Hey guys! Today on the blog I have a review and fun Q&A for you with author Erin Lyon! I read the first book in her Contract Killers duology last year and really liked it so I couldn't be more excited to get my hands on the sequel Unconditionally! Enter the giveaway at the end for your chance to win copies of this fun duology ;)
(Contract Killers #2)
by Erin Lyon
January 9, 2018
336 pages
336 pages
Goodreads Summary:
In a world where marriage doesn’t exist—only seven-year contracts—you don’t marry, you sign. You don’t divorce, you breach. And sometimes, you just expire.
In this hilarious conclusion to Erin Lyon's I Love You Subject to the Following Terms and Conditions, Kate has accepted a job practicing signing law, the one type of law she swore she'd never do - especially since what she thought was her very own happily ever after turned into just another expired contract. But between Kate's embarrassing penchant for running into exes in court, clients determined to use her as their very own therapist, and a couple having a knock-down, drag-out over the custody of the family guinea pig, at least the job's never boring.
But while Kate finally has a handle on her career, her love life is still, well, complicated. The former love of her life, Jonathan, wants her back. Her current main squeeze, Dave, wants to take things to the next level, but she still can't shake her wolf-in-sheep's-clothing vibe about him. And then there's Adam, her mad crush who really wants to be her friend. So, to sum up, one questionable ex, one player with a capital "P," and one guy who's kind of stolen her heart even though she's in the friend zone. This should be a piece of cake.
Unconditionally is both a sweet and sexy romantic comedy and a hilariously relatable look at finding happiness where you least expect it.
Interview
1. How did you come up with your book titles? Were the lengths (one long, one short) intentional?
Ah, titles. I Love You Subject to the Following Terms and Conditions was originally titled The Contract Killers. Since my publisher is full of smart people, they said ‘Nope – sounds too thriller-y’ (okay – they didn’t say ‘thriller-y…I’m paraphrasing). They turned out to be 100% correct since – depending on which site you are looking at – some will still describe the book as ‘murder for hire’ and that’s just with the “A Contract Killers Novel” part. So, I said “well, the basic idea is “I love you…subject to the following terms and conditions” and it stuck. When it came to book two, other ideas were thrown around, but I kept coming back to Unconditionally (because I’m a romantic at heart despite the whole 7-year contract thing). The long title / short title thing was a happy accident that I rather like.
2. What made you want to write about contracts and marriages?
It actually started with the idea of short-term marriages given the divorce rate in this country. I told a co-worker “Maybe humans weren’t meant to mate for life” (I know – so profound). Then I went to law school and learned all about contract law and the two ideas merged. Voila. Seven-year contracts.
3. Do you have a favourite guy out of the three? If not, then who did you enjoy writing the most?
Um, Adam. Is there really any question? I do love Jonathan, too though (just like Kate – hence the conundrum). Ironically, Dave was more a portrayal of the very real, somewhat douchy guys I’ve met and I was a little surprised that some women actually liked him best.
4. Who was the hardest character to write? Why?
I guess Dave was the hardest to write, I think because there is a little of me in all of the other characters. I could relate to them – feel what they feel. I’ve known Daves, even felt like I understood what made them tick, but I can’t really put myself in their shoes, if that makes sense.
5. What are some advices you'd give to Kate to help sort out her relationship troubles?
I did give Kate brilliant advice on her relationship troubles! I was able to do that as Logek ;)
I did give Kate brilliant advice on her relationship troubles! I was able to do that as Logek ;)
Thank you so much for answering my questions Erin! I love how you came up with the idea for the books. And ADAM. There's definitely no questions about it. Ever.
About the AuthorErin Lyon graduated with a bachelor's degree in English and then worked in broadcast television at the Sacramento ABC affiliate for 10 years before going to law school. She is now a practicing civil attorney and blames all of the people in her life for not trying to talk her out of the whole “becoming a lawyer” thing. After finishing law school, she completed her first novel and began working on the sequels. Erin lives in Northern California with her husband of nearly 20 years (the Saint), her two daughters (the Girls), her three rescue dogs (the Boys), and three cats, who, let’s be real, belong only to themselves. The Contract Killers is her debut novel.
Review
Last year I couldn't wait to get my hands on this sequel right after the cliffhanger ending in I Love You Subject to the Following Terms and Conditions. It was one of those situations where I wanted to scream and run around because that's how much I cared about the characters.
Unconditionally was such a breeze to read. The easy humour, absurd situations and amusing dialogues made it impossible not to laugh while reading. My only slight disappointment was with the romance. There was a shift in focus from the spotlight on Kate's love life to all sorts of other dysfunctional relationships in the world. They were entertaining to read about but I really wanted more Adam and Kate moments. The few that we got didn't quite satisfy my need.
Kate is the loveliest of characters. I loved everything about her. Her frustration, her confusion, her hesitations and even her inner snarky tone were real and relatable. She made the best with whatever life threw at her. Even during the tough times and emotional moments she held true to herself and was fair to others.
Becoming a signing lawyer had its ups and downs. Despite her life-long refusal, Kate was a star. Her inner voice was sarcastic as heck but she kept them all to herself proving she was more than capable to be mature about her new job. Kate handled her cases professionally and treated her clients with respect and without prejudice. I'm a fan of the tv show Suits so I thoroughly enjoyed all the legal proceedings in Unconditionally. I loved reading about Kate doing her job.
Of all the guys in Kate's love life, Dave was a real eyesore. I just couldn't muster up any feelings except extreme dislike for him. Besides him every other side character were agreeable and fun. Logek and Mags were supportive besties to Kate.
Unconditionally was full of humour and heart. Readers of contemporary romance must not miss out on the fun that is the Contract Killers duology. I'm eagerly looking forward to what Ms. Erin Lyon brings us next~
*I received an eARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinion are my own and not affected in any way.
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