Quick Fix (Ciel Halligan, #2)

Aug 20, 2013 Julie rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2013

Posted at Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks

Quick fix is the second book in Linda Grimes’ In a Fix series. This is such a fun and unique series – I am really enjoying it so far. The humor is excellent (I find myself giggling constantly while reading) and the premise is really cool.

The series revolves around Ciel, an aura adaptor. She, and others like her, is able to nab a bit of someone’s aura and become them. That’s right, human chameleons! Some use their ability to help others while others work Posted at Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks

Quick fix is the second book in Linda Grimes’ In a Fix series. This is such a fun and unique series – I am really enjoying it so far. The humor is excellent (I find myself giggling constantly while reading) and the premise is really cool.

The series revolves around Ciel, an aura adaptor. She, and others like her, is able to nab a bit of someone’s aura and become them. That’s right, human chameleons! Some use their ability to help others while others work with the government and others just use it to make some money is more creative ways. Either way, they are a great group of people to read. I especially like Ciel. Oh Ciel… What she manages to get herself into is not only insane but also wildly entertaining.

Ciel is funny. She doesn’t mean to be, but she is funny. She wants so much to be in league with Mark and others who work undercover but she just isn’t graceful or subtle enough to manage it. She tries though and that’s where the funny comes in. I also like her because she has such a big heart.

In the first installment, Mark (Ciel’s friend, original crush and one who works undercover for the government agencies) was in the middle of a case involving Viking extremists and yeah…it was fun to read but a little farfetched. It didn’t dampen my enjoyment of the book but I know it did for some. This time around the mystery and the cases are more realistic…well as realistic as a world with aura adaptors can be, and it added a level of depth to this book that was missing in the first. People are dying, people are going missing, people are getting shot and a little girl is changed into a monkey and no one knows how to fix it because aura adaptors aren’t supposed to be able to transform into animals. Serious stuff that! The story is well woven with all of the pieces to every mystery well placed and the story is well paced.

Billy is in love with Ciel and he wants her to love him back. His mother and her mother were sorority sisters so they have known each other their entire lives. Ciel is still not 100% convinced that she and Billy belong together but it sure is fun while she tries to figure it out. I love Billy. He tries, and usually succeeds, to come across as nonchalant but there is more to him and he is so good for Ciel! I hope she sees it too someday soon.

We meet the rest of Billy and Ciel’s family in this book. There are tons of brothers and sisters there! I really enjoyed Ciel’s family. Ciel is a professional problem solver (for lack of a better term), brother one is a sensitive musician just looking for love, brother two is a lawyer and brother three is a brilliant scientist and the only one who cannot adapt his aura. Linda has created such great dynamic within this family! And I liked seeing how being a non-adaptor in an adaptor family was played out. How it affected some affected more than others. Very interesting. The mix of personalities and abilities really adds to the story. I really hope we see a lot of Ciel’s siblings in future books. Billy’s family is also mix of interesting characters. It always helps you connect more to a character once you meet their family and I definitely get a better feel for the main players in this series after this book.

I really can’t think of what else to say about Quick Fix without giving too much away. It is an absolutely fun read and the characters are just great. If you are looking for an urban fantasy read that is a little bit on the lighter side yet still has substance, I urge you to read this one. I read it with a huge smile on my face and I’m sure you will too. ...more

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Aug 17, 2013 Heidi rated it really liked it

Four stars: A sexy, smart, secondary novel!

Ciel is planning on her latest job impersonating a woman who has her eyes on a board position at the zoo being simple. There is just one obstacle standing in the way, a grabby, older man who is waiting to get caught red handed, and that is Ciel's job, to catch him grabbing her behind. In tow, are Billy and Molly her faux cousins, who are also adaptors. As adaptors, Ciel and Billy can borrow the aura of anyone they have come into contact with, and then ...more

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Aug 15, 2013 Kt rated it it was amazing

Shelves: received-for-review, hardcopy

Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..

Ciel Halligan has the unique ability to become anyone at anytime. She steps into the lives of her clients for a hefty fee to fix a problem for them that they would rather not handle. But her latest job lands her in hot water when her somewhat boyfriend Billy's little sister, Molly, turns into an orangutan which isn't supposed to be able to happen. No adapter has ever been able to change into an animal, and to make matters worse, Molly gets s Review originally posted on my blog: A Book Obsession..

Ciel Halligan has the unique ability to become anyone at anytime. She steps into the lives of her clients for a hefty fee to fix a problem for them that they would rather not handle. But her latest job lands her in hot water when her somewhat boyfriend Billy's little sister, Molly, turns into an orangutan which isn't supposed to be able to happen. No adapter has ever been able to change into an animal, and to make matters worse, Molly gets stuck and can't change back. This leads to a made escape from the zoo with an orangutan in tow. It quickly becomes apparent that Molly's change was no accident, and the ones responsible would do anything to get their hands on her.

