Review: Frigid by J. Lynn

Title Frigid
Author J. Lynn (Otherwise known as Jennifer L. Armentrout)
Published July 15th, 2013 by Spencer Hill Contemporary
Pages 240 Pages
Intended Target Audience New Adult
Genre & Keywords Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance
Part of a Series? Yes (Book 1 in the Frigid series)
Source & Format Purchased from Amazon.com, eBook
Find It On GoodreadsAmazon.com

Synopsis

For twenty-one-year-old Sydney, being in love with Kyler isn’t anything new. They’d been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat a mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell for him and fell hard. The big problem with that? Kyler puts the ‘man’ in man-whore. He’s never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and with it being their last year in college, Syd doesn’t want to risk their friendship by declaring her love.

Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she’s perfect and she’s everything. But the feelings he has for her, he’s always hidden away or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the poor boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have.

But when they’re stranded together at a posh ski resort due to a massive Nor’easter, there’s nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. Can their friendship survive the attraction? Better yet, can they survive at all? Because as the snow falls, someone is stalking them, and this ski trip may be a life-changer in more ways than one.

“No one could replace me in his life, I knew that. I was the friend who knew everything about him and whom he trusted above everyone else.
I was Kyler’s best friend.
And because of that, he would never love me the way I loved him.”

Sydney Bell has been in love with her best friend, Kyler Quinn, for as long as she can remember. Having grown up together as children, Sydney feels required to keep her feelings a secret so as not to risk a friendship that has come to mean everything to her. Unable to confess her true feelings, over the years Sydney has been forced to watch as Kyler entertained a revolving door of women, seemingly oblivious to her feelings for him. What Sydney doesn’t know is that Kyler feels the same way. Having placed Sydney on a pedestal the likes of which no-one can overcome, Kyler feels inadequate and undeserving of Sydney’s love. The novel begins as the two are preparing to embark on their annual trip to Snowshoe Mountain to stay at the Quinn’s ski lodge with a group of friends. What Sydney and Kyler never bargained for, however, was the sudden snowstorm that leaves them isolated and stranded with only basic necessities and each other to rely on. As the temperature outside continues to drop, the situation between the two begins to heat up as Sydney proposes a rather unusual arrangement that will test the strength of their relationship and force them to confront their long-dormant feelings for one another, all while fending off the nefarious activities of someone who seems intent on hurting them.

“Sydney Bell had always been, and would always be, a few pedestals too high for me.”

Despite my rather lackluster feelings for J. Lynn’s previous foray into the ‘New Adult’ genre, Wait For You, I had been looking forward to the release of Frigid for some time, even going so far as to pre-order it on Kindle. Boy, was that a mistake! While I was initially drawn in by the ‘friends-to-lovers’ trope, which I’ve always enjoyed in the past, I should have paid more attention to the book’s synopsis, more specifically to the use of the word ‘man-whore’ when describing the love interest. And while Kyler’s character and behaviour certainly detracted from my overall enjoyment of this story, unfortunately my problems with Frigid didn’t begin and end there. Between the insufferable, stereotypical characters, predictable plot, contrived conflict and irritating romance devoid of any discernible chemistry and replete with infantilization, Frigid failed on nearly every level for me. While I’ve never had an issue with Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Young Adult titles, I can safely say this will mark the last time I read any of her contributions to the ‘New Adult’ genre. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

“I wasn’t sure what that said about me – that I could love someone so much I’d accept whatever scrap they tossed my way. It wasn’t right. It was the epitome of weak.”

I love it when a novel does my job for me. Sydney Bell was one of the most intolerable, exasperating protagonists I’ve read about in recent memory. I rarely use these terms to describe a protagonist, but she was an utterly weak, pathetic character. Despite being twenty-one years of age, Sydney acted like a child the majority of the time. When she isn’t actually crying, Sydney’s perpetually on the verge of tears. The real mystery of Frigid is not who’s sabotaging elements of the cabin, but rather how Sydney manages to avoid becoming extremely dehydrated given all the bodily fluids she’s constantly expelling. This was further accentuated by Kyler’s constant use of the term ‘Baby’ in reference to her, which seemed less like a term of endearment and more an assessment of her emotional maturity.

