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A review by haletostilinski1
Five Minutes Longer by Victoria Sue
2.0
2.5 stars
I think this was case of "It's not you, it's me." Meaning, that the writing wasn't particularly bad overall, and the story had interesting and engaging elements to it that had potential for me. But overall it just didn't do it for me.
First it was just...Talon and Finn didn't have any chemistry together. Talon was an asshole but I thought that would make for an interesting dynamic between these two (I love where one's an asshole, realizes the error of their ways and totally falls for the other), but Talon was not the type of asshole I could feel sympathy for or like. He was just an asshole.
I did love Finn, I thought he was a wonderful character and was treated SO unfairly by everyone but Gael and Vance in this.
I warmed up to Sawyer, though. But Eli, still a major asshole - although we get to know basically NOTHING about him so all I had to go off on judging him was his behavior.
Now, the reason Talon wasn't the the type of asshole character you can love? For me, it was because he NEVER apologized. NOT. ONCE.
And Finn fucking took it and forgave Talon! ALL. THE. FUCKING. TIME. And for what? What did Talon do except continue to be an asshole when he has the opportunity to apologize, or run away?
I honestly have no idea what Finn saw in him. Like, maybe if Finn was an asshole back it would have not only felt more heated (I love me some love/hate relationship. But this was more...one guy loves the other, other guy treats him like an asshole because he can't handle ~feelings, and of course that totally makes up for said behavior! NOT.) but more equal, but nah. Finn was nothing but kind and sweet and nice from the very beginning, and yet Talon always treated him like crap.
Talon's "softer" moments where Finn could have potentially seen a different side to him were few and far between.
The writing tactic I hated in this was that instead of having them talk out ANY of their issues (or hey, maybe just having Talon say a quick "I'm sorry, I was an asshole" to Finn, which wouldn't have been very hard to fit in!) something big or dramatic happened to derail any such talk, and then in all the action and drama it was like it had all blown over for Finn, for some reason.
Look, someone treats you like shit - not even once! But repeatedly! (And Talon even ADMITS IT TO HIMSELF!) - and I'm gonna hold a grudge on that for awhile, especially if I don't get an apology and a sign of changing behavior. But Finn didn't even "give in" it was like he fucking forgot that Talon was a complete asshole in the first place.
Man, it had me wondering why Finn wasn't falling for Gael or Vance. They treated Finn x1000 times better than Talon did.
Talon faces the consequences ONCE for his behavior towards Finn and that's it. And included in his awful behavior is after their one night together, him fucking running off and avoiding Finn without an explanation. And with what happens in the end, he runs off AGAIN.
And while at the end I do understand it more than the first time, because what happens would be hard to deal with, doesn't change the fact that he still ran off, and Finn was hurt once again by his actions. And no fucking apology.
Like maybe the author was saving the big talks for the second book, maybe the ending was so unsatisfying because it's the first of two. I don't care. Everything else in this book insured that I wouldn't care enough to pick up the second.
Also, at the end? Talon says "I don't deserve you" and he's fucking right. At least he fucking knows. Still doesn't change the fact that fuck yeah, he doesn't deserve Finn. But Finn doesn't see it. Other than that the whole end scene is basically Finn making Talon feel better, which WTF? This bitch.
I'm sorry, but I honestly hated Talon. No amount of his background story made me sympathize with him enough to forgive him for how he behaves in this book and for his actions.
Plus, again, no chemistry for me, honestly because Talon is trying to sabotage Finn's chance with their team from the beginning, so not a lot of moments happen for them to gain a believable connection for me.
Also, I just never truly got into this book. Near the 75% mark I just wanted to be done with it. Around 80% I skimmed a little.
The story was promising, the plot line was promising, some of the characters were promising (Finn, Gael and Vance in particular) but it just didn't connect right. And honestly, if Talon had been a likable character, my rating would have been higher than this, much higher. (Also, if there had been chemistry. But the main thing was Talon).
When one of the MC's doesn't work well - when the romance of the two MC's is supposed to be what carries a romance book - it kind of ruins the whole book (among other things).
Honestly, I'm just glad I finished this book so I can move on. This one was just not for me. And obviously I'm in the minority here because I saw a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews, so hey, you might end up enjoying this one if you haven't started it yet.
