Review: A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

In this romantic fantasy of manners from New York Times bestselling author Allison Saft, a magical dressmaker commissioned for a royal wedding finds herself embroiled in scandal when a gossip columnist draws attention to her undeniable chemistry with the groom.

A FRAGILE ENCHANTMENT

 by ALLISON SAFT

Series: n/a

Publication date: January 2, 2024

Published by: Wednesday Books

Genre: romantasy

 

SYNOPSIS

Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland. 

But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous gossip columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.

Transporting readers to a Regency England-inspired fantasy world, A Fragile Enchantment is a sweeping romance threaded with intrigue, unforgettable characters, and a love story for the ages.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Allison Saft is the New York Times and indie bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic and Down Comes the Night. After receiving her MA in English Literature from Tulane University, she moved from the Gulf Coast to the West Coast, where she spends her time rolling on eight wheels and practicing aerial silks. She lives with her partner and an Italian greyhound named Marzipan.

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REVIEW

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft
My rating: 1 of 5 stars


I was so excited to start this because the premise sounded really different and intriguing. Sadly, it was a bit of a mess, and very difficult to read for many reasons. Surface level character development, pacing, inconsistencies, unlikable hero, minimal fantasy worldbuilding, and the weak historical setting were just a few of the things that came together to make this lackluster romantasy. I am so bummed that I didn't love it, but I'm honestly patting myself on the back for trudging through and making it to the last page.

Niamh Ó Conchobhair is the female protagonist. She's eighteen years old and has just been offered the position of clothing maker for the upcoming royal wedding of the youngest prince. Prince Christopher, Duke of Clearwater (Kit) is marrying Rosa because his older brother has decreed that it's for the good of the kingdom. The alliance will prove to strengthen them financially and improve Kit's battered reputation. Kit is seen as a bit of a joke because of his alcoholism and the fact that he's been living away from Avaland in an attempt to recover from his addiction. He's reluctantly going along with the wedding, but he's not happy and everyone knows it.

From the first introduction, Kit is surly, mean-spirited, and just generally unpleasant to be around. Niamh is asked to stitch something for him and the prince regent in order to show the capabilities of her magic. He sneers at her work and makes her feel unwelcome before stomping off. This immediately causes her to (understandably) hate him from the get-go. During all of their interactions, his behavior takes a similar vein, though she starts to sympathize with him as she sees hints of compassion in him. Personally, I did not see enough in him to excuse his bratty behavior, nor did I see him as a multi-layered person who is misunderstood. His reputation is well-earned, and I didn't even feel sorry for him being forced into a loveless marriage.

Niamh came off as a bit of a people pleaser and a martyr. She lives to help support her family (even though they're ungrateful), has no personal life to speak of, and weakens herself by working her fingers to the bone knowing that it's accelerating the mysterious disease she is "dying" from. When she is overly stressed or anxious she ages and/or weakens which is shown in the physical manifestation of her hair gradually turning white. In the synopsis, it says that the magic she uses in her clothing is "the same magic that will eventually kill her." However, in the book, it says this:

Some illnesses pass through generations. We tend to see them appear more often in families with divine blood—not necessarily because they’re connected [...]

Absolutely nobody else in the book with magic powers is suffering the same health issues as her. Nobody else has hair turning white. None of this was explained with any type of detail, and no one seems to be overly concerned when she baldly states to various people that she is "dying." When she blurted it out to Kit, they were becoming involved at that point and he acted surprised but that was the extent of it. How do you not react with horror to a statement like that for someone you are supposedly falling for? I kept thinking that this would be addressed somehow towards the end in order to ensure a smooth HEA, but unfortunately no. She could literally die one year after they get together...one day even. But they calmly accept that like it's no biggie. In fact, all of the seemingly insurmountable hurdles these two have are hopped over quickly and unrealistically. Kit's engagement is even solved from many different angles in very few pages. Everything all tied up in a neat bow, but not in a remotely realistic manner.

