Sophia Rose is here with a review of the romantic suspense novel, It Had To Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier. If you are in the mood for an assassin style, dark romance with humor, grab a cup of tea and check out Sophia’s review.
by Eliza Jane Brazier
Genres: Romantic Suspense
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Two contract killers, each with a hit out on the other, must fight their growing attraction as they face off in an epic game of lust and murder across Western Europe. When Eva and Jonathan hook up on the sleeper train from Florence to Paris, they think they’ll never see each other again. Which is too bad, because neither has ever felt a spark like this for another person. But love isn’t on the agenda in their line of work. Six months later, they run into each other in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. This meeting is not by chance, because Eva has been hired to kill Jonathan. She’s a contract killer, but what she doesn’t know is that he is too. Their meeting kicks off a high-stakes cross-continent adventure across Western Europe. There will be tourism. There will be bodies. Eva and Jonathan might even fall for each other. As the two get closer to completing their assignments, it becomes clear that they are also being hunted—by something even more dangerous than love. . .
Sophia Rose’s Review
They meet on a train and their next kill orders are for each other for romance assassin-style! Eliza Jane Brazier is an altogether new to me author who brings my favorite things about light spy and assassin thrillers- glamorous locales, lush travels, sexy encounters, and the humor- lord, yes, the humor, dark though it is.
It Had to Be You is a romantic comedy mixed with suspense that keeps it light on the assassin end of things. Two people who, due to their careers and early lives, are actually awkward about peopling and this is obvious from their first encounter on a night train to Paris. They both have pasts and think they are damaged goods and emotionally armor up by believing that crazy is their normal. One encounter and they realize that they have found the one person in the world who is like them and understands them well. Eva and Jonathan think that’s it and they’ll never see each other again after that memorable meeting. Fast forward six months and they are on each other’s agendas for kill targets. Between ducking and dodging, falling in love, and figuring out who put them as each other’s marks, the book moves along at a goodly pace.
Now, I had a good time and I can’t deny that this was a fast read for me, but I did run into issues. I liked Eva and Jonathan even when killing each other was still a thing and the crazy careening across Europe and over the top antics, but at the same time, the craziness they exhibited and tons of wild sex got tedious for me. I was enjoying it and then I wasn’t and needed a break for a bit like getting too much of a favorite candy causing a tummy ache. That said, it is what it is, and it wasn’t trying to be a true thriller, so this was just me hitting my threshold and others will do just fine. I felt badly for them. They both had gone the unhealthy route in reaction to their pasts and Jonathan was ready to hit the panic button. He was so fearful of a real relationship while Eva showed her steel and was ready to change everything to have a chance at happy. The climax and short little epilogue were a great finish.
Side note, this is a very quotable book, and I cracked up over all the one-liners this pair thought and said.
On the subject of dating: “It might seem deranged that I can break bread with the murderer who I’m about to murder, but the truth is, I do stuff like this all the time…He wants the girlfriend experience, so that’s what I’ll give him. We’ll eat and we’ll contemplate all the ways that we can kill each other, just like a normal couple.” p. 188
So, if you’re looking for steamy dark romantic comedy and a killer good time, don’t miss It Had to Be You.
About Eliza Jane Brazier
Eliza Jane Brazier is an author, screenwriter, and journalist. She currently lives in Los Angeles, where she is developing If I Disappear for television.
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About Sophia Rose
Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
Rachel @Waves of Fiction
Yeah, sometimes I think a story would benefit with the “less is more” approach with sex scenes. Quality over quantity. Glad to hear you enjoyed this one!
Sophia Rose
Exactly! A couple really good sex scenes are worth way more than a half dozen when they don’t add anything new to the relationship or plot.
Mary Kirkland
That sounds fun and unique.
Sophia Rose
You said it, Mary. 🙂
Ethan
I’ve read and enjoyed her straight-ahead thrillers, but this sounds like such a fun change of pace for her!
Sophia Rose
I’ve not read her others, but this was hilarious. So tongue in cheek about the thriller assassin side