“We walk – or shuffled along – about a yard and then I walked straight into a mailbox. I grunted. “Son of a bitch jumped right out in front of me!”
Kyler stopped, shaking his head. “You are a hazard to yourself right now.”
“I’m fine.” I waved him off, edging around the tricky inanimate object as I shot it a dark look. “I’m watching you.”

Also, I hope you’re not tired of the excessively clumsy protagonist cliché, whose lack of coordination and basic motor skills you’re meant to find endearing rather than patently ridiculous! You thought Bella Swan was bad? Prepare to feast your eyes on the walking safety hazard that is Sydney Bell, who’s unable to shower or walk in a straight line without endangering herself or the lives of those around her. I’ll just say this: If your main character is unable to exit a vehicle without assistance, I suggest we place her within the safe confines of a plastic bubble and save everyone a lot of time and trouble. All joking aside, the primary problem with Sydney is that she’s almost an entirely reactionary character. She never drives the plot forward, but rather reacts to those around her, namely Kyler. She allows him to dictate her behaviour and refuses to speak up for herself simply to avoid an argument. Who needs personal freedom or choice, right? She lacked one ounce of personality and was drawn in the same vein as the countless ‘New Adult’ protagonists that have come before her.

“Yeah, she had me. I was all hers.
In reality, even though I’d been with everyone else, I’d always been Syd’s.”

Because nothing says ‘I love you’ like sleeping with everyone but the object of your affections. I am so tired of this sort of skewed reasoning. Here’s a novel concept: If you like someone, then tell them! Contrived conflict and plot conveniences aside, Kyler Quinn embodies everything I dislike in a potential love interest. A promiscuous womanizer who treats women like disposable playthings and blames his behaviour on his penis? Check. An overbearing male whose romantic interest is demonstrated through his overwhelming jealousy and desire to control every aspect of his intended’s life? Check. I’m starting to worry that I’m becoming desensitized to this sort of character and am now unable to work up the appropriate level of outrage after encountering this sort of character one too many times. Despite the fact that he doesn’t feel ‘good enough’ for Sydney, Kyler still believes it’s his place to prevent her from speaking to other men and decides that she’s incapable of making such judgements herself. Romance! Listen, I love a strong Alpha hero as much as the next girl, but there’s some behaviour that is simply unacceptable, particularly when your novel is firmly set within the confines of a realistic, contemporary society. While this sort of overbearing, dominant behaviour might be a little more forgivable in an urban fantasy or paranormal romance novel where this can be excused as part of the ethos of your paranormal creature (i.e. vampire, werewolf, etc) in the real world this sort of behaviour is simply one of the warning signs of an impending abusive relationship.

“Sometimes I had no idea how I ended up in situations like this. Okay. That was a bald-faced lie. What was between my legs was how I ended up in situations like this.
But it was more than that.
It had always been more than that.”

While one could argue that Kyler compensates for his feelings of inadequacy by seeking companionship and comfort in anonymous sexual encounters, it’s difficult to sympathize with a character who’s able to identify a problem but does absolutely nothing to remedy it. At some point you have to take some personal responsibility. He bemoans the fact that he’s unworthy of Sydney’s love, feelings which stem primarily from his promiscuity, and yet he does nothing to change his behaviour. I also failed to understand why Kyler felt inadequate in the first place. While there’s mention of his insecurities regarding his upbringing in a trailer park, it’s quite clear that he has a positive relationship with his mother and that the two now live in relative luxury after the success of her design business. For that matter, what makes Sydney so ‘perfect’ and unattainable? Kyler is constantly telling us that he isn’t good enough for her and that she’s perfection personified, but we’re never told why. But hell, why give your characters proper motivation or depth when you can simply tell the audience how they should feel and what they should believe without any discernible proof?

