Take a photo of a barcode or cover
a_ab 's review for:
Her Backup Boyfriend
by Ashlee Mallory
This book had a very clear "traditional family values" agenda it pushes so hard, I could practically see steam coming off the text. Since it was my trial of a new to me author, I decided to finish it despite my disgust at the blatantly manipulated narrative.
The writing wasn't bad, but it has gotten repetitive as the story progressed and the author kept hammering the same points in over and over again.
What always amuses me in such books is that the behavior of the "corporate elite" that the narrative sets out to wholeheartedly condemn is exactly the same as the much approved behavior of the male lead (only applied in the personal relationship setting instead of the workplace) — same manipulative promises, same implicit ultimatums, same power playing and dominance assertions. Only the vilified characters do it in the name of business and money and the protagonist does it in the name of "love" and future babies, which is supposed to make it all excusable and "completely different". While the truth, of course, is that the goal and the motives don't matter in the least when such behaviors are on display — the person is either capable and willing to treat others that way or not, and anyone who chooses to behave like that is not worth even a second glance.
This book's narrative is not just problematic, it's toxic and contributes to perpetuation of abuse and unhappiness through the generations.
The writing wasn't bad, but it has gotten repetitive as the story progressed and the author kept hammering the same points in over and over again.
What always amuses me in such books is that the behavior of the "corporate elite" that the narrative sets out to wholeheartedly condemn is exactly the same as the much approved behavior of the male lead (only applied in the personal relationship setting instead of the workplace) — same manipulative promises, same implicit ultimatums, same power playing and dominance assertions. Only the vilified characters do it in the name of business and money and the protagonist does it in the name of "love" and future babies, which is supposed to make it all excusable and "completely different". While the truth, of course, is that the goal and the motives don't matter in the least when such behaviors are on display — the person is either capable and willing to treat others that way or not, and anyone who chooses to behave like that is not worth even a second glance.
This book's narrative is not just problematic, it's toxic and contributes to perpetuation of abuse and unhappiness through the generations.