The Look of Love (Piper Donovan/Wedding Cake Mysteries, 2)
The Look of Love (Piper Donovan/Wedding Cake Mysteries, 2) book cover

The Look of Love (Piper Donovan/Wedding Cake Mysteries, 2)

Hardcover – January 17, 2012

by
Price
$14.43
Format
Hardcover
Pages
352
Publisher
William Morrow
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-1617934902
Dimensions
5.5 x 1.13 x 8.25 inches
Weight
15.2 ounces

Description

Review “She understands how to hang on to her audience. Her characters are the sorts with whom many readers identify.” — USA Today Clark fans will enjoy the short chapters, interconnected plotlines, and multiple points of view, all of which keep the pages turning. — Booklist Piper Donovan, professional cake decorator, actress and amateur sleuth, is back. A multilayered plot filled with murder, a taste of jealousy and a healthy dose of madness and mistaken identity is frosted liberally with a rich confection of humor and romantic suspense. — Romantic Times BOOKclub In a manner strikingly reminiscent of the author’s famous ex-mother-in-law, everything turns out in time for the diminished wedding party to enjoy a cake made from “the best pumpkin bread they have ever tasted.” — Kirkus Reviews Touchesof humor keep the mystery light, the baking subplot keeps it cozy, and there is enough going on with family and Piper’s newly developing relationship to keep it real.… Clark’s fans and readers who enjoy mysteries in the vein of Mary Higgins Clark may want to check this out. — Library Journal ...Clark’s diverting second Piper Donovan cozy... — Publishers Weekly From the Back Cover The Associated Press calls her “one of the most talented storytellers around.” Now, New York Times bestselling author Mary Jane Clark brings readers a delicious new mystery. The Look of Love Piper Donovan accepts when the owner of Elysium, an exclusive spa and plastic surgery center, offers her an all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles to create a dazzling and unique wedding cake. The job also gives Piper the time and distance she needs to sort out her feelings for handsome FBI agent Jack Lombardi. The ultra-luxurious spa caters to the rich and famous in need of a little “refreshing”—a nip here, a tuck there, a little Botox, a little detox. Nestled in the Hollywood Hills, Elysium seems picture-perfect: the grounds, the staff, even the guests. But no sooner does Piper arrive than a guest is brutally murdered in one of the private bungalows. Someone, it seems, wants to make sure Elysium’s beautiful director, Jillian Abernathy, never gets to walk down the aisle. Piper soon discovers that beneath the glamorous surface of this idyllic oasis lies an ugly truth—and a cold-blooded plan for murder. About the Author Mary Jane Clark worked at CBS News for nearly three decades. Her twelve KEY News media thrillers were inspired by that experience. Envisioning the Piper Donovan/Wedding Cake mystery series, Mary Jane enrolled in cake-decorating classes and researched unique wedding locations. The daughter of an FBI agent and a mother who customized cakes for the neighborhood kids when she was growing up, Mary Jane has two grown children and splits her time between New Jersey and Florida. Read more

Features & Highlights

  • “One of the most talented story tellers around.”—
  • Associated Press
  • “Clark has perfected the suspense novel…in classic Christie fashion.”—
  • Booklist
  • New York Times
  • bestseller Mary Jane Clark introduced readers to professional wedding cake decorator and amateur sleuth Piper Donavan in her acclaimed mystery novel
  • To Have and To Kill
  • . Piper’s back in
  • The Look of Love
  • , on cake creating assignment at a West Coast luxury spa for the wealthy and famous—where nip and tuck and murder are offered in equal measures. Clark really hits her stride with
  • The Look of Love
  • , providing a winning recipe for delectable mystery that combines chills, twists, humor and often very romantic suspense in the bestselling vein of Mary Higgins Clark, Carol Higgins Clark, Faye Kellerman, Elizabeth Lowell, and Jayne Ann Krentz. She even includes scrumptious pastry recipes and fabulous cake design tips.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(206)
★★★★
25%
(172)
★★★
15%
(103)
★★
7%
(48)
★
23%
(158)

Most Helpful Reviews

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Perhaps you should rethink having plastic surgery

Mary Jane Clark has written a great little mystery with plenty of murders and suspense to keep the pacing of the novel engaging.

