If this sentence “You deserve someone who isn’t as broken as me� completely and utterly ENRAGES you, then you can skip this. 2 very lackluster stars.
If this sentence “You deserve someone who isn’t as broken as me� completely and utterly ENRAGES you, then you can skip this.
Plot and characters were.......fine. Nothing was special or interesting. Writing was insanely lofty and try-hardy. Lots of “when there is light there is also darkness, and I had to learn how to swallow up that darkness and blah blah blah blah.� The kind of writing that makes you gag a little bit.
2 stars because the hero wasn’t a man whore and the book was safe. ...more
Things I liked: -Strong heroine at certain times -Sexy hero. Even though he's pretty scummy for a majority of **spoiler alert** 3 stars for the series.
Things I liked: -Strong heroine at certain times -Sexy hero. Even though he's pretty scummy for a majority of the book -Chemistry between characters.
Really, the same problem I have with all of Whitney G's books also apply to this one. -Tons of baggage stacked on top of each other. For a series this short, can we come up with anything else besides sexual abuse?? It just feels like decoration to make the hero seem redeemable. -Not enough time with the characters together -Really rushed ending. -Rich people problems
Also, I felt like WG was mocking her readers. Each book starts with a prologue in the hero's voice telling us how we, the readers, are stupid to expect a groveling hero that will get down to his knees and cry and beg for the heroine to forgive him. Other times she mocks certain Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ reviews for being negative. Not sure what that was all about? Just came out of left field and it felt political instead of adding to the story.
Safety: No cheating No other people after meeting Sexual abuse of the hero as a child A week of separation ...more
All tell and no show. Every sentence starting with ‘I.� Heroine written to have bad case of martyrdom. Hero hot and cold within freaking Bad writing.
All tell and no show. Every sentence starting with ‘I.� Heroine written to have bad case of martyrdom. Hero hot and cold within freaking paragraphs.
Also the heroines name was Blakely.... that’s not a name. ...more
**spoiler alert** 2 stars for a very lazy formulaic story.
So formulaic you could predict what was about to happen, a page before it happened. So form**spoiler alert** 2 stars for a very lazy formulaic story.
So formulaic you could predict what was about to happen, a page before it happened. So formulaic that I was questioning why I was wasting my time on a book that the author didn't even try to make special.
- MC's have their initial meet cute - Cue the main cause/effect that forces our MC's to be in the same room together. - MC's interactions progress from enemies to friends - Random misunderstandings and stupid assumptions coming from both sides. {Insert sexual tension here} - Chapters dedicated to both MC's rehashing everything you JUST read to their friends so they get moral clarity. - Misunderstandings and assumptions rectified. All good! They finally realize they both like each other!!! -Sex - Breakup immediately after for over reactions due to outside forces. - Seperation with more of both MC's rehashing everything you JUST read to their friends so they get moral clarity. - MC's get back together. Epilogue.
There you go folks. Thats your outline for how to make a half assed contemporary romance. Usually I'd give something like this 3 stars, but this gets 2 because nothing was special and it leaned on the side of frustrating and obnoxious most of the time. Both hero and heroine were just ok. Once you start thinking these characters *might* start acting normally, they go and say something idiotic or embarrassing. The side characters got in the way ALOT. The reason they break up is unimaginative and unnecessary.
Safety: -No cheating. No other people after meeting. No OW drama -OM drama in the form of h's ex boyfriend who, SHOCKER, cheated on her. -H not a manwhore -h not a virgin, but the author is sure to let you know that she doesnt have too much experience. We cant have a sexually liberated female character, now can we? -Seperation for a week. -Push and pull on both sides. ...more
This book did not make any sense at all. THe main characters thoughts are so full of contradictions it makes my head hurt. And then the random time juThis book did not make any sense at all. THe main characters thoughts are so full of contradictions it makes my head hurt. And then the random time jumps and appearing in places where you thought they were running away from? Just super confusing and had no flow what so ever. Main issue is the hero. 1 minute he wants to protect the h then the next he wants to use her as bait. Then he keeps her captive for 3 months and burns a guy alive in front of her but gets mad of the thought of people in her past that treated her badly.
Like.... pick a direction of how you want this guy to think??? Just piss poor story telling all around.
Also the description of the hero is that his hair is ‘blue like a hot flame�.... because his name is Arson.... and he likes setting things on fire.....
