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    In a Fix
    In a Fix
    In a Fix
    Audiobook9 hours

    In a Fix

    Written by Linda Grimes

    Narrated by Susan Bennett

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    When her current client's fiance' is kidnapped by neo-Vikings, Ciel finds herself caught between two men who play havoc with her emotions.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateAug 23, 2013
    ISBN9781470360986
    In a Fix
    Author

    Linda Grimes

    LINDA GRIMES is the author of In a Fix and its sequel Quick Fix. A former English teacher and ex-actress, Grimes now channels her love of words and drama into writing. She grew up in Texas and currently resides in northern Virginia with her husband.

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    Reviews for In a Fix

    3.5/5

    56 ratings15 reviews

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    • 4/5
      In a Fix was a really fun read. What I liked about it most was Ciel's character. I thought she was completely crazy, in a good bookish way of course. I couldn't help laughing at the things that popped into her head sometimes. especially at possibly the worst times. It was refreshing to be in the head of such a fun, but quirky heroine. I really liked Ciel's and Billy's banter. Didn't like Marks, chauvinist attitude towards Ciel making her own decisions to take risks.

      The 'Aura' adaptor supernatural is kinda new to me, I don't believe I've read anything where that was possible without referencing shapeshifting abilities. I think I could really get into liking me some 'Aura' adaptor action. Cool original concept by the author. I thoroughly enjoyed In A Fix, the story was funny and exciting. I really appreciated how Linda Grimes created such a quirky character in Ciel. I thought she was cleverly written, really loved her wackadoddle ideas and thoughts. I will certainly be continuing on with Ciel's story.
    • 5/5
      In a Fix is humorous, clever, and a whole lot of sexy. Seriously! Linda Grimes reached into the corners of her imaginative mind to bring urban fantasy readers a mystery that they won't soon forget. Ciel Halligan is a 'human chameleon' and the name of her game is aura adaptation. Her job as a facilitator allows her to flex her ability to borrow energy from another human being, thus enabling her to change her appearance into that person, and solve their problems. Though there are only a handful of aura-adaptors, Grimes makes their world seem very large and well-situated. For a rare ability, Ciel knows a lot about the scope of her abilities and the urgency to keep it on the hush, hush. Readers will be able to jump into the story with ease, and quick understanding, and continue with rapt attention.Ciel's latest assignment as Mina Worthington takes a big swerve from easy-peasy to dangerously explosive. When Mina's fiancé-to-be goes missing and more dangerous factors arise, Ciel's assignment is taken over by her two overprotective friends: Billy Doyle, her best friend, and Mark Fielding, her childhood crush. Ciel's relationships with Billy and Mark provide more than flirty entertainment and down time between all the action and mystery building. The bantering and sexual tension that coils around her interactions with both men will take the edge off the plot and give readers reasons to laugh and hope Ciel's story is more than fiction. The challenges Ciel faces throughout the plot make for an exciting and adventurous read. Add in the ploy of modern day Vikings and the story takes on a new level of interesting.If you're thinking the aura-adapting storyline will be a complicated, dragged out affair, you're in for a treat. In a Fix is quick-paced with a not too complex plot. Grimes' light writing style will keep you flipping through the pages of the story and eagerly awaiting its sequel, Quick Fix! 
    • 3/5
      I liked the charactets and idea, the plot was a little weak but overall it was a fun read.
    • 4/5
      In a Fix was a really fun read. What I liked about it most was Ciel's character. I thought she was completely crazy, in a good bookish way of course. I couldn't help laughing at the things that popped into her head sometimes. especially at possibly the worst times. It was refreshing to be in the head of such a fun, but quirky heroine. I really liked Ciel's and Billy's banter. Didn't like Marks, chauvinist attitude towards Ciel making her own decisions to take risks.

