Too Perfect by Julie Ortolon

The third book in the Perfect Trilogy.

A Wandering Duckling

Defying the terrible sense of direction that's kept her form traveling, Amy ships out as a nanny on a Caribbean cruise--and promptly gets lost when they stop on St. Bart's. Now she's stranded without any money--or even a toothbrush!

A Two-Faced Beast

Locals say that Gaspar, owner of the island's crumbling fortress, is a hideous recluse. They call him La Bete, "The Beast." But when Amy applies for a job at the fort, she meets only his charming assistant, Beaufort. In truth, the two are the same man--billionaire Byron Parks, who's desperately seeking privacy and peace.

A Perfect Fairy Tale?

Amy aches for the miserable man secluded in the fortress tower. Through e-mail, they begin an imaginative exchange of romantic fantasies. Byron is hopelessly smitten with his sexy storyteller--but will his real-life make-believe ruin their happy ending?

This is the final book in the Perfect trilogy that started with Almost Perfect and continued with Just Perfect. So was this the perfect conclusion? Unfortunately not for me! Kristie J mentioned in a comment that she could barely finish this book and I can understand that. For me the first two thirds of the book was a struggle, the last third a bit better.

So to start with the reasons why it wasn't the perfect conclusion. Firstly, the whole premise was so unrealistic and so ridiculous. Amy is scared of travelling and so in order to fulfill the challenge to her friends she decides to take a nannying job for a couple and their grandchildren on a cruise through the Caribbean. Okay so far so good. So they are at Gustavia when she gets fired from her job for bringing the children back late to meet their grandparents, and so she wanders off and then misses the last shuttle back to the ship and is left stranded on the beach with only the clothes that she is wearing. What should she do? Well she'll go to an employment agency and get a job as a housekeeper at a crumbling fort of course!

The owner of the fort is Hollywood mover and shaker Byron Parks, but he is hiding out and doesn't want anyone to know where he is, particularly the paparazzi. He has therefore told all of the town that he is a beast, hideously scarred, and so none of the locals will work for him. He also has another persona, that of Lance, who is the assistant to the beast.

Once he realises that Amy has no clothes Lance goes shopping with her at Guy Gaspar's insistence, choosing better styles for Amy than she would have chosen for herself, also buying jewellery and a computer. This is after having known her for two days tops!

So what about Amy and Byron. I guess they are okay. Amy doesn't really set the world on fire. She is nice but that is about it. I didn't sense a lot of fire or passion within her, or anything really that interesting. She likes to write and Byron and her make up a story one night during an email exchange to prove that, but really that is probably it about her.

As for Byron it didn't really feel as though we even got to know Byron until right near the very end, which is I guess is how it was for Amy as well. He was being portrayed as a poor little rich kid who was shunted between his parents, and who ended up being jaded at a very young age with the glamour of Hollywood. Meh! So what? Wasn't enough to make me want to fall in love with him.

And could the author resist the triple wedding. Being aware that this is a spoiler I will put it below. Just highlight below to read!

Of course not. Even though Byron doesn't propose until one week before the already double wedding, of course Amy will have enough time to find the perfect dress and get married next week!! It will be just perfect!

There was one good thing about the epilogue though. It did reflect the fact that children are not everyone's idea of a HEA which was a good thing!

So my overall thoughts on the trilogy. I liked Almost Perfect, and Just Perfect. I thought that Just Perfect was on the verge of being exceptional until the last third. As for Too Perfect...well...it wasn't anywhere near too perfect which is a disappointment. I'm glad I have read the trilogy though because Julie Ortolon was one of those authors that I have been drawn to on numerous occasions. At least now I know!

Rating 3/5