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A review by penningtales
Come to Me Softly by A.L. Jackson
2.0
When I first started reading this book, I hadn't known it was a sequel. Which is entirely my fault, I should've done my research. No matter, I went and got the first in the series and read it. I'll admit I was disappointed and it didn't bode well for me regarding this book.
Like the one before it, this book also made me feel like the story was being dragged out. Actually, harsh as it may sound, the whole book felt redundant and unnecessary. If the Jackson had decided to add the last 30% of this book onto the first, it would've made for a better, stronger story. Because at the end of the day, I did enjoy the premise of this book, just not the execution.
She really does have a way with words though and I did feel there were more dialogue this time around. But they were so bogged down by the character's inner thoughts that I either found myself skipping to them or losing track of what was being said. Certain sentences and phrases kept popping up, over and over, to the point it got annoying. This mostly happened in Jared's POV and they were carried over from the first book, which made it worst. His constant self hate and feelings of unworthiness also got exhausting after a point (in the first book, mind you). It tainted everything. Like I get it, you're trying to emphasis a point, but can we please move on with the plot? Can we see him growing from it? Recovering from it? You know, learning to move on. Instead, all that growth is shoved into the very end of this two-parter.
Nothing really happens in beginning or middle of this book aside from him clinging to Aly like a lifeline, a decision he made at the end of the first book. There was so much fluff, I was bored. But that might tie back to me not connecting with the characters. It was a struggle just to even pick up this book, if I'm honest. So why did I keep going? Because I went out of my way to buy the first book so I could read this one. Because I wanted to like it. But in the end, I was just disappointed. Twice.
With such high ratings on both books here on Goodreads, I can only assume that this series isn't for me. Or maybe AL Jackison's writing style isn't for me. I don't know, maybe another book by her will change my mind. I just know it'll be a while before I read something from her again.
Like the one before it, this book also made me feel like the story was being dragged out. Actually, harsh as it may sound, the whole book felt redundant and unnecessary. If the Jackson had decided to add the last 30% of this book onto the first, it would've made for a better, stronger story. Because at the end of the day, I did enjoy the premise of this book, just not the execution.
She really does have a way with words though and I did feel there were more dialogue this time around. But they were so bogged down by the character's inner thoughts that I either found myself skipping to them or losing track of what was being said. Certain sentences and phrases kept popping up, over and over, to the point it got annoying. This mostly happened in Jared's POV and they were carried over from the first book, which made it worst. His constant self hate and feelings of unworthiness also got exhausting after a point (in the first book, mind you). It tainted everything. Like I get it, you're trying to emphasis a point, but can we please move on with the plot? Can we see him growing from it? Recovering from it? You know, learning to move on. Instead, all that growth is shoved into the very end of this two-parter.
Nothing really happens in beginning or middle of this book aside from him clinging to Aly like a lifeline, a decision he made at the end of the first book. There was so much fluff, I was bored. But that might tie back to me not connecting with the characters. It was a struggle just to even pick up this book, if I'm honest. So why did I keep going? Because I went out of my way to buy the first book so I could read this one. Because I wanted to like it. But in the end, I was just disappointed. Twice.
With such high ratings on both books here on Goodreads, I can only assume that this series isn't for me. Or maybe AL Jackison's writing style isn't for me. I don't know, maybe another book by her will change my mind. I just know it'll be a while before I read something from her again.