Review: Tempting (Inked Hearts #1) by Crystal Kaswell
Print Length: 438 pages
Publisher: Amazon (September 27, 2017)
From Goodreads.com: He’s my best friend’s older brother, off limits and incredibly tempting.
I shouldn’t peak into Brendon’s sketchbook, even if the tattoo artist is as brooding and stoic as the day is long. I can’t help myself. I peel it open, run my fingers along the paper, soak up every ounce of him.
His drawings are as beautiful and bold as his dark eyes and his cocky smile. Only, there, on the third page—that’s no tattoo mockup. That’s me.
Naked.
Ready.
Waiting in his bed.
There’s no denying it—those are my blue glasses, my green eyes, my flushed cheeks.
Brendon wants me.
The smoking hot, ten thousand miles out of my league bad boy wants me— a good girl virgin with thick glasses and no game.
It’s perfect.
Only it’s not.
He’s my best friend’s older brother. He’s off limits.
But damn is he tempting.
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My Rating: 2 stars out of 5
I have been seeing this book pop up on social media enough that I was curious. So when the opportunity presented itself to review this one, I jumped on it. After all, who doesn't love "forbidden" love, inked men and that hint that he's a true alpha male?
The author apparently.
Don't get me wrong, there were parts of this story that were very enjoyable. And I think that with a different editor, this story could have been everything the blurb suggested it would be.
Unfortunately, when I think of this story as a whole, there are just too many glaring problems for it to be truly enjoyable. Let me begin with what to me, is the most petty of all of my complaints. The overuse of the word plant. "I plant on the couch", "One palm plants on her hip", "I plant between her legs". For heaven's sake there are enough words in the English language that the author did not have to use the word plant for everything.
The second most glaring problem is that although Kay is 18, no one treats her as such. Her parents make Brendon her "guardian" and leave her to move to New Jersey in order to take care of her dying Grandmother. And why? Because she is starting college and they didn't want her to have to make the choice between her schooling and her Grandmother. Because apparently, there are no colleges in New Jersey. Her mother even goes so far as to tell her if she had gone with them that she "wouldn't be at school". Also, I hate to point this out, but at 18 she would legally have been considered an adult. Meaning she could be on her own. No guardian.
Of course when you are written like a mature fifteen year old, I can get why such an emphasis was placed on him being her guardian. Seriously, I had a very hard time believe that one she was 18, and two, that she was perfectly ok with going from an innocent virgin, to wanting to be tied up and dominated. She was far too bold for a complete innocent. But wait... orphaned male with lots of money? Virginal girl wanting to be dominated... haven't I read this before?
Finally, this book was broken up into two very distinct sections. The first of which is a constant back and forth between two consenting adults wanting each other, but NOT giving in (and in some cases citing the fact that he is her supposed guardian even though he's only 8 years older than her). The second? Them having sex. Constantly. There was no real balance between story progression and the two halves.
The author apparently.
Don't get me wrong, there were parts of this story that were very enjoyable. And I think that with a different editor, this story could have been everything the blurb suggested it would be.
Unfortunately, when I think of this story as a whole, there are just too many glaring problems for it to be truly enjoyable. Let me begin with what to me, is the most petty of all of my complaints. The overuse of the word plant. "I plant on the couch", "One palm plants on her hip", "I plant between her legs". For heaven's sake there are enough words in the English language that the author did not have to use the word plant for everything.
The second most glaring problem is that although Kay is 18, no one treats her as such. Her parents make Brendon her "guardian" and leave her to move to New Jersey in order to take care of her dying Grandmother. And why? Because she is starting college and they didn't want her to have to make the choice between her schooling and her Grandmother. Because apparently, there are no colleges in New Jersey. Her mother even goes so far as to tell her if she had gone with them that she "wouldn't be at school". Also, I hate to point this out, but at 18 she would legally have been considered an adult. Meaning she could be on her own. No guardian.
Of course when you are written like a mature fifteen year old, I can get why such an emphasis was placed on him being her guardian. Seriously, I had a very hard time believe that one she was 18, and two, that she was perfectly ok with going from an innocent virgin, to wanting to be tied up and dominated. She was far too bold for a complete innocent. But wait... orphaned male with lots of money? Virginal girl wanting to be dominated... haven't I read this before?
Finally, this book was broken up into two very distinct sections. The first of which is a constant back and forth between two consenting adults wanting each other, but NOT giving in (and in some cases citing the fact that he is her supposed guardian even though he's only 8 years older than her). The second? Them having sex. Constantly. There was no real balance between story progression and the two halves.
Overall, I do believe there are people who will enjoy this novel (as evidenced by the 4 and 5 star reviews it has already accumulated), however this one was just not for me. At this point it is doubtful if I would read more from this author.
DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.
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 by Crystal Kaswell){kind=link}
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