Review: Recycling,  aka An Axe Murderer Saved Our Relationship Book 2)
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 11 8, 2013
I am predisposed to like anything written by Kristen Ashley. She has written a wide variety of novels that hold great appeal -- from Rock Chicks to Dream Men. Other than the `Burg series, I have read most of the books two or three times. That being said, I don`t anticipate reading Jagged more than once. It was just okay.Am I the only reader who wants the characters in the books to start talking in full sentences with pronouns? As a lover of alpha males, I am all for macho-speak, but some of Ms. Ashley`s male characters are starting to blend together for me. Even more surprising is when the females, including older females, talk macho as well. There is something wrong when the reader has to go back several times over a sentence before understanding the author`s intent. "I think you want what you gotta learn I`ll give when I`m ready to give it, honey," Ham replied. Spit it out man!Ms. Ashley has a habit in the most recent books of taking a word and beating it to death within a couple of paragraphs. I`m not sure what the point is, except to make the reader`s head spin. " It can BEAT you. There were a bunch of times when I almost let it BEAT me. And I gotta do what I gotta do to keep that streak and not let it BEAT me." "And I`m not happy your life was effed but that doesn`t change the fact I`m lucky your life was effed so you didn`t even think about findin`another guy or I would be effed." GAK!Reece/Ham/Graham evolves into an appealing character about two-thirds of the way through the book. The eight years of dilly-dallying were a disappointment. I understand that this was a wounded man who had to "evolve", but honestly, the guy is 43. There is a huge amount of negativity that makes Reece about as cuddly as a cactus. "Haven`t done this $h-t in year. Gonna do my mother effing best not to do it again, ever. I drink, I eat, I eff, I leave." Nice! "I think you got in that $h-t I spewed at you that, for the most part, I`m not a big fan of women."Zara was rather one-dimensional for a lead character. Although she is funny during tough situations, she is in victim mode for most of the story.Ten percent into this novel, there is a lengthy synopsis of three related novels. This was not done in a subtle way that made sense in term of moving the plot along, but almost felt like a commercial in the middle of a book. I`m not sure if this was the publisher`s idea, but it felt disjointed.I`m still a Kristen Ashley fan, but two or three more new books like this would prevent me from buying more of her novels.