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A review by katewutz
Bad Luck Charm by Julie Johnson
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Wow, so, domineering men are not my thing in romance! I get the appeal of a teensy tiny smartass woman not taking shit from very tall, broad jerks who turn out to actually have a soft spot for said woman. I’ve seen/read that done well—notably Mimi Matthews’ The Belle of Belgrave Square, though that is slightly different.
But Graham Graves….wow. With Gwen’s history of violent men and sexual assault, you would think she would run screaming from him. These are not the actions of a guy in love. Is this man Edward Cullen/Christian Grey-coded? Probably. Is “surly bodyguard” a trope I’ve just never encountered before? Yes. And it’s not my thing. Now I know.
Also…CREEPY THATHE FELL IN LOVE WITH A 10 YEAR OLD AT THE AGE OF 15.
That said, the mystery was interesting enough (and the spicy scenes were spicy enough) to keep me reading. Not a total loss, and I’ll try the next one—Cade seems sufficiently different from Graham, even though we are probably going to be edging into copaganda territory.
But Graham Graves….wow. With Gwen’s history of violent men and sexual assault, you would think she would run screaming from him. These are not the actions of a guy in love. Is this man Edward Cullen/Christian Grey-coded? Probably. Is “surly bodyguard” a trope I’ve just never encountered before? Yes. And it’s not my thing. Now I know.
Also…CREEPY THAT
That said, the mystery was interesting enough (and the spicy scenes were spicy enough) to keep me reading. Not a total loss, and I’ll try the next one—Cade seems sufficiently different from Graham, even though we are probably going to be edging into copaganda territory.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death