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judeinthestars's review
5.0
Edit June 24th after listening to the audiobook
I loved this book when I read it last December, and when I found out Lori Prince was narrating it, it felt like Christmas again. I knew she’d be perfect for Corey Curtis’s voice. I wasn’t sure about Thayer Reynolds’ voice at first, but Prince quickly convinced me.
Gallows Humor was one of my favourite books last year so I still remembered quite a lot about it. One thing I had forgotten was how much story there still was after the mystery was solved. I really liked that, because this is very much a two-dimensional book. The mystery and the romance are interwoven, both beginning on the same day. It is, nonetheless, much easier to solve a murder than to let love in. Accepting that you’re worthy of love, that you’re capable of love, is one of the hardest things in life.
Corey Curtis is cool and sexy, unknowingly brave and steadfast. She’s also not a people person, which makes her entirely unprepared for Thayer Reynolds’ unabashed interest. The stunning doctor from an apparently wealthy family seems so out of her league that Corey forgets she’s fascinating too.
I related much better to Corey’s dilemma and to Thayer’s uncertainty this time around, maybe because I was so caught up in the story when I first discovered it that some nuances eluded me. Anyhow, while I rated this novel 4* then, this time it’s a definite 5*. And if, like me, you enjoyed the sequel, Dirt Nap, even more than this one, you’ll be as excited as I am to know that the audiobook version will be out on July 21st.
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One of my favourite things as a reader is discovering new (to me) authors. Another is when a debut novel is so good it’s hard to believe it’s a debut. I got both with this book.
Corey Curtis doesn’t fluster easily. She’s very good at her job as an Autopsy Services Coordinator at Jackson City Memorial Hospital and spends most of her free time working out and fighting at the local women MMA club. The residents at the hospital have nicknamed her the Valkyrie and it could be worse. Then she meets the new Emergency Department fellow, Thayer Reynolds, and suddenly her brain seems to act on its own. The attraction is obviously mutual and Corey can’t wait to see what will come of it. But when her report on the death of a construction worker shows it might not be as straightforward as the police think, all hell breaks loose.
Everything works: the (light) mystery, the way the budding romance keeps getting derailed, the technical aspects of Corey’s job… I liked both main characters immediately and enjoyed their interactions a lot. The secondary characters are excellent too, and I know I say that often but I’m really looking forward to seeing them all again. Gallows Humor was released last spring and I couldn’t read it at the time, but the sequel, [b:Dirt Nap|49248537|Dirt Nap (Curtis and Reynolds, #2)|Carolyn Elizabeth|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569173057l/49248537._SX50_SY75_.jpg|71763524], will come out in January 2020 (soon!) and I’ll be on the lookout for that one.
I received a copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved this book when I read it last December, and when I found out Lori Prince was narrating it, it felt like Christmas again. I knew she’d be perfect for Corey Curtis’s voice. I wasn’t sure about Thayer Reynolds’ voice at first, but Prince quickly convinced me.
Gallows Humor was one of my favourite books last year so I still remembered quite a lot about it. One thing I had forgotten was how much story there still was after the mystery was solved. I really liked that, because this is very much a two-dimensional book. The mystery and the romance are interwoven, both beginning on the same day. It is, nonetheless, much easier to solve a murder than to let love in. Accepting that you’re worthy of love, that you’re capable of love, is one of the hardest things in life.
Corey Curtis is cool and sexy, unknowingly brave and steadfast. She’s also not a people person, which makes her entirely unprepared for Thayer Reynolds’ unabashed interest. The stunning doctor from an apparently wealthy family seems so out of her league that Corey forgets she’s fascinating too.
I related much better to Corey’s dilemma and to Thayer’s uncertainty this time around, maybe because I was so caught up in the story when I first discovered it that some nuances eluded me. Anyhow, while I rated this novel 4* then, this time it’s a definite 5*. And if, like me, you enjoyed the sequel, Dirt Nap, even more than this one, you’ll be as excited as I am to know that the audiobook version will be out on July 21st.
------------------------------------------------------
One of my favourite things as a reader is discovering new (to me) authors. Another is when a debut novel is so good it’s hard to believe it’s a debut. I got both with this book.
Corey Curtis doesn’t fluster easily. She’s very good at her job as an Autopsy Services Coordinator at Jackson City Memorial Hospital and spends most of her free time working out and fighting at the local women MMA club. The residents at the hospital have nicknamed her the Valkyrie and it could be worse. Then she meets the new Emergency Department fellow, Thayer Reynolds, and suddenly her brain seems to act on its own. The attraction is obviously mutual and Corey can’t wait to see what will come of it. But when her report on the death of a construction worker shows it might not be as straightforward as the police think, all hell breaks loose.
