I liked it. Not quite as much as the first, but a little better than the second. I liked the drama involved in the relationship with these two. But the ending was a bit lacking. There seemed to be a lot left unsaid. Does Maddie publish the book? Does Mick like the book? Is Mick's sister really crazy or just needing the love of a good man? Do Maddie and Mick stay in Truly? ( )

This is the third in the Writer Friends series I've read - each has been exactly as good as the other - very consistent. Not great, and a little unsatisfying, despite the fact that they are good reads and easy entertainment.

This is the story of Maddie and Mick in the small town of Truly, Idaho. She is a writer returned to the town where her mother was murdered when she was 4. Mick is the son of the woman who murdered her. It's a reasonable back story but it doesn't go very deep so a missed opportunity to make this more interesting.

There are good scenes between Mick and Maddie, but a lot more could have been done with their relationship. I'm thinking of Turn and Burn by Lorelei James which I"m reading now. James really works at developing that relationship.

Neither of these books have any comedy, but Tangled Up In You could have benefited from it. ( )

True crime writer, Maddie Dupree, has come back to Truly, Idaho to write about the death of her mother at the hands of her married lover's wife. Maddie knows that her presence will stir up trouble, so she doesn't tell anyone who she is or what she is doing in town, especially the Meg and Mick Hennessy, daughter and son of her mother's lover. However, it isn't long before her research leads to everyone in the small town knowing about the book Maddie is writing, but she has one more secret that she isn't ready to share with anyone, including Mick with whom she shares an undeniable attraction.

Tangled Up In You is the first book that I've read by Rachel Gibson in many years. I was hoping it would have more to offer but it just didn't deliver the emotional punch or humor that I was looking for. The characters of Maddie and Mick are minimally developed and the secondary characters of Mick's sister, Meg and his friend, Steve are hardly developed at all. The big story that Maddie is writing seems like it should hold some kind of surprise or twist, but unfortunately, it doesn't. Also, I have trouble believing that Maddie and Mick could ever have a real relationship after what their parents had done. Overall, I found Tangled Up In You to be a disappointment. ( )

Tangled Up in You
4 Stars

True Crime author, Maddie Dupre, travels to Truly, Idaho to confront the ghosts of her past. Determined to uncover the truth about the fateful night her mother was shot in Hennessey’s bar, Maddie finds herself face to face with the one person just as serious about forgetting what happened - sexy, irresistible Mick Hennessey.

Gibson is a wonderful story teller and this series is very entertaining. The characters are well defined, the romance sizzles and the plot premise is engaging. Nevertheless, the annoying keeping secrets trope puts a damper on the rest.

While the plot involving Maddie’s interest in her mother’s death has potential, it is not as compelling as it could have been if the hints at something beyond a simple murder/suicide had materialized into something more substantial. As it is, the case is apparently clear cut despite the innuendo and as such it sort of fizzles.

The focus, therefore, it on Maddie’s secret and its effect on her relationship with Mick. This inevitably leads to the despised keeping secrets theme, which is problematic for three reasons. First, situations constantly feel contrived to ensure that the secret remains hidden, such as forced interruptions or postponing the inevitable. Second, the reader is constantly on the alert waiting for the other shoe to drop, which results in irritation and annoyance rather than a productive build up and release of tension. Third, the secret keeper often comes across as dishonest and untrustworthy thereby undermining the romance, which is certainly the case with Maddie.

Despite these issues, Tangled Up in You is an enjoyable read mainly due to the wonderful characterization. Maddie is intelligent and resourceful and Mick is charming and sexy. Their chemistry is intense and the conflict between them is real.

The final book is about Adele, the fantasy writer and it will be interesting to see where Gibson takes it.
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Love it. : I put this book down before after reading the first three pages. The first time I read it, it put me to sleep. Maybe because I was just tired that day or maybe because another book was calling to me. It definitely wasn't because the book was such a bore. It was far from boring after I decided to pick it up again and it's a good thing that I did too. I would hate to miss such a good book and such a talented author. It's was always hard for me to like contemporaries but when I find an author that writes one that I rate as 4 stars and up, I know that I must read more. That what Rachel Gibson did for me and 5 of her books are sitting in my "to be read" pile at this moment. I'm happy to add another contemporary author to my list under Susan E Phillips and Catherine Coulter.

Tangled Up With You is a story about Maddie whose mother was murdered when she was only but 5 years old. Ironically, Maddie grew up to become a writer who writes about murder, mostly serial killers. Finally after many many years, she decided it was time to write about one close to her heart, her mothers'. In order to do that, she decided to go back to the scene of the crime. If she were to write about this then she definitely have to include the person or persons involved with the crime. That's where Mick comes in. Mick turns out to be the son of the woman who killed her mom. Why did his mom killed hers? Because her mom was his father's mistress. So Maddie must come face to face with Mick.

I seriously enjoyed this book even if there is no suspense at all. At first it was kind of hard for me to imagine Maddie falling in love with the son of the family who caused her grief but then again Maddie wasn't close or grieving for her mother while growing up. She didn't seem to dwell on the lost but instead accept it. Reason being that I didn't give this a 5 star as I should was because I felt that there were something missing. I wanted to know a little bit more about the relationship of their parents but then again I understand the author reason for not elaborating it. Some things are better buried in the past especially if a new future is in the making.

So all in all, this is a book worth picking it back up after putting it down and read. Hmm, but I'm not sure if I want to read the last book of the 4 friends though. Maybe I'll change my mind again when I read the back cover.