Sex, Lies and Lipstick is the second installment in Kris Calvert's Moonlight and Magnolias series.
Mac Callahan, a seasoned FBI agent in Washington, D.C., has given up the fast lane to live a life of sweet tea and sunshine in Alabama with the girl of his dreams, Samantha Peterson. But Mac’s years of bringing down drug lords and psychotic criminals is about to catch up with him just as he’s resigned himself to leave it all behind. Finally getting the husband and family she’s longed for, Sam finds that life at Mac’s plantation, Lone Oak, is a Southern girl’s dream full of romance, love, lipstick and pearls. It’s all Southern charm and Champagne between the sheets until a psychotic stalker sets his sights on completing an unfinished grudge. Carefully planning, Hector Quintes has patiently waited to crash Mac and Samantha’s happily ever after. No one Mac Callahan loves is safe – least of all Samantha. When they said, “until death do us part,” neither knew how soon that could be and as Hector becomes intimately close to their family, the line between friend and foe grows strangely blurred.
It’s a deadly game of cat and mouse, but who is chasing whom?
In this installment, another POV is added to the mix. Polly. I adored Polly in the 1st book, and glad to have her a larger part of this story. Mac and Sam are as sweet as ever with their vows. One line that stuck with me throughout the book was, "...and I promise not to keep score, even if I'm totally winning." You welcome back (with open arms) your favorites (and NOT so favorites) from the previous book while being introduced to some fun new ones like Z. Dr. Leo Xanthis. Dr. Hot-Ass-What-The-Hell-Am-I-thinking-Xanthis. And if that wasn't a mouthful, Leo is short for Leonudus.
"Like, Greek warrior king of Sparta? Leonidus?"
"He's a Greek god. Don't you think?" she asked, all aflutter.
"Having a true Southern man make over you as if you were the only woman in the world was a feeling that could never be duplicated. And when you did grow accustomed to it, it was hard not to hold every other man to that standard."
Miss Celia is as sharp-tongued as ever, and will probably always be that way as long as Mac continues to slip up. "Mac, I love you," interjected Miss Celia. "But if one more foul word comes out of that mouth, I'm taking you down, son."
This book is filled with more mystery and suspense, and I loved every Southern second of it. You can tell by the way Mrs. Calvert pens the simplest scene that she is indeed Southern to the core. I will not give any of the story away, but here are a few things you can expect:
- you fall for the way Dax & Mac interact throughout their changing relationship
- the love a Daddy has for his baby girl is like no other
- TRUE love conquers all
- TRUE friendship can weather any storm
- Children have such pure, untainted views of the world
Besides, Polly, King and Z - my favorite character is still Mimi. 100 years old and full of sass and quite the appreciative eye of attractive agents. ""I'm so old my friends in heaven are gonna think I didn't make the cut."
If I was asked to pull a theme from this book, it would be "Try to live for all the small moments that don't seem to matter very much at the time. As you age, you'll discover these are the ones that are the sweetest to revisit in your old age." This applied to Mac & Sam, time spent with the kids, Mac & his aging Mother, Polly and Sam, Polly and Z AND it is what I took away from this book. I read a little longer to my kids, hugged them a little tighter and made sure I told them I loved them. Before I leave you to go grab your copy of this book (or the 1st one, Sex, Lies & Sweet Tea if you haven't read that one!) I have a few more favorite moments to share with y'all:
"I was a psychology major that need psychological help." -Polly
"Hew and haw?" she asked quietly, taking my over-the-top tone down a notch. "I love it when you talk... Southern." - Micah
Not wanting to be seen, I fanned my face and gave him my best Southern belle drawl, "Why, Mr. Xanthis, you do go on." - Polly
"Mark Twain once said, 'My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.'' - Mac
"It's a gift. Like knowing when to stroke the balls while giving a spectacular blow job or taking steaks off the grill at medium rare." - Polly to Sam
"Honey," she sighed putting her hands on her hips. "If Leo Xanthis is calling you cher? You need to be wearing better panties." - Girl at the shop
Now, let's show the sweet tea serving Kris Calvert some LOVE for this AMAZING 5 Star read!!!
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