Everything works: the (light) mystery, the way the budding romance keeps getting derailed, the technical aspects of Corey’s job… I liked both main characters immediately and enjoyed their interactions a lot. The secondary characters are excellent too, and I know I say that often but I’m really looking forward to seeing them all again. Gallows Humor was released last spring and I couldn’t read it at the time, but the sequel, [b:Dirt Nap|49248537|Dirt Nap (Curtis and Reynolds, #2)|Carolyn Elizabeth|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1569173057l/49248537._SX50_SY75_.jpg|71763524], will come out in January 2020 (soon!) and I’ll be on the lookout for that one.
I received a copy from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
elvang's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyable read. it's easy to see the author knows her way around a Y incision in the morgue. Corey Curtis, Pathologist Assistant aka Valkyrie to the young residents she trains falls head over heels for the new Emergency Dept resident Dr. Thayer Reynolds the first time their eyes meet over a cadaver. In the medical world, this screams true love. When Corey discovers a routine accident victim might be something more sinister, what begins as a romantic romp moves into danger for both of our heroines.
This is a fun, action-filled read. As I read Gallows Humor I could see echoes of thriller writer Kathy Reichs in the story line. Corey and frenemy investigating detective Jim Collier remind me of Tempe Brennan and Skinny Slidell. Corey's enthusiasm and keen desire for the truth puts her in harms way on a regular basis. This risky behaviour lends well to cementing her relationship with the nurturing side of Thayer. Unlike Reich's novels, the mystery in Gallows Humor is easy enough to solve and takes a back seat to the romance. What I loved is how well the author develops secondary characters and the world surrounding Corey and Thayer setting up for more adventures to come.
I'm hooked. Looking forward to more dead bodies, beautiful bodies and mysteries to solve in the future.
This is a fun, action-filled read. As I read Gallows Humor I could see echoes of thriller writer Kathy Reichs in the story line. Corey and frenemy investigating detective Jim Collier remind me of Tempe Brennan and Skinny Slidell. Corey's enthusiasm and keen desire for the truth puts her in harms way on a regular basis. This risky behaviour lends well to cementing her relationship with the nurturing side of Thayer. Unlike Reich's novels, the mystery in Gallows Humor is easy enough to solve and takes a back seat to the romance. What I loved is how well the author develops secondary characters and the world surrounding Corey and Thayer setting up for more adventures to come.
I'm hooked. Looking forward to more dead bodies, beautiful bodies and mysteries to solve in the future.
lariissand's review
3.0
I wanted to like this book so much, that I think I put too much pressure on it. I am a fan of crime and medical romance, so I thought this was a match made in heaven. The romance part just kinda happened and I was wondering for some time if I had skipped a chapter or something, because it felt like I had missed the moment. Sure, they find each other attractive, but... . The crime part is interesting too, clever.
I guess, in the end, I loved how some of the scenes were written (especially the crime-related ones), but something just didn't click. They would have worked perfectly as an established couple, so maybe I'll just read the next one to see how it goes.
Spoiler
it seemed like they went from lust to love before they even set a date for their first dateI guess, in the end, I loved how some of the scenes were written (especially the crime-related ones), but something just didn't click. They would have worked perfectly as an established couple, so maybe I'll just read the next one to see how it goes.
rogue_lurker's review against another edition
4.0
Great debut book from Carolyn Elizabeth.
I would put this more in the category of romance than mystery. There is a case, and it is pivotal, but it isn't the main focus of the story. I'm not even sure if this fits a classic definition of romance - the two characters were pretty much attracted and ready to act on that attraction from the moments their eyes met over the autopsy table and were well on their way to developing a relationship despite the distractions caused by the mystery. Definitely not a slow burn - but there were some significant bumps to allow this to be a bit more than an insta-love kind of relationship.
I particularly liked the characters - neither one was a shrinking violet and their reactions seemed realistic and plausible. (Okay, some rather bad decisions early on with regards to the case - but even so, it worked) I really enjoyed their relationship and some pretty amusing dialogue between the two. The secondary characters had their own sass - and I nearly choked on my coffee when Rebecca recounted her meeting with Collier. I honestly liked both the characters and enjoyed the book quite a bit. I'm going to put this one as a favourite read for 2019.
Not sure if the ending is a set up for future books, but if it is, I would definitely be buying the next book about Corey and Thayer. Even if there isn't another book about them, I'll be reading Elizabeth's next book.
