Review: Mixed Feelings about this one.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 01 28, 2013
Blood Ties was my first introduction to JD Nixon. The description was intriguing, and the reviews/ratings were all pretty high. It took a few chapters, but it piqued my interest enough to want to continue reading. There were, however, a few things that really got under my skin, that I never could get past.On one hand, you have a seemingly confident, hard-core, sleeps-with-a-knife-strapped-to-her-leg main character. Until her new "Sarge" comes to town, she's pretty much single-handedly policed the small town she lives in. She doesn't let people get away with sexism, patronizing her, or anything else for that matter. She can physically defend herself, and does so whenever necessary.On the other hand - her boyfriend comes from the worst family in town, who has done truly horrific things to her and her family. She's been tormented, harassed, and threatened in the most despicable ways; Several of them have even outright threatened/promised to rape her. Though I know people can be vastly different from their family members, the fact that he does absolutely NOTHING to stick up for her is absolutely disgraceful. What kind of man not only sits by while the woman he "loves" is being publicly disrespected, but actually joins in on the taunting?! I don't care how dreamy she thinks her "honey-boy" (bleh) is, any man that would fiercely defend his siblings to someone who has personally experienced the horrors they are capable of inflicting, and sits complacently by while they threaten even worse, is not worth the time of day - no matter how good looking. I had to push myself to get past the first few chapters as I wasn't sure I could continue. I just can't see any self-respecting woman allowing that, especially with how the Author has portrayed the main character. Her actions are so conflicting it's hard to know if she is really the strong woman she's characterized as, or completely insecure with little to no self esteem.Moving past the troubling begin, the rest of the story did hold my interest and kept me intrigued enough to finish. I would've enjoyed it SO much more if either Jake was written as a truly decent person (fighting tooth and nail to defend her), or was left out completely. Because of that, it'll probably take me a few days to decide whether or not to continue with the series.For those wondering: there is A LOT of foul and crude language in this book.**UPDATE: I DID get the second book in the series, and will be posting a review for that one soon**