The magic system is described very vaguely as well as the historical setting. All we are told about the magic is that every person with an ceird (magic) claimed they could trace their ancestry back to one of the Fair Ones. The Fair Ones are described in one paragraph. None of it really makes sense. Are there a set amount of powers based on the six Fair Ones named, or are there too many to count? Despite the source of the magic, some of the Machlish people who are peasants who live in poverty have magic, like Niamh. It seems that anyone in any class can have them, but having them doesn't earn respect unless you are upper class. There is no structure to any of it, and it's all briefly, sporadically, and in an inconsistent way. If I'm reading a fantasy with magic involved I expect world building and in-depth explanations in order for the setting to come to life. The historical detail was sufficient either, despite the fact that this world was supposed to have been modeled after Regency England. Their clothing may have been appropriate, but I didn't have the benefit of a description besides a bit of lace here, or a mention of a garter under her dress there. The speech and social customs were more modern than antiquated, so everything was a bit artificial for my taste.

There is the addition of various conflicts like the gossip columnist Lovelace, and Lady Helen Carlile who pop up at various points in the book but again, lack any focus or detail. The romance pretty much sprouts out of nowhere after she spends more than half the book despising him, and I couldn't find excitement for it once it did. His fiancé pretty much says it all.

    “He is . . . pretty, in his way, I suppose. In theory,” Rosa conceded. 

“But I am shocked at his poor breeding. 

He is gentlemanly to no one but you. To the rest of the world, 

he is peevish, extraordinarily rude, and

possesses no grace or decorum.”

To me, this feels like a story you would expect from a debut author. I don't think I'll be trying another book from Allison Saft because her writing is just not for me. Many others have read her work and appreciate it, so maybe you will have a different experience.

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Review: The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Public radio co-hosts navigate mixed signals in Rachel Lynn Solomon's sparkling romantic comedy debut.

THE EX TALK by RACHEL LYNN SOLOMON

Series: Standalone

Publication date: January 26, 2021

Published by: Berkley

Genre: contemporary romance

 

SYNOPSIS

Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can't imagine working anywhere else. But lately it's been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who's fresh off a journalism master's program and convinced he knows everything about public radio.

When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show that her boss green-lights with excitement. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live, on air. Their boss decides Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts, given how much they already despise each other. Neither loves the idea of lying to listeners, but it's this or unemployment. Their audience gets invested fast, and it's not long before The Ex Talk becomes a must-listen in Seattle and climbs podcast charts.

As the show gets bigger, so does their deception, especially when Shay and Dominic start to fall for each other. In an industry that values truth, getting caught could mean the end of more than just their careers.

Purchase your copy now!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rachel Lynn Solomon writes, tap dances, and collects lipstick in Seattle, Washington. Her romance and YA novels include Today Tonight Tomorrow, The Ex Talk (1/26/21), and We Can't Keep Meeting Like This (6/1/21). Once she helped set a Guinness World Record for the most natural redheads in one place.

Her short story "Aftershocks" appears in the anthology It's a Whole Spiel: Love, Latkes, and Other Jewish Stories.

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REVIEW

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon
My rating: 1 of 5 stars


I really wanted to love this book and based on the rave reviews I thought my odds were promising. Unfortunately I struggled to find things I even liked about it, let alone loved. The fake relationship trope is a common theme in romance and has worked for me on occasion in the past. In this case the way it was applied in the plot was gross-irredeemably gross. The story centers around a radio show producer (Shay) and an investigative journalist (Dominic) who are offered a job co-hosting a new show all about dating. Pretty standard fare. Except these two co-hosts are exes giving relationship advice. Great twist if it were real, but it's a complete and utter sham.

Dominic is a journalist (with a master's degree!) described as having "do-gooder morals." On his very first job, he's convinced to chuck his integrity aside for a paycheck. The idea of making up a fake relationship, invented dates, details, and all to sell to their unsuspecting listeners as truth doesn't sit well with him, but hey, it's only for six months so they can get hosting experience. Where's the harm, amiright? The alternative would be getting fired and struggling until he found something else. He is fresh out of school (with a master's degree!) so his resume is sadly lacking. Clearly passing off a fabricated broken relationship in which he is forced to spin a tornado of lies every day is preferable. I have to give him credit-he did say no at first. It took a little cajoling from Shay to get him on board. During this time, they both knew that there would be imminent layoffs, most notably the woman Shay worked with for the last ten years. Did Shay give this woman or her other co-workers a warning that they were about to get the axe?

