Review: Tongue Wagger - Undaunted by Charity Parkerson
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 06 6, 2014
Tongue Wagger - Undaunted by Charity ParkersonThere is no more loathed location in the world than the friend zone; it's populated not because people want to visit but because are stranded there. Mandy and Rhys have been caught in the friend zone for years even though it's assumed by everyone, including Rhys, that once he gets his crap together there will be a happily ever after. What Rhys doesn't know is... well, Rhys doesn't know quite a bit because he is wrapped up in his own BS he hardly notices what is going on with Mandy 80% of the time. It would be safe to say his head is so far up his ass that he is taking account of his intestinal fortitude and due to a weak stomach he can't get his life in line to do right by the girl he claims to love more than anything.Knox has watched his little brother screw up and screw around where Mandy is concerned long enough. When he sees Rhys' brand of protection leaves her open to abuse from their brother Dane he steps in to take care of her; never letting the fact that she is Rhys' far from his mind. He's wanted her for so long, to see her hurt by Rhys' carelessness and selfishness has him wanting to show her how well she should be treated and loved. And the words his friend Drew suddenly become true, "There [is] no low he wouldn't stoop to in order to have her..."Charity is a kinda, sorta meanie. She did this thing where she made me think the jerk was the good guy. She made him sound loving and sweet and perfect and then she brought in Jacob Black and I was like, "INTERLOPER, INTERLOPER", my inner hate alarms went off. Then she showed me Mr. Perfect was a jackass, I was Team Jacob, and I wanted to go to the supply closet with Knox too. I've never really encountered many books like Unsurpassed and Undaunted, they were really strange-different-good to read because the plots are so uniquely approached. You don't meet the hero and get swept off your feet right away, you met Mr. 70%--who could've given you a decent life with mediocre happiness first.If I can take a moment to talk about the characters in both No Rival books, Unsurpassed and Undaunted, the thing that is great about these characters is that they aren't above regretful oopsies. Sometimes you just make a crazy and then you sit back and you say to yourself, "Self, WTF did you just do?" when the consequences catch up to you. Charity's characters do this and there aren't any magical beans that grow into bean stalks or Fairy Godmothers that redeem those mistakes. Friendships go to hell and people you trust prove unfaithful; Charity doesn't do the everyone gets the cake and gold star endings, it's refreshing.The one complaint I do have is that I feel there is a great deal of internal fragmentation of the main characters that is never resolved. Not to mention that there are a great deal of missed opportunities in the stories where it feels like the ball is dropped. That happens in books and life. Mandy happens to go through a very emotionally stressful and painful event alone but there doesn't seem to be much discussion about the emotional trauma, but rather the financial burden. Drew and Max have a lot of undercurrents in the first book but the only backlash has to deal with Aubree instead of their discovery. There should have been a much greater "payoff" in book two if all the things Max implied about his family life in book one about their connection were true. I can't say it outloud or I will spoil the plot line and I don't want to do it because she has such a great twisty turny curvy thing going.The only novel I can recommend for this is that you read the first novel and because they are somewhat episodic it's really a good idea to read the first No Rival before the second anyway. (This review was written for my blog All The Things Inbetween at Alicrean.com)