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suzyq436 's review for:
The Knockout Rule
by Kelly Siskind
DNF
It seems I am in the minority with this story. I truly enjoyed Kelly's previous book and was so excited to be granted the opportunity to review this. However, this did not work for me.
The main character is incorrigible. She is judgemental and writes anyone off for being a boxer before even attempting to get to know them. She stereotypes boxers as dumb creatures and instantly judges Eric, a boxer, on their first meeting with each other. She insults Eric's intelligence by making the dumbest comments such as "For a boxer who didn't seem to have much wit in interviews, it wasn't surprising he'd buy it in the form of a snorty pet. even funnier was the dog's name tag which read Whit. He hadn't even spelled the name correctly." She also implies he is dumb just because he didn't know who some writer was. Excuse me! Get off your very high horse Isla. Man, she made my blood boil!
Then there is her relationship with her father, who was a professional boxer. Her declaration of wanting to do anything for her father because he basically funded her equipment for her new business even though he is basically bankrupt, claiming she is so freaking grateful immediately comes with conditions when she turns up her nose upon finding out what his favour is. Wow, what a way to be grateful.
She proceeds to mother her father dictating how he needs to live his life. Yes, I understand there are many health implications when it comes to boxing and growing up with a parent who is a professional boxer is traumatising but I could not sympathise with this character. Being so hellbent on the past allowing it to influence your present is not healthy either. Good golly girl, he is a grown man and so is every other professional boxer. Their life, their choice. They knew what they signed up for.
Worst of all, she is aware of how awful she is towards Eric but still proceeds to convince us that she is better.than everyone else in her vicinity. Her hypocracy is evident when she makes herself out to be so sanctimonious saying how she found passion in physiotherapy because of how her dad suffered and wanting to help ALL athletes be as physcially healthy as possible . Yet she doesn't treat boxers, making her reason for choosing her career null and void.
The chemistry between Eric and Isla is not believable. I had a very hard time believing the love-hate aspect between these two. It just wasn't done very well in my opinion. They started off disliking each other (for good reason) and then a 180 degree switch of attraction happens based on what? There was no progression in plot or even in their relationship. Heck, the dialogue between these two is so stilted it borders on awkward.
So as much as I would have liked to enjoy this read, I just did not have a good time reading this.
It seems I am in the minority with this story. I truly enjoyed Kelly's previous book and was so excited to be granted the opportunity to review this. However, this did not work for me.
The main character is incorrigible. She is judgemental and writes anyone off for being a boxer before even attempting to get to know them. She stereotypes boxers as dumb creatures and instantly judges Eric, a boxer, on their first meeting with each other. She insults Eric's intelligence by making the dumbest comments such as "For a boxer who didn't seem to have much wit in interviews, it wasn't surprising he'd buy it in the form of a snorty pet. even funnier was the dog's name tag which read Whit. He hadn't even spelled the name correctly." She also implies he is dumb just because he didn't know who some writer was. Excuse me! Get off your very high horse Isla. Man, she made my blood boil!
Then there is her relationship with her father, who was a professional boxer. Her declaration of wanting to do anything for her father because he basically funded her equipment for her new business even though he is basically bankrupt, claiming she is so freaking grateful immediately comes with conditions when she turns up her nose upon finding out what his favour is. Wow, what a way to be grateful.
She proceeds to mother her father dictating how he needs to live his life. Yes, I understand there are many health implications when it comes to boxing and growing up with a parent who is a professional boxer is traumatising but I could not sympathise with this character. Being so hellbent on the past allowing it to influence your present is not healthy either. Good golly girl, he is a grown man and so is every other professional boxer. Their life, their choice. They knew what they signed up for.
Worst of all, she is aware of how awful she is towards Eric but still proceeds to convince us that she is better.than everyone else in her vicinity. Her hypocracy is evident when she makes herself out to be so sanctimonious saying how she found passion in physiotherapy because of how her dad suffered and wanting to help ALL athletes be as physcially healthy as possible . Yet she doesn't treat boxers, making her reason for choosing her career null and void.
The chemistry between Eric and Isla is not believable. I had a very hard time believing the love-hate aspect between these two. It just wasn't done very well in my opinion. They started off disliking each other (for good reason) and then a 180 degree switch of attraction happens based on what? There was no progression in plot or even in their relationship. Heck, the dialogue between these two is so stilted it borders on awkward.
So as much as I would have liked to enjoy this read, I just did not have a good time reading this.