This is Ms. Clark's second Piper Donovan novel and I hope there are more to follow.

Piper's commercial claim to fame is her ability to create and bake wedding cakes for major wedding ceremonies for the wealthy and celebrities. This skill gets her invited to a famous spa and plastic surgery center in Southern California.

Well it doesn't take long for the excitement to start. Someone who doesn't want the wedding to go forward plans to throw acid in the face of the bride to be, although, circumstances intervene and mistakenly a spa employee has the acid thrown in her face. Piper's FBI agent boyfriend gets involved attempting to identify the culprit. There are victims of botched plastic surgery and a sadistic physical therapist (no spoilers).

The twists and turns are expertly constructed by Ms. Clark and it really is a great read for the beach or a long plane ride.

I recommend this book. Enjoy.
4 people found this helpful
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Perhaps you should rethink having plastic surgery

Mary Jane Clark has written a great little mystery with plenty of murders and suspense to keep the pacing of the novel engaging.

This is Ms. Clark's second Piper Donovan novel and I hope there are more to follow.

Piper's commercial claim to fame is her ability to create and bake wedding cakes for major wedding ceremonies for the wealthy and celebrities. This skill gets her invited to a famous spa and plastic surgery center in Southern California.

Well it doesn't take long for the excitement to start. Someone who doesn't want the wedding to go forward plans to throw acid in the face of the bride to be, although, circumstances intervene and mistakenly a spa employee has the acid thrown in her face. Piper's FBI agent boyfriend gets involved attempting to identify the culprit. There are victims of botched plastic surgery and a sadistic physical therapist (no spoilers).

The twists and turns are expertly constructed by Ms. Clark and it really is a great read for the beach or a long plane ride.

I recommend this book. Enjoy.
4 people found this helpful
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Light and fast paced - let's eat cake!

Mary Jane Clark writes in a light, easy and breezy style that makes "The Look of Love" move at a fast pace. With an eclectic set of characters, this is the second "delicious confection" in the Piper Donovan mystery series. Creating wedding cakes in Piper's pride and joy and becomes the springboard for this story.

A lavish spa resort called Elysium becomes the backdrop of this fast moving mystery. Piper is invited to create a wedding cake for the resort owner, is flown out to L.A and the fun begins. With short chapters and easy reading this is a straightforward mystery (sans the gore and blood) that will appeal to a wide audience. With some culinary flavor thrown in (the main character creates wedding cakes), Mary Jane Clark reaches a wide range of readers.

A great beach book or curl by the fire book. Light, witty at times, and real-world experience from the author who enjoys cake decorating. Hardcore murder-mystery readers may find this series lacking ... but those who follow Mary Jane Clark will certainly find themselves entertained.
3 people found this helpful
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Fun, fast read

This mystery is a quick read with a likeable protagonist. Although the setup of Piper being asked to decorate a cake for a high profile wedding is rather farfetched, the mystery is well done. The author does a good job of setting up several red herrings and keeping you guessing until the reveal at the end. I did find the ending rather abrupt, as Piper just figures out whodunit and then the epilogue started. I would have liked to see a bit more denouement to the story.

I have read both books in this series and enjoyed this book more than the first, but both were good.
3 people found this helpful
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Totally missed the target.

