5*****Stars
I had no idea about what I was going to read when Mr. Fields submitted this story for review. I like to be surprised, and do not peek, as I've mentioned before in one of my other reviews. I must say now, before I even begin this review: I loved this book.
Antonio Cruz is the Head Butler in the elite Villas of the Native Sun Casino Hotel. He dresses in the finest clothing, always in a tuxedo and his infamous bow tie. He caters to the all the wealthy and famous people who come to the Native Sun Casino. He is the guy who knows what kind of candy Brad and Angelina want in their room, the wine that is stocked in the fridge and the brand of shampoo and hair gel in the bathrooms.
This weekend the hotel will host a Texas Hold `um Poker Tournament. One of the card players, who will be a guest in the end suite of the villas will be Max Allen. Max is a socially inept geek, a poker player, having been brought up by parents who loved the game themselves, bringing Max from one hotel room to another as a child, with him having no life. Now he is a professional poker player with lots of money.
Also adding to the guest list weekend is Hollywood starlet Shannon Moon. She is arriving to spend a loving weekend with her white trash rapper boyfriend the one song wonder who will be playing a gig in the hotel's show lounge for Saturday night, and the place is sold out.
With all the `stars', we of course have the paparazzi in town, along with the infamous one Kamakazie Cam. It is a known fact in paparazzi world that he will sell his mother's soul to get and sell pictures of any celebrity! We will have our hands full with him around.
There are some other people we get to know who work at the hotel. Mark Ford, the Security Manager, is another individual who adds to the story. So there you have been introduced to some of the ensemble, seeing them working at their jobs and those who are visiting the hotel.
We are learning slowly thru these visitors just how shrewd our Antonio Cruz and the team he works with are. I have been to Atlantic City, Vegas, Biloxi and many other smaller casinos, and never really took into consideration these inner workings. I loved Antonio from the first page. His personality, wit and dry humor charmed me. He is the epitome of OCD while on the job; he and his trusty Blackberry. But by the end of the book, I want to get past that facade of Antonio ON THE JOB and I want to learn More. We do see a hint that there is more!
This book has a good story to tell, told by someone who writes well, and has a great sense of humor and timing. I am not embarrassed to say I found myself laughing out loud a number of times at the repartee between the characters and the fun of the story itself.
I have to think that our author might be taking a little bit from truth and stretching it a tad, and I can only think some of these things are the truth as it happened and everyone is sworn to secrecy somewhere. We have so much more that could be told, another story could certainly be told!
The authors tells us:
This isn't a cloak-and-dagger mystery novel with murder and mayhem. This is meant to be a fun, fast-paced, crazy weekend with mystery, romance, sex, danger and lots of laughs. Yes, I have had weekends where all of those things have required my attention in some capacity, and during the most radical of situations my colleagues and cohorts have had a good time. That's the experience I am hoping every reader has with the book.
I will not spoil one minute of this review by sharing any more of the story with you, but if you wish a book to be full of humor, to entertain and enjoy... This is it...
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guil
