*DNF 32%*
*DNF 32%*
I really hate not finishing a book but I just couldn't take this one anymore. I was highlighting and making notes more than I was reading. I really, REALLY wanted to like this. The blurb was great, it's got a fantastic and sexy cover and the lead characters name is Kevin Riley (that was my high school sweethearts name). What's not to love, right? And by the looks of it a lot of people have really enjoyed this book. Unfortunately I'm not one of those people.
So let's get to it then...
I felt like I was reading an outline of a great story but with no real direction. It felt like it was all over the place with conflicting character actions and unrealistic reactions. The sex scenes are really hot but I would have liked it better if I were watching porn on mute. Looks good but cheesy dialogue and no real emotion. Oh... there is emotion in disguise, but it felt all wrong.
Serena is flakey, conceded and vain.
"Though he had been pleasant enough when she had shown up on his doorstep two and a half days ago, he'd paid her almost no attention since. Used to a certain amount of attention from men, his complete lack of interest both annoyed and intrigued her."
You are getting ready to have sex with Kevin for the first time and...
"she had a moments concern about whether or not they would fit. She wasn't a small woman, but he was huge. She should have guess. Tall, large hands and feet. Only an idiot would have been caught by surprise."
*Que eye rolling* Well color yourself as an idiot! You are not a virgin! You know how a "penis" and "vagina" work!
Then later on she's staring at herself in the "ceiling mirror" and is turning herself on?
Serena is that too stupid to live character. If this were a horror movie, she'd be the first to die. She has a very frightening and tragic past so you'd think she'd be more cautious about some of her decision making. Nope, because she's TSTL . COME ON! Ten years ago your twin sister was brutally murdered and you almost died. You are now receiving "prank" calls from lord knows who with a voice changer and this person knows all the little details of your life. *creepy*What is the first thing you do... DONT CALL THE COPS and pass it off as some childs prank. What?? Really?? Do you watch scary movies?
Serena obviously has a hard time with darkness because of her sisters murder. DUH! I get it.... but call it what it is!! PTSD!! And deal with it appropriately. Did you really spend years "cultivating" your smooth outer shell? You let Kevin see what exactly? You cried because you're afraid of the dark? You told him about your past? I don't see any of that "smooth outer shell". Again, you're a flake and too stupid to live.
Chuck Norris... please take care of her for me will you.
Kevin, Kevin... KEVIN! What in the world is going on with you? You are described to be "grumpy, surly and a people hater with violent tendencies." ?? That does not seem to be the case here. Grow a set of BALLS! You've known Serena for 2 days now... and only as a photographer for a project and now all of the sudden lets make out. Neither one of you have been flirting or anything. So you give her a beer. All chicks love beer. Then start making out with her and BANG! "She was the woman he wanted more than he'd wanted anything for more years than he could count."
We're only 15% in and you've known each other for 2 days, you haven't even slept together yet at this point. We, the reader, don't even get the luxury of witnessing those 2 days. Stop acting like a bitch Kevin... "She had to understand that she couldn't run from this thing that was between them.Really? What thing? Serena then insults him and tells him he's not a gentleman? *WTF* Bitch he held you all night and didn't take advantage of you while you slept. Then when Serena and Kevin do have sex for the first time and she's getting out of bed, Kevin's all like "What kind of game is Serena playing? From cold to hot and back to cold? With no warning or explanation?" OMG! Let her pee!
2% - "Click, whirr" is annoying. I know she's taking pictures but I don't need 2 pages of short 3 word sentences and Click whirr between all of them. I get it... she's taking pictures. "Click, whirr. This was it. Click Whirr. The picture she had been waiting for all night. Click, whirr. The shot that would make her famous. Click, whirr. Sculpting Ecstasy. Click, whirr. Bending metal to his every command. Click, whirr. A work of art. Click, whirr. Of genius. Click, whirr. Was she speaking of Kevin or his work? Click, whirr. Perhaps both." And it goes on and on.
9% - Weird and random Twinkie facts?
10% - SIX pages and I thought it was Kevin's internal dialogue... but it was the "stalker".
24% - "I'm sure. Kevin, chase away the ghosts. Make me remember why life is worth living."
26% - This is coming from Serena... (see 24% above) "They'd planned a simple sexual encounter and she'd gone and complicated it." and then "If he turned the most amazing sex of her life into a pity fuck she'd completely lose it." This is in the same paragraph! First... Serena is the one who practically raped Kevin. She unleashed her inner whore! He held off as long as he could because he knew she wasn't in a good place at that moment, but he's a guy and if you're offering... they're accepting.
28% - Shower scene... "He looked up, his intense blue eyes holding her own as he slowly slipped her toe into his mouth and began to suck." I understand that there are a lot of people out there who like this but I am most certainly not one of them. This is a hard limit for me. If you put your face near my foot... you can expect to get kicked in the face. NOOOO!!! Get that damn foot out of yo mouth!
30% - Well, why not? Let's see if we can drown this scene by throwing all different sex tropes in it. Uncontrolled lust and giving in followed immediately by regret. Shower and washing her hair then making out and sucking feet (eek). Then there's the back and forth of yes I do and no I don't and maybe this isn't a good idea, so let's do it and then tying her up and now there's a mirror on the ceiling and she's turning herself on. Then you beg him to stop after you just begged him to keep going. Can't forget about multiple orgasms. Serena is like a walking clit. She'd fuck a stiff wind if she thought she could. My head is spinning. Don't forget about the anal play.. which brings me to my next topic.
31% - First... we just met. I've only known you for 2 days and this is the first time we've had sex. Get your DAMN finger out of my ass! I don't know you like that! I've never told you my likes and dislikes. You better untie me so I can punch you in the throat. With that being said.. I do like anal play but I need to know you for a bit and then I will encourage you to do that. Don't just assume to put things in there. Then on top of all this... Serena starts crying? What in the FUCK! If I was Kevin, I would think she was crying because I had my finder in her ass and would quickly remove it. Nope, not Kevin. He keeps going.
Overall, I think you can guess how I really feel about this. Incomplete and unbelievable characters and story with unrealistic reactions to situations. The little bit I did read I felt like I was missing something. Maybe there was prequel that I missed or a prologue that I was supposed to have in my copy and didn't. It was all wrong and poorly executed. At certain points in the story the author tried to create conflict but only ended up making the characters seem like they were lost psychotic bitches. Serena is the only heroine female lead that I've ever read and completely and truly hated. Kevin was trying to be all bad boy and failed miserably. The sex scenes that I read felt like the author was trying to throw everything in at once and it made it feel cluttered and forced. I don't think I will be reading this author again since this is the second book I've not been able to finish of hers. There are a lot of good reviews out about this book, but it's just not for me personally.
I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