At first glance I would say that the adapter element was my favorite part of this series, as the ability to become anyone else at any time utterly fascinates me. But in all honesty it is the family dynamic and character that really make this series soar. Could you imagine growing up in a family with multiple siblings where any of you could change yourself at anytime? You never could be quite sure if you were interacting with the real version or someone else adapting themselves and pretending. Think of all the blackmail or bribery that would be involve to get others in or out of trouble depending on the circumstances. A lot of that played out in QUICK FIX, and I have to admit that this extra added element to sibling squablery make for a rather hilarious read. Even with all the learned tells they have for each other, it still was pretty easy for the others to get dupped and I found myself cracking up left and right.

I have to admit despite the somewhat love triangle going on, I really enjoyed the romance in this book. For the most part it's pretty clear who she is going to with in the long haul, and I don't feel it's a spoiler to say who since it's mentioned in the description. Ciel and Billy just seem right for one another. They both have this spark that only ignites even more when they are together. And not only are their interactions steamy and sexy as hell, but there also is a huge sweet factor that should jot be overlooked. Despite Billy being largely known as a ladies man, he's so tender and different with Ciel. You can really tell how much he cares, unlike Mark, who only started showing any interest once their was competition. Despite Ciel's long time crush on Mark, the two would never have worked due to his constant patronization and ridiculous overprotection. So suffice it to say that whenever Mark tried to make moves or act like he cared romantically in this book, it frustrated me to no end. Luckily there were more than enough yummy moments with Billy to keep me (and Ciel) happy and distracted.

While I will always be a diehard fan of Vamps, Witches, and Weres, even I will admit that it's rather difficult for one of those stories to fell fresh. In this series you will find none of those things, but instead a completely fresh and new idea that will not give you that dreaded been here done that feeling. I absolutely love the world behind this series, as it is Urban fantasy at it's finest without the baggage of 100 other stories just like it. So if you are looking for something fresh and unique in this sometimes crowded genre, look no further than the In a Fix series. QUICK FIX is the perfect blend of humor, danger, and fantastic characters to make for a great read you won't want to miss! ...more

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Aug 24, 2013 Melanie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: rd-2013, read-in-2013

4.5*s
review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...

Quick Fix is the second instalment of the ‘In a Fix’ series and is just as good as the first. Ciel is back and getting into more calamity as an aura adapter who takes on clients and becomes them so they don’t have to deal with intense situations etc. this time around Molly, her 10 year old ‘not really related cousin’ is showing signs of becoming an adapter like Ciel & her brother Billy (who also happens to be Ceil’s maybe boyf 4.5*s
review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...

Quick Fix is the second instalment of the ‘In a Fix’ series and is just as good as the first. Ciel is back and getting into more calamity as an aura adapter who takes on clients and becomes them so they don’t have to deal with intense situations etc. this time around Molly, her 10 year old ‘not really related cousin’ is showing signs of becoming an adapter like Ciel & her brother Billy (who also happens to be Ceil’s maybe boyfriend) and during a quick assignment at a zoo, Molly transforms herself into an orangutan setting off a strange set of events that leads to chases, attempted murder, laboratories, jail breaks, adapter parties, jealousy, envy, modelling assignments, confessions of the heart & some sexy times all wrapped up in a whole heap of fun.

Needless to say, I loved it! I love Ciels character and I love her humour, she doesn’t half get herself into mischief which makes her such fun too. I’m really into her love life too and like Ceil, I can’t pick my favourite…. I was sort of leaning towards Mark especially with him being her schoolgirl crush but Billy has his merits too but you will see a bad point during this that will give a bit food for thought with him having his reputation that could lead to heartache for Ceil. The storyline is so enjoyable, as you can see above, it isn’t your usual straight forward a to b plot, there are all sorts of things obstructing the path of what’s going on. When you think about it, the fact that most people who Ceil knows can adapt and be anyone…. Who do you trust? So there is always a big amount of subterfuge going on. I appreciated that we got more of an insight into her family life too and we meet the rest of her family, there are some good personalities there and we get some personal revelations from each of the brothers that makes me want to know their own stories. The pacing was great, always something going on to keep my interest and I read this 345 page book in one sitting with a big smile on my face, it was a fun & exciting, romantic & hot, opening up even more of the aura adapter world that I can’t wait to get stuck back into for book 3. ...more

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Aug 18, 2013 Kristen rated it really liked it

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Romance, Magic
RECEIVED: Author
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

REVIEW:
Grimes knocked this book out of the park; I enjoyed the first book In a Fix but absolutely loved Quick Fix. The humor is all back, but this time the readers get to see how complicated it is for those who are adaptors and the dangers that are starting to get closer to their “world”.

Quick Fix follows the always-entertaining Ciel Halligan, who is a talented adaptor aka a person who can shift into GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Romance, Magic
RECEIVED: Author
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

REVIEW:
Grimes knocked this book out of the park; I enjoyed the first book In a Fix but absolutely loved Quick Fix. The humor is all back, but this time the readers get to see how complicated it is for those who are adaptors and the dangers that are starting to get closer to their “world”.

