Mari Carr

I'm not quite done reading as I start this, but I'm annoyed at a sex scene, again, so I'll start there.

Austin shouldn't be the POV character for any sex scene in this novel, as he (read: the author's version of him, which doesn't really fit with him at any other point) is clunkily verbose in nose-wrinkling ways. It's not the worst I've (tried to) read, but it's the worst in a novel I finished reading. For instance, unless they're role-playing, he shouldn't "mount" her. Or at least if he thinks that, he ought to be thinking about stallions and mares, to give non-ranch readers some context - and then be embarrassed, because horse sex isn't a great comparison for human sex. He should know that. He also does a lot of presumptive sex things, where I would've expected some dialogue, consent, that sort of thing.

Zero stars for sex scenes, is what I'm saying.

Now I've finished reading this, and...it is not terrible, but it could have been much better. The other characters are good. This couple... Ugh. How are they going to function when their communication skills suck? If it had served the plot, I could've forgiven it. But it merely led to the Separation trope which can be good but here is bad, born of fear and cowardice rather than lack of time or any other roadblock. They had hours of talking in his truck. They fail at a critical part of coupledom. They bumble their way together in mute groping. I guess I kept hoping it would get better, but here I am, disappointed. That's the ultimate failure for a romance novel.… (more)

DNF.

This is free, and the first kindle chapter sample wasn't terrible... but at 28% in, I must abandon it as inadequately written. While Jeanette is a well-developed (if constantly overstated and unrealistic) character, Luc and Diego are very minimal even this far in. They are props for her. That cheapens the whole story. In addition, constantly repeating the state of mind of the protagonist as if readers can't remember from one page to the next? That gets old very fast.

But for me, the cardboard guys was the killing ingredient. I mean, by book 3 one hopes a writer has upped their craft game. This is my first and last attempt with this author.… (more)