Review: Interesting story, less interesting heroine
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 10 22, 2013
I rarely give a synopsis of the plot since it's usually listed under the book title, so why repeat?  In this case, it's so vague, I'll add some details.  Ninety Eight covers two years in the life of Brielle, a young veterinarian assistant.  She gets engaged to Vincent, Mr. 65% Right since her nana told her when she was 16 that it is better to settle than look for Mr. 98% Right.  (True love apparently burned nana.  We find out some details later, but it's never really explained.) The story continues on from there.  This is the novel part of the book, in most romances the grandmother or other supporting character (Penny, Brielle's best friend)tells the heroine to wait for Mr. Perfect or the heroine is already looking for Mr. Perfect.I enjoyed the writing, it flowed well and read fast.  I liked some of the characters, but I had problems with Brielle. We're not sure quite how old she is, either 23 or 26.  It mentions that 7 years ago when she was 16 her nana gave her the letter to settle for a good man, then it says she's read the letter every year for 10 years except the last 2. Brielle just accepts her nana's decree without apparently giving it any thought.  We are told that basically her nana raised her because her mother focused on her new husband and that Brielle had poor prior relationships before Vincent, but at 23 or 26, how many serious relationships could she have had since she's been with Vincent for 2 years at that point? So, that is the basis for her falling in with nana's POV.  I just couldn't accept it with an employed woman living in a city in this century and having a friend like Penny.She is a people pleasing doormat.  We understand that she is beaten down in a way from her mother's benign neglect and her step father's verbal and occasional physical (but not sexual after she at least nipped that in the bud)abuse as a teen.  But as Brielle mentions in the book, she is now an adult.  So, it's time for her to stand up for herself.  Of course she finally does so, but ultimately, in the end of the book, for whatever altruistic reason, she reverts back to her doormat ways even though, as an adult, she should know there are other means to help the situation than give up what she wants.From the cover, I was expecting the heat level to be higher in this book, but there were only 2 sex scenes, both were quite mild and not very descriptive.  Not a criticism of the writing but of the cover, I read and enjoy all heat levels.I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.