{"id":6195,"date":"2017-08-07T00:00:47","date_gmt":"2017-08-06T22:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelesbianreview.com\/?p=6195"},"modified":"2023-06-13T17:51:03","modified_gmt":"2023-06-13T15:51:03","slug":"fortunate-sum-m-ullrich","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelesbianreview.com\/fortunate-sum-m-ullrich\/","title":{"rendered":"Fortunate Sum by M. Ullrich: Book Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Fortunate<\/a>Fortunate Sum by M. Ullrich<\/b> is a great contemporary thawing the ice queen romance.<\/p>\n

Catherine Carter has a successful career as a financial advisor in New York City, a close relationship with her best friend, and has reached all of her goals but one. Her 30th birthday is coming up quick and she still doesn\u2019t have a husband or kids, and the scars from her first relationship aren\u2019t doing her any favours in that department. Despite some heavy skepticism, Catherine meets with a psychic her friend knows only to be told that happiness is coming her way and that the colour blue will have a great impact on her life.<\/p>\n

Imogene Harris is having a difficult time. After being a rock for her mother in the time since Imogene\u2019s firefighter father was killed on 9\/11, she just doesn\u2019t have the emotional capacity to handle much when her grandfather dies. She doesn\u2019t want to do anything with her inheritance except invest it in her eclectic store, but finally agrees to meet with a financial advisor that comes recommended by a friend of a friend.<\/p>\n

Catherine and Imogene are drawn to each other in a way they can\u2019t deny. Can their attraction win out over grief, ghosts from the past, and misunderstanding which blues are the most significant?<\/p>\n

The Characters<\/b><\/h3>\n

Catherine has the greatest arc in the story. She\u2019s not as bitchy as many of the ice queens we know and love, but she\u2019s incredibly guarded, keeping everyone at bay except her best friend, Alice, and Alice\u2019s family. Meeting Catherine\u2019s family and seeing into the past relationship that burned her, it\u2019s easy to see why, making it all the more satisfying when she finally opens up to Imogene.<\/p>\n

Imogene is adorable. I don\u2019t know if I want to date her or be best friends with her (oh, right\u2014I\u2019m happily married, so the latter). She has her own arc, especially as she deals with her grief and possibly some associated PTSD, and while it may not be as big as Catherine\u2019s, it\u2019s just as satisfying because she\u2019s so damn lovely. She\u2019s no pushover though, and her grit balances out her sweetness.<\/p>\n

We also get to see quite a bit of Alice and Sophia, Imogene\u2019s best friend and the psychic that Catherine visits. M. Ullrich took a risk by shifting perspectives between not only the two leads but also their best friends. It\u2019s one that paid off because their view supports Catherine and Imogene\u2019s as they make their way to their happily ever after.<\/p>\n

The Writing Style<\/b><\/h3>\n

The pacing and plotting worked well in Fortunate Sum, and I couldn\u2019t wait to get home so I could keep reading after work.<\/p>\n

The Pros<\/b><\/h3>\n

Everything worked for me, even the psychic angle, which is surprising because I don\u2019t believe in psychics at all.<\/p>\n

The Cons<\/b><\/h3>\n

I don\u2019t know if this is actually a con, but I wanted to throttle Catherine for what she does in the big conflict and I actually found myself yelling at my Kindle. I was glad with how things resolved, however, and I\u2019m sure Catherine spends the rest of her life making things up to Imogene.<\/p>\n

The Conclusion<\/b><\/h3>\n

Fortunate Sum is a great read that I\u2019m glad I checked it out (I do so love my thawing ice queens!). Between the characters, plot, and unique premise, there\u2019s a lot to like about it and I\u2019m excited to read more from M. Ullrich.<\/p>\n

Excerpt from Fortunate Sum by M. Ullrich<\/b><\/h2>\n

Imogene started to make her way around the kitchen, setting out ingredients and utensils on the counter.<\/p>\n

Most of her attention was dedicated to the task at hand, but Imogene couldn\u2019t keep her eyes off Catherine on her sofa. She was struck by the vision of such a dark woman engulfed by multicolored throw pillows. Catherine contrasted with her surroundings, but Imogene was surprised by just how welcome the sight was. Suddenly, Vixen meowed, and Catherine jumped in alarm.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s Vixen. Do you like cats?\u201d Before Catherine could answer, Vixen jumped up in her lap and kneaded her expensive slacks. Catherine\u2019s eyes were wide with fear. \u201cMy guess would be no. She tends to be drawn to people who prefer to be left alone.\u201d Imogene went back to inexpertly slicing the red bell pepper.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan I touch her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t recommend it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Get This Book On Amazon<\/b><\/h3>\n

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[tweetthis]I just read this review of Fortunate Sum by M. Ullrich [\/tweetthis]<\/p>\n

Bits and Bobs<\/b><\/h3>\n