Cozumel Karma

Title: Cozumel Karma
Author: Lainey Bancroft
Publisher: Absolute XPress
Publisher URL: http://www.absolute-x-press.com/
ISBN: 978-1-894817-16-5
Genre: Romance
Nymph Rating: 5 Nymphs
Literary Nymphs reviewer: Rose Nymph

Maggie O’Shea has dedicated her life to her business, a pool hall called “Bottom’s Up” that she runs with her best friend Pat. She spends most of her life there; only going home to eat and sleep. Having a drunk for a mother and a spoilt brat for a little sister might also have something to do with her dedication. Maggie tries hard to be there for her family but there’s only so much she can do. She’s sacrificed her life for them but she won’t let them interfere with her independence any more. They already blame Maggie for all the problems in their lives so there’s nothing she could possibly do to make things worse. Pat is a very good friend to Maggie; she’s partly responsible for the woman she is today but there comes a point when Pat’s interfering is just too much for one girl to handle. Yes, she may only have Maggie’s best interests at heart when she suggests a vacation and yes, maybe Pat has a point about how sad Maggie’s life is right now but a singles cruise? There’s no way Maggie’s that desperate. Nope, she’s more than happy to hide away from the world. Trouble with Pat, she has a hard time taking no for an answer.

As she slinks onto the ship with a resigned sigh, trying desperately to avoid contact with anyone, she daydreams about who she could pretend to be while on this “holiday”. She certainly isn’t telling anyone her real name. Pat will just have to accept that Maggie is not here with the sole goal of getting laid. She’s going to make the most of it and first stop – Cozumel. Maggie makes a break for one of the hidden golden beaches, the solitude making her mouth water before she sets foot on land. However, she’s involved in a motor accident before she gets the chance to hide. Now there’s a blond sea god known simply as Cole chasing after her who’s turned her life upside down but can he accept Maggie, family and all?

I absolutely loved Cozumel Karma from the start and can’t recommend it highly enough to fans of the genre. I was instantly captivated by Maggie and Pat and the trouble they’ve had to go through to get where they are today was believable and at times, heart-wrenching. Maggie’s development in particular was a success as she starts out as a strong, independent woman whose duty to her family is becoming detrimental to her own well-being but as things progress, we see just what an effect her childhood has had on her. I really did worry at times that it might all be too much for her to overcome and I honestly don’t know how the character survived this long with her family and upbringing dragging her down at every possible opportunity. There is intrigue with the character of Cole as it is obvious from the start that he is just what Maggie needs but his life is a mystery to her and she fights the desire to learn more about him as she believes no one is ever as good as they first seem. The entire cast is so strong and I really was kept guessing to the end just how these characters could possibly get their happy ending. The plot grabbed my attention and one plot twist in particular, which I won’t spoil here, is worthy of much praise. I look forward to reading more from this author.