Quick Fix follows the always-entertaining Ciel Halligan, who is a talented adaptor aka a person who can shift into anyone and take over his or her life. As a career she helps people who need her to be them to get a task done that they cannot do. At the moment she is working at the zoo pretending to be Thelma who is trying to get promoted but doesn’t want to be harassed anymore but the man who can promote her. Thus comes in Ciel, but when her “cousin” Billy and his sister Molly come to the zoo and Molly accidently shifts into an orangutan and cant change back, Ciel and her family must find a way to change her back. As well figure out if someone has been experimenting on Molly and possibly other adapters.

Ciel is a girl that attracts trouble, this time around it seems that she isn’t at it alone. With the help of her brothers Thomas, James, Brian and “Cousin” Billy they are all doing what they can to help little Molly turn back into a real girl. But along with that problem a fellow agent that works with Ciel’s long time crush CIA agent Mark stumbles into Billy’s home with a gun shot wound and Billy is accused of it. I loved how this family works together to crack down to truth and problems that they have been dealt with. James being the smart scientist type, Thomas the lawyer, Brian a fellow rebel adaptor and Mark all work with Ciel and their own special talents to help Molly and track down who may have framed Billy.

Ciel also has to deal with her romantic problems, her feeling for both Mark and Billy confuse her to know end. For me I love both guys and she does make up her mind in a way but I almost wish she chose the other. Mark is complicated because he is dedicated to his job. He also knows of Ciel’s crush and also harbors feeling for her but doesn’t know how to show it properly. I like how much he cares for his friends and Ciel and no matter what is always there to help. Then there is Billy who is reckless and a ladies man, but is trying hard to be a one-woman guy. H e adores Ciel and tries to show Mark that he’s the right guy for her. Where Mark is serious; Billy is all jokes and smiles. In the end I can’t choose who I want her to be with more.

Overall the plot is both hilarious and suspenseful, Ciel and family are trying to protect and help Molly who is the youngest adaptor now. But I liked that there was a side story that was connected to not only Molly but also the entire family, it shows the dangers of what it is to be them. The villains surprised me; I had know idea who was behind all the incident that kept popping up to cause problems. The romance is smoking hot this time around and I can’t wait to see where it goes next! But most of all I enjoyed how this was all about family. I can’t wait to see what Ciel gets involved in next and I’m hoping she gets some more action, kick butt situations like in the first book. Don’t miss out on this series that will make you laugh and shock you at the same time.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel with moderate sexual content meant for mature readers If you enjoyed Amanda Bonilla’s Shaede Assassin series and Christina Henry’s Black Wings series you’ll love Quick Fix by Linda Grimes.
...more

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Aug 23, 2013 Vanessa Vendrasco-Aere rated it really liked it

http://bookbutterflyreviews.blogspot.ca

Linda Grimes has taken the cliched version of animal shape shifters and made something a little more unique. In her book's universe, adapters are basically shape shifters that change into other people, rather than animals, by using someones aura, or energy. Changing into another animal if impossible for these adapters... or at least that was true in book 1 of the series...

Quick Fix starts off with Ceil doing a job for a friend of a friend at the zoo. She http://bookbutterflyreviews.blogspot.ca

Linda Grimes has taken the cliched version of animal shape shifters and made something a little more unique. In her book's universe, adapters are basically shape shifters that change into other people, rather than animals, by using someones aura, or energy. Changing into another animal if impossible for these adapters... or at least that was true in book 1 of the series...

Quick Fix starts off with Ceil doing a job for a friend of a friend at the zoo. She is playing the part of a middle aged woman trying to get on the board of directors for the zoo and she has her psuedo-cousin, Billy, and his little sister, Molly, there for back up. After wrapping up the job and enjoying the orangutan exhibit, the impossible happens: Molly, who should be too young to shift, turns completely into an orangutan herself and can't change back. Quick Fix leads us through Billy and Ceil trying to get Molly back to her human self (with a little help from their family) while in the midst of all the confusion, someone is trying to kill off people they know... and Billy is getting blamed. And of course, don't forget about that love triangle between Ceil, Billy, and Mark (Ceils major crush for 13 years) that In a Fix left dangling in front of our eyes! Ceil finally makes her choice in this instalment of the series.

Plot wise, I actually enjoyed this book. In the first instalment, the plot was a little stereotypical when it came to the vikings and while it wasn't a huge deal, it made the book more comical than mysterious and action packed. I'm glad to report that between meeting more of the adapter community, trying to get Molly back to her human self, someone trying to kill her friends off and blame Billy, and some decision making on the love triangle front... this book was anything BUT boring. Lots of action, lots of fantastic witty lines from Ceil and good writing to go along with it! The only problem I had with the plot was that there weren't many clues to help the reader solve the mystery along with the characters in the book. Information came in clumps, here or there, but a majority was just thrown together and given to us at the end. There was a lot of misdirection, but not exactly in a good way. While the author made us look one way, nothing was really happening the other way.

