A-
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Theme: Friends to Lovers, Forced Proximity (stranded, safehouse, etc)
Archetype: Cop/Sheriff
I spent one weekend reading The Thing About Love, and it was so enjoyable and so much fun that knowing that I still had more of it to read left me in the best mood. It lifted my entire weekend, and when people ask me about it, I grin and wave my hands around and make Good Book Noise® (and then those people probably regret asking me).
Synopsis time! FBI Special Agent Jessica Harlow has relocated home to Chicago from LA after a divorce to start several parts of her life over again. On her first assignment in Chicago, she’s reunited with John Shepard, a fellow agent who was in her training class and got on her last nerve – a feeling which was entirely mutual. John is in a somewhat similar situation to Jessica’s, though while she’s arriving, he might be departing. He’s just completed a grueling test to qualify for the FBI Hostage Rescue Team and gone through a miserable breakup. If he’s selected, he’d be leaving Chicago and restarting his life in a different direction. Because Jessica and John are partnered on an undercover operation that takes place in Florida, they end up spending a lot of time together, and revising their opinions of one another.
There are a number of things I enjoy about Julie James’ books, among them the portrayal of ambitious characters who love their careers, and the way in which a simple and subtle conflict, like work/life balance for busy career-focused people, can be expanded into a realistic tension that informs most of the story. In The Thing About Love, the tension is partly that Jessica is reestablishing her life and adjusting her career in Chicago, while John is about to leave Chicago to restart his somewhere else. In addition, they both harbor a pretty strong dislike for one another after having been in competition at Quantico, where they found one another’s style and strengths very off-putting. They have to immediately set their dislike aside and work together with sufficient easy, visible camaraderie to gain the trust of their target. So there’s forced proximity, plus mutual dislike and past history, plus starting over vs. getting out, which makes a big helping of all my catnip.
In this book, I also really, really enjoyed the exploration of the layered meanings of “cover” and “undercover.” For starters, John and Jessica are undercover professionally, posing as financial professionals to catch a mayor who is taking bribes. But within the FBI, there are other layers of cover that they negotiate. Jessica, for example, constantly has to evaluate and re-evaluate what she says in conversations or elevator small talk with co-workers, representing herself as a new team member who just transferred in, as a female officer who is very petite and frequently underestimated, and as a capable agent. Moreover, her early encounters with John were colored by how they each interpreted their conversations and experiences. What she meant and how it was inferred, and vice versa, form the foundation of their conflict. It’s both simple and very, very complicated. When they meet again in their supervisor’s office, they pretend to be on cordial terms when really, they are not thrilled at all to see one another, much less be working together.
Then there are the pasts they’re trying not to divulge. Jessica is very recently divorced, and John walked in on his girlfriend and now former best friend in bed, and he doesn’t want anyone to know about that. Nor does he reveal to anyone how much it affected him – until he sees Jessica in a somewhat similar situation and confides in her so he can give her some very valuable advice.
Essentially, the conflicts between them unwind through very subtle revelations that collectively amount to, “What you thought was true about me isn’t exactly the case,” with a side order of, “It would be a lot easier to think you’re still a jerk if you weren’t so capable/charming/intelligent/competent/freaking hot.”
Side note: if you like competence porn, THERE IS SO MUCH COMPETENCE PORN I cannot begin to list it all. It’s delicious, multi-level competence porn, including the side characters in the FBI who set up undercover operations with every single detail, the elements of the FBI training in Quantico and for the HRT, and the preparations that go into a sting operation. SO MUCH COMPETENCE PORN.
And I love, as in I really, really love (I’d have made that a Geocities-style sparkly font with rainbow glitter but I’m not a total monster) reading stories that at their heart are about characters revealing their true, honest selves in small pieces. John and Jessica have to trust each other implicitly professionally to do their jobs on this assignment, and very quickly, they come to rely on one another.
Emotionally trusting one another takes much longer, and that part forms the romance. Watching John and Jessica negotiate their emotional vulnerability after establishing total trust in one another professionally makes their romance subtle, smart, and so charming. Learning about one another, correcting their misapprehensions and reforming their opinions of each other as they bicker – oh, it is great fun to read. Neither of these people like to admit they are wrong, nor do they like to be vulnerable, and especially not with someone they are determined to beat.
The story also made me think of all the covers we wear on a daily basis, either amplifying one aspect of ourselves, or deflecting from another. Jessica ruminates at one point (rightly so) that professionally, especially in an organization like the FBI, as a woman she has to wear a lot more covers, and be prepared to play different roles after sizing up a conversation quickly.