But I personally didn't. Thumbs down from me.
I think this was case of "It's not you, it's me." Meaning, that the writing wasn't particularly bad overall, and the story had interesting and engaging elements to it that had potential for me. But overall it just didn't do it for me.
First it was just...Talon and Finn didn't have any chemistry together. Talon was an asshole but I thought that would make for an interesting dynamic between these two (I love where one's an asshole, realizes the error of their ways and totally falls for the other), but Talon was not the type of asshole I could feel sympathy for or like. He was just an asshole.
I did love Finn, I thought he was a wonderful character and was treated SO unfairly by everyone but Gael and Vance in this.
I warmed up to Sawyer, though. But Eli, still a major asshole - although we get to know basically NOTHING about him so all I had to go off on judging him was his behavior.
Now, the reason Talon wasn't the the type of asshole character you can love? For me, it was because he NEVER apologized. NOT. ONCE.
And Finn fucking took it and forgave Talon! ALL. THE. FUCKING. TIME. And for what? What did Talon do except continue to be an asshole when he has the opportunity to apologize, or run away?
I honestly have no idea what Finn saw in him. Like, maybe if Finn was an asshole back it would have not only felt more heated (I love me some love/hate relationship. But this was more...one guy loves the other, other guy treats him like an asshole because he can't handle ~feelings, and of course that totally makes up for said behavior! NOT.) but more equal, but nah. Finn was nothing but kind and sweet and nice from the very beginning, and yet Talon always treated him like crap.
Talon's "softer" moments where Finn could have potentially seen a different side to him were few and far between.
The writing tactic I hated in this was that instead of having them talk out ANY of their issues (or hey, maybe just having Talon say a quick "I'm sorry, I was an asshole" to Finn, which wouldn't have been very hard to fit in!) something big or dramatic happened to derail any such talk, and then in all the action and drama it was like it had all blown over for Finn, for some reason.
Look, someone treats you like shit - not even once! But repeatedly! (And Talon even ADMITS IT TO HIMSELF!) - and I'm gonna hold a grudge on that for awhile, especially if I don't get an apology and a sign of changing behavior. But Finn didn't even "give in" it was like he fucking forgot that Talon was a complete asshole in the first place.
Man, it had me wondering why Finn wasn't falling for Gael or Vance. They treated Finn x1000 times better than Talon did.
Talon faces the consequences ONCE
Spoiler
with Gael punching him in the face. OH. SO. SATISFYING.And while at the end I do understand it more than the first time, because what happens would be hard to deal with, doesn't change the fact that he still ran off, and Finn was hurt once again by his actions. And no fucking apology.
Like maybe the author was saving the big talks for the second book, maybe the ending was so unsatisfying because it's the first of two. I don't care. Everything else in this book insured that I wouldn't care enough to pick up the second.
Also, at the end? Talon says "I don't deserve you" and he's fucking right. At least he fucking knows. Still doesn't change the fact that fuck yeah, he doesn't deserve Finn. But Finn doesn't see it. Other than that the whole end scene is basically Finn making Talon feel better, which WTF? This bitch.
I'm sorry, but I honestly hated Talon. No amount of his background story made me sympathize with him enough to forgive him for how he behaves in this book and for his actions.
Plus, again, no chemistry for me, honestly because Talon is trying to sabotage Finn's chance with their team from the beginning, so not a lot of moments happen for them to gain a believable connection for me.
Also, I just never truly got into this book. Near the 75% mark I just wanted to be done with it. Around 80% I skimmed a little.
The story was promising, the plot line was promising, some of the characters were promising (Finn, Gael and Vance in particular) but it just didn't connect right. And honestly, if Talon had been a likable character, my rating would have been higher than this, much higher. (Also, if there had been chemistry. But the main thing was Talon).
When one of the MC's doesn't work well - when the romance of the two MC's is supposed to be what carries a romance book - it kind of ruins the whole book (among other things).
Honestly, I'm just glad I finished this book so I can move on. This one was just not for me. And obviously I'm in the minority here because I saw a lot of 4 and 5 star reviews, so hey, you might end up enjoying this one if you haven't started it yet.
But I personally didn't. Thumbs down from me.