Character Development was amazing, as it was in the first book. Every character is so unique and have very distinct personalities that combine to make a great combination. We got to see more of Ceil's family and see how she grew up and what her brothers are like, as well as learning a few of their secrets. She gets to bond with each of them in a new way and that made it really interesting for the reader. I can't stress enough how amazing this book was for character development, which is probably why I loved the book so much; I am a huge stickler for good development in my favourite characters!

So, overall, I am going to give this book a 4.5/5. It could have been a bit better plot wise, but for its minor plot faults, the development of the story and the characters were phenomenal. If you are a fan of shape shifters, paranormal romance, or urban fantasy... I say take a chance and read this series. I doubt you'll regret it! I DO wonder if there will be a next book in the series though. The author did seem to wrap things up... I will keep you guys posted! ...more

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Aug 16, 2013 All Things Urban Fantasy rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewed-by-abigail, earc, dd-2013

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

Readers who are looking for a change of pace from the numerous hardcore and gritty urban fantasy series on the shelves will find a decidedly lighter, more fun series in Linda Grimes’ In a Fix books. Both IN A FIX and QUICK FIX are a bit wacky, a lot sexy, and very much in the vein of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series.

Rather than devote copious amounts of time explaining the worldbuilding that produces individuals who can assume the appearance (or Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

Readers who are looking for a change of pace from the numerous hardcore and gritty urban fantasy series on the shelves will find a decidedly lighter, more fun series in Linda Grimes’ In a Fix books. Both IN A FIX and QUICK FIX are a bit wacky, a lot sexy, and very much in the vein of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series.

Rather than devote copious amounts of time explaining the worldbuilding that produces individuals who can assume the appearance (or aura) of others, QUICK FIX states the fact and a couple little references to genetics and plunges right into the action. In this case it involves absconding from the zoo with baby orangutans, wrangling said baby orangutan and trying to get it to revert back into the little girl it started out as, staying sane at the annual aura adapter ball that her mother hosts, fending off amorous guys while impersonating one brother and busting out of prison while impersonating the other. Mix in murder, cheaters, and two guys who refuse to share her, and you’ve got the fun and fizzy QUICK FIX.

Back to the two guys. Yowza was the romantic tension fun. We’ve got Billy, the notorious flirt and childhood-tormentor-turned-suitor determined to win her using all of the skills he’s spent a lifetime perfecting. Then there’s Mark, the guy she always wanted and can’t seem to say no to even while doubting the reasons behind his sudden intense and bold attraction. It’s enough to spin any girl’s head and it’s a blast to read.

Apart from the romance, the zany plot twists were a little crazy and the numerous characters a little challenging to keep straight. The main trio are so appealing that the other characters can feel in the way more often than not. And while the straightforward worldbuilding is a snap to comprehend, I’d love to see it get a little juicier in book three to match the killer romance that just keeps getting better.

Sexual Content:
Moderately graphic sex. References to M/M/F sex ...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Patty Blount rated it it was amazing

5 out of 5 Pickles to Quick Fix by Linda Grimes

I was fortunate enough to have participated in an ARC tour and read Linda’s sophomore novel in a matter of hours. From the first page, I was laughing out loud. Main character Ciel Halligan and her circle of protectors are back for another job – as auror adaptors – one of the most unique premises I’ve ever read. In Linda’s world, auror adaptors can assume the identity of anyone they touch. Anyone human, that is.

On this particular job, Billy, one of ...more

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Aug 16, 2013 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc-book-read, dtb-book

Linda Grimes is a genius. It has to be said. She unerringly can combine the paranormal, witty banter, mystery, romance and down right great chemistry between the characters into a flawless story that will have you laughing out loud one moment and swooning the next. She has managed to create one heck of a fabulous urban fantasy series like no other out there.

Imaginative, funny, action packed and still light enough that you can devour it in hours and wish there were more long after you put the st ...more

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Aug 20, 2013 Stacy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: from-publisher-author

The characters in this series are Fun, Fun, Fun. I could not imagine the greatness of being able to transform myself into different people but Linda does a great job of describing it to us. Ciel and Billy are at the zoo with Molly, Billy's sister when she comes into her adapter 'powers' and turns into an orangutan. As they are escaping a worker thinks they are stealing an animal from the zoo and they have to make a fast get away. Until they can find James and get him to change Molly back they ha ...more

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May 25, 2015 Dr susan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: re-read, read-again

I cannot tell a lie; I love me some gritty, violent, dark urban fantasy. However, everybody needs some less dark, topped with whipped cream, slightly silly urban fantasy to lighten up their life. Ciel Halligan and her extended family are happy to bring a little light hearted fun to urban fantasy lovers, and there is enough violence to please everyone. I must admit I have wondered if In A Fix and Quick Fix are not more science fiction than fantasy, but whatever they are, they are fun. Quick Fix i ...more

