Books That Didn't Make the Cut Pt. 5

Since the last one of these posts, I received a few messages asking why I would basically put these authors on blast. Here's the thing: that's not my intention. AT ALL! These posts aren't about putting down these books or these authors. Things that bother me in a book, things that make me quit or rate poorly, aren't necessarily the same things that would trouble you. We are individuals with independent thoughts, opinions and actions. What I like may not be the same thing you like. I could possibly hate what you love. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Some people love angst or slow builds or little to no sex in their books. I'm not that person. Will I read and enjoy books like that? Absolutely! However, they don't always work for me. And as anyone who has ever read my reviews will tell you, heroines usually make or break a book for me. So there's that.

Welcome to another post about three books that didn't work for me, but just might be your next favorite read!

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Bound by Flames by Jeaniene Frost

Play with fire, pay the price.

Leila’s years on the carnie circuit were certainly an education. What she didn’t learn: how to be a vampire, or how to be married to the most famous vampire of them all. Adjusting to both has Leila teetering on a knife edge between passion and peril, and now the real danger is about to begin…

Vlad must battle with a centuries-old enemy whose reach stretches across continents and whose strength equals his own. It isn’t like Vlad to feel fear, but he does…for Leila, because his enemy knows she is Vlad’s greatest weakness. As friend and foe alike align against him—and his overprotectiveness drives Leila away—Vlad’s love for his new bride could be the very thing that dooms them both…

*** DNF ~ I had to stop at 18%. I realized I was forcing it and that is no way to enjoy a book. I'm over Leila. I can't put up with her for one moment more. Which sucks, because I have these books sitting on my bookshelves and I was so looking forward to reading and falling in love with these characters. If only I got some of Vlad to keep me going. Unfortunately, this is Leila's story and Vlad is just a character in it. Unfortunately. So unfortunate.

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Lovers Lies and Lilies by Ronald D. Walker

In 1944, women were thought to be the weaker sex. Divorce was unheard of—a woman’s place was in the home, obeying her spouse and raising their children. After a miscarriage, Calvin Barnes blamed his wife Sarah for being too weak to carry out her duties. His violent, drunken rampages turned deadly.
A chance encounter with a mysterious stranger empowers Sarah to find freedom, sexual enlightenment, and love. Wealthy businessman, Jon Bartleaux, teaches Sarah there is more to life than the 1940s mindset of sex only being for procreation at the pleasure of the husband. Treated as an equal, he teaches her that tender, generous, mutually satisfying sex can be enjoyed by both partners.
Sarah puts the pain and guilt of her past behind her until her sister Carol asks for help with a neighbor who is desperate to escape her husband’s abuse, with the added danger of a standing hitman contract should anything happen to him. Will Sarah risk revealing her secret weapon for ending spousal abuse to help Twyla?
Will Jon’s terrible secret unravel it all?

*** DNF ~ I'm not going to rate this because I didn't finish. Technically, I got to 32% and skipped to the end. It was a hard read for me.

★ I actually liked the realistic abuse scenes between Sarah and her husband. Don't get me wrong, I don't condone it, but I admire the author for not sugarcoating how ugly it was.
★ I didn't like Sarah. She made excuses (which is typical of abuse victims), but she had the presence of mind to correctly identify how wrong things were. But she blamed herself. She couldn't leave because he'd kill her. But wasn't he killing you anyway?
★ the sex scene with Jon. What was that? It was hot if you take out the textbook mumbo jumbo. It was ridiculous!

So yeah, I was entertained for the most part and yet incredibly bored.

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Broken by K Webster

Andi has the perfect life. She is about to graduate with an Architecture degree and marry her-All American baseball star-fiancé. When she catches him in bed with another woman, her world is turned upside down. Left to pick up the pieces of her shattered life, she takes on a new persona — a promiscuous one. This new role protects her heart from ever being broken again.

Andi now lives by a set of rules. The game? Sex with a new pawn every weekend. Every Friday, she sets her sight on a new sexy, successful man to play along — no strings attached, please. When Monday rolls around, she kicks them to the curb and moves on. It has helped her get through the pain of her past — that is, until she meets Jackson.

The mysterious Jackson is excited to play her game. He too has had his heart broken in the past and isn’t looking for a repeat. Eventually, hearts get involved and Andi wonders if the game is still worth playing. Will she look for a new pawn or will she break the rules with Jackson?

*** DNF ~ I don't think I have to tell most of you how very much I love K. Webster. From her sweet, erotic contemporary romance to her dark romance to her taboo reads, she continues to captivate me one book at a time. But this book... nope. I couldn't do it. I'm so glad her writing and her ideas have become so much better because if this was a taste of what she had to offer, I'm not sure I would have read from her again. I'm ecstatic that I'd already fallen in love with her amazing ass way before this.

The heroine: ick
The hero: no idea
The plot: seriously?
The heat: on point