Recommended
I would put this more in the category of romance than mystery. There is a case, and it is pivotal, but it isn't the main focus of the story. I'm not even sure if this fits a classic definition of romance - the two characters were pretty much attracted and ready to act on that attraction from the moments their eyes met over the autopsy table and were well on their way to developing a relationship despite the distractions caused by the mystery. Definitely not a slow burn - but there were some significant bumps to allow this to be a bit more than an insta-love kind of relationship.
I particularly liked the characters - neither one was a shrinking violet and their reactions seemed realistic and plausible. (Okay, some rather bad decisions early on with regards to the case - but even so, it worked) I really enjoyed their relationship and some pretty amusing dialogue between the two. The secondary characters had their own sass - and I nearly choked on my coffee when Rebecca recounted her meeting with Collier. I honestly liked both the characters and enjoyed the book quite a bit. I'm going to put this one as a favourite read for 2019.
Not sure if the ending is a set up for future books, but if it is, I would definitely be buying the next book about Corey and Thayer. Even if there isn't another book about them, I'll be reading Elizabeth's next book.
Recommended
banrions's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.0
This is much closer to a 4 than a 3, to be honest. It was a cute romance with a little bit of a mystery to it that made it interesting and a bit different. As usual, I really like the narrator Lori Prince, and I particularly loved the voice she used for Thayer in this book, real goddamn dreamy.
wc4's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
4.5* I really enjoyed this book a lot, probably more than I expected. I really like the characters. We have Corey, a pathologist who works at the hospital morgue. She leads a pretty chill life, with workouts at the women's MMA gym and hanging out with her best friend, Rachel. Her hospital nickname is Valkyrie, since she has this warrior/protector vibe. Then there's Thayer, a new ER fellow, who is described as head-turningly beautiful. She's smart and not afraid to go after what she wants. There's instant attraction between the two. I enjoyed their initial flirting and interaction. Corey was presented with a construction foreman who police thought had fallen to his death accidentally. The autopsy presented some questions that made her suspect that it might not be accidental at all. Events unfold from there. The mystery, while there, is not a very big focus for this book. The focus is Corey going through her days while trying to start this relationship with Thayer with the more incidental aspects of the crime. Overall, an engaging, hard-to-put-down book.
lezreviewbooks's review
5.0
I've seen so many good reviews about this book that I'decided to read it considering that the sequel is being released soon. To be honest, after reading the blurb and seeing the cover, I was expecting a murder mystery with some banter at the side. What I've found is a highly entertaining page-turner with a surprisingly significant romance plot and a number of very well-written characters. I love that both leads are realistic, flawed and their chemistry is strong but not forced. While this novel solves the main conflict, it leaves some space for further relationship development between the mains and drops a hint of what is coming in the next installment 'Dirt nap'. Luckily I was able to read it for free thanks to my Scribd subscription.
Overall, a very entertaining page-turner. 4.5 stars.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
Overall, a very entertaining page-turner. 4.5 stars.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
corrie's review
4.0
I loved this! A very promising start to a new series (I already hear part two is even better). I developed a serious character crush for the good doctor Thayer (show me a hot woman in a doctor’s coat and I’m gone).
I don’t know author Carolyn Elizabeth’s background, but she sure knows her way around the morgue. I was fascinated by all the graphic details (squeamish people beware), really cool. The mystery part was a bit thin. I connected the dots early on, but that didn’t bother me because the rest was just so entertaining. And very good chemistry as well. Corey and Thayer are a great team in every way.
Of course Corey, barely out of her last relationship, has some adjusting to do and her traumatic injury is a big stick in the works. But she gets her head out of her arse just in time (yay!). A smashing debut novel and I highly recommend!
f/f slow out of the gate because of reasons, but when they finally come together it’s very hot
Themes: who is this new sexy doctor, The valkyrie, the morgue, construction site, hurt comfort, if only Corey let her.
4.4 Stars
I don’t know author Carolyn Elizabeth’s background, but she sure knows her way around the morgue. I was fascinated by all the graphic details (squeamish people beware), really cool. The mystery part was a bit thin. I connected the dots early on, but that didn’t bother me because the rest was just so entertaining. And very good chemistry as well. Corey and Thayer are a great team in every way.
Of course Corey, barely out of her last relationship, has some adjusting to do and her
f/f slow out of the gate because of reasons, but when they finally come together it’s very hot
Themes: who is this new sexy doctor, The valkyrie, the morgue, construction site, hurt comfort, if only Corey let her.
4.4 Stars
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