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May 20, 2013 Susan Swiderski rated it it was amazing

Shelves: first-reads

Like her first book, Grimes has produced another entertaining romp, filled with wit, and spiced with a dash of naughty. She makes "aura adapting" seem not only plausible, but believable... and downright FUN. Okay, so having the ability to look, sound, and act EXACTLY like somebody else may invite a teensy weensy bit of danger and hilarity into Ciel's life at times, but no need to worry about her. Not when a couple of hunky adaptors are there to help whenever she gets into hot water... and to ent ...more

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Dec 21, 2013 Alice Liu rated it it was amazing

What I love most about Ciel Halligan is that she is innocent without being naive. It's a rare trait in an urban fantasy heroine, and it allows her character to be vulnerable without being weak. As in the first book of the series (In a Fix) Ciel has a quick mouth, a quick mind (to cover up the damage from the aforementioned mouth), and an interesting way of relating to the males of the species. She is, at once, friend, colleague, and love interest to more than one man, but the idiosyncrasies of b ...more

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Aug 22, 2013 Trisha Leigh rated it it was amazing

Linda has done it again! The gang is back, and Ciel, Billy, Mark, and every other old and new face bring their a-games to this fun-as-the-first romp through the everyday crazy that seems to find our favorite adaptors. It's sexier than the first, for sure, and I for one was happy with the decision Ciel made (also a little jealous, but you know. Fictional guy and all).

If you liked IN A FIX, you won't be anything but delighted with the second installment.

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Apr 05, 2013 Brandy Kruse rated it really liked it

Awesome follow up to the first book! I love that we get to meet more of the family and see what happens if you are a pre-pubescent adapter or the non-adapter in the family. We also get more on the 'which guy to pick' dilemma, but I won't ruin that! I really enjoy the concept of the Aura adapters and all the trouble you can get in to when you can change your whole body at will. Can't wait to see what happens next!

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Nov 13, 2013 Barbara rated it it was amazing

Loved this second story in the Ciel Halligan series. Ciel is a feisty, determined young lady who always seems to find trouble, but manages to get herself out of it with the help of her friends and family.

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May 30, 2013 Sherrie rated it it was amazing

Great time reading this book.... Funny, and lots of excitement. Good follow up to first book, getting more involved in choosing her love interest, which is sexy, flirty fun. Recommend it for people who want a nice summer read with an urban fantasy bent.

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Dec 31, 2013 Sarah rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, contemporary, arc-or-review-copy, tor, romance, read-in-2013, urban-fantasy-chick-lit

Full review posted here:

http://www.bookwormblues.net/2013/12/...

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Sep 12, 2013 Melliane rated it it was amazing

Mon avis en Français

My English review

I really really loved the first novel and waiting a year to read the second novel has been veeeeeery long. I was so impatient to find again Ciel and the whole gang. I must say that the novel has everything: great humor, people with extraordinary powers, and some completely offset situations. So I’m sure you can wonder it, it’s an enjoyable book.

Ciel is up with a job that seems simple, and more than that, she is accompanied by Billy and Molly so what could hap Mon avis en Français

My English review

I really really loved the first novel and waiting a year to read the second novel has been veeeeeery long. I was so impatient to find again Ciel and the whole gang. I must say that the novel has everything: great humor, people with extraordinary powers, and some completely offset situations. So I’m sure you can wonder it, it’s an enjoyable book.

Ciel is up with a job that seems simple, and more than that, she is accompanied by Billy and Molly so what could happen? But she surely did not expect that this new job would lead her that far. Especially when Molly becomes an orangutan after touching one in the zoo. It’s already strange that she can do that that early but turning into animals is another matter. It must be said that no adapter has ever managed to get to an animal form and it raises many questions, especially when Molly can not turn back. Big problem, especially with the big party that the Ciel and Billy’s parents are holding… And what is the solution? Well, doing everything in secret! But things will change when on top of that, Billy is accused of shooting Laura, a friend of Marc.

I loved this novel as much as the first one! Linda Grimes is very talented and it is a pleasure to read her work. What more could we ask for than having all the characters we met in the first volume? I was eager to see how the story between Billy and Ciel would evolve especially with Marc in the table and I loved seeing what happened between them. Billy and Ciel are really cute together and I loved their moments. I must say that I had a lot of questions about Marc and I wanted to know exactly what he wanted. And of course my heart balances the two of them, although Billy is also gaining a lot of ground for us and for Ciel. I want anyway with curiosity to see more of their relationship in the third volume. I must say they both have very strong personality and we understand all the Ciel’s doubts. But we also meet many other characters including the family of our two lovers and I really enjoyed learning more about them all. Molly is such a sweet character and I loved her here. Okay she spends most of her time in the form of an orangutan but she was really fun… well she has her moments. I loved the idea and she managed to do so much despite her small change. I hope we’ll be able to meet her again soon, because despite her young age, she manages to take a very important place in the story. So of course I also have to talk about Ciel. She is always funny, and has a special talent for getting into some completely incredible situations. It must be said that her association with Billy is known to attract problems does not help either. He is also very good to tickle the jealousy of our young heroine and I must say that the consequences are really worth it! But it’s true that she did not need anyone to make a very bad choice, she is very good at do it alone.

