Witcha Gonna Do? by Avery Flynn

Matilda "Tilda" Sherwood is the black sheep of her witchy family, the only one without magical power, an outré. When the book opens, she is sitting in a cafe, waiting for her date from a matchmaker to show up. Her three-hundred-yearl-old sprite matchmaker had even instructed her to sit under the dragon's blood tree in the corner, the one with really gummy leaves, yes, the one that seems to want to be near Tilda. Tilda's just hoping that this blind date is not her nemesis (somehow they've been set up three times already...) but, alas, it seems she is to be disappointed. 

Gil Connolly is playing a long con. He's a part of the Council but also the Resistance. The Council is a secret (even from the witches) society that seem to believe that Tilda is faking her non-magicalness. So, Gil is setting up these dates in order to see if he can figure out her deal. Too bad it seems like it may be that her deal is setting his own magic, calling out the desires of people whether it be wealth, knowledge, power, whatever, on fire. 

In general, this hits about the same as Flynn's usual stories but with a paranormal twist. This book starts and ends as though Matilda is speaking straight to the reader which was a little odd since the rest of the book is alternating first person for Matilda and Gil. This book also sets up at least three more in the series as the epilogue is five years later and lets us know how everything (overall) turns out. Otherwise, this was a first book and there was so much going on in trying to set up the world and the characters that it got a little confusing. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out December 6, 2022

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Wedding Date Disaster by Avery Flynn

Hadley Donavan can't believe that this is her life. She is handling a big event, one that will help her keep her job with an event company, when she is ambushed by her best friend's twin. While Web is a perfectly nice man, Will seems hell-bent on ruining her life. Their anger explodes into a passionate kiss in a coat closet which is interrupted by Will's ex who immediately steps out to start spreading rumors. And that's the end of Hadley's job. Now she's going home for her sister's wedding with no boyfriend, no job, and her dreams of making it in the Big City shattered. But she doesn't want her family to know so she's lined up Web to come and be in a fake relationship.

Will knows that Hadley is a gold digger. She is Just Like his ex pretending to be interested in Web until she can get her hooks into the family billions. When Web gets food poisoning the night before he's supposed to leave, Will takes his place - this will be the perfect chance to see what she is really like. 

The last Big Misunderstanding should have been left out. The rest of the story was perfectly fine, maybe the relationship was a little fast but otherwise a good story. And then.... blergh. 

I do hope that Web gets a story one day because he seems like a good dude. 

Three stars

This book came out August 26th, 2020

Follows The Schemer

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own

The Schemer by Avery Flynn

In previous books in the series, we've met both Tyler Jacobson and Everly Ribinski. We know that Tyler has been working his whole life to leave his past behind him, to make his wealth mean something. We also know that Everly lives on the floor above him and wears heels, mostly to piss him off.
In this book, we get more of the back story of how they met and came to have the lust/hate relationship that we've seen. We also get to see how Tyler and Everly begin to build a relationship. And it's hard because they both came from neighborhoods that weren't exactly elite. But while Tyler is trying to escape, Everly is in no hurry to change herself in order to try and join the pretentious wealthy (or even just the wealthy). But Everly can get Tyler access to a family with whom he is trying to make a business deal so they strike up a deal and end up spending a lot of time together.
There is a delightful B story that (and I don't usually say this) could have been built out more -- maybe a novella? -- between two older characters.

Four stars
Follows The Charmer
This book came out January 8th, 2018
Listened to this book on Audible Escape
Opinions are my own

The Charmer by Avery Flynn

Across the floor at a fundraiser, Hudson Carlyle notices Felicia Hartigan. He wants to paint her. She wants to date his brother's ex-best friend. So they strike up a deal. But he wants to do more than help the ant researcher get her man; he'd like to get her in bed. Too bad that stupid jealousy keeps rearing its head. It's not like he wants to stay with her forever, right?
An okay story. Like the first book, not much of the relationship between the two of them other than the physical but a fun story.

Three and a half stars
Followed The Negotiator
Followed by The Schemer
This book came out September 25th, 2017
Listened to this book on Audible Escape
Opinions are my own

The Negotiator by Avery Flynn

Clover Lee knows that her mom had to get married and ended up in their small hometown living a small life. She's determined not to have the same thing happen to her so she is determinedly doing the most interesting jobs she can find in the most interesting places she can find. The latest is a job as a "buffer" for Sawyer Carlyle.
Sawyer's father died recently so he's been really cautious about upsetting his mother, even when she keeps bringing him potential wife candidates. He's told her to stop be she is determined. During interviews (which Sawyer's brother actually set up after Sawyer made a joke about needing a buffer), Sawyer's mother shows up and Clover, surrounded by bodyguard types, is the one who sends her away. Then Clover gets Sawyer all hot with her negotiating skills and the two embark on not only a six-week job but also a physical affair (which Flynn goes to great pains to make sure that we understand that a) Clover is not actually his employee and b) she initiates, which is a little heavy but appreciated.)
Of course, Sawyer's mom's motives aren't as clean as they seem but I didn't really get the ending. Nor did I really see Sawyer and Clover melding. The sex was hot but outside of that? It was a lot of tell, not show.

Three and a half stars
Followed by The Charmer
This book came out April 24th, 2017
Listened to this book on Audible Escape
Opinions are my own

Parental Guidance by Avery Flynn

Defenseman for the Ice Knights, Caleb Stuckey is one of the hockey players caught by an Uber driver trash talking the women they've slept with. As the most senior player, he's the one that is held in the crossfire by his company. He needs some good press as soon as possible. What does his team suggest? That he join a reality show where parents choose dates for their children.
Zara Ambrose is a miniaturist who is juts trying to break into the business and trying to get over a childhood where her father took care of everyone but her. Now he wants to be a character actor and him getting some speaking lines on the reality show means that he can get his SAG card.
The reason these two get together is pretty shaky but the story is still pretty fun. We get to know both Zara and Caleb and watch as they move from people willing to fake five dates to a couple in love.

Three stars
This book came out May 31st, 2019
I listened to this book on Audible Escape
Opinions are my own