She Reads Too Much

Review updated after further thought and discussion with GR buddies (who save my life every day!)

Changed rating from 3-stars up to 4-stars.

Here's the thing, I loved everything about this book but Viktor. He was a serious poopy head! Like, total jackwad. Dick. Ass. Jerk.

I thought that he should have had to work a hell of a lot harder for his second chance. He needed to grovel! Scrape and beg. However when he acted like a real boy, like with his sister and nephew, I loved him. Then he went all douchy again. *sigh* What is really is, is that I loved to hate him.

Aiden caved too damn quickly. He should have had some sort of explosive man love while Viktor was back in town so Viktor could actually see and angst the ever livin' hell out of it. Just like, random man love. Hot, dirty smex that the entire town knew about and was jealous of. But not a relationship, cause I don't do cheating...

And then they should have gotten back together precisely when they did!

Also, I didn't like the last bit there, when Viktor did that thing...after they were already back together and committed. Yeah. Not cool! *angry bunny*

While it ended with a sort of HEA - the guys were together and planning to stay that way - it seems like Viktor is not going to be physically present all the time. That kinda gave me the sadz.

However it's the start of a series. And it's R.J. Scott so I have faith and will happily pick up whatever comes next.

So. I read this book. Finished it last night in fact and spent the night marinating my review. And I'm still not quite sure it's coalesced.

Zach starts out as a pitiful character who is dumped by his boyfriend of three years. He is portrayed as an out gay man but someone who is in the closet about other aspects of his personality. The way he is written initially is as a clumsy, endearing, geek - which pushes some of my buttons.

However after he gets to Provincetown his characterization takes a 180 degree turn that I so didn't find believable or enjoyable.

Examples:

There is a rather large deal made of the fact that Zach dresses like crap. He seems to be offended that the asshat ex purchased all of these beautiful, stylish clothes for him. So offended, in fact, that when he leaves their shared apartment he refuses to take the clothes.

But when he gets to the MAJIKAL P-Town his two new BFF's (that he has known for maybe like...not even 24-hours) hustle him into a clothing store and convince him to buy a new wardrobe.

It peeved me. Because like, dude, just be who the hell you are! While I have nothing personal against makeovers. Or even characters who are in need of them and blind about it being railroaded into one this particular one seemed inauthentic because of the prior issues there.

Also Zach thinks about himself as shy, hates being the center of attention yet on his FIRST night in the MAJIKAL P-Town he is dirty dancing between two guys, getting a blow job by one and getting the other's finger up his ass after a few drinks. And he is, like, okay with this because it's P-Town. I have a problem with the fact that "It's P-Town" is used as an excuse for all bad behavior.

Now, I totally understand having a personal sexual revolution. It happens and well, it happens. Personally I don't want to read about it. I had my sexual revolution after my divorce and man, it was an ugly time. There wasn't much happiness involved and that's all I can "see" in my head when I read this sort of stuff. Again, totally ME and my issue.

Then there is the first penetration sex scene. OMFG!



It was AWFUL! I'm totally gonna spoil here so if you don't want to know about the scene don't read this spoiler:

After getting finger fucked and blown on the dance floor Zach is approached by Dylan (who works at the clothing store where Zach got all his new clothes) and Zach takes him home intending to have sex with him. The entire time Zach is demeaning Dylan in his head. Talking about his kiss being full of spit and drool. I was sooooo offended. Zach isn't turned on, not into it, but he keeps going. Then Dylan takes his shirt off and he has a third nipple which Zach is totally grossed out about, further turning him off. Again, Zach is not hard so he thinks about Van, who he saw in a leather store earlier that day - he's hard in an instant and proceeds to bend Dylan over the couch to fuck him. He is imagining Dylan as Van the whole time. It pissed me off! There is a huge deal made in Zach's head about touching Dylan's third nipple. Anyway, the sex is done and Zach kinda boots Dylan out. That's okay I guess because that's what you do with a trick. *sigh*



The whole thing just pissed me off and made me seriously dislike Zach.

So most of my problems with this book were with Zach. Van was an okay character but I didn't love him. I was supposed to feel sympathy for him and his poor downtrodden heart but yeah, didn't. Maybe I have ice in my veins. I dunno.

The supporting characters were written in an over the top way that did not appeal to me. Gary was campy in a way that made me want to slap him and tell him to grow up. Quinn was less developed but I read him as sort of milquetoast. Nico was, for the most part, a horny bastard. Tera, eh whatever! So...no joy with any of those.

Provincetown was almost it's own character in this book. I went there once in the summer time, for a whale watching cruise, and while I saw gay couples I didn't see anything like what was described in the book. Thankfully! Because I have problems with people behaving badly - be they hetero or gay - personally I think some things should be kept behind closed doors.

Does the gay culture really embrace all that...I dunno....debauchery? If so, why? It all seems so empty and cold to me. Am I being too much of a girl? I need a Gay Sexpert. Thankfully there is a group...

Anyway, maybe my dislike for this book was mainly because of my personal beliefs and preferences. It's got nothing to do with gay/straight shit. More about what I think about sex.

Let's take Van and the sex scenes between he and Zach. So Van is a porn star. I don't mind porn stars in my books when they are done right (I'm talking to YOU [a:Amy Lane|151973|Amy Lane|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1362545027p2/151973.jpg]) but when it's bad? Oh man is it bad!

There is a scene towards the beginning of the book where Van is making a movie. And it's stereotypical porn (which I don't like so I don't watch it, I'm more a fan of amateur stuff) especially with the verbiage used during the scene.

