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tashmarcelle53 's review for:
F**k, Marry, Kill Me, Daddy
by Lance Lansdale
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
WHAT?
I’ll say that again.
WHAT?!
I suspect that’s the universal reaction to this book. What did I just read? Whatever, who cares! I was entertained. This shouldn’t be a safe-for-me book, and yet, it is. Not because the situation isn’t complicated, but, because the heroes are with only each other throughout the whole book, even though one is full-on married to a woman. He sleeps, literally, next to her once, but doesn’t have sex with her on page in this book, ever. It's an open marriage. She's off screwing Brody's friend for most of the book. Phew, okay. My kind of messed up! LOL. The marriage adds a complication but not one I couldn’t read, so…I went with this crazy little thing called…well, I’m not sure love’s the word for it.
Brody’s a hitman, and he’s supposed to kill Scotty. Scotty, for some bizarre reason we won’t study too hard, thinks this stalker who carries dangerous weapons is playing a weird kinky courtship game, and he’s into it hardcore. He assumes pretending to stalk and murder him is Brody’s love language, and Scotty’s game to play, falling for Brody all the way, even before he knows his name. Scotty’s all in, making assumptions of relationship bliss, calling Brody his Murder Daddy before Brody can say “I don’t.” In fact, Brody never does say I don’t or no, he keeps going along with Scotty’s assumptions without rhyme or reason, except maybe he needs this bizarro romance and weird connection as much or even more than poor reviled Scotty does.
But it’s Scotty’s own homophobic politician father who put a hit on him, and if Brody doesn’t complete the job, more lives than Scotty’s are at stake, including Brody’s own wife’s and that of her longtime lover, Brody’s best friend. What’s a bewitched, bothered, and bewildered hitman to do, given he’s having his own bi-awakening at Scotty’s hands and soon no more able to hurt him than give him up?
There’s just no way for this to end well, and the fact that it does is hilariously entertaining. It’s like reading Snatch or Pulp Fiction, with the escalating situation becoming more bizarre and intertwined until the noose is tightening to the point of no return and you’re still pulling on the rope, asking for more.
I wished, so much, that there had been more to the revelation that Brody is married. Scotty just shrugged it off, and I was like, NO I want some CONSEQUENCES to this revelation! Conflict! Emotions! But nah. It was like oh, thanks for telling me. Okay.
Hrmph. Missed opportunity.
This is one of those “so wrong it’s right” stories that you just shouldn’t question too hard. You’ll love it or hate it, but you certainly won’t forget it. I didn’t always feel powerful emotions between Brody and Scotty; Brody remains a mystery even to himself, and Scotty is a little too oblivious to be credible, but, you know what? I just went along for the ride anyway, and for that I give it 4 F’d up stars.
Brody’s level of denial and homophobic commentary went a bit far for me too, even though Scotty rolled with it and called him out on it. I didn’t enjoy that and would have rec’d tweaking it. The ending, which resolves the situation with Scotty's father, also went OTT to a place that seemed bizarre even for this bizarre book, and not credible. But, not my circus, not my monkeys. And make no mistake—this is a circus.
HEA, hitman-target romance, light kink, suspense. No cheating between MCs, no others on page in the book. Huh. Yeah, it’s true! Recommended for the not-so-faint of heart.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
I’ll say that again.
WHAT?!
I suspect that’s the universal reaction to this book. What did I just read? Whatever, who cares! I was entertained. This shouldn’t be a safe-for-me book, and yet, it is. Not because the situation isn’t complicated, but, because the heroes are with only each other throughout the whole book, even though one is full-on married to a woman. He sleeps, literally, next to her once, but doesn’t have sex with her on page in this book, ever. It's an open marriage. She's off screwing Brody's friend for most of the book. Phew, okay. My kind of messed up! LOL. The marriage adds a complication but not one I couldn’t read, so…I went with this crazy little thing called…well, I’m not sure love’s the word for it.
Brody’s a hitman, and he’s supposed to kill Scotty. Scotty, for some bizarre reason we won’t study too hard, thinks this stalker who carries dangerous weapons is playing a weird kinky courtship game, and he’s into it hardcore. He assumes pretending to stalk and murder him is Brody’s love language, and Scotty’s game to play, falling for Brody all the way, even before he knows his name. Scotty’s all in, making assumptions of relationship bliss, calling Brody his Murder Daddy before Brody can say “I don’t.” In fact, Brody never does say I don’t or no, he keeps going along with Scotty’s assumptions without rhyme or reason, except maybe he needs this bizarro romance and weird connection as much or even more than poor reviled Scotty does.
But it’s Scotty’s own homophobic politician father who put a hit on him, and if Brody doesn’t complete the job, more lives than Scotty’s are at stake, including Brody’s own wife’s and that of her longtime lover, Brody’s best friend. What’s a bewitched, bothered, and bewildered hitman to do, given he’s having his own bi-awakening at Scotty’s hands and soon no more able to hurt him than give him up?
There’s just no way for this to end well, and the fact that it does is hilariously entertaining. It’s like reading Snatch or Pulp Fiction, with the escalating situation becoming more bizarre and intertwined until the noose is tightening to the point of no return and you’re still pulling on the rope, asking for more.
I wished, so much, that there had been more to the revelation that Brody is married. Scotty just shrugged it off, and I was like, NO I want some CONSEQUENCES to this revelation! Conflict! Emotions! But nah. It was like oh, thanks for telling me. Okay.
Hrmph. Missed opportunity.
This is one of those “so wrong it’s right” stories that you just shouldn’t question too hard. You’ll love it or hate it, but you certainly won’t forget it. I didn’t always feel powerful emotions between Brody and Scotty; Brody remains a mystery even to himself, and Scotty is a little too oblivious to be credible, but, you know what? I just went along for the ride anyway, and for that I give it 4 F’d up stars.
Brody’s level of denial and homophobic commentary went a bit far for me too, even though Scotty rolled with it and called him out on it. I didn’t enjoy that and would have rec’d tweaking it. The ending, which resolves the situation with Scotty's father, also went OTT to a place that seemed bizarre even for this bizarre book, and not credible. But, not my circus, not my monkeys. And make no mistake—this is a circus.
HEA, hitman-target romance, light kink, suspense. No cheating between MCs, no others on page in the book. Huh. Yeah, it’s true! Recommended for the not-so-faint of heart.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.