Review: 5 Star Reviews....really????
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 05 13, 2014
I admit, I tend to write reviews of books that I want to warn potential readers about.  Such is the case with Three and a Half Weeks. Obviously, my take on this book is radically different from the other people who have reviewed it.  It started out well-the writing style was different in that not every single detail was hashed over and it seemed that for once the heroine was going to be strong despite her youth and lack of experience.  I was intrigued.  Unfortunately, the book fairly quickly took the well-travelled path...virginal, sweet, easily manipulated girl vs. dominant, wealthy, vastly experienced and older (but not much) man.  There are villains in this book-the main one being an ex called Natasha.  She comes across as a caricature-a paint by numbers "bad guy."But let's get back to our main characters-Ian is, frankly, rather a douche.  An example-after some days apart during which his girlfriend is held at gunpoint by the villain, they reunite and...rather than providing his girlfriend with the comfort she most certainly needed, decided to go dom on her by taking her to dinner, inviting strangers and embarrassing her sexually in front of one of them.  She, of course, forgives him instantly.  Another example-the incident that led to their breakup after three and a half weeks was incited by Ian's extreme distress regarding the fate of a former sub.  Is it not BDSM 101 that doms exert control when in a scene and not let themselves get "carried away"?Ian knows that Elle enjoys his dominance but not the pain part of the BDSM lifestyle, a fact that led to their initial breakup but that certainly doesn't stop him from wondering just how far he can take her down the pain threshold.  Knowing he's involved with someone completely inexperienced in the lifestyle, is it not his duty to educate her?  I saw little evidence of that.  I'm certainly no expert but as far as doms go, I'd say Ian is an epic failure. Again, I'm no expert but I'd be interested in hearing the opinions of practitioners of the lifestyle.But things really got offensive towards the end of the book.  If you don't want a major spoiler, don't continue reading.  Natasha, as a threat to Ian and Elle was removed-not by Ian but by another character (also douchy and creepy).  The manner of her being removed from the story is awful.  Ian knows her fate and finally tells Elle who in very little time, declares that she can live with it.  That's where I lost any interest in either of these sorry characters but especially Elle.  A woman who is okay with another woman being sold into sexual servitude is beyond redemption.  Women writing weak women, women writing about women being sold into sexual slavery for revenge and as a good thing, and women reading this and loving it makes me sad.  It certainly is a man's world....still.The author gives us a glimpse into the beginning of Natasha's life as a sex slave towards the end of the book.  Clearly,this is meant to tease readers about the second book that is sure to come.  In my case, it teased me into writing this negative review.  I won't read anything else by this author and obviously, I don't recommend this book.