Genre: Contemporary Romance

Disclaimer: Reading is all about exploring, but this Book Review does not shy away from spoiling specific scenes as this is more of a look inside the good and bad of a book.

The Analysis:

I started this book because it was a recommendation from one of the newer booktubers I follow. Who was on happy re-read #2. I won’t link to it, since this was another disappointing read for me. But I do still follow the booktuber because I love the way they talk about books. I’ll probably think twice before buying another one though, just because we don’t have the same reading tastes. No biggie. So, let’s book review it.

Here’s the Blurb:

At least the booktuber and I agreed on one thing. This cover. It doesn’t fit. Just not my cup of tea. I do remember when this style was really popular in the designer world. But it could use some updating now.

Now The Story:

Book Info:
Pages: 407
Author: Penelope Douglas
Available: On Amazon

First thing first, I’m about to self-diagnosis as having ADHD. This book sent me into a book crisis, if only because it’s another long read. Suddenly, my love for Herilquin novels as a teen makes sense. There’s a beginning, middle, and end with all the feels in 20 pages or less. But I persevered with this one.

Something Cute:

She ordered a side salad with pizza because she’s worried about calories. Now, I love me a good salad, so I’m not gone disagree. But I rolled my eyes when she wouldn’t allow him to put ranch on it. I wanted to jump through the book and slather those leafy greens down. Ranch is my go to everything. She would’ve been eating outside messing with me.

Something Annoying:

After she and hunky zaddy had their first argument, she called him volatile. Then espoused about his son being so much better because he never took anything seriously. Where is the eye roll emoji when you need it. The stupidity in the last part is evident. However lets discuss the first part. One fight doesn’t make a person volatile. Especially when the subject is a familiar one, how much or how little a woman should be exposed. Frankly, I’m a Millennial and I know men and women that would have accused her of thirst trapping, jumping in fully clothed. So was you trying to cool off or was you trying to be Angelina Jolie, just saying. The feminist empowerment movement hasn’t fully tooken hold in everyday life for this argument to be so out the box and volatile. Even if she is right. My qualms aren’t with the topic, but her assertions of him because of it.

Something Maddening:

Her juvenile (not young, immature) boyfriend comes home one day. She’s a little bit stressed about everything. In true woman fashion, she wants to talk about it. All he sees is her in a towel. But here’s where I get angry: this fool says, just shut up for a while and just fuck me. I was so proud when she told that man to bounce.

MY DNF moment:

Right around Chapter 8 when she turned her mistake into some sort of feminist mantra. It was also the moment I realized that I don’t particularly care for the heroine. But let’s dissect what she did. She decided not to call the dad for help when she needed a ride home because she didn’t want to feel indebted to him. That’s what she said. I don’t think sleeping in a bar, locked or not was the safest decision she could’ve made. The father wrongly thinks she was out cheating and acts on those feelings. Because she doesn’t tell him the truth. Why because she’s trying to protect the father/son relationship (grrr, but go on). He finds out the truth. Tries to apologize and she starts ranting about men cutting women down because they can get away with hurting women’s feelings.

I could have done without the I need a ride home scene, but won’t ask for one scene, period. It’s not proof that she’s independent, just immature. So I suppose if that was the aim, then she hit it. It was also written in a way that she was very much rambling.

Just for clarity: If she had been cheating on his son. He would have had every right to kick her ass to the curb as that boy’s father, and the landlord paying all their bills. The fact that he didn’t immediately treat her as Mother Teresa, is more of a statement to them still getting to know each other. Then some lambast equivalent to how dare he. Despite his motives being more selfish ones, that he’s genuinely starting to care about her.

Now, when she gave the Dr. Phil explanation as to why she was angry. I rolled my eyes for the second time with this girl. He should’ve been mature enough to ask me. Oh, you mean when he did and you doubled down. Or when you decided to save this grown man from his son by lying. Instead of allowing them to work it out on their own. Which can only start with the truth, Mrs. Dr. Phil.

Something Puzzling:

She seemed to be particularly scared of a man named Jay. Like maybe he was trying to hurt her or rape her. Yet, this is a guy that regularly appears in her boyfriend’s circle of friends. Imma need more of an explanation. A boyfriend shouldn’t talk or hang out with anyone that would mean his significant other physical harm. So what does he or does he not know about this.

Feminist Mantra Implode:

She joins a wet t-shirt contest to make money (right or wrong, doesn’t matter). But balks at the idea of her white knight coming to save her. Surely that must mean he’s a chauvinist. He should support her need to show her titties to the world if she wants to. Okay, sis, but what about the fact that you only doing this for money. You not here because you want to show off your new boob job. You here because you need the money and he gave you a viable alternative. That you’re now looking down on in favor of a feminist mantra that’s not even the underlying core of why you’re in a stripper bar.

Side note: (When feminism goes too far) If we’re still talking about money, nothing he said was oppressive. If u genuinely doing this cause you got a pretty rack then he’s being oppressive. Just cause he’s a man, saying what you’re already thinking, doesn’t mean that it suddenly becomes oppressive. That means you were both uninformed, and that does not an argument make.

Rando Thoughts:

Its also not much of a love triangle. The book makes it clear that zaddy is the better option. Which I’m not totally upset about. I usually don’t like the angsty turmoil. I prefer when its clear which is the bad one and which is the good ala Pride and Prejudice. Just worthy of a mention.

I also appreciate that she breaks up with her boyfriend naturally before she ever gets with zaddy. It just takes too long. When I reached chapter 17 without them getting together in any official capacity beyond a few near-miss sexy times. I remember thinking, come on yall, how much story is left.

Now all the above was seen as the reverse by one Goodreads reviewer, who hated the guy more and loved the girl.

Either way, I’m not recommending it as a read.

Story At A Glance:

Recommendation:  2 out of 5*

 The Ratings:

Book Cover Appeal:

🍓🍓

Story & Narration:

🍓🍓🍓

Romance:

🍓🍓🍓

Character/(s) Personality:

🍓

*P.S. This is a two-star read for me, because I couldn’t finish it. Yup, I rated it even though I didn’t finish. I stand by my rating.