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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
I'm a big fan of Ms. Shalvis. I'm going to start by saying this one isn't my favorite (but it's still excellent).
The good: If you've ready any of Jill Shalvis's books, you know that they are steamy, and that a lot of the times the romances are based on chemistry. A big plus for this one - while there is plenty of steam, there is plenty of heart to go with it. Emotions, big and bold to accompany that steam, more so than in most of the other books I've read.
The bad: The first quarter of the book felt a little like we're trying to hard to make the hero the biggest bad-ass ever written. Assholery? (there is a tendency to create new words based on the level of bad-ass-ness). Not one of the better starts to a story.
The story? A severely emotionally damaged woman, a man carrying baggage of his own. We come to expect that from Ms. Shalvis, and this story is no exception. Going back to the bad, I felt she was trying to out-do herself on the damagedness of the characters (I can make up words, too). I liked Aiden's steadfastness, I wasn't too sure about Lily's need for isolation.
Bottom line - it was still an excellent read, but not the first one I'd recommend if you are new to Jill Shalvis books.
The good: If you've ready any of Jill Shalvis's books, you know that they are steamy, and that a lot of the times the romances are based on chemistry. A big plus for this one - while there is plenty of steam, there is plenty of heart to go with it. Emotions, big and bold to accompany that steam, more so than in most of the other books I've read.
The bad: The first quarter of the book felt a little like we're trying to hard to make the hero the biggest bad-ass ever written. Assholery? (there is a tendency to create new words based on the level of bad-ass-ness). Not one of the better starts to a story.
The story? A severely emotionally damaged woman, a man carrying baggage of his own. We come to expect that from Ms. Shalvis, and this story is no exception. Going back to the bad, I felt she was trying to out-do herself on the damagedness of the characters (I can make up words, too). I liked Aiden's steadfastness, I wasn't too sure about Lily's need for isolation.
Bottom line - it was still an excellent read, but not the first one I'd recommend if you are new to Jill Shalvis books.
Looking forward to book 2. Really enjoyed this. Great summer read.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Received an ARC. No chemistry, no character development, and too much dependence on a slow-moving, aged backstory.
Did not finish, stopped 40% through. It was so boring! I felt lukewarm about all of the characters. Almost everyone was acting like idiots. I just didn't have the will power to continue.
Lily left her hometown after tragedy changed her life forever. She never looked back, except to fantasize about Aidan. They had a strong attraction and she had strong feeling for him, but when she left she broke all ties with him. She returns ten years later and finds that her hometown has changed and moved on without her. After losing her job and not getting any bites on her resume she takes a temporary job back home. When she runs into Aidan the attraction is still crazy hot. Can Lily move on from the past and take a chance on her own happiness? Great read! Jill does it again.
So this one gets 4. I absolutely loved Aidan and the entire Kincaid family. They are hilariously exactly what I would have expected from Jill Shalvis. And Cedar Ridge seems like a promising locale for many more books.
That being said, here's why I didn't give it a 5 star rating:
- Lily annoyed me. I get blaming yourself for things beyond your control because I do that. Her family experiences stunk and I could see that being cause for her turning away from people. But the whole premise of her disaster in San Diego was silly, and while necessary in order to force her return, it was thin. On top of that there were times when it just seemed like she what she did didn't match up with how her personality was presented.
- I don't feel like I got a great semblance of Cedar Ridge and its immediate area. I don't know why that's always a sticking point for me. I guess it's because I want to be able to picture it more easily.
- I was disappointed that we brushed through what I thought was an exceptional plot point. Aidan confessing that he and Gray followed Lily while she hiked and climbed all those times and years ago. That resonated with me.
In total, I'm thrilled to have a new series from Jill to be reading. And I look forward to Hudson's story and the possible conclusion to some lingering story lines.
That being said, here's why I didn't give it a 5 star rating:
- Lily annoyed me. I get blaming yourself for things beyond your control because I do that. Her family experiences stunk and I could see that being cause for her turning away from people. But the whole premise of her disaster in San Diego was silly, and while necessary in order to force her return, it was thin. On top of that there were times when it just seemed like she what she did didn't match up with how her personality was presented.
- I don't feel like I got a great semblance of Cedar Ridge and its immediate area. I don't know why that's always a sticking point for me. I guess it's because I want to be able to picture it more easily.
- I was disappointed that we brushed through what I thought was an exceptional plot point.
In total, I'm thrilled to have a new series from Jill to be reading. And I look forward to Hudson's story and the possible conclusion to some lingering story lines.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
....I read the wrong book. And it wasn't even worth it!!!