Review: Great plot, not so great heroine
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 12 12, 2013
Book received in exchange for an honest review. Review posted on I Smell Sheep.Carved in Stone engaged the long forgotten side of me that had wanted to be Indiana Jones when I was a child. Digging in the dirt, discovering pieces of ancient history, and of course, the armed villains that seem to come out of nowhere. That was the ultimate lifestyle for me. So naturally I was very enthusiastic to read Kate Douglas’ book. In that respect, the book didn’t disappoint.Nathan Murdock is a well known and respected professor of antiquities and folklore (fancy way of saying he’s an archeologist) who has just discovered a group of stone carvings that could put him at the top of his field, or get him kicked out and humiliated. In order to document his find and back up his claim of how important these carvings are, Nate hires famed photographer Alex Martin to photograph his findings. When instead of an Alex Martin, an Alexandra Martin shows up, he’s not sure what to do with her. Does he send her home or does he give her a chance to prove that she can handle anything he dishes out.Alexandra Martin is trying so hard to prove that she’s the Martin with the talent, not her thief of a father. Years ago, her father took credit for photos that she took. That’s how he became such a well known and respected photographer. This job is not just about her father though, Alex is tired of men letting her down, she’s tired of them making her feel that she shouldn’t be better than them at what she does. She’s tired of being used too. So she’s not about to let some man tell her what she can and can’t handle. Even if she thinks he’s ruggedly handsome and intelligent. I liked that Alex did have skills not only as a photographer but also at basic wilderness survival. She didn’t have to be taught by the big, strong man. In fact, she had to show the big strong man that she could do those things on her own. I liked that about her.From the moment they meet, Nate and Alex just have one misunderstanding after another. Nate’s protective instincts towards Alex (Because she’s a woman) make Alex feel like he’s being a chauvinist and ramps up her independent streak to the point where she comes off as a shrew. At times Alex seemed like she had more than one personality. Her back and forth attitude became old and very quickly went into the “annoying” category. I understood her need for independence, and her need to prove that she didn’t need a man but the way she went about it was just wrong. She picked fights with Nate over everything instead of just showing him she could handle their situation. I found her to be all talk and no action, or worse, she did the opposite of what she claimed, saying she could handle anything, then bursting into tears and borderline hysterics when they’re in danger. I could have done without all that. Alex needed to toughen up for real instead of just talking about it.What I really liked about Carved in Stone was the archeological setting. I loved the legend of the Spirit Walkers and the part they played in Nate and Alex’s adventures. I know that for some, archeology is boring and dull but to me it’s fascinating to be surrounded by that much history and the mystery of decoding it is thrilling.The suspense and danger of Carved in Stone is a bit predictable at times but that was fine by me. It was a fun and exciting to read a romance that took place in a setting I once envisioned myself in. While Alex got on my nerves a lot of the times and her whiplash inducing relationship with Nate kind of tired me out, I did enjoy the overall book. I would definitely consider reading other books by author Kate Douglas again.