Agnes.
Fuck you, too, Dr. Garvin.

I think it’s a combination of everything, actually.

Agnes leads a quiet, simple, life as a food writer engaged to a quiet, simple man named Taylor. Her quiet, simple life takes a sharp 180° the day that she’s held at gunpoint for her dog. Yes, she’s held at gunpoint because they’re trying to steal her dog. Her life is soon thrown into even more upheaval when a hitman, Shane, is sent to protect her. People keep coming after Agnes, trying to steal her dog, trying to kill her, but who’s sending them? What follows is a rollercoaster ride that’s entirely way too much fun.

"Somebody might be coming to the house who might be dangerous."
"Really?" Agnes said. "Because that almost never happens here. With advance notice. Should I get my frying pan?"

Final Thoughts

Agnes is going down as one of my favorite book characters of all time, definitely. She’s a single girl, who loves to cook for her friends, she’s preparing to hold a wedding at her house, and she’s a food writer… I mean, at face value she’s just a normal girl. Agnes cannot be taken at face value and that’s what I loved most, the fact that I was completely surprised at how crazy and lovable she was all at the same time.

This book was downright hilarious, was extremely enjoyable, the characters were all amazing (I especially loved Shane), and… why exactly have I never read anything by this author before? Will definitely be correcting this, pronto. ( )

Agnes is the Bomb! She gets treated badly - and she doesn't take it! Have frying pan, will get even . . . I literally laughed until I made my tummy hurt. Agnes doesn't deserve what happens to her - the men she chooses are total losers who wind up banging other women - and getting caught by Agnes - and they are dumb enough to do it in her kitchen, on her clean kitchen table. What else WAS she to do than punish the jerks with a whack to the noggin with her favorite frying pan?

Add in mobsters, hit men, crazy men (and women), inbred woods colts, dead bodies, buried bomb shelters, lost monies, and a mother who could give my insane mother a run for her money, and this is a book that had me rolling on the floor roaring with laughter.

Very Very recommended if you like a laugh and a women character who won't take anyone's bad behaviour! ( )

Hitman,mob

The first time I read AGNES AND THE HITMAN I was a bit nonplussed. I wasn't yet ready for Crusie and Mayer's savvy bending of romance rules. The first time Shane killed someone, I was so sure he couldn't *possibly* be our hero. But both he and Agnes come to terms with their more murderous sides over the course of the book, and I find this is one of the Crusie romances that calls me back again and again. Zany, violent, witty, and wonderful, the old I get the more I appreciate Cranky Agnes and her hitman. ( )