I Read Indie: THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN by Nichole Chase {Review/Giveaway/Excerpt}

Ava McKenzie is a creature of habit. Life is passing her by and she has nothing to show for it. She’s had the same job since she started college, she orders the same dish every time she goes to her favorite restaurant, and only reads books from authors she knows. There is nothing new or surprising in her life… until her best friend marries a man from London. When her newlywed friend asks her to house-sit while she honeymoons, Ava jumps at the chance. She thinks this could be the very thing she needs to shake up her life. Ava throws herself head first into her new lifestyle; she wants to try everything, go everywhere, and never get stuck in a rut again. Of course, offing a man in a car garage hadn’t been one of the things on her list to try.

Owen Walker spends every day in a new place with a new case. As one of the most renowned assassins in the world, he has his choice of marks—and he’s never failed in a mission. When a new hit takes him back to his hometown, he looks forward to spending time somewhere familiar. What he isn’t expecting is to help an attractive, confused American woman find out how she’s ended up on a hit man’s list.

As Ava and Owen dodge bullets, will they be able to escape their undeniable attraction to each other? Or will all of that chemistry blow up in a shower of hot and dangerous sparks?

Quick Note: THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN will be $2.99 for the first week and then the price will rise to $3.99 after December 7th.

I sat down on a large stuffed chair and ran my fingers over the arms. “They got married in the States and barely stopped in London before going on their honeymoon. They’re going to be gone for a month, so Tess asked me to house sit—take care of their plants. I think she just wanted to give me an escape. She felt bad for leaving me.”

“Escape from what?” Owen set the laptop down and flipped through his folders.

“Life.” I shrugged uncomfortably when he looked up at me. “I’m twenty-three and was living like a cat woman. Minus the cat.”

“Cat woman?” He smirked.

“I never did anything interesting or spontaneous. I wasn’t even using my art degree because I was comfortable in the boring job I had been doing for the last three years. I was just…existing.” I tucked my feet up under me and picked at the jeans. The knees were wearing thin, like they had been someone’s favorite pair. “I thought London would give me the chance to break out of my routine.”

“Well, I think it’s fair to say you accomplished that.” He smiled before looking down at his computer.

“More like blew it to smithereens.” I propped my chin on my knee and watched him as he typed. “What are you doing?”

“Checking email, trying to see if there are any rumors online. Hints as to what’s going on.” His voice drifted as he searched. “I knew there was something wrong with this hit from the beginning.”

“So is there an assassin chat room? Online support group? A top secret forum?” I leaned forward to try and peek at the computer screen.

“Something like that.” His eyebrows drew together and he frowned. A familiar blue light lit his features and I gasped.

“Oh my God. Are you on Facebook?” I laughed when he turned the computer away from my prying eyes.

“No. I am not on Facebook. What kind of self-respecting assassin would have a Facebook group?”

“Let me see your profile picture.” I reached for the computer and he moved it further away. “Don’t tell me. You’re holding a gun, Bond style.”

“Bond wishes he was as cool as I am.” Laughter lit his eyes as he looked up at me.

She was heaven and I was headed for the darkest pits of hell. If this was my only chance for bliss I was going to savor it before the angels kicked me out.
The fall was going to hurt and I was going to make sure it was worth it.
***

Get ready for another round of rambling by yours truly. When I love a book so much, I tend to do that. I mentioned last year in my end of the year book survey that THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN was one book I was looking forward to most this year. It should have been out sooner, but life got in the way for Chase, pushing back its release. Hey it happens. But that saying, "Good things come to those who wait", has never been truer. I gotta tell you, it was soooo worth the wait. Wouldn't you rather a book be done right, then pushed out the door without a second thought? Yeah me too! So. Worth. The. Wait.

I think one of the things I loved most about this book was the characters. Especially Owen. I think it was his transformation throughout. Well, I really cannot say that, because how he ended up in the end was not far from where he started out. He really didn't change...it was more his true self just came out. I loved that about him. He wasn't one of those cocky, arrogant guys that drives you nuts because they keep pushing the girl away. Nope, he actually would embrace his feelings for Ava and pull her closer. *Swoon*

Ava was a fun, adorable character as well. She is all sweet and innocent looking, but with the mouth of a sailor. I absolutely loved her. She kept the hilarious dialogue going at times, which I thought fit perfectly into the story. Those scenes were just right to break up the heavy that tried to creep its way in.

The story itself was what had me hooked from the beginning. It was like I was in a trance and never wanted to put the book down. I would have happily picked it up every spare moment I had and sadly put it down when I had to be a mom and wife. (Sometimes being a parent is so overrated, am I right?)

Could I see more coming from just this one book? Absolutely. Chase seriously needs to think about making this a series if she isn't already. THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSIN had everything I could ever want in a book: glorious, hilarious, swoon worthy dialogue...lots of action packed,-sit at the edge of your seat,-bite your nails off moments, and unbelievably hot scenes with a sexy, yummy assassin. Yep, being an assassin never sounded so good.

So drop whatever it is you have your hands on at the moment...well, at least come Dec 4th, and pick up this book. Read. Devour. Love. New Adult fiction has never been so swoony...or deadly. Thank you Chase for making this one of my top reads of 2014!

5 Pistol Packin, Romance and Action Stars!

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Nichole Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Suddenly Royal, Flukes, The Dark Betrayal Trilogy, and several short stories. She is also the instructor of Say What? a dialogue class at the Romance Academy.

Nichole lives in Georgia with her husband, energetic daughter, superhero dog, Sulcata tortoise, and two cats. When not writing, you may find her reading, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.