      The 'Aura' adaptor supernatural is kinda new to me, I don't believe I've read anything where that was possible without referencing shapeshifting abilities. I think I could really get into liking me some 'Aura' adaptor action. Cool original concept by the author. I thoroughly enjoyed In A Fix, the story was funny and exciting. I really appreciated how Linda Grimes created such a quirky character in Ciel. I thought she was cleverly written, really loved her wackadoddle ideas and thoughts. I will certainly be continuing on with Ciel's story.
    • 3/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Able to adapt aura’s at will and literally be whomever she needs to be, but will Ciel be able to fix Mina’s problems?Opening Sentence: “The ideal vantage point for observing a half naked man was definitely across the rim of a crystal champagne flute.”The Review:Ciel is pretending to be Mina, but when she follows Mina’s fiance into their vacation bungalow, and can’t find him, she begins to wonder what is going on. When she receives a cryptic call from a strange man and barely makes it out of the room before it explodes, she knows something is different about this case. Ciel is an adapter (not shapechanger), she adapts the aura of clients and then pretends to be them while fixing whatever problem they don’t actually want to deal with on their own. When Billy and Mark show up (they are also adapters) she is on the hunt to figure out what is going on.But, before that happens she is kidnapped by modern day Vikings and then things really get crazy! Ciel’s original mission was just to see if Mina’s fiance would propose, but know that both Mina and her fiance are being targeted by Vikings things are definitely not going as planned. As Ciel tries to figure out what is going on, and Billy and Mark try to keep her safe and locked away, will she be able to escape after she is kidnapped? Will she ever get the ring for Mina?Okay, first I am going to say what I don’t like, it really wasn’t exactly clear what Ciel was doing for Mina, or what the heck the Vikings had to do with the story. And the cliffhanger at the end of the book is clearly designed to make you read book two because you are frustrated and need to know what is going to happen. Those were my only issues. I really couldn’t figure out what the Vikings had to do with anything and why they were after Mina and her fiance. Because the adapters were on the case Mina and her fiance were actually quite safe although neither party knew that the other had hired an adapter to be them on their vacation.That being said, what I really did like about the book was the whole adapter concept. I have read a lot of paranormal, because it was my go-to genre for a really long time, this concept was completely refreshing just when I didn’t think I could read something in that genre that wasn’t the same I read this. Loved it!!! I am not sure the book was written as well as it could have been, it was great but the lack of answers and confusion made me not quite love this book. I will say that I will be reading book 2 because I have to see how this plays out. However, that being said, if it is more of the same I will probably quit the series.We all like books that answer our questions, I can deal with one that leaves some things hanging, but I need some satisfaction if I am going to invest more time in a series as a whole. Okay, so I complained a little more than I intended because not only was the concept great, the humor was point. At least for me, I like snark and wit and Ciel had both in spades, I was laughing at some of her lines, and some of her thoughts. I really like her as a main character, I actually found the love interests annoying, but while I am not quite feeling anyone, I am hoping book 2 will change that for me as well. So if you are looking for something new in paranormal, and willing to be mildly frustrated then read this book now!Notable Scenes:“My favorite aerobic activity is reading steamy romantic thrillers.”“My job is made possible by a genetic quirk that allows me to adapt my aura into an exact copy of another person’s.”“Growing up with three brothers and a very annoying pseudo-cousin will drive you to extremes to ensure your privacy.”“Maybe I lack the wedding gene.”“Especially if he found out I was outfoxed by a three-year-old.”“I wasn’t having any more to do with either one of them until after this escapade was over.”“Pushing the limits was one thing, but tempting fate was just plain stupid.”FTC Advisory: Tor/Macmillan provided me with a copy of In a Fix. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 4/5
      so (deliberately) funny I upped it a star (almost fell out of my chair more than once).
    • 4/5
      Just the right balance of magic and zany action, IN A FIX was a lot of fun to read. I love that Grimes plays with romance tropes and reality (Ciel does her best to find Prince Charming with a kiss, turns out kissing is just a lot of fun in general).
    • 2/5
      This book had such an interesting premise that it made it to my wishlist before it was even released, so needless to say I had high expectations.

      It's fair to say that this book didn't quite meet my expectations. It wasn't a bad book and I enjoyed some of the humor as well as the general weirdness of it, however it definitely had some problems.

      The biggest problem for me was the main character Ciel. There is little to admire about her and I didn't understand her motivations. She was really childish and I found her immaturity kind of annoying. She spent a lot of time complaining about how people still treat her like a child, but that seems appropriate since she still acts like one. I never really saw her grow throughout the book either, which was a disappointment.

      Another issue was the complete lack of world building. She told us about her abilities and that was pretty much it. I personally don't like to read pages and pages of world building, but I do appreciate some understanding of who the characters are and how they came to be. There was very little of that here.

      Note that there is the start of a love triangle in this book. I actually liked Billy quite a bit, but I don't feel like I really know much about Mark. I didn't really have a problem with this aspect of the book other than being confused why Billy or Mark would be interested in Ciel.