    Kent breaks the news to Paloma, Ruthie, and Griffin on Monday, 

and I pretend I’m hearing it for the first time.

Yet again, more than a little deceptive and she doesn't have a twinge of conscience. Both Shay and Dominic feel ashamed about their fake show so they lie to their families as well. Anytime you can't even tell your family the truth about your life, you know you're making the wrong choices. So they start the show, and the author presents the on-air scenes as "transcripts" of their dialogue. I thought this was a unique way to insert it, as if you're reading a script. Then again, it IS scripted. Even their argumentative dynamic. You see, in the beginning of the book their biting exchanges were real because Shay resented his meteoric success at the station. By the time they aired their first show, they were already friendly with one another. So literally nothing about The Ex Talk was real. This is how they introduced their story to listeners:

Shay Goldstein: [...]I'm Shay Goldstein, and this is The Ex Talk, a brand-new show from Pacific Public Radio. Thanks for joining us. We're coming to you live from Seattle, or if you're listening by podcast, somewhere in the somewhat recent past. Full honesty:[...]I've been a producer at the station for ten years, and Dominic's been working as a reporter since October. Which is around the time we started dating. And earlier this year, we broke up.

The show screams unethical, but based on the rave reviews I guess that's not an issue for others. As the book wears on, Shay's guilty conscience bites her in the ass. These moments are brief and quickly brushed aside with flimsy justifications.

    This is only how it begins, I try to convince myself. 

We’re telling a story. That’s what radio is. 

The show will grow beyond our story—it has to. 

It’s the only way I can stomach our lie.

Shay has started to feel attraction towards Dominic (who has a master's degree!) Are you wondering why I'm being annoying about his degree? On the show, they do a "fun" game where Dominic has to put five dollars in a jar every time he mentions his lofty Northwestern master's degree. He ends up owing $25 by the end of the first week. This is even with him resisting other employees trying to bait him into saying it. Eventually he racks up enough to write a donation check to Illinois University. Is there anything more obnoxious than someone with no humility who needs to brag about their higher education 5+ times a week? That's just unbelievably tacky. I'm not kidding, he even mentions it during their first sex scene.

Once Shay and Dominic really start to have strong feelings for each other, Shay is torn on what to do. Her friend suggests that they pretend they "got back together" so they can have an open relationship.

    “The whole point of the show is that we used to date, 

and that our breakup was amicable enough for us to host it together. 

“So maybe you got back together.” Lies on top of lies. 

“It wouldn’t work,” I say. “You know how I get in relationships. 

How much of a nightmare would it be if I somehow fell for him, 

and he didn’t feel the same way, 

and we were stuck still hosting the show together?”

So let me get this straight. If they were to announce their true feelings for one another...they might break up...and have to do the show together...as exes. ISN'T THAT THE ACTUAL PREMISE OF THE SHOW? *throws hands up in the air* It gets more and more fake the deeper you delve into this.

More cringeworthiness: One day a listener calls in and he's done some social media investigating. Turns out that Shay made a mistake and left a clue on Facebook that she was using a dating app when she was supposed to have been with Dominic. What follows is unapologetic, self-righteous, gaslighting to shut the caller up.

    “Look, John,” Dominic says. 

“You can find any piece of someone’s social media history 

and use it to prove whatever agenda you have. 

We’ve seen it happen plenty of times to people 

with much more at stake than Shay and me. 

We’re not here to convince you 

if you’ve already made up your mind about us. 

I can tell you I didn’t go to journalism school 

to tell lies on the radio.”

Maybe he didn't go to school to tell lies, but he's sure doing a bang up job of it.

Eventually the s@#t hits the fan, and the two are outed at a convention. Panic ensues, and Shay scrambles to pacify the outraged fans. Unfortunately she's so scared about the fall out of her decisions, that she's more concerned with (in her words) "controlling the narrative" rather than letting the duped fans vent their feelings of betrayal. Lastly, I can't wrap this up without mentioning the weird scene where Shay and her soon to be step-sister Diana are wildly inappropriate in front of Diana's kids.

