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authorrubyduvall's Reviews (154)
Stuffing an entire romance arc into a novella is a huge challenge, one that "Spark" did not succeed at. The chemistry between Kal ("Spark") and Carrie was thin and forced. Instead of spending too much time making Kal look like an idiot and on Carrie's bridezilla cousin, the word count should've made more room for the H/H to bond.
I think I just didn't quite click with the main characters in Forbidden. Maybe the issue was the pacing? Parts of the book felt rushed, as though they should've been largely skipped. Often, the story seemed to be a series of events happening to Eddy, and she just rolled with it. I didn't usually sense much emotion coming from her besides a lot of glaring directed at Rhine.
Similarly, the romantic chemistry between Eddy and Rhine was lacking for me. Again, Eddy's side of it seemed to be the emotional equivalent of a shrug. Rhine certainly flirted a lot and was obsessed at times, but I wanted to see more reason why Eddy's particular fortitude and beauty drew him in.
A few other things: I couldn't suspend my disbelief when it came to Eddy being 27 and never having had a date before, or being kissed, or knowing what an orgasm is. I was also put off by Eddy's sister. I know that it's entirely possible for a pair of siblings to go in vastly different directions, but Corinne's callousness was over the top. Ending was rather rushed, too.
Similarly, the romantic chemistry between Eddy and Rhine was lacking for me. Again, Eddy's side of it seemed to be the emotional equivalent of a shrug. Rhine certainly flirted a lot and was obsessed at times, but I wanted to see more reason why Eddy's particular fortitude and beauty drew him in.
A few other things: I couldn't suspend my disbelief when it came to Eddy being 27 and never having had a date before, or being kissed, or knowing what an orgasm is. I was also put off by Eddy's sister. I know that it's entirely possible for a pair of siblings to go in vastly different directions, but Corinne's callousness was over the top. Ending was rather rushed, too.
The writing has great depth, and I love the details the author included about the process of tattooing (as well as the running of a tattoo parlor). She did a great job grounding me in the setting. She strove to make all the characters important and unique.
Sometimes she was so eager to put that depth into every single instance of desire and every single moment of indecision that conversations dragged, and I found myself skipping to the next line of dialogue. I also found a few things repetitive. I didn't keep count but I didn't need to be reminded more than a couple of times that "she's my brother's widow, for f*ck's sake" (not a direct quote). I think there were three instances of thinking their relationship would be "almost incestuous"—it's really not—and more than one instance of that word was too much. Lastly, I wish the ending had been a little longer.
That all said, I'm pretty excited for the next book! I like the author's writing style, and Sin and Ink was a great read that I think will satisfy a lot of romance fans.
Sometimes she was so eager to put that depth into every single instance of desire and every single moment of indecision that conversations dragged, and I found myself skipping to the next line of dialogue. I also found a few things repetitive. I didn't keep count but I didn't need to be reminded more than a couple of times that "she's my brother's widow, for f*ck's sake" (not a direct quote). I think there were three instances of thinking their relationship would be "almost incestuous"—it's really not—and more than one instance of that word was too much. Lastly, I wish the ending had been a little longer.
That all said, I'm pretty excited for the next book! I like the author's writing style, and Sin and Ink was a great read that I think will satisfy a lot of romance fans.
I finished reading this right before bingeing the TV show.
Strangely, the show did some really smart things to shortcut a few plot lines (and properly introduce a few characters), but it also had way too many stilted lines and was otherwise inefficient in other ways.
Anyway, I enjoyed the world-building and the academic stuff in A Discovery of Witches. I liked Matthew and Diana's characterizations. I do think the book could've done better with certain plot points and characters.Satu, Juliette, Sophie and her husband really show up out of nowhere. And there were a couple of points when the book really needed trimming.
Strangely, the show did some really smart things to shortcut a few plot lines (and properly introduce a few characters), but it also had way too many stilted lines and was otherwise inefficient in other ways.
Anyway, I enjoyed the world-building and the academic stuff in A Discovery of Witches. I liked Matthew and Diana's characterizations. I do think the book could've done better with certain plot points and characters.
Woof, uh...
I've read a few of Campbell's other historical romances and was not happy with this one. The hero is a straight-up predator for the first third. The heroine repeatedly tells him "no" and he repeatedly ignores her. This squicky dynamic improves a little once they both catch feelings, butafter she rejects his marriage proposal, he apparently decides to go full Evil in his mission to "ruin" the heroine's younger cousin, going so far as to kidnap Cassie .
Overall, the hero and heroine's interactions were too hostile. I didn't like that the hero kept "being right" about the heroine actually wanting him and saying he knew her feelings better than she did, which furthers a persistent and malicious misconception about women. Every scene of dialogue contained a glut of navel-gazing that slowed down and confused conversations.
I was also disappointed that the potential I saw in certain plot threads never bore out. The hero, for example, could've been the one toinform the heroine's brother that she was still alive, thus being the reason for their happy reunion. Instead, the man who "ruined" the heroine's reputation ten years ago did it, and it's never explained why. Did Johnny think the heroine's brother would make them marry?
A disappointing read, but here's hoping Campbell steers clear of such irredeemable heroes in the future.
I've read a few of Campbell's other historical romances and was not happy with this one. The hero is a straight-up predator for the first third. The heroine repeatedly tells him "no" and he repeatedly ignores her. This squicky dynamic improves a little once they both catch feelings, but
Overall, the hero and heroine's interactions were too hostile. I didn't like that the hero kept "being right" about the heroine actually wanting him and saying he knew her feelings better than she did, which furthers a persistent and malicious misconception about women. Every scene of dialogue contained a glut of navel-gazing that slowed down and confused conversations.
I was also disappointed that the potential I saw in certain plot threads never bore out. The hero, for example, could've been the one to
A disappointing read, but here's hoping Campbell steers clear of such irredeemable heroes in the future.
