It All Began in Monte Carlo - Romance

Author: Elizabeth Adler

Title: It All Began in Monte Carlo

Publication Date: July 2010

Number of Pages: 372 pages. Novel is broken into 83 short chapters

Part of a Series: Yes, to date there are three books. There is no title for the series. The other two novels are One of Those Malibu Nights (2008) and There’s Something About St. Tropez (2009).

Subject Heading(s): 

• Americans-France-Fiction
• France, Southern-Fiction
• Monte Carlo (Monaco)- Fiction
• Jewelry theft- Fiction
• Extortion- Fiction
• Romantic suspense fiction
• Mystery fiction

Geographical Setting/Time Period: Monte Carlo, France. Present day.

Main Character(s): 

• Sunny Alvarez- a naive yet sassy and independent woman.
• Mac Reilly- a driven and intelligent private detective.

Plot Summary: Sunny and Mac are meant for each other, or so they believe until Sunny tires of Mac’s commitment to his work and lack thereof to her. In an impulsive move, Sunny leaves Mac for France hoping to find clarity and peace. But once in Monte Carlo, she soon finds herself in the company of jewelry thieves, a murderer, a black mailer and true friends. Sunny, along with the help of Mac, must discover who is who before it is too late.

Appeal: The novel is fast paced with an action driven plot and detailed characterization. It is a great escapist read, with glamorous characters, decadent lifestyles, exotic locations, romance and mystery. It does contain mildly graphic descriptions of a sociopathic/nymphomaniac lifestyle.

Brief quote: “As the doors slid shut, she had a sudden memory of her and Mac together in another elevator in this very same city, Monte Carlo, just last summer. She had been wearing a short black chiffon dress that fell in narrow pleats, sashed at the waist with satin ribbon, and held loosely at the back with three tiny crystal buttons” (129).

Prizes or Awards: No awards.

Similar Works: 

Hard Candy by Mary Lynn Baxter - Romantic suspense, male detective, murder

Perfect by Marne Davis Kellogg - Romantic suspense, jewelry heist, luxurious lifestyles

Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot - Relationship/romance, set in France

Reviewer’s Name: Ashley Miller

 

Adapted from Saricks, Joyce G. and Nancy Brown. Readers= Advisory Service in the Public Library 2nd.  Chicago: ALA, 1997.