Before I get into my review I want to call out one thing. Why... WHY... do authors use outdated ideas and objects in their **spoiler alert** 2 stars..
Before I get into my review I want to call out one thing. Why... WHY... do authors use outdated ideas and objects in their books. Was this written by a Boomer? The heroine has an landline with an answering machine.....Like... people havent said the term "answering machine" in about a decade now. Maybe update your point of reference? I'm picking things up like this all the time. Another example; NOBODY GETS A TAXI ANYMORE. People get Uber's or Lyfts.
Welcome to 2020.
Ok now that rant is done, lets get into the real review.
You ever pick up a book and everything is going so well... until it doesnt? And the more you read you cant help but think, "What on earth is this author trying to do." The more time you spend with the characters, the more you realize youre rooting for the romance to fail.
The hero Is too much of a conceited asshole to have feelings for the heroine. He knows that he'll have to kill the heroine "once he's bored with her." He engages her in extremely dark BDSM but doesnt respect her any other time that they're together.
The heroine Is a spineless masochist. Doesnt have the brain power to recognize the kinks that she enjoyed and constantly fights the hero instead of embracing it. NEWSFLASH: its not weird to like rough sex!!! Why does the heroine always have to be so unwilling to explore her own desires???? Same old same old.
TLDR;
What was an interesting stalker/dark romance turns into a poorly written erotica with never ending sex scenes that lead nowhere. The MC's never have a real conversation that doesnt involve the heroine crying while also having a quivering body, and the hero constantly ignoring what the heroine says while sticking his hands in her underwear with the dreaded 'arrogant smirk.' Wash rice repeat. For 300 pages.
Safety: -No cheating between hero/heroine -No OW drama -Slight OM drama, the heroine goes on a date with her fucking boss (?!?!) and it ends badly. Another guy has a crush on her and interferes with her relationship with the H. -Possessive/obsessive Hero, but not in the sexy way. More like the toxic way. -Push and pull on both sides. -Dubious consent -VERY ROUGH AND DARK SEX. Heroine has alot of dark fantasies such as choking, rape, kidnapped, violence, and hitting. ...more
I remember reading this a few weeks ago and absolutely hating it. Every character was dysfunctional and psychotic. It made for sNo rating. DNF 25% in
I remember reading this a few weeks ago and absolutely hating it. Every character was dysfunctional and psychotic. It made for some really frustrating stupid characters. ...more
Manwhore "bad boy" druggie hero is mean to rich anxiety-ridden wet blanket of a VIRGIN heroine, but somehow she li1 star.
My absolute least favorite.
Manwhore "bad boy" druggie hero is mean to rich anxiety-ridden wet blanket of a VIRGIN heroine, but somehow she likes him anyway. On top of some seriously lame writing.
Just ok. If I haven’t picked up the second book in this series by now, it usually means I won’t.
At first I hated this. A lot of the same old heroinesJust ok. If I haven’t picked up the second book in this series by now, it usually means I won’t.
At first I hated this. A lot of the same old heroines that suffer in silence, think they’re special because they’re ‘different� from other girls, has a gorgeous BFF and doesn’t know she’s hot until the hero comes along. But the more I read the more I was fine with it. But ‘fine� as in, when I’m done reading this I won’t ever think back on it again. ...more
Characters were a little too cartoony for my taste but I appreciate that the heroine wasn't a blushi3 Eh stars. I've read better and I've read worse.
Characters were a little too cartoony for my taste but I appreciate that the heroine wasn't a blushing wallflower for a change. Albeit showing some really problematic professional behavior, I liked that she went after what she wanted, pushed the H's buttons, and for once made him blush.
Consider this a biased comment but I LOATHE when the MC's are in a marketing/advertising field since thats my entire job and the authors always get it soooooo wrong. SO SO SO wrong.
Apparently this is Fortune 500 company and the only person that can save the vague 'marketing campaign' is the heroine who just happens to dabble in graphic design.
Lol if only my job was that wonderfully heroic. But I digress. ...more
I dont think this author is for me. I was constantly annoyed by the heroine's weakness and the hero's abusive be**spoiler alert** 2.5 annoying stars.
I dont think this author is for me. I was constantly annoyed by the heroine's weakness and the hero's abusive behavior. Thats right, ABUSIVE. HE was constantly degrading the heroine and treating her like a sex toy, and she would just gladly take it with her 'quivering body'. On top of some really crappy writing, I didnt care much for their romance.