“But was he a huge dick where it mattered?” 

“Diana!” Phil says from one end of the table. 

“Your father is here. And there are children present.” 

“Dad. I have, in fact, had sex before.” 

She gestures to her kids. 

“Exactly twice.” More laughter at this.

DID HE HAVE A BIG DICK? DID HE KNOW HOW TO USE IT? *wink wink* Kids! don't play with your food, eat your vegetables. Dad, don't be so uptight. I don't mind visualizing you having sex and you're behind the times if my sexual appetites make you uncomfortable. That's pretty much how that conversation went...seems totally normal.

The resolution is rom-com standard fare. The big, romantic, public apology/profession of feelings/groveling. Kiss, kiss. Happily ever after. I was so disgusted by these characters that I didn't care what happened to them at this point. How do you like characters that are willing to lie to family, co-workers, and the audience who trusts them for months on end? This is a sad commentary on how journalistic integrity is malleable when it's up against the mighty dollar and clicks online. But in the end, the boss was villainized for being sexist so we should focus on that, and not the bad choices the main characters made for the entire book. He was the true bad guy here. I think it's obvious by now that this is not something I particularly enjoyed reading, but I am in the minority by far. So you'll probably want to read it and judge for yourself. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and regretfully this time it's going to be a loss.

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Review: The Unwilling by Kelly Braffet

A penetrating tale of magic, faith and pride...

THE UNWILLING by KELLY BRAFFET

Series: Standalone

Publication date: February 11, 2020

Published by: Harlequin/Mira

Genre: fantasy, YA

 

SYNOPSIS

The Unwilling is the story of Judah, a foundling born with a special gift and raised inside Highfall castle along with Gavin, the son and heir to Lord Elban's vast empire. Judah and Gavin share an unnatural bond that is both the key to her survival... and possibly her undoing.

As Gavin is groomed for his future role, Judah comes to realize that she has no real position within the kingdom, in fact, no hope at all of ever traveling beyond its castle walls. Elban - a lord as mighty as he is cruel - has his own plans for her, for all of them. She is a mere pawn to him, and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

But outside the walls, in the starving, desperate city, a magus, a healer with his own secret power unlike anything Highfall has seen in years, is newly arrived from the provinces. He, too, has plans for the empire, and at the heart of those plans lies Judah... The girl who started life with no name and no history will soon uncover more to her story than she ever imagined.

An epic tale of greed and ambition, cruelty and love, this deeply immersive novel is about bowing to traditions and burning them down.

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Praise for The Unwilling:

"Kelly Braffet is extraordinary... Familiar yet entirely unique, The Unwilling is the sort of story that seeps under your skin and pulses there, intimate and vibrant and alive. Fantasy at its most sublime."--Erin Morgenstern, NYT bestselling author of The Starless Sea and The Night Circus

"A juggernaut of an epic fantasy novel with ingenious, thrilling twists and turns. Put this on the shelf beside Naomi Novik and George R. R. Martin. Kelly Braffet is a marvel and I'll read anything she writes." --Kelly Link, MacArthur Genius Recipient and author of Get in Trouble

"Kelly Braffet's The Unwilling is a viscerally powerful book. Full of complex and compelling characters, this is the story of the corruptions of power and the strength it takes to resist. This is an incredible, brilliant story." --Kat Howard, author of Roses and Rot

"Gorgeously told, The Unwilling is at once a sweeping epic and an intimate portrait of being trapped in an oppressive regime. Meet your new favorite fantasy writer." --Gwenda Bond, NYT bestselling author of Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds

"Suspenseful, magical, wonderfully written, and never predictable, Braffet's first foray into speculative fiction is an essential addition to all epic-fantasy collections." –Booklist, STARRED Review

"Wow...The characters, the world, the magic and greed and politics and pain--all of it adds up to something wonderful. I love it."–Ellen Datlow, award-winning editor and anthologist


“Braffet has a real gift for dialogue, and Judah’s quick cleverness is a constant joy… Readers will fall in love with the contemplative pace, brisk dialogue and rebellious heroine of The Unwilling.” –BookPage

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelly Braffet writes stories about unhappy people making bad decisions, occasionally with magic. She is the author of The Unwilling (available 2/20 from Mira Books), Save Yourself, and Last Seen Leaving; her first novel, Josie and Jack, has been made into a feature film starring Olivia DeJonge, Alex Neustaedter, and William Fitchner, and directed by Sarah Lancaster. Her writing has been published in the Fairy Tale Review, Post Road, and in several anthologies, as well as on Salon.com. She is a graduate of Columbia University and Sarah Lawrence College.