“Kyler drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, a sure sign he was close to losing his patience. “Sometimes, I don’t even know how we’re friends,” he said, running one hand over his head. “Honestly, I don’t.”
Tears sprang to my eyes, and I quickly turned my attention to the side window. Pressure clamped down on my chest, a powerful ache that made it hard to breathe. We really were the lion and the gimpy gazelle.
“Me, neither,” I whispered.”

Well, that makes three of us, then. Although the majority of the novel is spent convincing us about the depth of feeling the one has for the other, I was never convinced that Sydney and Kyler were in love, particularly because there were moments during the novel when they didn’t even seem to like or respect one another. They seem to have a complete disregard for the other’s feelings and although we’re told that they have loved one another since childhood, I was never sure why this was. Apart from a basic physical attraction, Sydney largely disapproves of Kyler’s behaviour, and Kyler seemed to view Sydney more as an adorable pet than as a respected equal. The two become embroiled in a seemingly endless series of arguments based on a fundamental lack of communication, and because this novel is told through a dual perspective, we’re often forced to hear about these issues of miscommunication twice in excruciating, frustrating detail.

“Instead he was staring at me like he was seconds away from getting up and storming across the bar and telling me I was up past my bedtime.
He wouldn’t dare.
Kyler’s eyes narrowed.
He would.
A couple of months ago, while out celebrating my birthday and during one of the very rare times I did drink, he’d made me go home before I even got to the second Sex on the Beach, citing something along the lines that the crowd at the club was getting too rowdy.”

This brings me to the biggest problem I had with this novel – The dynamic between Sydney and Kyler. I don’t find infantilization remotely sexy, so the manner in which Kyler treated Sydney was an immediate turn-off. You know what is sexy? A character that treats his or her romantic interest like a respected equal and not like a mentally deficient, incapable child. I shouldn’t be made to feel uncomfortable about the dynamic between the two romantic leads or question whether the male is auditioning for the role of the protagonist’s boyfriend or father. At one point Sydney proposes that the two participate in a purely sexual relationship, not unlike that which Kyler has engaged in with other women countless times before. Kyler turns her down, telling her that she’s ‘too good’ for that sort of arrangement. Not only is it insulting that he feels he has the right to decide what is ‘best’ for Sydney without consulting her, I also hate the implication that women engaged in a satisfying sexual relationship with little to no emotional connection are somehow lesser than. It’s funny how this didn’t seem to bother him when he was sleeping with other women interested in this sort of relationship!

“An arm snaked around my waist, pulling me to a stop. For the first time in my life I was literally stuck between two boys. Huh. And here I thought it would be more fun than this.”

While I have absolutely no intention of painting an entire genre with a bad brush simply because of a few disappointing or negative experiences, J. Lynn’s Frigid epitomizes everything I dislike about the ‘New Adult’ genre. With a cast of unlikeable, stock characters, an abusive relationship masquerading as a ‘romance’, undertones of misogyny and sexism, and an unnecessary and predictable secondary ‘whodunnit’ storyline, Frigid was a woeful disappointment. While I expected a fun, relatively light-hearted romantic friends-to-lovers story about two people stranded together during a snowstorm, I’m sorry to say that this book left me as cold as the title suggests.

Overall Rating

Around The Web

Still not sure this is the right book for you? Why not listen to what some other bloggers had to say about it?

● Jessica @ Lovin’ Los Libros wrote “Her writing pulls me in and leaves me breathless. And oh good Lord, this woman can write some steamy love scenes. This book completely worked for me because I loved the main characters, it had dual POV, and added in a bit of intrigue to the plot.” (Read the rest of the review Here!)

● Nakita @ Nakita’s Book Blog wrote “It was just okay. Mellow. Beige. 100% a worthwhile read, but nothing spectacular. There were no fireworks for me.” (Read the rest of the review Here!)