Can we PLEASEEEEE write female characters that are not constantly suffering???? This shit is getting fucking old. Why does every heroine need a dramatic past trauma. And now that I brought it up... This had every stupid dark romance plot device imaginable.
- Miscommunication for no real reason - Heroine acting like a martyr for no real reason - Betraying body alert to the freaking EXTREME - Hero that 'doesnt understand what love is.' ****EYE ROLL**** - Heroines life is in danger, which is the ideal time for the Hero to figure out his undying love for the h. - Hero: "Sorry I treated you so badly." Heroine: "No it was my fault. I made you treat me badly."
I'm over this.
Safety: -No cheating, no other people after meeting. Both remained celibate for 15 month separation. No OW drama. Slight OM drama, as the hero's brother wants to be with the heroine. -Hero treats heroine like crap for most of the book. Over the top possessive in a abusive way. -Lots of details on hero's past sex life. He used to share women with his brother. ...more
Let me start off by saying that people will like, maybe even love this book. Its got all of the ingredients there to be a hit. But for me....? AnyoDNF
Let me start off by saying that people will like, maybe even love this book. Its got all of the ingredients there to be a hit. But for me....? Anyone that follows my reviews can attest that I get ticked off at one particular bit of dialogue that is used in every goddam contemporary romance book. So here ya have it folks.
“I wanted to show you exactly how this relationship is going to go. I give orders, and you follow.� “You’re an ass.� “Tell me something I don’t know.� I shrug and take a step toward her.
How many times do we have to read this exact conversation??? Anyway...
This drivel was fucking exhausting. I think this author did everything possible to make me hate the heroine. And believe me, I loathed her. Spoiled, stupid, insecure, and idiotically stubborn for no real reason. Chapters and chapters and CHAPTERS of her feeling sorry for herself and explaining away her 'woe-is-me' attitude. OF COURSE she needs to be super vulnerable and in desperate need of help. Because thats the only way the hero can even seem remotely desirable.
Yep, just keep giving the female characters tragic backstories. Just keep on going with the same overdone plot of heroine cant rescue herself until she has a man in her life. Does she have a terrible ex, you ask? You can definitely count on that.
Am I being hyper critical? More than likely. Do I care? No.
Just give me a damn heroine who doesnt suck the life out of me. Kthanksbye....more
A book ive been waiting half a year to be released is a total flop. The characters and the plot all fell flat. To summarize,**spoiler alert** 2 stars
A book ive been waiting half a year to be released is a total flop. The characters and the plot all fell flat. To summarize, this book was all window dressing with nothing of substance inside. The story just got bogged down under:
-The heroine being a celebrity (I think her and her family were supposed to represent the Kardashians??) -Student teacher relationship with Hero being a professor of literature (btw this felt like a total rip off of Gabriels Inferno) -And on top of those two things, both H and h are paranormal beings. (H is a Demi god and h is a demon)
Even though allllll of that extra stuff is going on, the book still felt formulaic and predictable. I felt like I knew exactly what was going to happen before it happened. Like I havent read a scene where the H and h are making out and about to get the sexy times on but then they get interrupted just so the story drags along. Same old same old.
All of this on top of each other made everything so jumbled and over the top. Like I said, all decoration with no real substance. Especially the Hero's character. He was a total wimp when it came to going after the heroine. And youre telling me this guy is the son of Zeus??? Wasnt buying what this author was selling.
So why 2 stars instead of 1? The hero wasnt aware of the paranormal world and the heroine is the one that introduces him. Usually its the heroine that has to play catchup. Thats the only part I liked.
Safety: Safe as far as I could tell, even though this book ends on a cliffhanger No cheating/no other people after meeting/ no OW/OM drama yet Heroine is a virgin and is 'betrothed' to some other demon H isnt a manwhore but his experience level was never spelled out Lots of push and pull from both parties. ...more
**spoiler alert** ***I received an ARC from the author for an honest review.***
SPOILER WARNING: If you dont like spoilers than dont read this review. **spoiler alert** ***I received an ARC from the author for an honest review.***
SPOILER WARNING: If you dont like spoilers than dont read this review.
3.5 Stars. A down-the-middle rating for a book I liked and disliked.
***What I liked***
The hero: He was the shining star in this book for me. He encompassed all of the traits I liked in a male protagonist role. He was an alpha barbarian that still had the capacity to respect the heroine at every turn. He listened, learned, and treated her as his equal, which is hard to come by in romance. He was patient and kind. More of these Hero's please!!!! Not every man is an arrogant asshole. I could also say that he may be one of the more intellectual hero's I've ever read. So 5 stars for him.
