I really thought I had reviewed this one already, but I guess not. I didn't finish this novel. The premise was promising, and I liked the bakery settiI really thought I had reviewed this one already, but I guess not. I didn't finish this novel. The premise was promising, and I liked the bakery setting, but I pretty much hated both of the male leads, and I wasn't that taken with the heroine, either. Their interactions didn't ring true to me, and the whole three-way relationship felt forced. Cal's behavior when he found out that Juliet was dating Gideon was irritating and asshole-ish, not sexy. And his immature, someone-else-took-my-toy-so-NOW-I-want-it attitude is the basis for the three of them deciding to try a triad relationship? I just didn't buy it.
Merged review:
I really thought I had reviewed this one already, but I guess not. I didn't finish this novel. The premise was promising, and I liked the bakery setting, but I pretty much hated both of the male leads, and I wasn't that taken with the heroine, either. Their interactions didn't ring true to me, and the whole three-way relationship felt forced. Cal's behavior when he found out that Juliet was dating Gideon was irritating and asshole-ish, not sexy. And his immature, someone-else-took-my-toy-so-NOW-I-want-it attitude is the basis for the three of them deciding to try a triad relationship? I just didn't buy it....more
This book started out so well, only to take a sharp downward turn in the last third or so. The first half to two-thirds was a fun, contemporary romancThis book started out so well, only to take a sharp downward turn in the last third or so. The first half to two-thirds was a fun, contemporary romance with dragons! I loved the urban fantasy blend of the real world, with its bureaucracy and crappy bosses, and the mythological world of dragons! The book was funny and light, which was just what I wanted.
The heroine, Myrna, was smart and extremely competent at her job, which was fun to read. I wasn't crazy about the hero, the brooding, silent, mysterious Trian, and I didn't really get what Myrna saw in him, but I was willing to believe the book would eventually show me.
It didn't.
Unfortunately, the last third of the book was a train wreck. Myrna, who had been so smart and insightful about people up until now, suddenly became too stupid to live. (view spoiler)[The villain was dropping huge, anvil-like hints about his villainy, and Myrna just ignored it! I simply could not believe that she didn't realize he was the bad guy! It did not mesh with her character as portrayed up until then, and I simply didn't buy it. Also, the MacGuffin detector was literally flashing in her hands to notify her that one of the dragon-killing bombs was nearby, and she just shrugged and said, "That's weird," and IGNORED IT. WTF? (hide spoiler)]
Her worst sin as a too-stupid-to-live heroine, though, came at the end, during her climactic confrontation with (view spoiler)[her old boss. He has the deadly, dragon-killing bomb in a backpack in his office, she sees it, and then -- does she yell for Trian, who is right outside? No! She grabs the delicate, deadly bomb and runs for it! Of course, the bad guy tries to grab it back and it breaks in the kerfuffle! It was pretty clearly established that she isn't a fighter, and Trian is, so why wouldn't she ask him to subdue her evil boss first?. Of course the bomb's going to go off if you play tug of war with it! (hide spoiler)]
Also, Trian was a jerk from beginning to end imo, and the book never redeemed him. Myrna and Trian were together a few years ago, when Trian stole a highly confidential work file from Myrna and skedaddled without even saying goodbye. Quite a way to dump someone, huh? Myrna was demoted (which is why she was working for her incompetent boss) as a result. He somehow does not realize that his theft would have negative consequences for her at work until she spells it out for him! And his big excuse, the reason why he took the file? (view spoiler)[His boss asked him to! That's it! THAT IS NOT A GOOD ENOUGH REASON TO RUIN THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE'S CAREER AND BREAK HER HEART IN ONE FELL SWOOP! WTF, Trian? The file had an incriminating photo of him switching between his human form and his dragon form, and his boss wants to keep the lid on his shapeshifting abilities a little while longer. Trian's not even afraid that he might be kidnapped and experimented upon or killed! (Both of which would have been acceptable reasons to steal the file, even though I still would have thought he was a dumbass for not simply asking Myrna for the photo.) But no. His boss wanted him to. I can't even. (hide spoiler)]
CONS 1. Style looses its humor in the last third of the book, becoming SUPER SERIOUS all the time (and, I'm sorry, I just can't really take a dragon romance too seriously) 2. An extremely obvious villain 3. The heroine suddenly becomes too stupid to live in the last third of the book 4. The hero is a jerk who never redeemed himself
It was frustrating because this book had so much promise and potential, but in the end, I just can't recommend it. TWO THUMBS DOWN.
