Review: This is NOT romance
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 03 24, 2014
ETA: I have noticed that there's now a disclaimer on the book's description so kudos to the author for listening to reader comments. I will not change my review and rating as this is what I honestly feel for the book but I do appreciate the content warning added for future readers.Let me just start this review by making it clear that:1) I love Alpha male heroes/anti-heroes.2) I enjoy reading about jealous and possessive alpha male heroes.3) I enjoy them so much that I'm active in an Amazon Forum that is dedicated to j/p alpha male heroes.3) Hell, the more over the top they are, the better, as long as the reason they're that way is because they're crazy in love and not just...crazy.I don't consider Drawn as romance. I look at it as a cautionary tale of extreme lust/infatuation gone wrong. I can't even call it love because in all honesty, what I read, it was NOT LOVE. I also don't consider what they have to be an actual relationship because all they did was have sex. Like about approximately 40% of this book is just the two of them hooking up and it actually got boring after awhile. Is this new adult or erotica? I was confused.I honestly really wanted to like this book but it just wasn't for me. Both main characters are selfish, immature and by the end of it, extremely unlikable. There are also a lot of inconsistencies regarding their character. Damien may sound like an alpha male on paper but he ended up being a manipulative, abusive jerk that sorely lacked depth. The book does not give you any information about him. He's an art student who street fights and paint naked chicks for money. That's what we know of him at the beginning of the book, and that's all the information we'll get about him till the end. You want to know what his deal is? Why he is the way he is? Well, this book will NOT give you any answers. He is somehow obsessed with Etta, the female lead, but what I can't wrap around is WHY?! When in the few times you two hung out accidentally did you suddenly realize that she's someone you need to be with FOREVER?! Do you know what I hate more than insta-love? Insta-lust being sold as all-consuming true love because I may be an idealistic romance reader, but I can still see through the bull.And Etta...I really did feel for her at the beginning of the book. She grew up with an overprotective father who was slowly suffocating her. All she wanted was a little bit of freedom and to finally experience the fun side of college. But then, even with her strict upbringing, like curfew-at-six-pm strict, she was somehow able to have two boyfriends and be with them sexually and I don't know how she managed that. Afternoon quickies maybe? And when she met Damien? She turned into this wanton, highly experienced, sex-hungry female. I was actually interested in reading about a 6'2″ heroine but sadly, this girl's no Amazon. Rather, she is a childish, spineless sex-crazed doormat. She has no backbone when it comes to Damien because whenever he gets near her, all she wants is sex. Really? You find out your boyfriend switched out your sim card so your friends can't contact you and so that he can track you and when you confront him about it, you somehow ended up wanting sex again? I guess all this invasion of privacy can truly make a girl hot for it.The one saving grace for me in this book is Aaron. Wonderful, caring Aaron who remained to be a true friend even when he didn't get the girl. And no, I do not wish for Etta to end up with him because he deserves so much better than her. I hate that she was practically stringing him along until Etta was able to define her relationship with Damien. He does not deserve to be second fiddle to anyone.This book is not a standalone, but it does not exactly end in a cliffhanger. You definitely need to read the second book to get any sort of conclusion regarding this destructive relationship and that only added to my frustration. Will I read the second book? Maybe. Just to see if it gets better in terms of character depth and development and if the two main characters actually grow for the better individually.Overall, Drawn isn't for me but if you like something steamy with a whole lot of soapy drama about two individuals who are so bad for each other, then this might be for you.An advance readers copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.