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authorrubyduvall 's review for:
Nights with Him
by Lauren Blakely
DNF at 42%.
Random things kept pulling me out of the story. The dialogue sometimes came off a bit underdeveloped, for example, or even a bit immature at times.
Another example: during their first dinner out, after Michelle learned the barest facts about why Jack was seeking therapy, she's pretty harsh when she shuts down his insinuation of them dating by telling him, "I'm not interested in getting involved with someone who has intimacy issues."
First, she's made a lot of assumptions based on news articles, which hardly constitute a comprehensive look at someone's personal relationships and how emotionally available they are. Second, she doesn't acknowledge that she's learned something sensitive about Jack--not only that he lost someone, but also that he's seeking therapy about it. Third, she then uses that knowledge against him unfairly, which put a bad taste in my mouth.
Of course, Michelle admits as much in the text. "I know that sounds harsh." (Ya think?) And she does give Jack her reason for being leery of dating him, but wow could she have phrased it better.
For example: "Let me say first that I'm sorry about what happened a year ago and that your personal tragedy didn't remain personal. Second, I'm glad that you've decided to seek therapy, and I'm sorry if taking that step was made more difficult because of our accidental meeting at the hotel. I hope I steered you right by asking Kana to meet with you. Anyway, because I know something about you that's highly personal and vulnerable, let me do the same and admit that I'm still pretty raw over feelings I had for someone that turned out to be misplaced. While I like you a lot, I'm worried that you're not in the right mental space for a relationship, so I'm going to insist that we part ways after tonight."
Another thing that irked me was Jack's sister, Casey, using the same, tired phrases that lots of people in therapy have to deal with. "You need to fix your head. We have a business to run." Or "Get your butt in gear and stop all this self-loathing." Or "You are going to fix yourself. Because it's time to move on."
Yikes. (Maybe Casey wises up later in the story, but I didn't make it far enough to find out.)
In the very next chapter, I then had to read the following exchange.
Michelle's friend: "It's not as if you're going to peg [Jack]."
Michelle: "I'm absolutely not ever going to peg him, or another man. I like my men to be men. and I like their assholes to remain virgins."
So, according to Michelle, a guy (straight or otherwise) getting pegged is no longer a man. YIKES YIKES YIKES.
At that point, I decided the book wasn't for me.
Random things kept pulling me out of the story. The dialogue sometimes came off a bit underdeveloped, for example, or even a bit immature at times.
Another example: during their first dinner out, after Michelle learned the barest facts about why Jack was seeking therapy, she's pretty harsh when she shuts down his insinuation of them dating by telling him, "I'm not interested in getting involved with someone who has intimacy issues."
First, she's made a lot of assumptions based on news articles, which hardly constitute a comprehensive look at someone's personal relationships and how emotionally available they are. Second, she doesn't acknowledge that she's learned something sensitive about Jack--not only that he lost someone, but also that he's seeking therapy about it. Third, she then uses that knowledge against him unfairly, which put a bad taste in my mouth.
Of course, Michelle admits as much in the text. "I know that sounds harsh." (Ya think?) And she does give Jack her reason for being leery of dating him, but wow could she have phrased it better.
For example: "Let me say first that I'm sorry about what happened a year ago and that your personal tragedy didn't remain personal. Second, I'm glad that you've decided to seek therapy, and I'm sorry if taking that step was made more difficult because of our accidental meeting at the hotel. I hope I steered you right by asking Kana to meet with you. Anyway, because I know something about you that's highly personal and vulnerable, let me do the same and admit that I'm still pretty raw over feelings I had for someone that turned out to be misplaced. While I like you a lot, I'm worried that you're not in the right mental space for a relationship, so I'm going to insist that we part ways after tonight."
Another thing that irked me was Jack's sister, Casey, using the same, tired phrases that lots of people in therapy have to deal with. "You need to fix your head. We have a business to run." Or "Get your butt in gear and stop all this self-loathing." Or "You are going to fix yourself. Because it's time to move on."
Yikes. (Maybe Casey wises up later in the story, but I didn't make it far enough to find out.)
In the very next chapter, I then had to read the following exchange.
Michelle's friend: "It's not as if you're going to peg [Jack]."
Michelle: "I'm absolutely not ever going to peg him, or another man. I like my men to be men. and I like their assholes to remain virgins."
So, according to Michelle, a guy (straight or otherwise) getting pegged is no longer a man. YIKES YIKES YIKES.
At that point, I decided the book wasn't for me.