She is married to the tall and immensely talented writer Owen King. He's dreamy. For more, see www.kellybraffet.com.

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REVIEW

The Unwilling by Kelly Braffet
My rating: 1 of 5 stars


I need to start this review by saying if you're a reader who's sensitive about reading abuse and violence on the page, this is not the book for you. This is just about the darkest and most depressing YA fantasy I've ever read and that's saying something. There were quite a few reasons why I struggled to finish this. I kept hoping that eventually it would hook me and everything would turn around but sadly that wasn't the case.

The Unwilling was excruciatingly slow. I would read for 3 hours and only move forward 5-10%. The page count is lengthy, and every bit of it is felt. I felt as if I was dragging myself through quicksand for the majority of the book, trying to reach freedom with no lifeline to be found. Just painfully sinking...sinking...sinking. The fact that the reader is left in the dark about a lot of things doesn't help matters.

The plot centers around the Slonimi people who have carefully honed the vestiges of magic remaining after the world was "bound." Through generations, they've plotted and planned to do whatever is necessary to return the world to its rightful order. No sacrifice is too great, no life more valuable than the cause. We are vaguely told about the doing "Work" which is what they call this magic that they wield. We see glimpses of it at most, but never an explanation of what the mechanics of it are, or why it's so important until the end. Who is Mad Martin, and why did he bind the world's power? How will the chosen one restore the world? This is all left on the back burner as we watch everyone tear each other to shreds.

Nate is introduced in the prologue as a young boy in the Slonimi caravan who is taken in by Derie as a kind of apprentice. She's a nasty, abusive woman who physically abuses Nate and Charles as she trains them to be "useful" to the cause. She is the first of many to abuse, maim, play mind games, and use people as if they were chess pieces on a board rather than human beings. It was so hard to find a single redeeming quality with anyone in this story. Even the unwilling victims are hard to root for as they were forced to make vicious choices to stay one step ahead of those toying with them. For a while, I thought Nate was a decent guy, but the more the book wore on, the more he seemed to fit right in with the most deranged and immoral.

Nate finagles his way inside Highfall in order to step in the shoes of the current Magus (healer). Arkady is just as vile and corrupt as everyone else in this godforsaken place. He has an array of sins such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, abuse of power, and heartlessness towards the poor workers who support the rich. In this social system, the poor are forced to work as long as 96 hours straight with barely any food or rest. Their money goes to support rich courtiers as their family members are brutally used and murdered of on a whim without a second thought. They are less than disposable, and treated inhumanely during their sad lives.

Then we have "The Children." Gavin is the heir to Highfall. His father Elban is the depraved ruler who takes great delight in torturing those around him both mentally and physically. I think sadist is a great descriptor for him. If you were to make a list of the most horrifying ways to harm a human, he's done every single thing and then schemed to come up with more. I can't tell you how long I was impatiently waiting for someone to take this evil waste of space out of existence. But I digress. The rest of the children are Theron, Elly, and Judah. Theron is the second born son, Elly is Gavin's chosen bride, and Judah is the foundling who was raised in the palace with them all. Admittedly, these four do seem to genuinely care for one another and they do try to make the best out of the cesspool they're trying to survive in. It's hard to retain values, morals, and honesty when you're constantly abused and put in life altering situations.

Gavin and Judah have a mysterious bond that ties them physically to one another. When one is hurt, the other feels it. They also share heightened emotions and pleasure, as well as drunkenness. This bond is the only thing protecting Judah's life. At the same time, it's also used against her in many various ways over the years, and used as a tool to harm Gavin when Elban felt the need. It was all about pushing the boundary between pain and death to manipulate and control. This was the one thing about the story that I found intriguing, and quite original. I liked the way they could communicate with one another in secret by scratching on their own wrist. It was like ASL in scratches, and they could check on each other or call for help from a distance.

