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A review by curlymunroe
Commander in Chief by Katy Evans
4.0
3.5 out of 5 Stars
THIS IS NOT A SPOILER FREE REVIEW!
I write this review with a heavy Katy Evans loving heart. This White House Series has left me feeling awful, because I wanted to love it, but I just can't. Mr President felt hastily written, and unpolished. Almost as if it needed another editing pass or the betas needed to be more informational. The characters had such great growth potential, and let's face it Matthew Hamilton is a dream book boyfriend. Though the dialogue was full of repeatedly used phrases, and Charlotte's character couldn've used a little more depth. I am all about redemption and second chances, so I gave Commander In Chief a shot.
I have to say Commander In Chief was better than the first book, but not by much. I could've done without the lengthy speech dialogue, that would've shorten the book by more than a few pages. If you read Mr. President, you know that his Alphabet Platform will be put into play within his first 100 days. I don't need to be told that again and again and again. If I wasn't sure in Mr President, what color Matt Hamilton's eyes were, I was sure to know by the end of Commander In Chief. They are ESPRESSO, if you weren't sure. We know and love that he is magnificent man, and stands for what he believes in, irregardless of outside influences. This is one of the many "amazing" attributes that make him an excellent book boyfriend.
I still had a hard time connecting with Charlotte. A lot talk about being independent of her parents, and not wanting to give up her dreams for Matt's presidency. Which in reality, after he is sworn into office and they have their very rushed rated PG reunion, that's exactly what she does. It just felt like Charlotte was more independent and sure of herself in the beginning of Mr. President, than she was by the time it ended. I had hoped that with the break up, and going out on her own for several months, she would find her confident self again. When she becomes first lady, and she is obsessed with what people will think of her, and to be honest I was over her. She was conforming to what she thought she should be, not what she could be.
As with the first book, there is a lot natural sexual chemistry between Matt and Charlotte. The hold out for an actual R rated reunion, took too long. They should've done the deed in Paris, in my opinion. Also, I noted a pattern, sex is the got too when things gets too mentally taxing. I get it, it helps to take your mind off of issue, but in the end it's still there and it needs to be dealt with. She's just so passive with him, whatever he wants he gets. Lastly, I am realist, to a fault with this genre. Anyone who knows me, knows that I eye roll at inconsistencies in how contraception is or is not used in these books. This book is no exception, and I was not surprised at all when Charlotte gets pregnant.
Believe it or not, there were aspects of this book that I liked. I liked the progression of the story. It was better developed and edited than Mr. President was. I think that Matt and Charlotte are a very believable President and First Lady. Their love for each other, did not appear contrived or played up for the media. I was happy that their fears of a scandal did not materialize. It would have completely changed the tone of the book. I liked how they didn't spend time in the book filling in the gaps of the first four years, that Katy used a time jump or two or three to try and move the story along. Honestly, the overall flow of the book was better.
I suppose it feels like I am being to hard on this book, but I have read too many books, not to expect more from these authors. Overall, in the grand scheme of things, it was a good story. Would I recommend this book to fans of Katy Evans? Of course I would, but I would tell them to read a few reviews first. The good and the bad, because no two people see a book the same way.
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.
THIS IS NOT A SPOILER FREE REVIEW!
I write this review with a heavy Katy Evans loving heart. This White House Series has left me feeling awful, because I wanted to love it, but I just can't. Mr President felt hastily written, and unpolished. Almost as if it needed another editing pass or the betas needed to be more informational. The characters had such great growth potential, and let's face it Matthew Hamilton is a dream book boyfriend. Though the dialogue was full of repeatedly used phrases, and Charlotte's character couldn've used a little more depth. I am all about redemption and second chances, so I gave Commander In Chief a shot.
I have to say Commander In Chief was better than the first book, but not by much. I could've done without the lengthy speech dialogue, that would've shorten the book by more than a few pages. If you read Mr. President, you know that his Alphabet Platform will be put into play within his first 100 days. I don't need to be told that again and again and again. If I wasn't sure in Mr President, what color Matt Hamilton's eyes were, I was sure to know by the end of Commander In Chief. They are ESPRESSO, if you weren't sure. We know and love that he is magnificent man, and stands for what he believes in, irregardless of outside influences. This is one of the many "amazing" attributes that make him an excellent book boyfriend.
I still had a hard time connecting with Charlotte. A lot talk about being independent of her parents, and not wanting to give up her dreams for Matt's presidency. Which in reality, after he is sworn into office and they have their very rushed rated PG reunion, that's exactly what she does. It just felt like Charlotte was more independent and sure of herself in the beginning of Mr. President, than she was by the time it ended. I had hoped that with the break up, and going out on her own for several months, she would find her confident self again. When she becomes first lady, and she is obsessed with what people will think of her, and to be honest I was over her. She was conforming to what she thought she should be, not what she could be.
As with the first book, there is a lot natural sexual chemistry between Matt and Charlotte. The hold out for an actual R rated reunion, took too long. They should've done the deed in Paris, in my opinion. Also, I noted a pattern, sex is the got too when things gets too mentally taxing. I get it, it helps to take your mind off of issue, but in the end it's still there and it needs to be dealt with. She's just so passive with him, whatever he wants he gets. Lastly, I am realist, to a fault with this genre. Anyone who knows me, knows that I eye roll at inconsistencies in how contraception is or is not used in these books. This book is no exception, and I was not surprised at all when Charlotte gets pregnant.
Believe it or not, there were aspects of this book that I liked. I liked the progression of the story. It was better developed and edited than Mr. President was. I think that Matt and Charlotte are a very believable President and First Lady. Their love for each other, did not appear contrived or played up for the media. I was happy that their fears of a scandal did not materialize. It would have completely changed the tone of the book. I liked how they didn't spend time in the book filling in the gaps of the first four years, that Katy used a time jump or two or three to try and move the story along. Honestly, the overall flow of the book was better.
I suppose it feels like I am being to hard on this book, but I have read too many books, not to expect more from these authors. Overall, in the grand scheme of things, it was a good story. Would I recommend this book to fans of Katy Evans? Of course I would, but I would tell them to read a few reviews first. The good and the bad, because no two people see a book the same way.
An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review.