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haley_j_casey 's review for:
Blindfolded Innocence
by Alessandra Torre
It might be more like 2.5-2.75 stars, though I'm not someone who enjoys these books all too much. So keep in mind this isn't exactly my genre...
My biggest fear with this book was that it would turn into another 50 Shades type of story, and to my happy surprise, it did not. This book is not super kinky. There is no sex contract, no virginal lead female, no BDSM, no horrible childhoods, and no anal plug/sex. All nice to be seen left out.
The first 1/3 or so of the book left me with very mixed feelings about Julia. Because she isn't this party girl who knows she's hot, shoves it in people's faces, and sleeps around every weekend, but she also isn't the timid, introverted virgin that are usually in books like this. And I realize as I’m writing it that sounds like an odd, ‘well duh’ description, because all that seems to leave is for Julia to be an average girl. But she’s not that either. She’s kind of stuck between powerful business woman and easy on the scales, skipping between the two periodically. She refuses to go to Vegas with Brad, she ends up in Vegas with Brad. She cries—cries—because she doesn’t want to sleep with him (*important note—he does not try to force her; she cries all on her own because she’s overwhelmed and he is across the room. It is not because they’re in the act of almost having sex and he won’t stop or I would have put the book down*). But after that outburst, the next morning they’re stripped down to nothing making out in bed. I just... I felt like it took too long for the author and the reader to get a handle on her. I think she should have been more confident and open about herself considering the way she thought about sex and being a total tease, but she isn't, and that made her inconsistent for most of the first part of the book. She also has a tiny bit of a superiority complex, which turned me off from her.
Brad... I'm not sure how to categorize Brad. He was the most consistent of the two characters, and I liked him for that and for the fact that he never once tried to force anything with any woman. He was a little controlling (but also a little not, which was kind confusing...), but he was also respectful and kept his distance when he had to—no freaky, stalker vibe. So that was nice, even if he was a bit of a sex addict and apparently just too good for one woman for long to keep him satisfied. Really, he was saved from being completely sleazy because he was so forthcoming with Julia from the get-go. On the other hand, Julia is probably too forgiving with him. I liked her curiosity, and I liked even more that she didn't beg for information and then get pissed about the answer she wanted so badly, because nothing is a bigger protagonist turnoff than that. But there are some things that probably should have caused her to back off that, too soon for my liking, she became okay with. However, the author did have Julia initially stand by her decision not to be with Brad after Vegas and after she hears what he did to Broward. That helped me like the character, the book, and even the author a little more, because often times the girl runs straight back into the man's arms.
There was a little too much insta-love for my tastes, too. Because Vegas is where shit starts to go down, but the trip is also occurring, what, a week after they met? And suddenly Julia has lost all of her inhibitions, goes to Vegas, has sex with Brad, and does other stuff no one should be doing with a virtual stranger who is also her much older boss.
And speaking of that, I think the age difference thing could have/should have been a MAJOR point in the story and their relationship. Instead it was glossed over, mentioned once or twice at best, and didn't even make the list of things Julia had concerns about if she and Brad were to ever have a relationship. I'm actually one of those people who thinks people with vastly different ages can be completely compatible and perfect for each other, but I don't think a relationship like that occurs without both parties at the very least considering the potential problems. It would be talked about, be noticed by them both, but it wasn't.
What I did like about Brad and Julia together was that, even though I disagree with Brad and his views on sex, he made Julie think and made her reconsider her own views. They weren’t portrayed as abso-freaking-lutely perfect for one another in even aspect of their personalities; it wasn’t the kind of relationship where neither person thinks anything about the other should ever change because everything is wonderful and perfect (Okay, so there was a little of that. Brad: “Most women I pick apart in my mind, wishing this part or that part of them was different. But I don’t do that when I’m with you.” Really? Julia’s that drop-dead attractive? That is not the vibe I got from her). But still. I think it helped my opinion of the book that they were able to change each others minds about things, even if the conversations that led to those changes were awfully candid.
Also, I loved the addition of her friends. Both Becca and Olivia were great characters that I would have loved to see more of, but they acted just like best friends do/should/would, which helped make Julia much more relatable.