● Brooke @ The Cover Contessa wrote “And, despite the fact that I am not normally a contemporary reader, I just loved this one. I loved the characters, I loved the plot, I loved how the story moved along and I didn’t want to put it down.” (Read the rest of the review Here!)

22 Responses

  1. Wonderful in-depth review! I haven’t read her YA novels nor touched upon her NA books, but I’ve heard great things about her writing. Frigid though I’m finding to be either you love it or dislike it and a lot of people who love her writing just aren’t into this.

    I’m finding a lot of NA authors give us a weak heroine to appeal to the hero. If he is as you describe Kyler, it makes sense he would need someone to “control.” No, it’s not sexy and in real life I would be running for the hills. As for the whole not romance element in NA, I refuse to buy as it “true love,” but rather lust. In the back of my mind they break up a few weeks after the book ends.
    Jess @ Literary, etc recently posted…Book Review: Jordan McCollum’s I, SpyMy Profile

    1. Thank you, Jess! Writing a negative review it always difficult, but I do try to outline any issues I had with a book as clearly as possible. I’m glad I was able to express myself somewhat clearly! I actually gave myself a few hours to calm down before writing this particular review, as I wanted to see if I could get some better perspective with a little distance. Sadly, I’m as disappointed and frustrated now as I was immediately after finishing this novel.

      I will say that I’ve always found Armentrout’s writing very easy to read – I devoured the first few novels in her YA Lux series last year in a matter of hours – but her characters and the overall premise of her stories tend to be hit-or-miss with me. I touched on this in my review of her other NA title, Wait For You, but there’s certainly something compulsively readable about her work. Her pacing is one of the few things I’ve never had a problem with.

      I’ve definitely seen a similar pattern when it comes to the character types in the ‘New Adult’ genre. I think I would have less of a problem with this sort of dominant, Alpha hero if the heroine were more likely to speak up for herself and stand up against this type of behaviour. The fact that Sydney would immediately acquiesce to everything Kyler demanded without ever second guessing him simply to avoid an argument made me more sad than anything else. If it’s a give-and-take or two assertive people butting heads I’m more likely to be accepting of this sort of romantic hero than if it’s a man who simply walks all over the object of his affections.

      I also completely agree with you re: your predictions when it comes to the futures of these sort of couples. I always have a desire to re-visit them five or ten years down the road when the passion has died out and they’re left with no common ground or anything else that connects them.
      Jen @ Pop! Goes The Reader recently posted…Do! Judge A Book By Its Cover – Issue Three: ParanormalMy Profile

  2. I’ve seen a lot of rave reviews for this one, and for J.Lynn’s previous NA foray, but I haven’t checked either book out yet. From reading your review, I’m not sure this one is for me. It sounds a little samey and I am so over the man-whore/innocent girl trope (although I love friends to lovers!) Maybe I’ll check it out at some point.

    Also, this cover?!! Does this guy not realize that its snowing? Why is his shirt wide open while the girl is all bundled up in a coat and scarf?!
    Leanna recently posted…Book Review: The Sound by Sarah Alderson.My Profile

    1. I must admit I was more than a little shocked when I saw the overwhelmingly positive reviews for Frigid when I went to post my own review on Goodreads! Isn’t it funny how two people who read the same story can have such wildly different opinions on the subject?

      For me, Frigid was very reminiscent of stories I’ve read before, which would have been fine had it been presented in a more palatable way! I was looking for an easy, romantic story about two friends trapped together in a winter cabin and slowly acting on their hidden feelings, but instead I was given a story that made me extremely uncomfortable because of the dynamic between the two leads and one that was not romantic or sexy in the slightest.

