REVIEW: Geeky, Freaky, Clueless: A Halloween Romance (Crazy, Sexy, Ghoulish Book 4) by G.G. Andrew
Phineas Harrington was Vina Penjarla’s first real kiss. But when she discovers the gorgeous Brit is the new theater director she’ll be working with, things get super complicated. After all, Vin knows nothing about this dating stuff. And as her attraction for the sweet and intelligent guy grows, so does her fear that he’s keeping a big, dark secret.
But what if Vin has a secret of her own?
Dear Ms. Andrew,
Ah, this one is so cute! Vin is adorable with her geeky love of freaky, scary things and movies while Phineas comes over all hot (I agree with Vin, he isn’t hot-ish as the ish diminishes the adjective) while also being a sweetheart. And he’s not a serial killer which is very important to both Vin and also her protective friends.
So while most people wouldn’t end up thinking that someone their friend met in a bar could be a serial killer (he’s alone, drinking, British, and because … Moriarty) that’s just the way the thought processes roll with this group of horror geeks. After a wonderful lip-lock, her friends pull Vin away because this unknown dude could chop people up for fun. But it’s all good since she’ll never see him again. Until she does and realizes that he’s the visiting British professor here to teach (?) and direct a college play this term (and thank you for having Phineas be keen, describe his home as his flat, use a mobile, and think Nora and Brendan’s house is dodgy). Who is his assistant director – well, Vin of course.
Phineas is astounded – happily so – when the young woman he can’t stop thinking about appears before him. But when he realizes what she’s there to do, he quickly apologizes and assures her that no weird stuff will go on between them given their professional relationship. Still he can’t help wishing otherwise as Vin is beautiful, funny, spontaneous and makes his heart go pitter-patter.
Vin has to work to ignore the zings between them but she feels she has to correct a student who modifies her adjective with -ish when discussing how hot she (the student) thinks Professor Harrington is. Phineas is delighted Vin thinks he’s hot and slowly they begin to ease together including a late night trip somewhere where they finally talk a little and indulge in scorching kisses. The question Vin asks him next had me cracking up even as Phineas is horrified. She met him there, alone, thinking that about him?
So Vin’s dark secret isn’t really that horrible to anyone but herself yet she’s still got some teenage demons to exorcise while Phineas’s reason for fleeing Britain has followed him and now might screw up the relationship he truly wants.
I love how Vin’s insecurities are based on something real. It happened five years ago when teenage angst was bubbling through her and while she doesn’t usually dwell on it, she still hasn’t put it behind her. But she’s willing to go on the dates her Indian mother arranges for her and doesn’t balk at the practice. Most guys aren’t exactly falling over someone who blurts out facts about poltergeists, after all.
But Phineas “gets” her and thinks her spontaneity and love of horror movies and odd facts is charming. He’s got something in his upbringing that didn’t have the girls chasing after him, either. I did guess what this is and what his past incident is that made him decide to cross the pond but it is inventive. One thing that made me pause is his age in relation to his apparently full professorship but maybe he’s an associate or something.
As with the other novellas, the main characters talk and work out their issues and then both get to deal with their outside conflicts before the HEA is reached. This time it felt a teensy bit more plot dictated for Phineas but he did refuse to take calls from a certain number. But what made me laugh is Phineas seeking advice about how to properly woo Vin (no flowers for our girl) and the running joke that makes misunderstood comments delightfully funny. B+
~Jayne
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This does sound like a fun series, Jayne. Thanks for the series review.
@Kareni: I had fun reading holiday novellas that weren’t either Christmas or Valentines Day themed.