Finally you can see, it’s a wonderful surprise and In a Fix is definitely becoming one of my favorite series. It will be very difficult to wait for the third book! If you’re not convinced, wait to discover Marc, Billy , Sky and Molly, you ‘re gonna love them all. This is an explosive mix, crazy and just awesome! But that’s not all, you will love the original Linda Grimes ideas. Quick fix is a must have! ...more

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Aug 27, 2013 Jo rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: vbc-reviews, read-in-2013, arcs-ebook, uf

Originally reviewed for and posted at Vampire Book Club

Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Rating (out of 5): 4 stars

Note: While this review will be spoiler free it may contain spoilers for the first book in the series, In a Fix.

Quick Fix, the second installment of the In a Fix series, sees the return of Ciel and her delightfully confusing body-swapping ways.

When working a job for a client at the Zoo, Ciel’s 10-year-old ‘cousin’ Molly accidentally adapts in ...more

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Sep 10, 2013 Van (Short & Sweet Reviews) rated it really liked it

*disclosure: I received a review copy form the publicist in exchange for a honest review.

Quick Fix was another fun and whacky installment in the In A Fix series featuring Ciel Halligan, an aura adapter. Ciel is able to adapt to any person she comes into contact with down to a point in appearance and voice. At the start of Quick Fix, readers find Ciel, Billy and Billy’s 10-year old sister Molly at the zoo. Ciel is on assignment hoping that that it’d be a ‘quick fix’ unlike her previous cases, get *disclosure: I received a review copy form the publicist in exchange for a honest review.

Quick Fix was another fun and whacky installment in the In A Fix series featuring Ciel Halligan, an aura adapter. Ciel is able to adapt to any person she comes into contact with down to a point in appearance and voice. At the start of Quick Fix, readers find Ciel, Billy and Billy’s 10-year old sister Molly at the zoo. Ciel is on assignment hoping that that it’d be a ‘quick fix’ unlike her previous cases, getting her client a position on the board of directors. Unfortunately the situation gets more complicated when Molly, who is just barely coming into her adapter abilities, turns into a baby orangutan. Ciel’s only hope in figuring out how to turn Molly back into a little girl is her brother James, a non-adapter. Juggling a baby orangutan, finding the assailant who tried to shoot Laura and mistaken identities and figuring out her relationship s with mark and Billy are all part of the to-do list in Ciel Halligan’s oh-so-Not-normal life.

This time around readers get to see more of Ciel’s wonderful and quirky family members. They are quite a bunch. We learn more about Thomas and his connection to Mark’s partner Laura, James the non-adapter and we meet the not-often-talked about youngest brother of Ciel, Brian. For most of the story, James is trying to figure out a cure to turn Molly back to normal, and this is where we learn more about the aura adapter abilities. Well, the scientific aspect of it…how one becomes an adapter versus a non-adapter. I thought Molly’s situation was really interesting and how she came to adapt an animal’s aura. The entire time Molly was a baby orangutan, she was still herself. Imagine a baby orangutan binging on ice cream and playing Wii vigorously nonstop! Or the time when everyone had to ‘adapt’ Molly so that Auntie Ro didn’t find out, it was hilarious to see all the different-crazy situations Ciel and the gang found themselves in.

In the previous book, In A Fix, Ciel was fighting her attraction between two long time friends Mark and Billy. In the sequel, Ciel made the final decision on who she wants to be with and I’m so glad it was Billy. In this book we see them both navigate their new relationship from being best friends to a romantic relationship. Their intense chemistry continues to grow from the first book, and I love seeing their interaction together…it’s just so darn sweet and cute! Mark made an appearance here and there throughout the book and passively let Ciel know he was/or is interested in her but it is nothing compared to when Billy is actively pursuing Ciel. I like Mark but Billy is definitely the guy for her.

Quick Fix was an excellent sequel to last year’s In a Fix, there is never a dull moment when Ciel and the gang are involved. The world-building is unique and easy-to-understand, something you won’t find in other urban fantasies. Add in likeable characters and a charming romance and you got yourself a winner! I highly recommend this series to all UF,PNR, and fantasy fans looking for a light-fun read…you won’t regret it!
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Dec 08, 2013 Shelley rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance, borrowed-library, 2013-releases

*Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.0

*My Thoughts*

Ciel Halligan is an aura adaptor extraordinaire. She is a human chameleon who is able to take on her clients' appearances and slip seamlessly into their lives, solving any sticky problems they don't want to deal with themselves. Upon completion of her assignment, Ciel and Billy Doyle, end up having to deal with an interesting situation after Billy's 10 year old sister Molly ends up turning into an orangutan and is unable to switch back and ends up be *Genre* Urban Fantasy
*Rating* 3.0

*My Thoughts*

Ciel Halligan is an aura adaptor extraordinaire. She is a human chameleon who is able to take on her clients' appearances and slip seamlessly into their lives, solving any sticky problems they don't want to deal with themselves. Upon completion of her assignment, Ciel and Billy Doyle, end up having to deal with an interesting situation after Billy's 10 year old sister Molly ends up turning into an orangutan and is unable to switch back and ends up being chased by those who want to get their hands on the precocious Molly.

