DNF&Y is monthly meme hosted by Do You Dog-Ear. It allows bloggers to share at the end of the month their Did Not Finish and Why. What one didn't like about something, might be what another love, so it helps to share your thoughts even when they're negative. Please, No author-bashing!
Shooter by Dahlia West
Series: Burnout #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Author (December 4, 2013)
Pages: 472
Format: Kindle
Source: Bought
Chris "Shooter" Sullivan has returned to his home town of Rapid City, South Dakota to pick up the pieces of his life shattered by a roadside bomb in Iraq. He only wants to focus on holding what’s left of his old unit together, running his garage where he builds custom bikes and cars, and pretending that his murdered father’s motorcycle gang doesn’t exist.
Hayley Turner is a young woman with her own traumatic past. Fresh off the bus from Nowhere, USA, all she wants is a job and a place to live, until it’s time for her to leave again. She doesn’t want to make friends, or enemies, least of all the ex-Army Ranger who obviously doesn’t like her. She bristles under his watchful eye. He’s even got her convinced she’s bad news.
But circumstances force two people who don’t need anyone to need each other more and more. The more Chris gets to know Hayley, the harder it is to stay detached. And the more Hayley gets to know Chris, the more she realizes she’s been alone for so long she might never recover from it.
Thoughts: The Good
You all Shooter was going so good for me. I mean I was seriously head over heals for the hero Chris "Shooter" Sullivan". He was a natural protector through and through. Does not like any man laying a hand on a woman. He does not know what had Haley the heroine running from but assumes maybe something bad has happened to her like rape. He makes sure his men know not to make her feel uncomfortable in any way. He knows when things are about to bother her. He relaxes her when she does not even know it. He did have that impatient alpha male vibe going too that I love.
"Hayley. I want eyes on you. Right now. Open this door or I'll get an axe and chop it the fuck down."
Loved the secondary characters. Shooter's buddies all had their own voice and the fun banter between them was light and spaced nicely. Had a few good giggles with them.
Hayley the heroine is on the run from someone terrible have no clue why. Just know she has bad scars on her chest and belly.
Went into this book thinking maybe a Biker Romance but so far not and was still enjoying it.
Did not work for me:
27% the book took a whole new direction and went down hill. Him and his buddies have poker nights. Bam all the fun banter I loved earlier in the book all of sudden became too much. The silly banter is again over the top and by 32% it was still going on. By now she is making friends with them and they love having her over on poker nights along as she brings food.
Chris threw up his hands. "I can’t believe this! Why do they get real cake?"
"You know why," Hayley told him matter of factly.
Chris gaped at Hayley then tried to grab Tex’s plate. "Give me some!"
Tex smacked his arm and moved away. "No! You had a failure to communicate. Now you don’t get cake!"
"I order you to give me that cake!"
"I defy those orders," Tex said, shoving a large hunk into his mouth. "This is so worth the stockade," he declared.
"This is my house! That is my cake!" Chris yelled. He turned on Hayley. "You gave my cake away, woman!"
"Surely you’ll have a birthday at some point," Hayley replied coolly. "Maybe I’ll make you a cake then."
I could not take it any more by 44%. She is still going over to play poker and again bringing more food. The banter between the guys are still long and just seem like more of goofballs. Some might find their banter is fun and like it but I could not take it any more. Nothing is happening by this point and I still have no clue what happened to her and who is she running from. I did like that she was becoming friends with the hero and his buddies but I want something more happening then just nights and nights of poker, silly bantering over food.
Darn do I hate that when loving a book then out the blue the vibe totally changes.
DNF 44%
That is rough. I love banter and humor but it's a fine balance.
ReplyDeleteYep. There comes a time when there is too much of a good thing. And, a plot just churning up the ground in one place will lose my interest, too. Bummer.
ReplyDeleteThere were a few other reviewers that had the same problem too.
DeleteI love good banter, but there needs to be more to the story! It seems like this book hd potential with the protective hero, but just going round in circles with the non-stop banter, goofiness, poker nights, etc.
ReplyDeleteLindy@ A Bookish Escape
It was too much.
DeleteYeah that banter is lacking. Never heard of her. I think I'm good skipping.
ReplyDeleteJust a lot silliness.
DeleteI am sorry to hear that the banter didn't work for you, its so disappointing when a story starts out good but goes downhill
ReplyDeleteIf it was just the one time I could looked it over.
DeleteSorry this wasn't that great. I know how it is when they banter and it's just not good ughh I don't like it sometimes myself. I hope your next one is great!
ReplyDeleteMary
Read some books where banter here and there are not all that great but I candle that. This was so overdone.
Delete