Review: I wish this book had come with a trigger warning, or that the other reviews had included one for me.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 03 3, 2014
Review by Nic's wife.To be honest, I really struggled with this book- the writing was somewhat above average, for the romance I've stumbled across, but the authors didn't put enough effort into providing the characters with personalities outside of their relationship once they'd met, and there were so many problematic plot points, that I frankly felt queasy half the way through, and barely made it through to the end. I don't care for the rich, controlling, alpha male stereotype anyways, though so much romance features it that it's no longer an active dislike, just a "hunh. again?" But the authors' unique twists on it left me more grateful than ever for my empathetic, dialogue loving husband.If you like paranormal romance, divergent takes on vampires/witches, alpha males, and submissive women, you may enjoy this. But for me it was one of the most unpleasant reads I've encountered this year.It could use a solid proofread, because there were multiple homophone errors (Your, you're, etc.), errors in comma usage, and errors of the type that spell check wouldn't catch (Causality vs. Casualty, omitted words, his vs. him, etc.) Not the worst edited thing I've seen, but a far cry from the best.(Trigger warning for the rest of the review)Substantial portions of the plot were not believable. Substantial portions came across as subtly hostile to women, particularly sexually active women and sexual assault victims. The writing was above average outside of that, but still had some rough edges. I was peeved by the authors' repetition of some phrases, especially during sex scenes.Most importantly, though, this book left me feeling as though I had been assaulted, despite the competent elements of the writing. There's some intriguing elements to the story and worldbuilding, which is why I told Nic I'd likely finish it before he could polish off a chapter, when he said it was on his to read and review list. But I had not at all expected all of the problematic portions.I'm hesitant to post so many spoilers, but it's pretty integral to explaining why I had the reaction I had, and why, by my thinking, survivors of abuse and sexual assault, and those who work or live closely with them, as well as those who identify as feminists, may want to avoid reading this book. The book heavily eroticized and romanticized sexual assault in psychologically damaging ways, and to my mind, both of the sympathetic male characters are little better than the villain sexually assaulting the character. Consider this your last trigger warning, if you need one, because I know the specifics of my analysis breaks into some dark stuff.The rest of the review contains spoilers.#1. Substantial elements of the book were written with judgemental language and plotting, like slutshaming, and portions that caricatured sex workers and strip clubs in ways not seen since Striptease hit theaters. Included numerous references to weak, loose moraled women being forced to give the manager, uh, favors, while he conducted business, and narration equating strippers with not having self respect, even when one was, supposedly, a sympathetic character, as Dreama, the main character's, roomie and friend. That stereotype is old and tired, and shows a lack of research (Diablo Cody, Lily Burana, anyone?), as well as being demeaning and dehumanizing to women who really do that kind of work. It was unpleasant, but over fairly soon. If only all of the other miscellaneous judgements about women's sexuality had been, too.#2. The heroine was sexually assaulted not once, but twice, by her ex, during the book. The first time, her current beau, and the fellow he'd gotten to watch her apartment (Creepy) were aware of the attempted rape as it happened, but neither one of these sympathetic males even struggled with the decision to interrupt it- they just let it happen, and let the plot play out after the fact because.....#3. Her watcher was told to just watch, and reports his findings to her boyfriend, to get him to forgive her for being a slut, as her ex has convinced her new guy she is. But he doesn't attempt to help because he was told to just watch her. Just watch. Even when he's watching a man attempting to force himself on a woman. Worse yet, she has a psychic connection with her boyfriend because their first tryst was the right kind to magically mark her as his, and now her body is... ahem.... sealed..... to her attacker, which is the only reason the rape doesn't happen. He experiences her struggle and agitation, but doesn't consider helping her, because he'd rather assume it's her being pissed about not being able to do it with her other partner, then make the logical connection about what he notices her experiencing. The male ownership inherent in the idea of marking her is outdated in the first place, but his reaction is an unsympathetic justification, leading to my being completely unable to see his friend as a sympathetic character, or him as a romantic hero- only as a jerkwad who ignores sexual assault, especially in light of the following....#4. The second sexual assault happens when her ex, having already attempted to rape her in #2, forces her into going on a double date with him, and her new beau, and her roomie, by dint of his threat to kill any of them if she doesn't adhere to his rules. Not once, upon finding out that her ex is dating her roomie, does she attempt to warn the girl that he nearly raped her THE NIGHT BEFORE, or tell the girl that she has a restraining order against him. During the double date, he coerces her into dancing with him, which infuriates her current beau in a creepy way since he KNOWS why she's going along with it, and then her wannabe-rapist follows her into the bathroom when she tries to get away from her lover's hurtful actions, forces himself on her as best he can considering her.... sealed... state, and then the rest of the novel is spent with her current lover forcing her to apologize for the guy assaulting her, by letting him punish her sexually and emotionally. This is quite painful to read, and only gets worse when....#5. Her current beau has angry-sex with her, as part of his challenge to her to redeem herself, and then ushers her out the window to enact his plan to catch her ex and remove the threat, without discussing ANY of it with her, or treating her as anything other than a game piece. Why the  ***** didn't he set his plan up for before she got sexually assaulted, or attempt to rescue her during, especially given the earlier laid out connection they have? Or at least not force her to blame herself, and prove her loyalty to him, for the bad decision of having put herself in a situation for the assault. (Not direct quotes, but inferences from the dialogue of the text, rendered over multiple paragraphs, through the last 1/3-1/4 of the book.) She is forced to apologize, multiple times, multiple ways, for daring to go along with the guy who she believes could and will kill her's plans, because it made her poor new "husband" uncomfy. That kind of man doesn't deserve to call himself a husband. The double date was not justified well enough in the story, but she made the decision in an effort to protect her friends, and sexual assault is still sexual assault. Not any of the framings set out after: her not being faithful enough, or not being considerate of her guy's feelings, or of it just being "her body still responding" to an old flame, or her deserving blame for agreeing to the double date and thus setting herself up for it.Dreama's fieriness in other aspects of the narrative made her willingness to accept the blame for the problematic portions of the story especially disappointing.  It was disappointing seeing Dreama consistently cut out of any ownership in her future plans, especially once her guy knew that she was, frankly, more powerful than him, and better equipped to deal with the threat. Keeping her in the dark served no purpose other than to reinforce his dominance, which was already repugnant because of the problematic portions of the story, that rendered him an unworthy receptacle of that kind of trust.I recognize that not all readers will have the problems I did with it. But consider yourself warned if you have issues reading about sexual assault.I'm giving it 3* for the quality of the writing, but that's being frankly generous considering the severity of the problems I had with it.