As a female in a profession where over eighty percent of her colleagues were men – and an even greater percentage of her supervisors – she’d quickly learned that a little good-natured trash talk went a long way in getting others to see her not as a “female special agent” but as a special agent who happened to be a woman. Not that she tried to downplay her gender, nor did she have any interest in pretending to be one of the guys. For one thing, she firmly believed that in many situations, her gender could be a tactical advantage.
John doesn’t have to worry about that part. But they both have to be aware of how their jobs affect their personal lives. In their professions, there are some things they cannot reveal or talk about with anyone outside their offices. Part of their lives is always going to be concealed because they are not permitted to share it. That’s difficult – and finding someone who understands that requirement implicitly is a potent thing for them both.
So why an A-? There were two things that bothered me. One was the somewhat clunky way each of them reflected on “that one person back at Quantico” that they disliked, who of course turned out to be their new partner. It was a little too obvious, too on-the-nose. And at the end, John says something to Jessica that in my opinion undermined the emotional damage his ex-girlfriend had done that affected him through at least the first third of the book. It was a little too much of the “there can only be one true love” romance novel standard, which I dislike. They were already perfect for each other on a number of very potent, visceral levels both personally and professionally, so this extra bit of revelation on John’s part once again seemed like too much. (I’m being vague here so as not to spoil the ending).
Otherwise, I had the best time reading this book. I went through my notes and highlighted sections and ended up reading a good three or four chapters while writing this review – and I noticed more subtle elements to the characters and their conversations that I hadn’t seen the first time. While re-reading instead of reviewing is total hell on my productivity, it’s also a sign that I’ll be enjoying The Thing About Love at least once, maybe twice more.
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Want this book so hard! But $8.99 for Kindle book is too steep. So I’m off to wait in line at the library.
OTOH this gives me time to review the earlier books in this collection of loosely connected books. Which can be a happy thing!
I can’t wait to read this. FYI if your library has Hoopla the audiobook is available now.
1. AHHHHH SARAH I LOVE YOUR REVIEWS!
2. AHHHHH BOOK GET IN MUH FACE!!!!
I’ve only read 1 other Julie James book and lost my damn mind over it on my channel. (Dear All The Humans: Read Just The Sexiest Man Alive because reasons!)
Even though I’ve only got one James book under my fangirl bloomers, her writing is soooooooooooooo good that it’s hard for me not to binge all of her stuff. Alas, since I prefer reading used, dead trees it will be a few weeks before I go shoving this one in my brain. But soon, dammit! SOON!
I pre-bought this book weeks ago and would have gladly paid more than 8.99 for it … given that I’ve re-read all of Julie James’s books just about as many times as I have my Jennifer Crusie’s and favorite Nora Roberts (I couldn’t put all of Diva Nora’s on re-read because I’d never read anything else) I figure that’s I’m really only paying a dollar a read.
Now the dilemma… do I start reading it on my lunch break or save it for the weekend?
This book was so good. AND I got to meet her for launch night in Brooklyn. She’s just lovely. Her books are so smart and funny.
Come to think of it the last time she was in NYC you hosted the event at BN, Sarah! Hi!
I’m clock watching today. There’s a bottle of Pinot grigio in the fridge & a batch of cheddar olives waiting to be baked. I have my reserved confirmation, now it’s just a matter of time before Bad Decisions Book Club is called to order.
But seriously, I have been so excited for this book. A Julie James novel is, like robins, a sure sign that spring has arrived. Fittingly, the skies are blue, the sun is shining and the air is ringing with sounds of Canada geese defending the nests they’ve built next to the ambulance bays and parking lot, despite the fact that there’s a perfectly good field on one side of the complex, a golf course on another and a forest preserve across the street. And I have to get my car washed on the way to pick up my book. Geese are a real book buzz killer.
Ah, yes. This is the day that I knew the book moratorium would hurt the most. I checked the new releases at the library hopefully, and no dice, so I filled out their book suggestion form. That’s how Alex, Approximately got ordered, sooo….¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
Now I wait, and read something else, because I will not break this moratorium and have my husband tell me that he told me so.
Want. It. But it’s 10.02 Euro in my Amazon store :(. I think I’ll catch up on my JJ backlog first…
Oh Happy Day!
