Review: Frustrated with Nate (more than once!)- lacks author's humor, this is more serious/brooding
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 19, 2013
Even though the premise is absolutely ridiculous (a genie? for real?), the reader is quickly engrossed in a story about lost love, love found, love desired, etc.Lily is the third generation of a family with a genie, Fazire. Where he comes from is fairly irrelevant. We are not in the current time period with Lilly, as a 14 year old, wishing to find a man that has the same characteristics as the heroes that she has been fervently reading about in her romance novels.Nate is an child that has a very checkered and sad past, that find himself in better circumstances that enable him to meet Lily when they are both adults. Together, they must overcome some deep pain and hurt that runs deep between them both, and the villains that caused it.Without giving away the plot, this story has more angst and suffering that some of the other books I read by this author. There is less humor, more brooding, yelling and glaring.What I liked:- Lily is a very strong, independent and loving person. She cares deeply for people and gives them the benefit of the doubt.- The parents in the first few chapters are great - giving Nate a second chance/home, looking out for his welfare and his heart.- HEA in the end- NO cliffhangersWhat I didn't like:- Lily's big heart, she forgave a bit too quickly for me. Nate does something that hurts her deeply (towards the end of the book) and I think what he does is extremely cruel and almost out of character. She forgave him too quickly- Nate - his character sometimes didn't make sense. On one hand, he would do anything to get back together with Lily. He truly loves her and it's apparent in how much he takes care of her (and others). But then he does something that is so cruel and harmful. I don't care about his past - it was just mean and selfish. Made me lose compassion and trust for his character. Think that Lily could find a better person.- Tone: the tone of the book was fairly somber and brooding. I just read 4 of her books that had me laughing out loud and having my heart race to hit that 'next page' on my kindle. This one had me wishing that the book would change tone, almost a bit depressing.Would I read this book again?Most likely not because she has so many other books that I would LOVE to re-read. This one fell short for me. Hate to write negative review for Ms. Ashley, but she has so many other books that ROCK.