Review: Potentially Excellent Book Marred by Domestic Violence
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 06 7, 2014
This is the third book in the Saving Dallas forever series.  I loved 80% of the book but there were a few areas where I distinctly disliked it.  So there are sections of this book where Luke is to die for; their love and passion for each other is so intense and hot and steamy and the romance and love between them is just as passionate as ever.  SPOILER ALERT However, there is a section of the book where Luke beats Dallas with a belt because he is upset with something she did.  Now, I did understand him being upset but to me NOTHING excuses his beating her with a belt.  First, her tolerance of this behavior seemed so out of character for her - where was spunky Dallas with a backbone?  She gets upset with him about it for about a day but then she actually rationalizes his behavior.  This was so upsetting to me I almost stopped reading the book, in fact, I had to put it down and leave it alone for a day.  First, the author tries to minimize Luke's behavior by calling it a spanking - 1) Dallas isn't a child, she's an adult. When adults have disagreements and conflict, we use WORDS, not hands or belts; 2) it wasn't a spanking - the bruises he left on her means he BEAT her - if either one of them had done this to a child, child protective services would have been involved; in some but not all states, this behavior would constitute  assault.  At one point, she says she would never be submissive to Luke - what is tolerating a beating; playing house?  I was so disappointed in the way this episode played out in the book.  Yes, Luke was sorry, but they both basically rationalize and justify his behavior and even joke about it later.  At one point Luke says he is not a man who would put his hands on a woman - but a belt is OK?  Not using your hands makes it better, less abusive? This is the type of thing that makes people think physical abuse is OK, by minimizing its effect, calling it other names like spanking rather than what it is: A BEATING.  After a day, I was able to move on and pick up the book, but to be honest, this scene spoiled the rest of the book for me and I found that it was hard for me to get into after that.For all those who think I'm overreacting, go volunteer to work in a woman's shelter and see how many of these women's stories are sadly very similar to Dallas'; these women also loved their partners, they also used euphemisms to describe their abuse and they too thought at some point that the beatings were justified or acts of love.