      P.S. I had the exact same thought when I initially saw the cover! As someone who lives in a climate where we see more than our fair share of snow every year, I simply can’t take it seriously. There’s very little point in wearing a coat when you leave it unbuttoned and fail to wear a shirt underneath 😆 It’s not sexy, it’s just silly!
      Jen @ Pop! Goes The Reader recently posted…Do! Judge A Book By Its Cover – Issue Three: ParanormalMy Profile

  3. Oh wow, really great review! I’ve only seen positive ones for this one, but your points were all solid. I don’t like the current NA trend in general, and this book seems to really capitalize on all the things I dislike about it. I’m just insanely tired of the relationship dynamics where one person sleeps around a lot (be it male or female) and the other one wants to fix that problem. …that’s just not gonna happen lol

    Also, I like alpha males, even in contemporary books, but there’s a difference between having an alpha personality and just being a jerk.
    Katie recently posted…In Which I Make a Vow to Tackle The Entire Vampire Academy Series Before MovingMy Profile

    1. Thank you, Katie!

      I don’t like to make generalizations about the ‘New Adult’ genre as a whole, but this novel really exemplified all the problems I experienced with similar novels in the past. Between the familiar character types and the relationship that bordered on abusive, I was extremely uncomfortable throughout.

      Re: Alphas – I couldn’t have said it better myself. You can want to care for and protect your loved one without controlling every aspect of their life. This seems to be a line that many authors struggle to tread with any sort of success. The pendulum always seems to swing too far one way or the other.
      Jen @ Pop! Goes The Reader recently posted…Do! Judge A Book By Its Cover – Issue Three: ParanormalMy Profile

  4. This is my first time reading a review of yours! I love how detailed you are!

    Prepare for a torrent of improperly used hyphens.
    Darn. Sometimes I am so lazy to read blurbs too, because if I saw “man-whore”, I’d be so turned off. Like you said, Frigid sounds like the epitome of why many cannot accept New Adult. The whole idea of “I-love-you-but-I-slept-around-a-lot-because-I-thought-I-was-not-good-enough-but-don’t-worry-these-feelings-are-true-let’s-bang-bang-oh-and-you-are-my-silly-child-now-forget-independence” notion is bull. I hate it, I hate it! And don’t get me started on the dullness of Bella-Sydney.

    Sigh. I would ne’er e’er read this. This sort of “romance” is not my cup of tea. At all.
    Christine @ Oh, Chrys! recently posted…Let’s Discuss, #10My Profile

    1. Thank you so much, Christine! 😳 I’ve always had a tendency to be rather verbose. Thankfully in this particular instance it seems to act as a help and not a hindrance! 😆

      Often times I avoid blurbs as I like to go into a novel ‘blind’ without any preconceptions or ideas as to what to expect. Sadly, when I skimmed the synopsis for this particular book, I focused on the things I do like (i.e. ‘Friends-to-lovers’, ‘Stranded together’, etc) as opposed to things that are typically deal-breakers for me when it comes to my choice of novel. Had I know that Sydney and Kyler were going to typify two character types that I usually find irritating or downright abhorrent, I would have thought twice before reading Frigid. It’s definitely not the sort of story for me!
      Jen @ Pop! Goes The Reader recently posted…Do! Judge A Book By Its Cover – Issue Three: ParanormalMy Profile

  5. I didn’t like this one either, it was a DNF for me. They were both so unlikable!

    “She allows him to dictate her behaviour and refuses to speak up for herself simply to avoid an argument. Who needs personal freedom or choice, right?”

    Yes! He treated her like a little kid, which was so frustrating. They don’t even seem like friends, just like people that tend to occupy the same space sometimes. Great review!
    katy recently posted…Besides BooksMy Profile

    1. Thanks, Katy!

      I think I need to take a page out of your book and become better at putting down novels I’m not enjoying – Life is just too short to continue reading stories I’m not enjoying! I really struggle with this sort of thing though, as I always feel some sense of misplaced obligation, as though I owe it to the author to continue reading to determine whether or not the story will ever get any better. 😐
      Jen @ Pop! Goes The Reader recently posted…Do! Judge A Book By Its Cover – Issue Three: ParanormalMy Profile