Merged review:
This book started out so well, only to take a sharp downward turn in the last third or so. The first half to two-thirds was a fun, contemporary romance with dragons! I loved the urban fantasy blend of the real world, with its bureaucracy and crappy bosses, and the mythological world of dragons! The book was funny and light, which was just what I wanted.
The heroine, Myrna, was smart and extremely competent at her job, which was fun to read. I wasn't crazy about the hero, the brooding, silent, mysterious Trian, and I didn't really get what Myrna saw in him, but I was willing to believe the book would eventually show me.
It didn't.
Unfortunately, the last third of the book was a train wreck. Myrna, who had been so smart and insightful about people up until now, suddenly became too stupid to live. (view spoiler)[The villain was dropping huge, anvil-like hints about his villainy, and Myrna just ignored it! I simply could not believe that she didn't realize he was the bad guy! It did not mesh with her character as portrayed up until then, and I simply didn't buy it. Also, the MacGuffin detector was literally flashing in her hands to notify her that one of the dragon-killing bombs was nearby, and she just shrugged and said, "That's weird," and IGNORED IT. WTF? (hide spoiler)]
Her worst sin as a too-stupid-to-live heroine, though, came at the end, during her climactic confrontation with (view spoiler)[her old boss. He has the deadly, dragon-killing bomb in a backpack in his office, she sees it, and then -- does she yell for Trian, who is right outside? No! She grabs the delicate, deadly bomb and runs for it! Of course, the bad guy tries to grab it back and it breaks in the kerfuffle! It was pretty clearly established that she isn't a fighter, and Trian is, so why wouldn't she ask him to subdue her evil boss first?. Of course the bomb's going to go off if you play tug of war with it! (hide spoiler)]
Also, Trian was a jerk from beginning to end imo, and the book never redeemed him. Myrna and Trian were together a few years ago, when Trian stole a highly confidential work file from Myrna and skedaddled without even saying goodbye. Quite a way to dump someone, huh? Myrna was demoted (which is why she was working for her incompetent boss) as a result. He somehow does not realize that his theft would have negative consequences for her at work until she spells it out for him! And his big excuse, the reason why he took the file? (view spoiler)[His boss asked him to! That's it! THAT IS NOT A GOOD ENOUGH REASON TO RUIN THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE'S CAREER AND BREAK HER HEART IN ONE FELL SWOOP! WTF, Trian? The file had an incriminating photo of him switching between his human form and his dragon form, and his boss wants to keep the lid on his shapeshifting abilities a little while longer. Trian's not even afraid that he might be kidnapped and experimented upon or killed! (Both of which would have been acceptable reasons to steal the file, even though I still would have thought he was a dumbass for not simply asking Myrna for the photo.) But no. His boss wanted him to. I can't even. (hide spoiler)]
CONS 1. Style looses its humor in the last third of the book, becoming SUPER SERIOUS all the time (and, I'm sorry, I just can't really take a dragon romance too seriously) 2. An extremely obvious villain 3. The heroine suddenly becomes too stupid to live in the last third of the book 4. The hero is a jerk who never redeemed himself
It was frustrating because this book had so much promise and potential, but in the end, I just can't recommend it. TWO THUMBS DOWN....more
I really enjoyed this book! It's the perfect summer romance. The descriptions of ice cream made me hungry, and I loved the "grumpy one is soft for theI really enjoyed this book! It's the perfect summer romance. The descriptions of ice cream made me hungry, and I loved the "grumpy one is soft for the sunshine one" trope. The heroine is biracial, so this book also had some really interesting discussion of racial identity. All in all, this was a delightful read and I devoured it in a day. I will definitely look for other books by this author!...more
The novella format did not work for this story. It felt way too rushed, and I just wasn't feeling it. Also, I just can't deal with a hero and heroine The novella format did not work for this story. It felt way too rushed, and I just wasn't feeling it. Also, I just can't deal with a hero and heroine who met while she was a first-year college student and he was her TA. They didn't get together until years later, but still....more
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