Oh and also snap…
Almost as soon as I filled out the request, it popped up as “in processing” and since I had requested it, the system put it on hold for me. Sometimes, in a tiny, tiny, I-know-everything-is-still-on-fire-but-still way, the universe works out.
Now I just have to quell the urge to crouch in front of a librarian until they give me my book. Really not too hard, as I have a cold and don’t want to go around other humans.
@Crystal: Crouch in front of a librarian. HA! That story made me smile! And I hope you feel better.
I was so excited to read this book but . . . I didn’t love it, which is a first for me, because I typically love all of Julie James’s books (except I’m not a fan of her very first one which was a little rough). I guess I didn’t really feel their connection as a couple. It seemed like they went from dislike to like to love very quickly without much development. Towards the end, John mentioned they’d worked together eight weeks, but in actual time spent together, I think it was like four days. It just didn’t seem to be enough to make that connection. I wish when he’d left they had kept in communication to make it a more seamless transition. Also, I feel the same about that comment in the end – about how he’d always loved her. Um, no you didn’t. There was much talk about how you felt rejected and disliked her and was in a pretty serious relationship right before that.
There was the normal snappy dialogue and I liked the book and JAmes’s writing style, I just didn’t totally get the connection between the two in this one.
I really want this. I have all her other books on my Kindle but at NZ$11.35 I’m going to have to think about buying this one. In the meantime I’ll reread her earlier books.
I’m currently reading and enjoying the book. I’ll come back later and read your review once I’ve finished.
Great review Sarah and I endorse all the good things you had to say about this book. This was a book I was eagerly anticipating in 2017 and I am so delighted it is so good. I put it up there with my favourite Julie James books Something about You and It Happened one Wedding.
On a different note, I notice that at least three posters commented on the cost of the ebook as being either too high for their budget or at least a barrier to their buying the book. I wonder why publishers persist in charging so much for ebooks. I bought this book but I have stopped buying new books by previously auto buy authors because the cost of ebooks is now $16- $18 Australian for an ebook. I regard this as greed by the publisher who will no doubt blame the author if sales are not as good as previously.
COMPETENCE PORN. Holy moly, why have I never thought to call it that before? It’s a major source of catnip for me, ESPECIALLY when law enforcement/military/spy/work stuff is involved. I’ll read this book for that fact alone; nothing sexier than a character who knows what she/he is doing. I’ve never read Julie James before, but I keep reading glowing reviews for this one. Adding it to my towering TBR now!
I noticed that unlike the previous books in the FBI/US Attorney series this is being released in trade paperback format, which must account for the higher e-book price. The cover is more chick-lit/women’s fiction than the previous books as well. It’s interesting to see the shift in the cover images as the series progresses–the first books had couples, then they shifted to just a woman for the two most recent titles, now there’s just a shoe 🙂
Years of reading teen and adult romances in MMP mean that I prefer that format (if the ebook isn’t available). However I know that title in trade can be marketed differently than MMP (and hopefully means bigger profits for the author). In any case if I need a copy I’ll wait till the MMP is released so it matches the others on my keeper shelf.
These are all the reasons I adore her books — and reread her books over and over. Thanks for the review.
Had my library order it. It’s now on my Kindle.
Yes, you all may be jealous!
I didn’t know you could ask the library to order an e-book. Do all libraries do that?
I too gave into Bad Book Club tempation for a binge read and bought it despite the hefty price (14$ Canadian), but I will rethink that next time if the publisher’s pricing continues.
I too gave into Bad Decisions Book Club tempation for a binge read and bought it despite the hefty price (14$ Canadian), but I will rethink that next time if the publisher’s pricing continues.
Her books are hit and miss for me. Why can’t I find any reviews here for Vi Keeland? Carly Phillips? Judith Mcnaught? Sandra Brown?
I enjoyed this, but I think I enjoyed the FBI stuff more than the romance. The “always” thing at the end didn’t ring true to me – I really didn’t get that feeling from his flashbacks of the Academy. Liked/had a crush – yes. Loved – no.
One thing also seemed wrong to me: supposedly they were in such deep cover that early in the book when saying goodnight in the hotel hallway they used their fake names just in case anyone heard them…but then when they go out for their celebratory drinks, they spend an evening talking FBI talk, in a restaurant where anyone could potentially hear them. Even if the waitress only overheard one small thing, she could mention it casually to someone (“so exciting – there were some FBI agents at the hotel restaurant last night!”), and potentially it could get back to the mayor who just might put 2 and 2 together. It seemed very risky and not the sort of thing two experienced undercover agents should do.