The Plot: I thought the plot was very interesting and unique. It follows a similar path paranormal romances do - with the hero abducting the heroine and her adjusting to her new surroundings- but the surroundings itself were different. Only men are born in the H's tribe, which means if they want a mate they have to claim one from the outside world. This author was very creative with the intricate details that unfold. The men have to abduct an unwilling woman, but the society they are introducing them to is one that unconditionally respects and cherishes women juxtaposed to an outside world that treats women like cattle. A really clever Catch 22.
The female characters: A hey! A book that properly portrays female friendship!!! What a gem! There were not any female characters that were evil or out to get the hero because they were jealous of the heroine. They were all normal!!! None of them were over the top bubbly or pressured the heroine to have sex with the hero. They all had an actual intellectual conversation with each other that didnt revolve around their vaginas!!!!! WHO KNEW THAT COULD HAPPEN?!?!?
The writing and world building: this author took the time to put in the details you need for a paranormal book. The writing was flawless so I’ll definitely be looking into some of her other work.
****What I didnt like
The heroine: One word to describe her... awful. She was a pretty rotten character from the start to about the 85% mark. Entitled, spiteful, and endlessly naive, she really dragged the story down. I had to put the book down a few times and walk away because she infuriated me so much. Another Catch 22 about this genre in particular is that I personally want a strong heroine at the front and center when she gets kidnapped by a barbarian hero. But she still needs to be likable and soft and vulnerable and have romantic feelings for the H. This heroine didnt have any of that. She barely let the hero even touch her at the 50% mark of the book. A lot of the first 50% was wash and repeat scenes of hero trying to offer her comfort and affection, with the heroine saying cruel things and spiting him for the sake of spite. And why did she act this way? Because she wanted to save her father who was cruel to her for her entire life. She needed to get back to her father so he could marry her off to a L I T E R A L serial killer. Why was she acting like her life was over when her life never even began????? I could never buy into the problem she put on herself. I didnt feel bad for her. I could maybe buy into it if she was trying to save a family member that she lived (like a little sister for example) but for her to so determined to get back to an abusive father relationship just made my stomach hurt.
The romance: This couple wasnt romantic with each other until about the 70% mark. I cant even call it a slow burn because the heroine was so standoffish and prudish for all of it. The couple is really actually happy and together for maybe 4 chapters total out of 42. I'm gonna need a little more than that. On top of that... the sex scenes were FADE TO BLACK. You mean to tell me, that I put up with the heroines judgmental behavior for 30 chapters... only to gloss over the fun part where she realizes sex isnt something to be ashamed of???? Yeah, sorry, not cool.
All in all, I will continue with the series in hopes that the next heroine isnt so uppity.
Safety: No cheating No OW drama Heroine is betrothed to OM who is a serial killer. Heroine is a virgin It wasnt mentioned but I'm assuming H is also a virgin because of the details in their culture. Sexual assault of the heroine - not by hero. All push and pull done by heroine Some violence...more
**spoiler alert** I finished this so long ago I dont think I can write a comprehensive review. I've already forgotten some of the details, so I think **spoiler alert** I finished this so long ago I dont think I can write a comprehensive review. I've already forgotten some of the details, so I think that says more about this book than I could say in a review.
What I do remember is loving the beginning and the bully aspect. Hero was a true villain.
And I also remember hating the ending. How the heroine was the one to apologize was out of this world ANNOYING. No ma'am, she should not have been to the one to grovel at the end. Hero should have been all over that.
Safety as much as I can remember: No cheating Neither are virgins. Slight OW drama in the form of a jealous ex Sexual manipulation Lots of push and pull and mind games. ...more
This book honestly made me a little embarrassed to be a women. For the fact that the heroine was a complete and utter moron, plus the fact that the auThis book honestly made me a little embarrassed to be a women. For the fact that the heroine was a complete and utter moron, plus the fact that the author is an adult woman choosing to write her characters like this, and plus the fact that I’m an adult woman choosing my time to read this.
Literally the entire book was the h screaming, whimpering, and stuttering... and bending over whenever the H wanted her to. One of the most pathetic, obtuse, and one dimensional characters I’ve ever read. It was tolerable in the first book, and infuriating in the second. Will not be continued with this series. ...more
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