Ciel, Billy, CIA Agent Mark Fielding form yet another eye rolling love triangle and really in my mind, it was not necessary, nor needed for the enjoyment of this story. I am definitely not a fan of love triangles. Ciel is supposed to be an adult with the ability to make up her own mind on who she will fall in love with. Unfortunately, Ciel's mentality is majority messed up to the point where she can't decide between Billy and Mark who she's had a crush on since she was 9. For readers, we can all chirp in about our feelings and opinions on who Ciel SHOULD be with, but in the end, it is the authors desire to continue the facade or end it by picking one or the other or continuing to languish us with thoughts of what if?

If you have read this series, you know that Billy is a slut. I am not kidding folks. Billy is a male slut who sleeps with any woman who gives him an opening. In Quick Fix, Grimes pushes back the curtains and puts Ciel and Billy together in every way possible which absolutely didn't make me jump up and down and sing YEAH! He makes her feel things, whereas Mark is devoted to his job as an CIA agent. I am actually hoping that this doesn't become Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series where Stephanie can't make up her mind between 2 men.

Ciel's brothers Thomas, James, and Brian all end up playing parts in Quick Fix. The family dynamic is an interesting one in they come from a family of adapters, but not everyone has the ability to change. The story also surrounds the scientific aspects of adapters since James is trying to discover what triggers the change, and if it can be used on non-adapters without causing problems. There is plenty of twists, turns, mystery, action, and yes, romance in Quick Fix. I would say that Ciel is far from the perfect heroine. She really doesn't solve anything herself. She needs the help of others, especially Mark, and Billy.

I will be pensive about continuing this series if the focus is going to be on Billy and Ciel's relationship and how the family dynamics play in to it. I would love to see Ciel grow up a whole lot. I would love to see her be able to rely on herself to fight her own battles. I would love to see her NOT get pushed around by people who want to use her abilities (CIA and others).

Releases: August 20th 2013 by Tor Books ...more

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Aug 24, 2013 Vilia rated it really liked it

Shelves: urban-fantasy

Review from Backchatting Books

Grimes delivers another hilariously madcap adventure featuring aura adaptor Ciel Halligan. When you’ve already covered psycho neo-Vikings, where do you go next? To the zoo apparently. Billy (her sorta cousin and romantic interest) and his sister Molly are there to help Ciel get evidence for her new client. Molly loves primates so after they’ve dealt with that situation, they check out the orangutans. Unfortunately once Molly touches one she changes into a baby orang Review from Backchatting Books

Grimes delivers another hilariously madcap adventure featuring aura adaptor Ciel Halligan. When you’ve already covered psycho neo-Vikings, where do you go next? To the zoo apparently. Billy (her sorta cousin and romantic interest) and his sister Molly are there to help Ciel get evidence for her new client. Molly loves primates so after they’ve dealt with that situation, they check out the orangutans. Unfortunately once Molly touches one she changes into a baby orangutan and can’t change back. Throw in secret lab experiments, attempted murder, another brother and lots of aura switching, and you have a recipe for fun.

Ciel has evolved from the first novel and the overly protective men in her life are starting to respond to her new found maturity by backing off a bit. Molly clearly needs help and Ciel’s siblings, Mark and Billy all pitch in to help. I loved Ciel’s interactions with her family from the model shoot to the actual shooting. Ciel’s caring nature really shines through and half the trouble she gets into is on someone else’s behalf. There were a couple of times that I felt like shouting out ‘Danger Will Robinson’ but Ciel is my number one teflon girl as danger never sticks for long.

In "In a Fix" Ciel had both Billy and Mark after her. She’d had a crush on Mark for years but he only started showing interest once Billy made his move. I like Billy far more than Mark because he isn’t afraid to let his emotions hang out. Despite his reputation as a lovable rogue, he seems to genuinely care for Ciel and respect her abilities. Mark, on the other hand, tries to wrap her in cotton wool and protect her from herself. There is a lot of unresolved sexual tension bubbling away under the surface.

There are so many different story threads heading off in different directions that were only really tied together in the last section of the book. A little more structure would have been welcome so the plot could progress steadily rather than advance in chunks. I did appreciate finding out how adaptors gained their abilities and meeting the other siblings though. I really want to know if there are others in this world with special skills apart from the adaptors.

