Why did I read these books?

I received these books a double blind gift exchange for Christmas at the lab. Sure I could've just put the books in back of my library and act like there weren't even there, but they are very small books and I decided to just finish them.

What are these books about?

Both books can be summarized like follows: Woman is put in a situation "that she cannot get out of" and is then forced to face her "feelings" for her Husband/ Boss both of them happen to be blonde, well muscled and rich men...oh and this cannot be a spoiler, but if it is sorry: They end up together at the end! Shocker, I know.

What about the characters?

The women are helpless, they cannot say no, they are not aware of their beauty...I'm rolling my eyes here people. They cannot be more flat as characters. The case is not better with the men; they are selfish...oh but not really, is just that they are misunderstood. I have nothing else to say about the characters.

Final thoughts

So what can I say about this books? Well, apparently some people actually found something to salvage in these books, since 50% of the reviews gave 3/5 to both of them. I thought the dialogues were poor and laughable; the women were borderline pathetic in their "oh poor me, I have to sleep with this guy, I have no choice, I hate him, oh no, I love him, right" constant attitude. These women were written by other women and that's the best they could make for their attitude? Are all women in the erotica genre the same?.

And the "erotic" part? I'm not going to judge you people who actually gave the books 5/5 but seriously? You liked the sex scenes? They were very poorly written, completely predictable and then...would lost climax in 2 more sentences.

I was entertained, sure, I had to laugh at some of the situations but that doesn't make these good books on my opinion.

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Book Summary (from the book)

Sometimes I wouls see his look in his eye and think ”Here it begins”, which is what I always think when I first get together with a guy”

It’s summer on the Jersey Shore, and free-spirited Angel Cassonetti knows adventure awaits her on the beaches and the boardwalk.

As the long, hot nights pass and Angel’s senior year approaches, things begin to change. Her adorable sometime-boyfriend, Joey, doesn’t want to fool around anymore. He’s ready to get serious while Angel wants to stay open to possibilities. Her best friend, Inggy, who has it all –looks , a steady boyfriend, straight As, and college prospects—disappears on college tours, leaving Angel to wonder where her own life will lead after high school/ Feeling at loose ends, she finds herself getting closer to Inggy’s boyfriend, Cork. Much closer. But it won’t count.

Sexy, confident Angel is absolutely unforgettable. In Jersey Angel, acclaimed author Beth Ann Bauman has created a story about secrets, friendship, and lust that’s sure to make waves.

My Review

I received this book through a give away from Naiche at The Book Girl Reads. She has pretty good reviews, mostly about YA fiction. Anyway, she gave this book a good review, but I’m afraid I just can’t concur.

This was not a good book for me. I had a problem with almost everything happening in the story. First of all, the main character, Angel. Sure, she is not supposed to be a role model, but just so we are clear, several characters are not role model, or even good models. But they have something going on for them!. I mean, this girl apparently is only good looking and into sex, apparently not matter with whom. Do I mind that someone is sexually active? No. Do I know that teenagers alike having sex, yes. But what I find ridiculous is how this girl has NOTHING else going on for herself!. And for that matter, all of the other characters are just so one dimensional!.

I kept telling myself, hang in there, sure, is a bit annoying the way they talked, but it happens that sometimes authors want to sound young and “hip” and end up using too many words that make no sense anymore. But no, my problem was not with the way they talked, is the fact that they talked about nothing!. Oh but Caro, teenagers are like that, they ramble a lot…yes that is true in some cases, and during the fifth book of Harry Potter I was almost going to strangle him if he complained one more time about how nobody understood him and how everyone left him abandoned (not big on whinnies) but there was something going on at the same time, and at the end, something going on for him too.

The best friend is an oblivious nerd, that, although pretty, is just that, committed to her studies, blind about the fact that her boyfriend is a big jerk. Is she better character? No, she is not, I’m afraid. You pass through all the almost 200 pages of the book, and I swear to you, nothing really happens. Angel sleeps with this guy, and then with this other, but then is jealous that the first one (who has a girlfriend) kisses someone else. Oh and there is a pregnant girl, who is in every party the summer, drinking soda and when she have the baby will be now at the parties drinking beer…that’s about it with the story.

No I don’t want another book where everyone is a good kid. I realize that that’s not “the real teenager” behaviour either. But in a world taken by assault by teenage stories where everyone is supernatural, I was expecting that a book with real life kids and real life problems wouldn’t be an MTV show on paper.

Am I too old for this book? Is this why I didn’t like it? Maybe…but I’m sincerely afraid that my cousin who is 16 right now would read this book and actually feel like this characters are a behavioural option.