Review: not for me, but probably not a bad book
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 28, 2013
Oh God, I wish I hadn't read that. Historically I've not been a fan of contemporary romances. I often find the female leads weak-willed and the plots too sappy for me. I know that's what some people like most about the genre, but me not so much. Despite my hesitations about the genre I was tempted by the sarcastic tone of the book's description and this same tone runs through out the story. It is just as funny as the description led me to believe, which was good. But I can't say I much liked the story. Honestly, I'm not even saying it's not a good book and everything that women who like mushy love stories and frail, 'save me from myself' heroins appreciate about the genre. I'm just not one of those women.At 27% through the book I posted this status update on Goodreads,"I'm ~25% in and I know things are going to change, but as of this moment I've decided that a more satisfying rewrite of this story would be: Julia was having a bad day, week, month year. Stranded on the side of the road with a flat tire she doesn't know how to change, Joe stops to help. She is then such a witch to him that he gets back in his van, drives away and leaves her there like she deserves. Seriously!"The problem is that it didn't change. Julia remained a completely bi-polar, possibly psychotic witch who did NOTHING to deserve Joe--who was of course wonderful in every tall, blond, muscled, 8-inch, committed, loving way. I loved Joe, but despite my best efforts I couldn't like Julia, outside of whether I generally like this sort of story or not. I just found her selfish and flat out mean.To top it all off I don't get the 'he lied about being a cop' theme that the plot hinges on. First off, so what? He a cop, big deal. Second, he DID TELL HER he's the chief police. The fact that she didn't believe him doesn't negate the fact that he told her. Plus, even if he hadn't told her he told her enough of what he does for a simpleton to figure it out. It's not his fault if she's just too stupid to read the large, neon, flashing, heroic sign he painted for her. It all left me groaning.Wylde's writing is perfectly readable and, like I said, it is funny. But This was definitely not a good match for me.