PLAYING THE ODDS by Kate L Mary @kmary0622

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book:  I've read loads of Kate Mary's zombie apocalypse novels, novellas and short stories (click tag at end of review for more), and downloaded this one when I fancied a nice, light, entertaining book that I was pretty sure wouldn't be a disappointment.  I first discovered her via an Amazon browse, and this is the third in her series of novella-length, zombie apocalypse love stories.  Yep, you read that right.

Cole is (was) a professional poker player who breaks into a winery in the Napa Valley, which happens to be already occupied by Alessa, who happens to be totally hot and the only survivor of her Italian vintner family, aside from Antonio, her over-protective, football playing cousin who is built like a brick s**t-house and resents Cole's interest in Alessa.

Enter zombies, and several waifs and strays who are invited to join them at the vineyard, including dodgy Daren, who Cole is suspicious of from the word 'go'.  

Kate Mary's characterisation is always spot on.  This is told from alternating points of view of Cole and Alessa, and I like the way she made Alessa's attraction to Cole sexually orientated but romantic, whereas Cole was initially just doing the sexual bit; she never falls into the trap of writing men out of the head of a woman.   There's more pulsating desire/rampant pheromones and less post apoc survival in this novella than in the first one of this series (More Than Survival, which I loved), but it's still a well-told story, and I enjoyed it.  

Two other points I liked; firstly, the grapes and dice graphics at the beginning of each chapter.   Also, there are instances of spoken Italian in this.  The author's note says that she did this by internet translation as she doesn't speak it or know anyone who could help her with it, so apologises if she has made any errors.  I wouldn't have a clue if she has or not, but I thought this was a nice touch.  Like, "I did my best, and if there are errors, so be it, but please don't complain; you have been warned."