      The plot was absurd, but that didn't bother me. I like a little absurdity in my reading from time to time. There were also some humorous moments along the way and some things I've never encountered before I've never read a book where the leading lady accidentally pees on one of the love interests so overall, I'd give this one 2.5 stars if I could.
    • 5/5
      What a refreshing Urban Fantasy!Ciel is an Aura shifter, meaning she can shift her aura to become someone else. She’s made a business of this quirk by helping people sort out their lives. She “becomes” them, fixes their problem and then moves on to the next client. It’s a very lucrative career, and she enjoys it. That is, until her latest client’s soon to be fiancé’ is kidnapped before Ciel can secure the engagement ring she was hired to obtain. To make matters worse, the guy wasn’t just kidnapped by random thugs. He was kidnapped by modern day Vikings. Now Ciel has to find the boyfriend, keep him alive and get him to propose if she wants to get paid. Since she’s not exactly an action hero, she needs a little help. Enter her friends Billy and Mark — both aura adapters and CIA agents – who seem more concerned with keeping Ciel safe than saving Mr. Rich Pants.First of all, I loved the mythology surrounding the aura adapters. I’ve never read anything like this, and it was nice to have something fresh to chew on. I also loved Ciel. She seemed real. She wasn’t a normal woman with special abilities who suddenly becomes an action hero. She was very awkward and uncomfortable in her predicament, which made the characters of Billy and Mark believable and relevant. I never felt like they were thrown in as extra characters, or random love interests. I also liked the history the three of them had. It was a great dynamic.The story itself is very fast-paced and well written. It was a bit confusing at first as I acclimated myself to who and what Ciel was and keeping track of who was who as the adapters shifted bodies, but once I got into the groove, it was all very easy to follow.Ms. Grimes has a fresh voice, and a great sense of humor. This one was very exciting and often had me laughing. It’s a wild ride, and I can’t wait for the sequel!I highly recommend this to Urban Fantasy fans, especially those looking for something other than vampires, werewolves and angels.
    • 4/5
      IN A FIX was a fun easy read. Ciel is like they say in the summery a human chameleon. She makes her living by shape shifting into her clients to help them solve whatever problem they might be having. While on her most recent case the boyfriend of her client is kidnapped which brings forth the revelation that she is in way over her head. Reading a book where the characters can shape shift into anybody they have come in contact with is definitely an experience I enjoyed. There is nothing like having Ciel describe what it is like being a man and the different descriptions towards certain parts had me cracking up. Trouble followed Ciel wherever she went but she adapted and got herself out of many situations that I didn't think she would. The love interests: Ciel has been pining after Mark for years. He is sexy, mysterious, kind of a hard ass and unfortunately treats her like his kid sister. While Mark still holds himself back from Ciel he does have feelings for her and does make them known to her. Her best friend Billy is fun, sexy, kinda wild and she never really thought of him more than just a friend. Slowly he starts flirting more and making moves on her and she starts seeing a whole different Billy then she has always known. Ciel is really confused on what she wants but I think the right guy got the girl in the end and cant wait to see where it leads. Like I said, IN A FIX was a fun easy read. The characters were interesting, the situations believable and engaging and the book was an all around enjoyable read. I will be picking up book 2 QUICK FIX when it hits the shelves.
    • 4/5
      There seems to be a new genre of book coming out now: Sassy, independent women in paranormal mystery/adventures with a bit of flirtation or the occasional tumble in the hay thrown in. I'm not quite sure how to classify that in terms of tags or categories, but In a Fix is right there on whatever shelf that might be.Ciel is not your average life coach. She is an aura adaptor (but don't call her a shapeshifter) who helps her clients solve the sticky moments in their lives they don't want to handle by assuming their forms (with permission) and getting the job jobbed. This book promises to be the start of a series of Ciel adventures. She's busy at work posing as her client, who is eager for an engagement ring from her handsome sweetheart. It's all almost in the bag, (and in the bed), except the hunk in question gets kidnapped, and their vacation love cottage gets blown to smithereens. Ciel enlists the aid of her quasi-step-cousin (who wants the relationship to move into the kissing cousins realm) and the best friend of her elder brother (who she has a super-sized crush on) to rescue the guy. Did I mention that the brother and crush are CIA, and that all are adaptors? And that the bad guys are modern day Vikings who are protesting against the unmanning of the male gender? They're on the rampage against having to pee sitting down and other emasculating gestures of society.Though it sometimes got a little confusing who was taking which form/body, the premise was clever, and had some downright brilliant moments. Some of the unique ways Ciel used her adapting were quite inventive. The romantic tension added a nice touch. It'll be interesting to see how Ms Grimes chooses to take the series. As an additional note, not only was there a cover blurb from one of my favorite authors, Diana Gabaldon, but she was thanked in the acknowledgements as well. If Linda Grimes is a Gabaldon fan/friend/mentor, it's no wonder there were some pretty sizzling encounters in the book.Thanks to Tor books for sending this along for my reading pleasure.
    • 1/5