  6. Yes, a thousand times YES!

    I had so many problems with this book that it’s not even funny. I couldn’t understand WHAT Sydney saw in him and vice versa.I wasn’t buying their romance. At all. I’m writing the review tomorrow and this just spurned on all the rage-y feelings.
    Alexia @ Adventures in Reading recently posted…Friday Musings #6My Profile

    1. I’m so happy to hear I wasn’t alone concerning my numerous problems with this novel. After writing my own review and posting it on Goodreads, I was shocked by the near-universal praise Frigid was receiving! I felt as though I had read an entirely different story 🙁 There’s no worse feeling than being the odd man out, but I simply couldn’t understand the appeal of this novel or buy into Sydney and Kyler’s ‘romance’ for a single moment!
      Jen @ Pop! Goes The Reader recently posted…Do! Judge A Book By Its Cover – Issue Three: ParanormalMy Profile

  7. Aww, what a shame that this one was a miss on nearly every level! I quite enjoyed Wait For You, but Frigid pretty much seems like an epic fail. LOL at the Bella Swan reference, because dang, Sydney must have no bones in her legs to be more of a klutz than Bella! The romance seems just unlikable in every way. In fact the way you describe the romance makes it seem that the romance isn’t EVEN a romance at all! It’s unbelievable and if the lovers are constantly disapproving one another.. I don’t know what else can spell out the words “This is not a romance” more clearly! I’ll definitely be skipping this one, J. Lynn or not! Thanks for the brilliantly written and honest review, Jen!
    Jen recently posted…Tie a Bow on It: July 2013 Wrap-UpMy Profile

    1. Wait For You wasn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination, although I did think that (as was the case with this novel) the secondary storyline was entirely unnecessary and rather superficially constructed. I think the primary difference between Armentrout’s two NA titles were the characters – I largely enjoyed Avery and Cameron in Wait For You, but both Sydney and Kyler in Frigid were simply intolerable. A romance largely relies on the characters and their chemistry with one another, and because this failed for me, Frigid was a test of endurance and my patience more than anything else!
      Jen @ Pop! Goes The Reader recently posted…Do! Judge A Book By Its Cover – Issue Three: ParanormalMy Profile

  8. Although I did like Frigid, it is probably my least favorite JLA book. I do understand what you mean about the whole man-whore character. I get really sick of that, sometimes. I also don’t find it all that realistic. Who’s that amazing that any girl would sleep with them.

    I did like Sydney’s clumsiness, though. I always like when a character is clumsy, because I am and I can relate. And I didn’t mind that Sydney was so reactionary – again, because that’s the kind of person I am. If I were in Sydney’s shoes – loving my best friend – I would probably never be able to tell him. I’d be too nervous and afraid about what would happen to our friendship.

    However, I do get sick of the heroine being all “I’ll take what I can get.” I have a hard time with that. Why would she be okay with just sleeping with him, with nor plans for a relationship. I feel like that would change their friendship completely.
    Quinn @ Quinn’s Book Nook recently posted…Book Haul #13My Profile

    1. Speaking as someone who is also more than a little clumsy and covered with bruises the source of which she could never identify, I don’t mind a clumsy protagonist either, but I think there’s a line past which my suspension of disbelief is no longer possible. I’l just say this: No able-bodied person is so clumsy that they can’t get out of a car without help. I mean, what’s the worst that could possibly happen? She hits a knee or shin on the door, glove box, etc? Been there, done that. Unless Sydney’s made of porcelain, I’m sure she can weather the occasional bump or bruise.

