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A review by charlote_1347
Hardwired by Meredith Wild
2.0
SPOILERS AHEAD.
1.75 stars (getting pedantic here, I know).
Not the best contribution to the genre I've come across but it had redeemable features.
Blake didn't quite hit the mark as an alpha male but he showed signs of gradually getting there. The blurbs for the other books lead me to believe that his dominant tendencies will emerge as his relationship with Erica grows and deepens. That said, I doubt he'll ever reach Christian Grey or Gideon Cross territory. Their dominance was established right off the bat and I don't think it's a trait that can be gradually introduced. It defies the whole point of needing to be in control.
I wanted to like Erica - she had all the right components for a female protagonist. She was stubborn, unabashedly realistic about her sex drive and unapologetic about her wants and requirements in a relationship. Not once did Wild drag out the tried-and-yawn-inducing 'I'm worried/angry/torn-up about this but I won't tell my partner for whatever reason' cliché. Erica was open about her thoughts, concerns and frustrations and it helped the relationship between her and Blake develop organically. Regardless, I never fully got behind her as a character. I pitied her, no doubt about that, but it felt like Wild threw rape into her backstory for dramatic effect and for the big reveal later, when it turned out Mark was her father's stepson. Maybe the rape ordeal and its psychological aftereffects will pop up in future books and be dealt with more sympathetically - I can only cross my fingers.
A big drawback to this book was the sex. The scenes were plentiful but they were clinical in style, with almost no emphasis on the juicy parts. I remember reading this in my teens and feeling very differently but now that I've diversified my experience and come across top-notch erotic romance, this didn't do it for me at all. There was no spark.
To round things off, the plot was terribly weak, painfully bland and unflinchingly wooden. The Heath-drug-relapse side plot was obviously a deliberate attempt to divert from the investment crisis concerning Erica's business and it showed. It would have been nice to delve deeper into such a prominent issue and actually explore the theme, rather than having it momentarily mentioned to justify Blake kicking his domineering nature to the next level.
My opinion of this series, and my expectations, are currently very low but I've already got all four books on my bookshelf (Christmas present) and I find it difficult to get rid of books without giving them a chance. Guess that means I'll be cracking open 'Hardpressed', even if I end up regretting it.
1.75 stars (getting pedantic here, I know).
Not the best contribution to the genre I've come across but it had redeemable features.
Blake didn't quite hit the mark as an alpha male but he showed signs of gradually getting there. The blurbs for the other books lead me to believe that his dominant tendencies will emerge as his relationship with Erica grows and deepens. That said, I doubt he'll ever reach Christian Grey or Gideon Cross territory. Their dominance was established right off the bat and I don't think it's a trait that can be gradually introduced. It defies the whole point of needing to be in control.
I wanted to like Erica - she had all the right components for a female protagonist. She was stubborn, unabashedly realistic about her sex drive and unapologetic about her wants and requirements in a relationship. Not once did Wild drag out the tried-and-yawn-inducing 'I'm worried/angry/torn-up about this but I won't tell my partner for whatever reason' cliché. Erica was open about her thoughts, concerns and frustrations and it helped the relationship between her and Blake develop organically. Regardless, I never fully got behind her as a character. I pitied her, no doubt about that, but it felt like Wild threw rape into her backstory for dramatic effect and for the big reveal later, when it turned out Mark was her father's stepson. Maybe the rape ordeal and its psychological aftereffects will pop up in future books and be dealt with more sympathetically - I can only cross my fingers.
A big drawback to this book was the sex. The scenes were plentiful but they were clinical in style, with almost no emphasis on the juicy parts. I remember reading this in my teens and feeling very differently but now that I've diversified my experience and come across top-notch erotic romance, this didn't do it for me at all. There was no spark.
To round things off, the plot was terribly weak, painfully bland and unflinchingly wooden. The Heath-drug-relapse side plot was obviously a deliberate attempt to divert from the investment crisis concerning Erica's business and it showed. It would have been nice to delve deeper into such a prominent issue and actually explore the theme, rather than having it momentarily mentioned to justify Blake kicking his domineering nature to the next level.
My opinion of this series, and my expectations, are currently very low but I've already got all four books on my bookshelf (Christmas present) and I find it difficult to get rid of books without giving them a chance. Guess that means I'll be cracking open 'Hardpressed', even if I end up regretting it.