Plum Lovin'

Stephanie Plum, a bounty hunter, must find Annie Hart, a relationship expert charged with armed robbery. Before Stephanie can bring Hart in, mysterious operative Diesel appears and reveals Hart is under his protection from a dangerous man named Bernie Beaner. Diesel strikes a deal with Stephanie - she must help fulfill Hart's professional obligations by Valentine's Day. This means solving relationship problems for Hart's five clients while Diesel handles the threat from Bernie Beaner. Working together, Stephanie and Diesel navigate through a series of matchmaking missions and personal crises involving Hart's diverse clientele. Their tasks range from helping a divorced mother of four to assisting socially awkward professionals find love. The novella combines elements of romance and light mystery while exploring themes of connection, trust, and the complexities of modern relationships. This Valentine's Day installment provides a playful take on love and partnership within the larger Stephanie Plum series framework.

Readers view this Between-the-Numbers novella as a light, quick read but not up to par with the main Stephanie Plum series. Liked: - Diesel's return as a character - Fast pace allows reading in one sitting - Valentine's Day matchmaking plotline - Humor consistent with series style - Less expensive than full-length novels Disliked: - Too short for the price point - Lacks depth compared to main series books - Missing regular characters (Morelli, Ranger) - Plot feels rushed and underdeveloped - Many consider it skippable within series Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (38,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (600+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.1/5 (200+ ratings) "Fun filler between main books but not worth full price," notes one Amazon reviewer. Multiple Goodreads reviews mention feeling "cheated" by the length vs cost. Several readers recommend borrowing from the library instead of purchasing.

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich This first book in the Stephanie Plum series introduces the same bounty-hunting heroine with her mix of crime-solving and romantic entanglements.

Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot A former pop star works as a college residence director while solving murders and navigating relationships in New York City.

The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz A private investigator from an eccentric family of detectives tackles cases while dealing with her family's constant interference in her personal life.

Louisiana Longshot by Jana DeLeon A CIA assassin goes undercover in a small Louisiana town and finds herself solving local mysteries while building a new life.

If You've Got It, Haunt It by Rose Pressey A vintage clothing shop owner discovers she can see ghosts through the clothes she sells and uses this ability to solve murders.

🔸 The "Between-the-Numbers" novellas in the Stephanie Plum series, including Plum Lovin', feature Diesel, a character who never appears in the main numbered books, adding a supernatural element to these special installments. 🔸 Janet Evanovich began her writing career penning romance novels under the pen name Steffie Hall before creating the Stephanie Plum series, which launched in 1994 with "One for the Money." 🔸 Trenton, New Jersey, where the series is set, has embraced its fictional fame, with local businesses offering "Stephanie Plum tours" of locations mentioned in the books. 🔸 The character of Stephanie Plum was inspired by the movie "Midnight Run," which prompted Evanovich to create a female bounty hunter protagonist at a time when this was highly unusual in fiction. 🔸 The Plum series has consistently dominated bestseller lists, with every numbered book since the seventh installment debuting at #1 on The New York Times Best Seller list.