It’s Not You, It’s Me: DNF Roundupby Ashlyn Chase, Elizabeth Boyle, Lexi Blake, Shayla Black
Format: select
Source: Advance Reader Copy

ONE JOB OPENING
TWO SHIFTERS APPLY...
SPARKS FLY
Dragon shifter Chloe Arish is hell-bent on becoming a Boston firefighter. She uses her Irish charm and fake documents to score an interview, knowing she has to work every bit as hard as a man-harder if she wants their respect.

Born into a legendary Boston firefighting family, phoenix shifter Ryan Fiero can't possibly let someone best him on the training course or the job. He'd never hear the end of it. When a feisty new recruit comes along who's determined to do just that, Ryan plots to kick her out-until their sizzling chemistry turns explosive...

 

The Viscount Who Lived Down the Lane

In New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Boyle's fourth novel in the Rhymes With Love series, a resolute young woman goes toe-to-toe with the Beast of Mayfair...

She has no desire for love...

As she arrives in Mayfair, Louisa Tempest is horrified when her incorrigible cat bolts from the carriage and dashes into a neighbor's house, where she comes face-to-face with the reclusive Viscount Wakefield. But even more dismaying than his foul temper is the disarray in which she finds his home. Convinced his demeanor would improve if his household were in order, Louisa resolves to put everything to rights.

...until she meets the viscount who lives down the lane.

Much to his chagrin, Wakefield finds it impossible to keep the meddling Louisa out of his home, invading his daily life with her "improvements," and his nights with the tempting desires she sparks inside him. Wounded in the war, he's scorned society ever since his return . . . until Louisa opens the door to his heart and convinces him to give love a second chance.

 

Big Easy Temptaion

The New York Times bestselling authors of the Masters of Ménage series present the third scintillating novel featuring the privileged, wealthy, wild men of Creighton Academy—the Perfect Gentlemen.

Years ago, Naval officer Dax Spencer and NCIS agent Holland Kirk indulged in a steamy affair—until she betrayed him in the wake of his father’s death. Dax tried to put her behind him with a payback of his own. But he never forgot Holland…

Now, as Dax and his fellow Perfect Gentlemen unravel a web of lies, he discovers his family’s tragedy is part of a much larger conspiracy. Soon, all clues point him back to New Orleans…where Holland waits, protecting her deadly secret and holding a torch for the only man she’s ever loved.

Once reunited, they can’t fight the passion flaring hot and wild. But something sinister lurks around every corner, from the elegance of the Garden district to the beauty of the bayou. Dax and Holland may find their way back to each other—if they survive...

I’ve never written a post like this before, because I really hate to not finish a book. Lately I feel like so many books are just…disappointing. I’m a moody reader, and only want to read what I’m in the mood for, so you’d think I’d have fewer DNFs.

I don’t want to write each DNF up as  a separate post since none of these books were awful. I just couldn’t connect for for some reason or other.

But, my reasons might be something you’d enjoy! So I do like to share them.

First up is The Viscount Who Lived Down the Lane by Elizabeth Boyle- I honestly don’t like the heroine. She’s annoying and pushy. I’m pretty sure that she’s supposed to be cute and quirky and have chaos follow in her path. The hero will be then pulled from his dark, drunken hole of PTSD to notice this woman who has taken over his household. He can’t stop thinking about her, and voila! Love!

But he’s “damaged” from the war, and can’t pull a woman into this dark place he calls his life. So he’s awful to her. And she’s hurt, but not willing to give up on him. I stopped about 40% in. I could finish it, but I’ve been working on this book for over a month. Plus there’s a small scene that I’m sure is to create a suspenseful side plot, but it seems like nobody thinks anything of it. I’m just meh about it.

 

Next is My Wild Irish Dragon by Ashlyn Chase- This has a Phoenix shifter and a dragon shifter who both are trying out for the Boston Fire Dept. How can you go wrong? To many, you can’t. I seem to be the one random reader who isn’t in love with this book.

The heroine is a thousand year old dragon princess from Ireland. I’m not sure how much I missed from the first book, but she’s constantly messing up idioms. If any of you watch NCIS, it’s a lot like how Ziva would say something like, “Does a bear sit in the woods?” But it made sense with Ziva. With Chloe, (which by the way, 1000 years ago, I don’t believe that was a popular Irish name, it was Greek, originally, so there’s that detail), but with Chloe, unless she’s been isolated completely these past thousand years, wouldn’t she know basic idioms? Like “Last one up is a rotten egg?” (quick note, my family is Irish, and my mom said she grew up with that phrase)

The hero is totally, ridiculously childish. He’s like 25 or so I think, and since I’m married to a firefighter, I get how childish the guys can be. (Seriously. they were flinging pancakes like frisbees last time I was at the station). But he was childish in general, not just with the guys. He’s not a thousand year old dragon so his sexism pissed me off. I totally would let it slide if he were medieval, but he’s 25. And his mom was cool and wouldn’t let crap like that fly, so why? Idk he just felt very immature.

So for me, this one wasn’t one I hated, but the book annoyed me. And seriously, do you know how excited I was for a dragon and a phoenix shapeshifter firefighter couple?

And the last book is Big Easy Temptation by Lexi Blake and Shayla Black- This book sounds like I would love it! It’s an NCIS agent and a Navy Captain, and they’ve known each other for years, but now with his father’s apparent suicide and the scandal that led up to it, they’re back in touch. Seriously, I’ve been wanting an NCIS type romance forever! And that’s why I’m so bummed this isn’t working for me. I did finish it, but by about 50% in, I started skimming. I can’t put my finger on why I don’t love it. It’s just…okay I guess. I don’t care for the heroine, Holland. I think she’s boring. I don’t like how the hero and heroine admit they could be married to each other but Holland was too scared to give in.

I do like how the hero was willing to leave his job for her though, and I think that’s a nice change. I also loved how realistic the military and procedural parts were. These authors did their homework!

***All 3 books were provided by the publishers.

 

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