Tuesday, December 23, 2014

ARC Review: Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven


Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Expected Publication Date: December 23, 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: E-ARC


 Synopsis:
When Cassie Taylor met Ethan Holt at acting school, sparks flew. She was the good girl actress. He was the bad boy about campus. But one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing, Cassie and Ethan's romance seemed destined. Until he broke her heart and betrayed her trust. Now the A-list heartthrob is back in her life and turning her world around. One touch at a time.

Cast as romantic leads once again, they're forced to confront raw memories of the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their secret college affair. But they'll also discover that people who rub each other the wrong way often make the best sparks.


Review:
 
*weeps with sorrow*

Uh-oh, that doesn't sound good at all. It seriously pains me to rate a book that I was excited for like this but I just can't help but feel the way I do. Did I mention it pains me to write this review as well??? From the very first moment I saw the cover for Bad Romeo, I was in love. As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew I had to have it. I even went as far as pre-ordering the paperback because just look at it, it's GORGEOUS. I contacted the author expressing how much I would love to read and review her book - seeing as it's one that would be just up my alley.

The title finally became available on NetGalley, and obviously I requested the book. I started it a couple weeks after I got approved and as soon as I started, I was grinning from ear to ear.

I LOVE books like this. And I LOVE broody assholes. They are my favorite. Ethan is the epitome of a broody jerk, and I could see why Cassie was so infatuated with him. I even loved Cassie. I thought of her as quirky and fun.

But as I read on...

And on...

And on...

I started getting a little frustrated. Ethan started becoming more like a bastard and Cassie a damn doormat. That's the best way I could describe her. I chalked it up as some angst and I was like okay, this shouldn't annoy me too much. These characters are just showing us some drama and it should pass. But it didn't. The things that happened between them were very repetitive. It got old fast. The only time that I could stomach them was when they were in the "present". But even then, things got stale.

We have Cassie and Ethan in the past and present; which switches back and forth throughout the entire novel. I liked the switches even if they were a bit confusing at times. Anyways, we know that in the past, something terrible happened and that Ethan was at fault. They break up and don't speak for years until, voila, they're cast as the leads in a play.

I don't know if it's just me, but I still don't think that their break up was ever resolved. Maybe from some of the boredom I had, I skipped over what ever happened in the first place. Honestly, at this point I don't care to read the second book.

Two characters that I adored so much in the beginning, ended up being more like a deep hatred for them. Hate may be a strong word but I'm sticking with it. Ethan was such a dick. And not even a lovable one. I could not see what his appeal was after the all the times he would tell Cassie how not good he was for her. Then turn around and kiss her; make her feel loved, and then go back to being an ass. It was like that for most of the book. The first few times, I was okay with it, the sexual tension was astronomical. Until it wasn't. And then I just got annoyed and pissed off.

Cassie... Don't even get me started on that girl. I understand C & E had that special "chemistry" but there's gotta be a time when you say enough is enough. Special chemistry or not...no one should ever have to deal with such an insensitive prick. Who cares how hot he is or his "prized penis", I would have told him sayonara sucker! Even I have my limits on broody assholes. But Cassie just took it. Then, in the present scenes, Cassie still seems to be the same girl. Only now she's bitter.

So there you have it. What started off as strong, ended up being a story that fell short. The ending... Well if you could call it that? The ending pretty much just ends. But as I said before, I don't care much to read on. I still think you should read the book if you like angst and while I didn't like the story, the writing was great! I do look forward to reading more from the author. She has great talent and clearly knows how to capture emotions. Even I wasn't immune to the way some scenes made me feel.

*Also, I did love the theater scenes! Romeo + Juliet is such a classic tale and it was great seeing it from the authors pov. I don't know much about theater but, I feel like I know some after reading this.

2.5 Stars

Buy Links:
Amazon
Amazon UK
B&N

About the Author:
 Author, actor, lover of guacamole. Fluent in sarcasm. Compulsive snuggler. Repped by Christina Hogrebe - BAD ROMEO - Dec 23 (Macmillan)

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