Review: The Wife of Riley (Mercy Watts #6) by A.W. Hortoin

review by Elisa Hordon

And it starts off with a bang...lol not literally unless you count the explosion of Twinkies...lol all in a day’s work for nurse Mercy Watts.

Mercy is smart and sassy, too smart to get mixed up with Calpurnia Fibonacci and her mafia family or so I thought :-). But then again who would seriously knock back a trip to Paris to find someone who is supposed to be dead? I mean it's not like anything can go wrong, is there?

I have been eagerly awaiting The Wife of Riley to find out what happens next with Mercy and Chuck now they are together, only to be bitterly disappointed a few chapters in when there has been no progress. It's not from Mercy's end like I was expecting, it's from Chuck :-(. What is with that? Seriously, he has chased her since they were kids and now he has her that’s it. He doesn’t want her anymore. Gosh, I hope that’s not it. I was so excited when they finally got together. There has to be more to Chuck keeping Mercy at a distance but what?

I love a series that gets my emotions going from the very beginning. With each new book you have certain expectations you've built up and then there is the anticipation the next story is going to go this way or that way. It really is exciting to then turn each page and find out what happens. Sometimes I'm happy, sometimes sad and sometimes angry, but for me this is what makes a great series and makes me want to keep rushing for the next book and Mercy's series is just like that and so far I have really enjoyed each and every story.

Secrets, secrets and more secrets! I'm not convinced Mercy and Chuck will work: she is keeping secrets from the start and Chuck, well, he just doesn't communicate at all. Talk about frustrating. I know he is a guy and he keeps stuff bottled up inside but he really needs to get over that and open up. As for Mercy and her secrets at least she has Aaron but she also needs to trust Chuck more especially if their relationship is going to work otherwise he is always going to worry.

So Mercy has 2 phones, her secrets and she is in Paris the city of Love with Chuck and her work partner Aaron. Sounds like a great working holiday doesn't it? Aaron has a cover for them, cooking school. Chuck has his guide books and a charming passion to see the sights of the city and Mercy, who has been to Paris many times with her Godmothers, just wants to figure things out for her case and her relationship so that she can actually enjoy a bit of this working vacation. Do things go according to plan? Nope never. Mercy hates to plan...lol Chuck on the other hand always plans, and Aaron, well, Aaron just always seems to know what to do in his own weird way. Somehow this all works out, in a sometimes very funny, dangerous thrilling adventure that really is a joy to read.

It was interesting learning more about Aaron. He is in most of Mercy’s adventures but he never talks. So I loved learning he had lived in Paris for 5 years. And speaking of Paris, I so loved traveling through Paris with Mercy, I've never been myself but I've done a lot of research in the hopes of going there one day and then reading of Mercy’s adventures through Paris it really felt like I was there.

So I'm now half way through the book loving the mystery side of things can't wait to find out what made Angela fake her death and start over in Paris and what is really up with this Klinefeld group. I'm over worrying about Mercy and Chuck and I get the feeling Mercy is too. I am so disappointed in Chuck's behaviour. It's just bizarre and extremely hurtful toward Mercy why can't he just be himself and love Mercy unconditionally?

I have spent part of this book searching my art database app looking up artists and paintings they looked at on their tour of the muse D’orsey. It adds something more to the story and makes me feel like I'm right there if I'm researching where the characters have been. There is also a Louvre app which was fun to do a virtual tour while reading of their tour of the Louvre. It really does bring the story more to life for me.

Chuck loves his guide books probably just as much as I love all the guidebook apps I downloaded to research Paris while I read... lol. It was an extra bit of fun for me and made the whole book more enjoyable because A.W. Hartoin described everything in Paris so well. Then with my added research not only into where they were in Paris and what they were seeing but also the food and because Aaron is all about the food this was an important part of the book for me.

I really like to discover new things about my favourite characters and with Mercy and Aaron part of their relationship revolves around food. Aaron is always trying to get Mercy to eat and when he does he is always challenging her like with the hot chocolate with the raspberry puree added. Mercy is not a fan of raspberry but she loves chocolate and she trust Aaron. I love that Mercy is surprised when she loves the drink...lol. Aaron always seems to know exactly what she needs and not just with food but food is what he knows best.

Mercy showed her strength and frustration at Chuck when she left him being fitted for clothes at Elias's apartments and boy was it funny when he ordered Mercy not to leave without him...lol Men! Seriously what was he thinking? Since when does Mercy do what she is told? I mean, she is Tommy Watts's daughter, and really, I sat there shaking my head at Chuck. Did he really think yelling and demanding was going to work on Mercy? This was probably my favourite part of the book.

I really do love a book with multiple mysteries and I really enjoyed learning more about the Bled sisters, their family and friends plus how they may or may not be connected to the Klinefeld group or how this all relates to a Nazi Germany point in history and the Bled collection. I also love a mystery that really makes me think, question and research and the Mercy Watts series does that for me and this book especially so.

The ending of the book is quite spectacular, Mercy solves her case, saves Angela and finds out more about the Bled family and a bit more on the Klinefeld group or at least new leads to follow which will make for more wonderful adventures. Mercy also finds out what has been bugging Chuck. I mean, it's like pulling teeth to get anything out of that man. But she eventually gets him to talk, kind of, and what he has to say is such a jumble of emotions. I laughed and cried at the same time but in the end I think they will be ok or more to the point I'm really hoping they will be ok, because for a book couple I really like Mercy and Chuck together. Chuck kind of grows on you, you know like fungus but sweet sexy protective fungus, lol.

Chuck and Mercy are still learning how to be a couple, these relationships take time, you know like a life time...lol Well that's what I'm hoping for with Chuck and Mercy. Once they heal from the physical wounds they both picked up playing hero, they can start working together on other wounds that need healing.

As for Aaron, the weird little guy is not so weird anymore. Well ok, he will always be weird but it was great to get to know him better in Paris. Not only is he a very well known chef, he is still the best work partner for Mercy, I love how he just knows what she needs and when...lol

I did miss not having Mercy's parents in this story much but then I also didn't. It's funny but after all her adventures so far it really was nice to read this one. It was really all about Mercy getting into trouble all on her own. This time it wasn't Tommy or anyone else in her family giving her something dangerous to do. This time she found danger on her own with the help of the Fibonacci family but that's our little secret...lol

Mercy's next adventure is going to be mind blowing I can just feel it.

Buy The Wife of Riley at Amazon

Book info:
available formats: ebook (396 pages)
published: April 2016
genres: cozy mystery





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