The first half had me scrunching my face the entire time because of the main character and the male character.
First, we have Chloe who's weird becausThe first half had me scrunching my face the entire time because of the main character and the male character.
First, we have Chloe who's weird because she's supposed to be a well-spoken, well-traveled person which KA tried to portray in the way she talks. But she comes off talking in a way that Gen X thinks how Gen Z talks. She sounds very old, but you can see that KA wanted to make her speak in an elegant way but comes off as a try hard. The slang she uses, the way she talks. She sounds like a Gen X and this is coming from the youngest millennial. Imagine my surprise when she's supposed to be 24, years younger than me. KA really needs to talk to someone young or get on Tiktok or something because Chloe is not how any of the Gen Z talks, no matter how sheltered, how rich they are.
Then we have Judge. Well, he's the typical KA hero. That is, he's like the heroes KA has written even way back 2014. His whole vibe would've swooned a lot of readers 10 years ago but in 2024? Meh, sometimes I found him to be a dick (which to be fair, he admitted) and so egotistic. Imagine thinking that a woman dressed up gorgeously just for you? Like, she couldn't just dress herself up because it's a New Year's party or something.
And I guess that's the problem. KA's characters seem like people stuck from 10 years ago, it doesn't even make sense. The way her characters talk now are similar to how her characters talked from her earlier works.
I do love the character development that happened on the latter half of the book. KA does write family stories and relationships great, and I think that has always been her strong suit. I just wish that her characters feel like they're in the present because the vibes of the book felt like it was still in the last decade. ...more
I was almost positive that I wasn’t going to come out of it unscathed.
When Alexa Holland meets the man that her father has wronged years a
I was almost positive that I wasn’t going to come out of it unscathed.
When Alexa Holland meets the man that her father has wronged years ago, she's determined to make him happy to make it up to him. Now working for him as his PA, she doesn't expect to start falling in love with the mysterious and aloof man who had kindness she saw in glimpses.
Caine Carraway is hell-bent on making Alexa's life miserable because what her father did to his family. He's also determined not to acknowledge the attraction they had. But when he realizes the truth, will the walls that he slowly built finally crack?
To say that I'm disappointed is an understatement. I really had high hopes with this book but half of the time I was rubbing my face in exasperation because of Caine. His hot and cold bullshit wasn't really sitting well for me. I got that he had a valid reason for his behavior, but did it really have to take two life-threatening events for him to realize that he couldn't live without Alexa in his life?
I had to give it to Alexa because she didn't give him up. But there were times where I just said, "Oh, screw him. Just leave him, girl. A girl with a heart like yours deserve someone better." I loved Lexi as heroine. Her mindset really astonished me and I think only a girl like her could handle a guy like Caine.
In the end, I'm happy for them. I'm just annoyed it took so much time for Caine to realize what he had.
Merged review:
I was almost positive that I wasn’t going to come out of it unscathed.
When Alexa Holland meets the man that her father has wronged years ago, she's determined to make him happy to make it up to him. Now working for him as his PA, she doesn't expect to start falling in love with the mysterious and aloof man who had kindness she saw in glimpses.
Caine Carraway is hell-bent on making Alexa's life miserable because what her father did to his family. He's also determined not to acknowledge the attraction they had. But when he realizes the truth, will the walls that he slowly built finally crack?
To say that I'm disappointed is an understatement. I really had high hopes with this book but half of the time I was rubbing my face in exasperation because of Caine. His hot and cold bullshit wasn't really sitting well for me. I got that he had a valid reason for his behavior, but did it really have to take two life-threatening events for him to realize that he couldn't live without Alexa in his life?
I had to give it to Alexa because she didn't give him up. But there were times where I just said, "Oh, screw him. Just leave him, girl. A girl with a heart like yours deserve someone better." I loved Lexi as heroine. Her mindset really astonished me and I think only a girl like her could handle a guy like Caine.
In the end, I'm happy for them. I'm just annoyed it took so much time for Caine to realize what he had....more
The entire time I was reading this, I thought that this could make a good cozy game or a Studio Ghibli movie. It's cozy and focused more on the vibes.The entire time I was reading this, I thought that this could make a good cozy game or a Studio Ghibli movie. It's cozy and focused more on the vibes....more
This is the KA that I knew. I haven't been able to read her recent works as I don't find them as enjoyable as her earlier works like Rock Chick seriesThis is the KA that I knew. I haven't been able to read her recent works as I don't find them as enjoyable as her earlier works like Rock Chick series, the 'Burg series, etc.
I can finally officially close the Unfinished Hero series. Though I hoped to read more of their happily ever after. ...more
I skipped book two because I was more curious on Sloanne and Lucian's story.
I don't know. Is there something in the air in Knockemout? Why do the men I skipped book two because I was more curious on Sloanne and Lucian's story.
I don't know. Is there something in the air in Knockemout? Why do the men here suddenly get their heads out of their asses once the love of their almost loses their life? Like did they have to almost die for them to face their demons, or whatever it is that prevents them from committing in the relationship because damn. Knox and Lucian's epiphany was the same. Things get steamy -> guy gets cold feet, suddenly feels unworthy, distances himself away from the love of his life -> LOHL gets almost killed -> guy's like I could have lost her, "I should get my senses together" -> tries to get inside LOHL's life and prove that he's changed and decided not to fck around anymore.
Nice take on the enemies to lovers trope though. I loved it....more
It's so weird because I've read three of Lucy Score's books and three of them basically had the same formula.
Girl and guy with explosive chemistry geIt's so weird because I've read three of Lucy Score's books and three of them basically had the same formula.
Girl and guy with explosive chemistry get together -> guy gets something up his ass and proceeds to push away girl -> girl has a threat to her life -> guy pulls his head out of his ass in a snap and chases girl-> a little groveling -> happy ever after.
If this was my first book from Lucy Score I may have rated this higher as it's my type of fluff but it's my third so, meh....more
**spoiler alert** It started out really slow, but got better on the last quarter of the story. Suffice to say, I was not expecting that plot twist at **spoiler alert** It started out really slow, but got better on the last quarter of the story. Suffice to say, I was not expecting that plot twist at all.
As for Maomao and Jinshi’s romantic progress, you will see it albeit very late in the story. Jinshi doesn’t even appear at the first half of the book. But, oh boy, was it good. You can finally see progress in their relationship, much to Maomao’s dread.
Nothing still tops Volume 4 in terms of plot and pacing for me though. I do think it’s because this is still not the climax for the Shaoh arc. (I do want to see it over though tbh)
Although this is not a romance novel mostly, I am expecting more from Maomao and Jinshi’s relationship in the next volumes considering Jinshi’s strong proclamation of his intentions towards Maomao from this volume....more
I always love me some rejected mate trope. I also loved how mature both characters are that there is virtually no misunderstanding throughout the storI always love me some rejected mate trope. I also loved how mature both characters are that there is virtually no misunderstanding throughout the story. They are honest to each other and openly communicate. On paper, it’s great and a recipe that I would love for a story.
But it just felt like too smooth of a sail, to be honest. The pace of how they developed their relationship just seemed too good to be true. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop the entire time. Only it didn’t drop and it felt like I was left hanging. The climax was there but it didn’t felt like enough considering the build up that I felt.
I wanted more spice since it’s a rejected mates that didn’t go back to their true mate trope that I rarely see. It was still a good execution though so kudos to that....more
Loading...