Overall, there were so many graphically violent scenes that it began to overrun any sense of a solid, linear plot. We're just flung from one grotesque or devastating moment to another as the characters tried to stay one step ahead of getting disfigured or killed. Someone built up to be an invincible antagonist is abruptly disposed of and another steps in. In the end, things are not left in a good place and I just can't fathom slogging through fresh hundreds of pages to see where this all resolves. I can say with certainty that this wasn't the right book for me, but hopefully others will have a much different experience than I did.

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Review: The Prince of Broadway by Joanna Shupe

In the second novel in Joanna Shupe's the Uptown Girl series, a ruthless casino owner bent on revenge finds his plans upended by a beautiful women who proves to be more determined than he is—and too irresistible to deny.

THE PRINCE OF BROADWAY by JOANNA SHUPE

Series: Uptown Girls #2

Genre: historical romance

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: December 30, 2019

Synopsis:

Powerful casino owner.
Ruthless mastermind.
Destroyer of men.

He lives in the shadows...

As the owner of the city's most exclusive casino, Clayton Madden holds the fortunes of prominent families in the palms of his hands every night. There is one particular family he burns to ruin, however, one that has escaped his grasp... until now.

She is society's darling...

Florence Greene is no one's fool. She knows Clayton Madden is using her to ruin her prestigious family... and she's using him right back. She plans to learn all she can from the mysterious casino owner—then open a casino of her own just for women.

With revenge on his mind, Clay agrees to mentor Florence. However, she soon proves more adept—and more alluring—than Clay bargained for. When his plans are threatened, Clay must decide if he is willing to gamble his empire on love.

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Praise for The Prince of Broadway:

“An intelligent, sexy romp!”
- Entertainment Weekly

"Shupe continues to cut her very own swath through the historical romance subgenre by effectively using her literary moxie for mixing savvy characterization, an intriguingly different historical setting, and scorching sensuality to create the kind of captivating love stories romance readers crave."
- Booklist

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Award-winning author JOANNA SHUPE has always loved history, ever since she saw her first Schoolhouse Rock cartoon. While in college, Joanna read every romance she could get her hands on instead of attending classes, yet still managed to graduate with a journalism degree. She enjoyed a few years in sports and theater marketing but soon returned to romance by crafting her own racy historical novels.

In 2013 she won Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart® Award for Best Historical. Joanna’s first Gilded Age historical novel, MAGNATE was named one of the Best Books of 2016 by Publishers Weekly, and one of 2016′s top romances by The Washington Post and Kobo.

She currently lives in New Jersey with her two spirited daughters and dashing husband.

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REVIEW

The Prince of Broadway by Joanna Shupe
My rating: 1 of 5 stars


I don't give out a ton of one star ratings, but if I do you know the book really made me angry. Unfortunately this is the case for The Prince of Broadway. I thought for sure this was going to be a huge hit for me considering how much I loved the previous book and enjoyed this author's writing. Not only that, but Clay and Flo were such compelling characters in The Rogue of Fifth Avenue that I was really excited to read more about them. Disappointment is a vast understatement for what I'm feeling right now.

I love a good revenge plot, in fact, it's one of my favorite tropes. So I wasn't bothered by Clay's hardened, cold behavior at the start. Clayton Madden has climbed his way out of the slums and now owns the most prosperous, illegal casino in New York. His need for power and revenge is as essential to him as the very air he breathes. He used the hatred he feels for Flo's father as fuel to come out on top, and have the means to always be in control of his life. Thing is, no one ever has that power no matter how much money or status you attain.

Flo is the daughter of his greatest perceived enemy, but he can't resist his instant attraction to her. And her rebellious heart can't help but flutter over this dangerous, broody man's focused interest. The first thing that really bothered me about these two came very early on. She has a grand plan to start a casino exclusively for women, and asks him if he will mentor her in the business. He agrees to give her lessons, while admitting that he has a scheme in motion to get revenge on her father. With a vague thought that she'll somehow change his mind later, she accepts this and commences lusting over him.