      When I signed up to read this book I was expecting a kick ass female lead. A leading lady who is a little bit Mystique, a little bit Jackie Chan, and a whole lot of Ryan Reynolds in the last words department.WRONG!descriptionFucking Ciel wants to be a Mary Sue, but is failing hard.First off is her morals, she is okay with sleeping with someone elses boyfriend. It's even in her contract, signed and everything, but as soon as her mark goes down on bended knee no more bumping uglies for this leading lady. No, that would be wrong.Hooker with a heart of gold she isn't.Okay let me back up for a minute. Ciel, the main character whom we are supposed to fall in love with can shift auras. This means anyone she touches and samples their aura she can duplicate. Pretty neat no, could be used for bettering the world, kicking terrorist ass, spy movie galore...nope, none of that cool stuff.Ciel has her own business as disguising herself as rich women, and getting the man of their dreams to propose to them.So when I got to her poaching tenancies the book gave me pause. I am not okay with that, so therefore I started hating Ciel.I skimmed a bit further and found that she a girly cluster fuck that needs to be watched over by beautiful men, whom I might add, one she has a crush on.descriptionNo thank you.
    • 4/5
      Ciel Halligan is a an aura adapter, which means she can take on the appearance of other humans and take part in their lives. She makes a decent living off her talent. Her current assignment takes her on vacation to a resort. But just when things are going good, her clients boyfriend is kidnapped and their rental house is blown up. Ciel's job takes a turn she definitely wasn't expecting.Loved it! Ciel and her talent were so interesting - it kept me turning the pages. Fellow aura adapters Billy and Mark are frustrating, flirty and fun to read about. The modern day Vikings are an intriguing concept. In a Fix is purely unique. I have read stories with all sorts of paranormal and fantasy creatures - but never like the talent of Ciel Halligan. This story was a wonderful read. Deliciously sexy and it moves at a fast pace that never leaves you hanging. A must read.
    • 3/5
      I got a copy of this book to review through NetGalley(dot)com. It was a pretty typical humorous paranormal romance. The idea behind the main character being able to take the form of anyone is interesting and lead to a lot of mistaken identity type situations.Ciel is an aura adapter, she can assume the aura (shape, appearance, smell, everything) of any person she’s touched. She uses this to run a business where she does things for her client that they don’t want to do. She is out snagging a marriage proposal for one of her clients when things go crazily wrong. Her client’s fiance’ to be is snatched by modern day Vikings and Ciel is forced to call in fellow aura adapters, Billy and Mark to help her out.This is a funny and cute paranormal romance story. This story is Molly Harperish in humor but with more investigation and some cool aura magic. This story was pretty much a basic conspiracy/crime investigation type of story. The twist is that some of the characters can take on the appearance/aura of other characters; so there is a lot of “case of mistaken identity” shenanigans. I thought the Viking part sounded cool in the synopsis. In reality it’s not as cool as it sounds. There are a bunch of Vikings who are trying to promote their own masculinity and they have a pretty silly and contrived scheme to do this. This is the backbone of the plot and it is a very goofy plot that doesn’t make much sense.The characters are what you would expect in a light-hearted PNR. Ciel is a bit klutzy and a bit dorky; but for some reason the guys around her think she is totally hot. Billy is a womanizer who teases Ciel a lot and is kind of goofy around her. Mark is more serious and treats Ciel like a little sister. Ciel has the hots for them both. Then a Viking Neil enters the scene....of course Ciel has the hots for him too. So much of this book is dedicated to Ciel dealing with her love...square?The ability of the characters to switch who they are is hilarious at times. The book is decently written and an easy read.Overall this was an okay book. The characters are fairly stereotypical of characters found in this type of book; goofy/funny female lead and the hot men who are inexplicably attracted to her. The plot was just plain old silly...a bit too silly for me. The story had a heavy dose of both romance and investigative crime/conspiracy. Tentatively recommended to fans of light and silly paranormal romance. I personally enjoy Molly Harper’s books more; but this was a decent book with a similar type of tone to it.
    • 4/5
      It's been a while since I've read a good, steamy urban-fantasy, and In a Fix by Linda Grimes was the perfect solution to that problem. I'm fairly picky when it comes to urban-fantasies. I like spunky heroines, unique abilities, and men that make me want to swoon a little bit. While Ciel wasn't quite as spunky as I wanted her to be (or maybe Billy and Mark were just a tad too overbearing), I thoroughly enjoyed her antics as she struggled to make her name in a very, very male-dominated business.The unique abilities factor was definitely included here. Ciel belongs to a group of folks that are able to absorb information about people and take on their appearances. This allows them to become their clients and handle vacations/confrontations/spy jobs - whatever, as needed. So when Ciel takes on the task of being Mina to secure a proposal from Mina's hunky boyfriend, Trey, she bites off a little more than she can chew. Why? Because there's a spinter group of Vikings.. yes, Vikings, who have other things on their mind than Mina's proposal.I laughed my butt off several times while reading In a Fix. There's a particular scene in a tree that had me going for a good, solid, two minutes. I laughed so hard I couldn't breathe (it was late, okay?). For being her debute book, Linda Grimes hit all the right spots for me here and I'm thoroughly impressed. I have very few favorite urban-fantasy authors but this one is an author I'll be watching. Just .. please Linda, tone down the macho-ness a tiny bit. I'd like to see Ciel actually learning how to be kick butt and independent.