Morgan Mandel

Dorrie Donato doesn't think things can get much worse after her husband is killed by a hit-and-run driver but then she loses her job. To her rescue comes her husband's former employer, Roman Remington, called the Angel Man, who offers Dorrie a job which she finds a bit bizarre. She is presented the opportunity to be the first human subject for a forever young pill which will change middle-aged Dorrie back to the age of her choice and offer her the chance to remain at that age forever without show more health issues. Overwhelmed by bills, 55-year-old Dorrie agrees and her body is documented as she becomes younger and younger until she reaches her desired age of 24. Dorrie becomes something of a celebrity and embarks on a cross-country tour to promote the pill, along with the Angel Man who continually pressures Dorrie about the location of her husband's iPhone. Dorrie, who has the iPhone safely hidden in her safety deposit box as a remembrance of him, eventually begins to think that her husband's mysterious death may be tied to the very pill that's made her young and beautiful again.

Mandel has built an intriguing cast of characters, both nefarious and virtuous, around a fascinating concept. Dorrie is a woman who is somewhat naive surrounded by men who offer her a caring facade but their interest in her is anything but. And when Dorrie finally realizes this and sets out on her own, it seems the whole country is after her with her life at stake if she is caught.

Book one of the Always Young Trilogy is written in a unique style, as something of a cross between a cozy mystery and suspenseful thriller. The ending will leave readers anxious for the next book in the series, hoping to find out if Dorrie escapes her predicament and whether or not she chooses to discontinue taking the pills that keep her young. show less

I went to see a play called Revenge when I was a teenager. It was one of those slightly odd plays where two actors played four roles and one other guy was found dead hanging on the back of a door. The experience was entertaining and a little odd. The play lacked a full cast and world building, it wasn't the full theatrical experience really, it lacked many of the things it should have required to make it work, yet it was definitely entertaining and I had a fabulous time.

Killer Career was a show more little like that. It didn't dazzle with it's twists (a life time of agatha christie and you've seen most of them) it had only three fleshed out characters and a small group of extras, the set was present but consisted of a few desks and computers and dinners rather than being a fully developed world. It should have been unsatisfying. As it happened it was a delightful read. I was having a wonderful time in this mystery romance romp and can only imagine that Morgan had a fantastic time writing it. Tyler was neatly balanced to begin with to ensure that Julie's initial interest was totally viable, Dade was a darling but reacted in a typically possesive manner to certain events which sold him to me, Julie was believable and likeable and the rest gave them some context but didn't really exist in any meaningful way, except perhaps Avery.

I'd been looking forward to getting my hands on one of Morgans books and I wasn't dissapointed. I have been working long hours this week with special olympics and was failing at reading everything I picked up, putting it back on the shelf a few pages in, but this hit exactly the right spot. It's a cute cover two.
If you want a read that will keep you grinnning all the way through you can't go far wrong with Morgan. show less

Jake, owner of Jake of All Trades, is content with his life. He finds enjoyment and satisfaction helping people through his job and is engaged to Angelina, the perfect woman in every aspect. When Jake is called to the apartment of Zoe, a well-known and wealthy artist, to stop her toilet from overflowing, Jake is a bit put off by Zoe, who seems a bit eccentric. Thanks to Zoe's dog FuFu, Jake trips and hits his head on the toilet and passes out. While waiting for the paramedics to come, he and show more Zoe find themselves bonding and quickly become friends. Over the following months, the two keep in touch by phone and Jake begins to wonder if his perfect life is not so perfect after all while self-isolating Zoe tries to find ways to deny her attraction to Jake.

Morgan Mandel has put together a charming romance with two completely opposite characters. Jake and Zoe are very likeable and the reader roots for their relationship to develop, even though Jake is engaged to someone else. An added bonus is Zoe's Chinese Crested dog FuFu. A nice addition to the story is the way Jake and Zoe encourage each other to live up to their full potential. All in all, this novella is a fast, entertaining read that will hold the reader's attention throughout. show less

Jake Witkowski, handyman extraordinaire and owner of Jake of All Trades, receives an emergency call in the middle of the night to repair an overflowing toilet in Zoe Carmichaels' penthouse apartment. Jake stops the flooding and attempts to educate Zoe about the emergency shutoff valve, when Zoe's dog causes Zoe to slip and knock Jake over, hitting his head against the toilet and knocking him out. Zoe calls 911, but has to tend to Jake awhile on her own, since the paramedics have to race up show more the stairs in the building as the elevator has just gone out. It is during this time that a connection forms between Jake and Zoe, but can Jake consider leaving his longtime girlfriend and new fiancée and can Zoe find the courage to open herself to the world? This short novella is a decent romantic fantasy which is very predictable in its outcome. However, beyond some insecurity hesitation rambling, there is no depth to the reasoning behind the characters' thoughts, and many readers may not agree with the emotional direction that occurs in the story's direction. Editing is fine with just the occasional missing "the", and readers should gloss over Zoe's "ninety-five" story brownstone, which would make it eight floors short of the Empire State Building even though it is only serviced by one elevator. show less