Review: Not the typical Ashley heroine or hero - Didn't love it but didn't hate it....much,
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 11 16, 2013
What do you get when you put two emotional train wrecks together?  Reece and Zara.The two protagonists in Jagged are Graham Reece (Ham, Reece) and Zara Cinders (Cookie).  I had trouble connecting with the heroine.  The story felt like Zara had too much "oh woe is me" feel for the first 80% of the book.  Her adult life consisted of bad decisions or impulse decisions - she wants a husband, family and a nice house but because Reece didn't have his act together, she settles for Greg - bad decision since Greg was a decent guy.  To add to her story of woe, she and her sister are products of physical and mental abuse inflicted by her father.  But Zara always had someone to fight her battles for her or protect her in some way.  Her sister acted as her shield and took as much physical abuse away from Zara to her own detriment.  Zara's friends had her back when Zara lost her shop and home after her divorce.Reece was burned by several women, including a selfish ex-wife - apparently Reece was a magnet for selfish women since all he wanted was a wife and a family.  By the time Reece and Zara hook up he's already living the life of a traveling man who's determined never to attach himself to a woman.  Reece and Zara hook up several times over the course of nine years, with Reece leaving her every time.  It's not until Reece is attacked by serial killer who's hell bent on targeting his obsession's ex-lovers (read For You - February Owens) that Reece has his own come to Jesus moment, realizing the life he's been living is leading him nowhere.Abuse of any kind is to be abhorred.  What bothered me about Zara was that it appeared that she couldn't make sound choices for herself.  If she was in dire need of better paying job why would she work at the Deluxe Home Store instead of the local bar, The Dog, where the tips are way better than a job paying minimum wage, instead she's hired by Reece, who conveniently gets hired as the manager first?  Why did she hold onto a house that was way out her financial league?  If the town of Gnaw Bone, including the sheriff and pastor, was aware of the treatment her father was inflicting on his family, why didn't someone do something?  Zara had no problems sharing her story of woe, but did she do anything to make it better?  No, she just lays it all on Reece's lap.  And once Reece plants the idea of taking her nephew away from her aunt, why would she assume that she can take care of her nephew, if she could barely take care of herself?For all of Reece's shortcomings, at least he had the wherewithal to think things through for Zara.  Overall, Zara was not the best Ashley heroine.  Usually, the Ashley heroines overcome adversity on their own with a little help from the hero.  In Jagged, Reece did all of the heavy lifting.  It was almost as if Zara couldn't think for herself to find her way to a better life.  All of a sudden, she stands up for herself at the age of 32?  What's that all about?  Not cool for the sisterhood.