"Quick Fix" is a little more grounded in reality than "In a Fix" which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It is still a really light and big-hearted urban fantasy novel though. I spent a delightful afternoon with Ciel, her family and Billy and I can’t wait to see what shenanigans she gets up to next time. ...more

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Aug 27, 2013 Katherine rated it it was ok

What happened to the this potentially awesome series?! I loved In a Fix. It was laugh-out-loud funny. The "adaptor" concept was great and I enjoyed the fact that it was a new spin on the old shifter theme. I liked the characters and the story was pretty good (as I recall). Ciel was charmingly naive and I thought her general innocence was pretty believable considering how protective her brothers, brothers' friend and even her own friends were of her. The love triangle that formed was a good one b What happened to the this potentially awesome series?! I loved In a Fix. It was laugh-out-loud funny. The "adaptor" concept was great and I enjoyed the fact that it was a new spin on the old shifter theme. I liked the characters and the story was pretty good (as I recall). Ciel was charmingly naive and I thought her general innocence was pretty believable considering how protective her brothers, brothers' friend and even her own friends were of her. The love triangle that formed was a good one because the "right" choice wasn't so obvious and it wasn't too much of a focus that it detracted from the rest of the book.

Quick Fix> took all the good from the first book and annihilated it. I barely laughed - I just didn't find many of Ciel's predicaments particularly funny. I expected Ciel to grow and I expected the people around her to give her the benefit of the doubt, even if just a little bit this time, but instead I got the opposite. I felt Ciel became even more immature and no one trusted her. She doesn't learn from her mistakes, ever (view spoiler). The love triangle strangely continues and she's surprisingly unsure of her decision considering how very sure she seemed at the conclusion of In a Fix. (view spoiler) There was so much drama surrounding the whole thing and the actual "plot" (it's in quotations because it was so under developed I'd barely call it that) was so boring by itself that the book revolved around the love triangle drama and when it didn't it revolved around everyone else's love life dramas. By about 50 percent I was speed reading, skimming as fast as I could to see if it was even possible that this book could be saved by the end, but sadly, no, it could not.

Perhaps the very worst, most annoying part of this book is that Ciel has picked up a bad habit of either thinking of saying "Gahh" every time *anything* happens. It reminded me, and in the worst kind of way, of Ana from 50 Shades of Grey constantly exclaiming "oh my". How the author and editor(s) missed how obnoxious this expression was is completely beyond me.

Every author, even the very best, sometimes write crappy books. I'm willing to forgive this one and give the next one a try, but it's definitely going to be one I borrow from the library. ...more

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Sep 11, 2013 Amy rated it liked it

Shelves: thank-you-charleston-county-library, paranormal, tor

I picked this up because I wanted to see where Linda Grimes took her series about Ceil, an aura-adaptor life-coach. (See my review of In a Fix for series background.) This second in the series book continued at the same jaunty pace, starting off with Ceil at work, this time at the National Zoo, on an informal, but rather touchy interview. Touchy, only because the fellow doing the interview keeps trying to get his paws all over Ceil's client. She is able to get the good on him, with the help of h ...more

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Sep 18, 2016 Sandy D. rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery, fantasy, romance, united-states, new-york, paranormal, alternative-history

Light reading - but if you don't like love triangles (I don't, particularly) you may be annoyed by the main character.

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Nov 17, 2014 UnusualChild{beppy} rated it really liked it

Shelves: z-2013-reads, 4-star-reads, i-say, not-of-this-world

synopsis: ciel is an aura adaptor, which means that once she's touched someone and sampled their aura, she can look and sound exactly like them. she takes jobs where the client is unsure of the outcome, or when they don't want to have to deal with the unpleasant stuff, just the results of someone else living through it. ciel is on the job being a frowsy woman with a job interview dealing with a potential boss with grabby hands, with potential boyfriend billy and his sister molly assisting. molly ...more

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Apr 08, 2014 Kristian rated it liked it

THe second in the series continues along the same trend as the first book- so if you liked that, you will love this and if you didn't...well, maybe skip this book. Just as the first had lots of humor, silly situations and love triangle tension, so does this one.

Ciel is trying to pick up some easy money by doing a job at the zoo, when it turns out Billy's kid sister Molly has started the ablity to adapt. Unfortunately she can turn into animals, something no other has ever been able to do, and no ...more

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Oct 30, 2013 Caitlin rated it really liked it

Book 2 of the In a Fix series.

Ciel Halligan is an aura adapter--she can become anyone whose aura she's touched. She, and her family, use this ability to stand in for people in moments the originals don't want to live through. Ciel is helping a client deal with a handsy man at the National Zoo, working with Billy and his ten-year-old sister Molly.

Molly's too young to be showing abilities, but she has been--and when she touches an orangutan, she becomes one. That isn't possible at all--adapters c ...more

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Sep 13, 2016 Jeannie Lopez rated it really liked it

really great want more..

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