Now when you are writing a story with a porn star, in my opinion, the sex between the two heroes (when it's outside of a porn movie) needs to be significantly different. For me it wasn't. At all. So it made the whole book seem like it was actually a porn movie from beginning to end. Not appealing to me.

And I overall feel like a shit writing this review because the author - what I can find about him online - seems like a nice guy that I'd like to be friends with. He is an English teacher who also writes and I love that and want to encourage him to do more. This was like his 4th book so maybe his craft has improved. The overall plot of the story is sound. The writing itself is decent. I just didn't like the way it was done. OMG! It's totally me Mr. Flores. I'm pretty sure it's totally me. In fact I'm gonna try another of his books (but not from this series) because really, maybe it's just me.

So overall I'd give this book one-star but because I did finish it and I do realize it's pretty much me and not you I'm going to give it a two.

Well - that was totally unexpected! Again, can't rate because it's too short. Really just only a chapter. But it's creepy, and kinda gross. And good.

Off to part three...

Reviews indicate a lot of negative religious angst.

Here is the thing. I'm spiritual and have what I consider a very strong faith. In fact it might surprise the shit out of my GR friends if they knew what my faith background is and how I live my every day life because of that. Because of my background and my current beliefs it offends me on so many levels to read about intolerance, be it religious, sexual, political, environmental...whatever. It pisses me off and therefore I chose not to read it.

My reading is for 100% escape. I don't want to learn lessons. I don't want to be enlightened. I don't want to be preached to or have a story try to convert me (either for or against something I already have an opinion on). I want to have fun and get away from my life for the span of time I spend between those pages.

Call me a bitch. Call me narrow minded. Whatever. I don't really care.

I read what I like and this...this sounds like something I won't like so it's going on my never will I ever list, with this "review" so that when I see my friends raving I remember why I decided to pass.

Love the author. Hate short stories. Sounds great but I'll pass because I am never satisfied after a quickie!

First, there is no man/unicorn sweet, sweet lovin'. I was mislead and now I am bitter unto the core.



Second, this was truly awful.



Third, I laughed so hard a threw up a little in my mouth. So there's that. I guess.



Am I addicted to uniporn now?

Jesus. Just.

Jesus.

I wanted more of this. Never wanted it to end. Kim Fielding has a way of drawing me into her stories so deeply that when I look up from my iPad I'm surprised I'm sitting in my living room.

This had me absorbed from beginning to end. Both heroes are deeply damaged men who are imperfect and perfect for each other. A bit of a Cinderfella story, with the Prince falling for the guard, but...God. Yeah.

Perfect.

All the stars Kim Fielding. All. The. Stars.

I'm impressed with how wonderfully well the author did sticking to the very detailed and specific prompt. Thank you author, for your story. It was so very well written and developed.

My difficulty was with the fact that the two heroes were hardly, actually, physically together. The times they were, it was not like happy shiny times. Because of that, while I could buy the intensity of the feelings between them I couldn't quite swallow them as the sort of love that would motivate either of their behaviors.

So I guess, as a romance it missed its mark for me but as a good story it was successful.

Oh Kim Dare, how do I love thee? How the hell do you always manage to pack and entire freeking novel into so few words?



Simply wonderful bastard of a vampire, serenely submissive best friend and hot, hot, hot D/s.

Kim Dare, I love you. Can I have your little submissive babies?

First, a huge thank you to the author for this free work of art. Also a thank you to all the volunteers involved in making Love's Landscapes happen. You all rock.

Delightful friends to enemies to lovers story, kind of a second chance slow burn extravaganza. Lots and lots of kissing, go which I am a big fan. The only thing (besides it being longer) that would have made it better was a GFY!

Doesn't appeal to me.

This was just okay.

I really liked the premise of two men between 38 and 42 finding their first forever love with each other. In my opinion there are not enough of those stories in the romance world.

What did I like about this book? The fact that both of these men are imperfect in thought and action, the fact that Jimmy is physically imperfect (a bit soft around the middle) and the fact that Luke is so forthright in his words and actions. The sweetness of "out of the blue" gifts. Luke cooked!

What didn't I like? Most sex was off page. The connection was pretty much insta-love. Luke's son, Zach, turned into a dick mid-book and the secondary characters were mostly undeveloped.

The romance itself was sweet. I did believe these guys were it for each other and I wanted their HEA. Actually, I believe these guys did get a HEA and that made me happy. But overall I was kinda bored with the book and disappointed with the off page sex.

So, in the end, just okay for me.

Jesus H. Christ Josh Lark.

It should be illegal what you make my lady parts do.

As always, fucking hot as hell with a touch of feelz.

Please read this book.

Pretty good though there was a very abrupt ending.

I always enjoy speculation about what would happen if the shit really did hit the fan. How would government and military react? How about the police? Everyday citizens?

This book does a decent job exploring all these angles.

There is an attempt at romance that totally fell flat and an infant that was a huge plot bunny.

But again, it was a pretty good book.

Narration was okay though the range of voices was slim and the tone was sometimes flat.

Please note: Jinn monsters jizz thick, black liquid from their monster cocks. However their tentacles jizz milky, white stuff that seems to be an aphrodisiac.

I am left with my head spinning a bit because this actually could have been an interesting story, if not a little weird.

However I'm kinda thinking that tentacles are simply not for me. Granted I've only ever read them in the context of an expected weird or shitty read. But yeah, I'm going with no.

So anyway. Writing wasn't bad though there were a few grammatical errors. Like I said, the story could have been cool but after the sex it was just...over.

And I was left feeling not quite satisfied.