The idea that Piper, after decorating a single wedding cake for a friend, is asked to make a cake for a very high profile wedding is, on the whole, ridiculous. Particularly when the venue is in Los Angeles.
The idea that a virtual amateur could produce a spectacular wedding cake in a day, that for an innate professional, takes days, if not weeks, is simply beyond the bounds of reality. Of course, she isn't even baking the cake itself, that is being done in a convent, by cloistered nuns.
The topper is that we are asked to believe that she is invited to stay in a first class room at the luxurious spa that is managed by the bride-to-be, daughter of the owners, use all the amenities, treated as a friend and confidant by the family and still get paid, and that is not at all believable. People like those described do not make friends with those they consider "the help" no matter how talented. In one sentence the family is described as being "exclusive" and in the next are behaving totally the opposite.
I guessed the identity of the perpetrator early on. For me it was simply figuring out who could possibly have been in those places at those times and not have been noticed.
The protagonist also behaves more like a juvenile than an adult woman. In some of the situations in which she finds herself, she spends so much time dithering that she doesn't take herself out of the situation as rapidly as a normally astute person would do. I was annoyed at her deliberately putting herself in danger for no apparent reason.
The sub-plot, as such, of her being an actress, seemed rather phony to me. Many of the characters were one dimensional and uninteresting and behaved unnaturally.
All in all, I managed to wade through this book but it was a chore and I kept thinking that if the character had behaved with a bit more gumption, it would have been more interesting and much, much shorter.
3 people found this helpful
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Easy, Fun, Light Read!

The Look of Love offered a decent mystery and the spa setting was of interest. Piper is rather endearing as the story develops and you find yourself rooting for her. The story gets a bit corny in places, but it was still an enjoyable read. Certainly worth the read to pass the time on a plane or waiting room. Just easy reading for entertainment value.
2 people found this helpful
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Enjoyable but not challenging

The Look of Love is a light, somewhat humorous, witty and clever little mystery. It was a quick, non-taxing read. The characters, including heroine Piper Donovan, are mildly entertaining, well sketched, and not overly obviously stereotypes. Piper Donovan travels to a fancy spa outside Los Angeles in order to design and make a wedding cake for the spa's director, who is also the daughter of the spa's owner, a famous plastic surgeon. While there, Piper naturally becomes involved in solving a series of crimes, including murder. As I said, the mystery is not too deep or challenging and there is a minimal amount of gruesome details or scary events. However, it is a pleasant and quick read, perfect for the beach in summer.
2 people found this helpful
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The story just coasted then bam it was done!

eceived from Publisher
Challenges: Mystery/Thriller Challenge
Overall Rating 2.75
Story Rating 2.50
Character Rating 3.00

First thought when finished: The story just coasted then bam it was done!

What I Loved: I did find the characters of The Look of Love to be interesting. I did not read the first book in the series so I did not know what to expect. However, I really loved the Abernathy family. I also really loved Piper's family.

What I Liked: I thought the giving of a few different suspects for the murders was very well done. Mary Jane Clark managed to set it out where you could pick apart the clues and see who fit.

What made me go "huh"?: The book was just a little to choppy for me. I never felt quite connected to the mystery or Jack/Piper's relationship. I thought the end was a bit abrupt and there wasn't enough action for a mystery novel. Though it wasn't light enough to be a cozy mystery. The book just kind of fell in the middle.

Final Thoughts: This is my first book to read by Mary Jane Clark so I might not have been prepared for her writing style. I do believe fans of hers will be pleased with the story and very strong characters.
2 people found this helpful
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A Little Cheesy, But a Fun Easy Read

I liked The Look of Love better than the first Piper Donovan book To Have and to Kill. There was a little bit more to the mystery this time around and I liked the spa setting better than the soap opera set of book one. I wouldn't put it in with other great mystery writers by any means, but it's a easy read and Piper grows on you until you can't help but root for her. The plot and characters get a little hokey in spots, but I still enjoyed it. It's one of those books you read on a plane or a beach and I'd bring the next one on vacation. I would really give Look of Love 3 and half stars. Hopefully the series will continue to improve with each book.
2 people found this helpful
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Great purchase

The book was in brand new condition and arrived in reasonable time. Great fast read. Can hardly wait for the next in series to read.
1 people found this helpful

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