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A review by fulltimefiction
Mean Streak by Sandra Brown
2.0
Edit: I was talking with my friend the other day how some people in western countries think we’re almost uncivilized in the third world and then I remembered this book. I totally forgot to mention it in my review although I wanted to (I really should rely less on memory while writing reviews and start writing things down). Anyways so we have those “bad” guys and they live in a cabin or so and their place is really dirty, untidy, and unorganized (and they as well). Our main characters thought that because of these things, this house “qualifies as third world” :))) you know what? I’m lowering my rating from 3 to 2 stars because of this.
Let me tell you something. Being clean, organized, and tidy is relative to the person. In some extreme cases, people yes actually cannot afford cleaning supplies but they do their best regardless to, at least, be organized. Do you know in my country we think of many westerns as not clean and don’t take care of their personal hygiene because what immigrants (aka eye witnesses) tell us? But it’s really about the person and their ethics and culture. There are dirty people EVERYWHERE. Doesn’t mean at all it’s third nor first world country. It means these people simply don’t care for their cleanliness.
I’m really tired of how the world views us. We do live in houses, watch tv, read books, you know we are civilized. Sure most of us cannot afford buying books all the time. Nor getting into private universities. Nor the latest iPhone. But cleaning supplies are considered basics. Okay?
——— review:
I am not familiar with Sandra Brown, Mean Streak is my first book of hers but probably won’t be the last. I liked the overall story and it was a very compelling read. I couldn’t put my kindle down and stayed up until my eyes watered. But at the same time, I wouldn’t consider it a great read.
Mean Streak is a romantic suspense, a genre I certainly haven’t read much of but now I’ll be searching for books worth reading that fall under this category. It’s about Dr. Emory who goes running in the woods but after an incident happens, she finds herself with a concussion in a mystery man’s bed and surprise surprise, they are attracted to each other. Only things aren’t so simple. You see, she’s married and he’s hiding some big secret.
Minor spoilers ahead (and then some real spoilers because I wasn’t convinced on the mystery aspect –they’ll be hidden).
I like Emory and our mystery guy (MG) as individuals and they seemed to fit together. While I understand their original attraction, the “love” part came too fast. I will not comment on the fact that she trusted a stranger and all (if you mind our heroine having sex with another person whose name she doesn’t know –or knows anything about him after 4 days together, this is not for you. He seems decent sure but 4 days?), while I didn’t mind this part, I certainly felt that MG withheld too many information that could’ve changed a lot for the reader. Because you see, the story is told from many povs. At least 6 (some had only one part), nonetheless, it did not make any sense to me to not share them.
When she finds the object that probably caused her head injury, while he meekly claims he didn’t do it, she doesn’t ask: who did it? Did you see anyone? No. She simply takes his word for it. Why didn’t he tell her that someone else did it and that she should stay with him because of that dangerous person? To not make her panic? As if suspecting she’s being held captive by the man who injured her might cause any less panic. Ridiculous.
While I did not guess the culprit, I did guess a few twists based on pure logic in books like how can Hayes have killed 8 people? How will they have their HEA then? Which means he’s innocent. I also wasn’t convinced Jeff was the killer although we were led to believe that. I’m glad he wasn’t because I hate it when the MC is keeping some major event from the reader, I don’t think it’s a very strong plot device.
I’m glad Jack and Rebecca might have their own romance! The chemistry between them was obvious.
Now for the real spoilers
Hayes’ reason for disappearing didn’t convince me at all. It’s simply too much hassle. And when one thinks that his sister had to relocate and change her name simply to avoid the FBI agent looking for Hayes –who is his previous friend and not aiming to arrest him. All the pain to disappear and give the shooter’s bullies what they deserve (without killing them?) I’m not sold. And to think he only managed to punish 3 of them across 4 years and 1 in our book timeline? Absurd. It sounds like bullshit to me. Only to make him look like a bad guy but is actually a hero.
Short, the mystery part wasn’t well done at all. The author tried to make a very big deal of some things to inspire danger (not talking about the perpetrator) while they weren't in fact very important. But I still gave it 3 stars because the romance although rushed, was fun to read about. The characters were likable and I appreciated Emory’s generous personality. It was also a quick read! I didn’t get bored while reading it even if I rolled my eyes a few times.
Let me tell you something. Being clean, organized, and tidy is relative to the person. In some extreme cases, people yes actually cannot afford cleaning supplies but they do their best regardless to, at least, be organized. Do you know in my country we think of many westerns as not clean and don’t take care of their personal hygiene because what immigrants (aka eye witnesses) tell us? But it’s really about the person and their ethics and culture. There are dirty people EVERYWHERE. Doesn’t mean at all it’s third nor first world country. It means these people simply don’t care for their cleanliness.
I’m really tired of how the world views us. We do live in houses, watch tv, read books, you know we are civilized. Sure most of us cannot afford buying books all the time. Nor getting into private universities. Nor the latest iPhone. But cleaning supplies are considered basics. Okay?
——— review:
I am not familiar with Sandra Brown, Mean Streak is my first book of hers but probably won’t be the last. I liked the overall story and it was a very compelling read. I couldn’t put my kindle down and stayed up until my eyes watered. But at the same time, I wouldn’t consider it a great read.
Mean Streak is a romantic suspense, a genre I certainly haven’t read much of but now I’ll be searching for books worth reading that fall under this category. It’s about Dr. Emory who goes running in the woods but after an incident happens, she finds herself with a concussion in a mystery man’s bed and surprise surprise, they are attracted to each other. Only things aren’t so simple. You see, she’s married and he’s hiding some big secret.
Minor spoilers ahead (and then some real spoilers because I wasn’t convinced on the mystery aspect –they’ll be hidden).
I like Emory and our mystery guy (MG) as individuals and they seemed to fit together. While I understand their original attraction, the “love” part came too fast. I will not comment on the fact that she trusted a stranger and all (if you mind our heroine having sex with another person whose name she doesn’t know –or knows anything about him after 4 days together, this is not for you. He seems decent sure but 4 days?), while I didn’t mind this part, I certainly felt that MG withheld too many information that could’ve changed a lot for the reader. Because you see, the story is told from many povs. At least 6 (some had only one part), nonetheless, it did not make any sense to me to not share them.
When she finds the object that probably caused her head injury, while he meekly claims he didn’t do it, she doesn’t ask: who did it? Did you see anyone? No. She simply takes his word for it. Why didn’t he tell her that someone else did it and that she should stay with him because of that dangerous person? To not make her panic? As if suspecting she’s being held captive by the man who injured her might cause any less panic. Ridiculous.
While I did not guess the culprit, I did guess a few twists based on pure logic in books
I’m glad Jack and Rebecca might have their own romance! The chemistry between them was obvious.
Now for the real spoilers
Hayes’ reason for disappearing didn’t convince me at all. It’s simply too much hassle. And when one thinks that his sister had to relocate and change her name simply to avoid the FBI agent looking for Hayes –who is his previous friend and not aiming to arrest him. All the pain to disappear and give the shooter’s bullies what they deserve (without killing them?) I’m not sold. And to think he only managed to punish 3 of them across 4 years and 1 in our book timeline? Absurd. It sounds like bullshit to me. Only to make him look like a bad guy but is actually a hero.
Short, the mystery part wasn’t well done at all. The author tried to make a very big deal of some things to inspire danger (not talking about the perpetrator) while they weren't in fact very important. But I still gave it 3 stars because the romance although rushed, was fun to read about. The characters were likable and I appreciated Emory’s generous personality. It was also a quick read! I didn’t get bored while reading it even if I rolled my eyes a few times.