I understand that she's an unconventional woman for the time who has no interest in marriage or finding love. Nothing wrong with that. But how do you knowingly team up with a man who is bent on harming your family? He keeps repeating throughout the book that he is being honest and transparent, so he's not taking advantage of her, but that's an outright lie. He never tells her specifically what he's doing, even after they become involved on a personal level. Even after she tells him that the very home he intends to steal from her grandmother will one day be passed down to her. She's depending on that home to secure the independent future for herself, and he never even hesitates in this knowledge.

Flo was meant to appear bold and adventurous, but she was better described as an immature, privileged kid who does what she wants without thoughts of the consequences. Namely, trusting him enough to sleep with him. Despite his continued determination for revenge, she throws herself at him and he treats her like trash afterwards.

She foolishly sneaks out to the casino night after night, disregarding the danger in doing so. When her father finds out and rails against her for putting herself at risk and associating with a criminal who wants to harm them, she petulantly acts like he's being unreasonable. What adolescent scene would be complete without an "It's not fair!" Yes, she goes there. In the end, she gets burned badly but I couldn't feel much sympathy for her.

Clay remains cold and unfeeling about the woman he's supposed to have deep, unwanted feelings for, but actions speak louder than words. He continues to push his plans forward, knowing the hurt and devastation he will cause. I didn't see any character growth whatsoever from his starting point, and the more he clung to his hatred, the more mine grew. When the big confrontation happens in the last 15%, the things he said and did were not redeemable. The remorse he feels afterward is way too little, too late. I wish I could have jumped inside the book and punched him in his smug face. She finally shows some backbone at this point and rebuffs his apologies, but that was not enough for me either.

I wasn't rooting for them to make up, and I felt nothing for the two of them as a couple. I would say that's a complete fail when reading a romance novel. I'm so sad that this book didn't work, but I would still give the rest of the series another chance. The next book is about Mulligan, and once again I'm curious to read more about him in his own story. Hopefully others will find more to enjoy with this second installment, but for me this one missed the mark in a big way.

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Review: No Judgements by Meg Cabot

The storm of the century is about to hit Little Bridge Island, Florida—and it’s sending waves crashing through Sabrina “Bree” Beckham’s love life…

NO JUDGEMENTS by MEG CABOT

Publication date: September 24, 2019

Published by: Harper Collins

Series: Standalone

Genre: chick-lit, romance

 

Synopsis
When a massive hurricane severs all power and cell service to Little Bridge Island—as well as its connection to the mainland—twenty-five-year-old Bree Beckham isn’t worried . . . at first. She’s already escaped one storm—her emotionally abusive ex—so a hurricane seems like it will be a piece of cake.

But animal-loving Bree does become alarmed when she realizes how many islanders have been cut off from their beloved pets. Now it’s up to her to save as many of Little Bridge’s cats and dogs as she can . . . but to do so, she’s going to need help—help she has no choice but to accept from her boss’s sexy nephew, Drew Hartwell, the Mermaid Café’s most notorious heartbreaker.


But when Bree starts falling for Drew, just as Little Bridge’s power is restored and her penitent ex shows up, she has to ask herself if her island fling was only a result of the stormy weather, or if it could last during clear skies too.

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About Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.

She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.

You can find her on:

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REVIEW

No Judgements by Meg Cabot
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I can't believe this book ended up being such a disappointment. I genuinely expected it to be a guaranteed hit based on the synopsis. Here's a little bit of quick background information about me: I'm a Florida resident who has been here the majority of my life. I've lived through tons of hurricane scares, and recently went through the uncertainty of Hurricane Irma which luckily ended up being only a category one as it passed by my city. The point being, this book seemed extremely relatable. Unfortunately I couldn't find anything relatable about the main character Bree, and by the end I struggled to even finish it. For me, this was just one huge mess.