(I received a free copy of this book in the Goodreads First Reads giveaway)
My biggest fear with this book was that it would turn into another 50 Shades type of story, and to my happy surprise, it did not. This book is not super kinky. There is no sex contract, no virginal lead female, no BDSM, no horrible childhoods, and no anal plug/sex. All nice to be seen left out.
The first 1/3 or so of the book left me with very mixed feelings about Julia. Because she isn't this party girl who knows she's hot, shoves it in people's faces, and sleeps around every weekend, but she also isn't the timid, introverted virgin that are usually in books like this. And I realize as I’m writing it that sounds like an odd, ‘well duh’ description, because all that seems to leave is for Julia to be an average girl. But she’s not that either. She’s kind of stuck between powerful business woman and easy on the scales, skipping between the two periodically. She refuses to go to Vegas with Brad, she ends up in Vegas with Brad. She cries—cries—because she doesn’t want to sleep with him (*important note—he does not try to force her; she cries all on her own because she’s overwhelmed and he is across the room. It is not because they’re in the act of almost having sex and he won’t stop or I would have put the book down*). But after that outburst, the next morning they’re stripped down to nothing making out in bed. I just... I felt like it took too long for the author and the reader to get a handle on her. I think she should have been more confident and open about herself considering the way she thought about sex and being a total tease, but she isn't, and that made her inconsistent for most of the first part of the book. She also has a tiny bit of a superiority complex, which turned me off from her.
Brad... I'm not sure how to categorize Brad. He was the most consistent of the two characters, and I liked him for that and for the fact that he never once tried to force anything with any woman. He was a little controlling (but also a little not, which was kind confusing...), but he was also respectful and kept his distance when he had to—no freaky, stalker vibe. So that was nice, even if he was a bit of a sex addict and apparently just too good for one woman for long to keep him satisfied. Really, he was saved from being completely sleazy because he was so forthcoming with Julia from the get-go. On the other hand, Julia is probably too forgiving with him. I liked her curiosity, and I liked even more that she didn't beg for information and then get pissed about the answer she wanted so badly, because nothing is a bigger protagonist turnoff than that. But there are some things that probably should have caused her to back off that, too soon for my liking, she became okay with. However, the author did have Julia initially stand by her decision not to be with Brad after Vegas and after she hears what he did to Broward. That helped me like the character, the book, and even the author a little more, because often times the girl runs straight back into the man's arms.
There was a little too much insta-love for my tastes, too. Because Vegas is where shit starts to go down, but the trip is also occurring, what, a week after they met? And suddenly Julia has lost all of her inhibitions, goes to Vegas, has sex with Brad, and does other stuff no one should be doing with a virtual stranger who is also her much older boss.
And speaking of that, I think the age difference thing could have/should have been a MAJOR point in the story and their relationship. Instead it was glossed over, mentioned once or twice at best, and didn't even make the list of things Julia had concerns about if she and Brad were to ever have a relationship. I'm actually one of those people who thinks people with vastly different ages can be completely compatible and perfect for each other, but I don't think a relationship like that occurs without both parties at the very least considering the potential problems. It would be talked about, be noticed by them both, but it wasn't.
What I did like about Brad and Julia together was that, even though I disagree with Brad and his views on sex, he made Julie think and made her reconsider her own views. They weren’t portrayed as abso-freaking-lutely perfect for one another in even aspect of their personalities; it wasn’t the kind of relationship where neither person thinks anything about the other should ever change because everything is wonderful and perfect (Okay, so there was a little of that. Brad: “Most women I pick apart in my mind, wishing this part or that part of them was different. But I don’t do that when I’m with you.” Really? Julia’s that drop-dead attractive? That is not the vibe I got from her). But still. I think it helped my opinion of the book that they were able to change each others minds about things, even if the conversations that led to those changes were awfully candid.
Also, I loved the addition of her friends. Both Becca and Olivia were great characters that I would have loved to see more of, but they acted just like best friends do/should/would, which helped make Julia much more relatable.
(I received a free copy of this book in the Goodreads First Reads giveaway)