They don't crank up medieval stories like other historicals, so I have to give it this many chances before giving up. There are too many authors out there to keep trying an author indefinitely. Karen says she's pretty generous and will give most authors a second chance. She, like me, will skip an author's books set in a period she's not crazy about. I agree strongly with Karen's comments about authors who write characters she dislikes.
Some authors change drastically from book to book.
If I give up on a book because the characters grate on me, I'll be extremely cautious before picking that author up again. Finally, there are a few authors whose style just doesn't click with me. I'll keep making excuses not to finish the book. Karen also shared with me her experience with Mary Balogh. Now she is a major Balogh fan.