Bree Beckham is a three month resident of Little Bridge Island, Florida where she has moved after several recent events in her life have left her feeling unmoored and more than a little lost. The island was her happy place as a child, a place where she spent many vacations with her parents so it makes sense she would return at a time when she needs comfort. Though she's from a wealthy family, she's self-supporting and is currently working as a waitress to make ends meet. She seemed okay at first, but the first sign of trouble was chapter one. The news is reporting that there's a potentially catastrophic hurricane heading their way and when her ex and mother start calling to urge her to take a flight out, she responds petulantly as if they are over reacting. She bluntly refuses all offers of transportation and goes radio silent on everyone. Even after the storm when her mother was afraid for her life, she callously disregarded her and procrastinated in calling to let her know that she was safe.

I understand that she's angry at both of them, and rightly so based on what's revealed later. However, this screams of foolish pride when it comes to your own personal safety. There are so many people that are financially unable to evacuate and forced to stay in unsafe conditions and she's acting like a defiant kid. During every encounter with her friends and various town members, she realizes that they are ALL evacuating. They all offer her an opportunity to catch a ride with them to a safer spot. She turns every one of them down with the excuse that she can't leave her cat. I'm sorry, but she has the support and funds to find a pet friendly hotel room somewhere. This is such a flimsy excuse.

Not only does she decline help time after time, but she knows nothing about preparing for a hurricane and would have been in deep trouble had the storm hit them at projected strength. She turned off weather reports because she didn't want to see the warnings, she didn't realize that she could be without water, and she had zero plans or precautionary measures in place in case of an emergency. She had been planning to stay at her apartment in a flood zone without even bothering to sandbag outside for protection. I guess what it boils down to is that perhaps I'm too knowledgable about the topic for all of this nonsensical behavior to not bother me.

Luckily for her, her bosses offer their mansion as a shelter with a generator and an endless supply of food. She reluctantly agrees despite not wanting to "impose" on them. Drew is her bosses' nephew, and apparent resident womanizer. He has a reputation around town, and Bree is not his biggest fan. They quickly fall into bickering at every opportunity, mainly because he likes to tease her about being a "Fresh Water" (a newbie in town who is ignorant about life on the island). For her to claim that she's some expert in living there is beyond laughable, so her anger and protests make no sense. I didn't feel as if these two had an ounce of chemistry or relationship development between them. The majority of the book she's snapping at him for breathing and then you literally turn the page and she's imagining herself in love with him. Possibly since the first time she saw him, she ponders. Who knew? After that point I really struggled to continue.

It seemed like everything out of Bree's head or mouth annoyed or frustrated me in the last half. Things like:

Believing he was "mansplaining" to her about the Milky way when she admittedly knew nothing about it. I call that a conversation where you learn things. That's not an insult to her womanhood.

Thinking that you weren't supposed to fall in love with guys you slept with. They're supposed to be just for "fun." Meaningless sex is the only sex...okay then.

Thinking "fireworks went off in her shorts" while making out.

Acting like an ungrateful know it all when Drew gives her advice or help.

“I could tell you needed rescuing, is all.”
I glared at him. “I did not need rescuing. I never need rescuing.”

Then there's the ending. The heroine has three different unresolved issues from her past, and each and every one of them are instantly solved when the four other people involved show to confront her. (view spoiler)[Even her biological mother whom her mother rounded up and brought with her. Yes, in the aftermath of a hurricane, this is the moment she meets the woman who donated her DNA to her. She also happened to be a veterinarian who offered her services with the animals Bree collected. That is so unrealistically convenient. (hide spoiler)] All of this was rushed and inserted at the last minute without much of any soul searching or thought on Bree's part. In the last chapter, Bree is wondering where she stands with Drew. Do they have a chance at something more than temporary? Does she even want that? We're not shown any conversation between the two of them. We simply jump into the epilogue where everything is perfect.

I wish I could say that I enjoyed some aspects of this book, but now sitting here writing this I'm really struggling to come up with an example of something that hit the mark. When the female lead character behaves in a way that makes you question her intelligence almost on every page, that doesn't give you a very enjoyable reading experience. That was the biggest issue that I couldn't get past which there was no coming back from. Unfortunately this one was a big miss for me and not one that I would recommend. However, maybe others will find this a light chick-lit offering they could enjoy.

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