Review: I was blown away by No Apologies – in so many ways.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 21, 2014
I was blown away by No Apologies – in so many ways. For one, author Sybil Bartel has created a stunningly authentic male character which I’m often told is difficult for female writers, but she makes it look easy. For another, the story is difficult to read, but compelling as hell. Just when I was sure I was going to hate Graham and nothing he could do or say was ever going to redeem him in my eyes, I was proven wrong.PlotGraham Allen is an ass. A giant, self-loathing, misogynist without an ounce of likeability, ass. The way he blames all women for his mother’s mistreatment of him as a child is nearly intolerable. And yet the author tells a story that is impossible to look away from. While I couldn’t stand Graham, and really hoped he wouldn’t end up with Carly because he didn’t deserve her, I couldn’t put the book down. Like a bad accident, I was sucked into the gruesome world that is Graham’s mind as he used women, treated them like dirt, and pretty much abused every person who saw any value in him.And yet, just below the surface, there was…something. Sure, there’s the wounded boy who endured something no one should have to, but he had a choice in how to respond to that abuse and he chose the wrong way every.single.time. But something hidden kept me reading to find out what would happen. Carly gets under his skins, worms her way in, and he knows he’s going to hurt her, but still refuses to do the right thing.This is no story of a good girl saving a bad boy. It’s about a damaged, broken guy finally recognizing his own part in his personal hell and deciding whether or not to do something about it. He ultimately will need to either take responsibility for his own choices in life, or spiral out of control and the reader is left guessing which way he’s going to go until the twist I never saw coming.CharactersThe characters are brilliant, although only Graham and Carly are really fully developed. Even so, the supporting cast are all there to serve a purpose and they do so in believable style. The amount of character development Sybil Bartel has done blows me away. Yes, it’s a romance, but it’s the most intense, powerful romance I’ve read in a long time.Bottom LineI loved No Apologies, much to my surprise. I mean, I LOVED it. It kept me up late, I took my iPad everywhere I went so that I could read just a few more pages. About the only negative thing I can say is that I would have loved to have seen more of a transformation when it came to Graham’s view on women overall. The double standard that men who sleep around are studs but women are skanks was rampant throughout. There’s enough slut shaming in our society as it is. Women love sex as much as men and there’s noting wrong with that. But, because this is Graham’s story, his views color the story and sadly, its the view of far too many people the world over.DisclaimerI was provided a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.