Title: Happily Ever Ninja
Author: Penny Reid
Series: Knitting in the City #5
Genre: new adult, contemporary romance
There are three things you need to know about Fiona Archer… I would tell you what they are, but then I’d have to kill you.
But I can tell you that Fiona’s husband—the always irrepressible and often cantankerous Greg Archer—is desperately in love with his wife. He aches for her when they are apart, and is insatiable when they are together. Yet as the years pass, Greg has begun to suspect that Fiona is a ninja. A ninja mom. A ninja wife. A ninja friend. After fourteen years of marriage, Greg is trying not to panic. Because Fiona’s talent for blending in is starting to resemble fading away.
However, when unexpected events mean Fiona must take center stage to keep her family safe, her response stuns everyone—Greg most of all. It seems like Greg’s wish has come true.
Except… not.
When all is said and done, can Greg handle this new version of his wife? Will his irrepressible cantankerousness push her away? Or can the couple find a way forward without either being forced to step back into the shadows?
This is a full length, 100k word novel, and is the 5th book in the Knitting in the City Series. All books in the series can be read as a standalone except book #1.5
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FLO'S REVIEW
Happily Ever Ninja by Penny Reid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
5 **Pinky and the Brain** STARS
“My heart keeps discovering new ways to love you.”
I want to be Fiona Archer when I grow up. The woman is married, has two kids, is an electrical engineer and did I mention the mad ninja skills, with a CIA background? *sigh*
She has to be one of the most kick-ass normal, yet completely extraordinary characters in the Reid universe, or on my bookshelf for that matter. I have seen a lot of reviews being mixed, or even labeling the book as odd. Here are my two cents. There is nothing weird or odd about Happily Ever Ninja to me. In fact I think it is quite brilliant. In our particular niche of the book world we want to read about couples finding each other, falling madly in love and enjoying their HEA. Well, this is what happens years after the reality sets in, kids are born, life happens, you make sacrifices and love each other the best you can.
The fact that this couple is put into extraordinary circumstances that require mad ninja skills and lots of badassery is just the cherry on top for me, and quite frankly, you can look at it as a catalyst to force all the issues to the surface all at once. Oh the fun!
“Marriage is an ultimate sport in emotional multitasking. I’m never only mad at Greg. I’m mad and madly in love; angry and concerned for his wellbeing; he frustrates and delights me in the same second. We were arguing, but we were still a team.”
Fiona and Greg have been together since college, married for fourteen years and this is their story -told in a mix of POVs and times in their life, spanning over the last eighteen years. The first few chapters show us how they met and fell in love (those chapters were already published in the novella - Ninja At First Sight) and continue into the present. Fiona and Greg are married with 2 children and the daily grind of life and being together for such a long time has set in. Greg works on an oil platform, far away from home most of the year and Fiona battles through life, raising their kids, managing the household and knitting.
And to put it bluntly, they have issues.
Those issues come to a boiling point when Fiona gets the call that will spin her world on its axis. Greg has been kidnapped, in Africa. And from one second to another we are thrown into an adventure novel; filled with spies, oil pirates and real life ninjas. I had to caution myself to keep the squealing at a minimum while reading in public. I live for this kind of stuff. Yes, I loved the book and that's that.
Both Fiona and Greg are complex characters, opinionated, intelligent and self-sufficient. They have such normal problems, while being quite extraordinary people. It's hilarious and very satisfying to see them go at each other, handling their lives and loving one another the way they do. Also, very refreshing to read about a couple that has been together for a long time. I think we need more of that around here.
“Each marriage is a living thing, just as complex as the two individuals within it.”
Happily Ever Ninja is funny, action packed, it overflows with love, suspense and badassery, it is no joke at all. There is a reason Ms. Reid is one of my favourite authors. She gets me every time with her existential knitting debates, thoughtful and endearing protagonists, and not to mention the highly imaginative and unique stories.
All in all a rather unique and entertaining addition to the Knitting in the City series. And last but not least, Drew's Ketamine vials were taken to good use. ;D
**ARC very kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
About the Author
SEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-6, girl-4 as of this writing).
By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their stories.
Giveaway
Books by Penny Reid, Flo has read:
(click cover for amazon link - reviews below)
| ★5 Stars★ | ★4 Stars★ | ★4.5 Stars★ | ★3.75 Stars★ |
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| Review | Review | Review | Review |
| ★4 Stars★ | ★5 Stars★ | ★3.75 Stars★ | ★5 Stars★ |
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| Review | Review | Review | Review |
I LOVED this book...and I also loved Beauty and the Mustache...and basically all of Penny's books. So glad I found another kindred spirit who loves intelligent, strong, funny women who are also sexy and loved by worthy men. Ugh...to be part of that Tuesday night knitting circle...if only!
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