Review: Disappointing (C Grade)
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 08 26, 2013
By Degrees by Elle Casey has a great premise, featuring a strong female protagonist and the celebrity rock star lifestyle setting that has become very popular this year. I was riveted for the first 1/4 of this story, but then I started seeing cracks in the plot, including the characters' motivations. First of all, I don't understand why this is a New Adult. It's isn't. It's a contemporary romance because the heroine who's 25, runs her own company and doesn't have any traits that a New Adult heroine embodies. Just because a main character is 25, doesn't mean it's a New Adult. I honestly think Elle categorized By Degrees as a New Adult in order to grab readers who enjoy reading this sub-genre. Sorry, readers, this isn't a New Adult, and you'll be very disappointed. But if you like contemporary romance, and can suspend your disbelief, then Be Degrees may be the book for you.The heroine Scarlett acts much older than her age. I really feel this story would be much better if she, and the rock star hero Tarin were aged by a few years because many things here don't add up with them. Scarlett is called in to fixed celebrities who are out of control and on a path to destruction that could lead to their career ending, or their death. The reason she does this is because the love of her life, her rock star boyfriend she knew since she was a kid, who died from a drug overdose two years prior to the event here, makes her want to help others who are close to ending up like him. In less than two years Scarlett becomes this very skilled professional, aka a fixer, everyone in the music industry, and I guess Hollywood, look to for help. It doesn't come across as believable at all. Perhaps if Scarlett was older and had a few more years of experience, it would be believable, but in this case it `s implausible. Also we're not given any real insight on Scarlett as a whole, regarding her past and why she is the way she is. Why and how does she get this amazing professional experience? Nothing is explained. It's all told and not shown. I did like her strong personality, but when all is said and done, she comes across as too one-dimensional.Tarin was more rounded, but the way he's portrayed doesn't make the reader sympathize with him or want him and Scarlett to get together. Tarin is a man slut lost in a drunken and drugged out world for no real reason. In less than two weeks, Scarlett falls for Tarin, faults and all (and he has many, unattractive faults), because he reminds her of her deceased rock star boyfriend. This doesn't endear me to their relationship or their chemistry Elle tries hard to show. It fails on the whole. I don't see why Scarlett would break her one rule- don't get sexually or emotionally involved with a client like she does with Tarin. A past client of hers, Jack, another rock star hottie shows up, who she has much better chemistry with her. Tarin and Scarlett together were DOA from the moment they locked eyes, and all their gushy lusty feelings exploding between them was bland.More than half way through, this dragged to the point I almost DNFed. The ending is too pat and ridiculous because a major obstacle was removed, a death of a character, so Tarin and Scarlett can have their HEA.By Degrees had a lot of promise but failed in so many ways. It's a forgettable read with too many head scratching moments for me that fail.A pass.Katiebabs