      I completely agree with you in regards to Sydney’s desperation. I just couldn’t understand it. We’re often told how wonderful, intelligent, perfect etc. she is, and yet she is willing to accept the bare minimum from Kyler in terms of acceptable behaviour and his treatment of her. I have no problem with the concept of a mutually satisfying physical relationship with few strings attached when it’s a choice made between two consenting adults, but Sydney’s willingness to be treated by Kyler in such a way seemed to stem from a place of desperation or inadequacy as opposed to a genuine desire for that sort of relationship. It was very sad.
      Jen @ Pop! Goes The Reader recently posted…Do! Judge A Book By Its Cover – Issue Three: ParanormalMy Profile

  9. Oh no! I’d been planning to read this soon, but I think I might have to reconsider now. Or at least go in with lower expectations. I’ll be quite honest and say that I didn’t at all pay attention to the book description, but I’ve enjoyed most of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s YA titles in the past, so it was an inevitable auto-buy for me. Kyler doesn’t sound like my sort of love interest though. If anything, he sounds like the exact opposite of what I like. Sydney sounds incredibly difficult to put up with too. Such a shame! I’m sorry that it disappointed, but thanks for the detailed and helpful review, Jen.
    Sam @ Realm of Fiction recently posted…Review: The Burning Sky by Sherry ThomasMy Profile

    1. While I wouldn’t suggest avoiding this novel entirely based on my opinion alone, I would definitely agree you should temper your expectations before beginning! I wish I had. It was nothing like what I imagined, primarily because I couldn’t stand either of the main characters. While I really liked the idea of a basic premise (Two friends stranded together because of a snow storm and slowly acting on their hidden feelings for one another) I could have easily done without the secondary storyline involving someone attempting to hurt them and their behaviour made the novel almost unbearable.

      I would definitely be interested in hearing your thoughts on the matter, Sam, should you ever decide to read it 🙂
      Jen @ Pop! Goes The Reader recently posted…Do! Judge A Book By Its Cover – Issue Three: ParanormalMy Profile

  10. Yes, yes, yes. Everything you said… YES. Brilliant review. I love JLA’s YA novels, but her adult/NA books are a head-scratching departure from her normal awesome. Particularly her character and relationship development. Katy & Daemon? Awesome. Alex & Aiden? Love ’em. There’s a depth there in her YA novels that I just haven’t found in any of her adult books. Frigid marked my last NA/Adult of hers as well.
    Dani @ Refracted Light Reviews recently posted…Sunday Spotlight | Week #40My Profile

    1. Thank you, Dani! 😀

      While I’m unfamiliar with Armentrout’s Covenant series, I do quite enjoy her Lux novels, although I found Daemon a little insufferable at first as well. Thankfully he has gotten a little more bearable as the series progressed. I agree that her young adult titles seem more nuanced and subtle than her titles for the new adult genre. There’s a certain lack of care, a sense that she’s simply re-hashing what has worked for other novels in the genre before, as opposed to really putting her own stamp on it as she managed to do with the Lux series.

  11. UGH. If she’s your best friend and you love her and know she has feelings for you, what’s the proper way to show her you don’t think your worthy? Is it sleeping with every other woman you come across right under her nose? Well, duh. Nothing will make her feel more valued than that. Plus, who wants their woman to have any self-esteem?

    Wow, the word man-whore really is in the synopsis. O_O I mean, at least slut-shaming is going both ways now? That’s better than it just being direct towards women? Maybe? At least it’s universal. X_X

    UGH, BABY. NO.

    “We walk – or shuffled along” <- Is that your typo or the book's? If it's the book's, JUDGEMENT.

    What kind of name is Kyler anyway?

    An actual alpha male should be confident enough in his abilities to a) choose a good mate wisely and b) keep his woman satisfied that he doesn't need to fear her running around on him.

    "We really were the lion and the gimpy gazelle." Ew. Just so much ew.
    Christina (A Reader of Fictions) recently posted…Cover Snark (66): If You Can’t Stand the Snark…My Profile

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi! I’m Jen! I’m a thirty-something introvert who loves nothing more than the cozy comfort of home and snuggling my two rescue cats, Pepper and Pancakes. I also enjoy running, jigsaw puzzles, baking and everything Disney. Few things bring me more joy than helping a reader find the right book for them!

Search
Categories