Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountains #2) by Kristen Ashley
2 Floozies
Ok, so this book sucked big time! There were only a few saving graces, but over all it was a horrible mess of clichés, misogyny, and atrocious editing. The editing did not bother me as much as the other things but it did make this book even harder to like.
Lets start with Lauren . . . ah, such high hopes for the starting-over divorcée. There is one line in the beginning that touched at a spot in my heart:
"But I kind of liked cleaning. It was one thing I could do where I could see the results and I used to put on music and not even think about what I was doing, just fade into the music and move around my house and clean."
Amen, sister! She cruises around the west coast looking for a place to get herself back, and she likes Carnal, CO.
Lauren starts to evolve from a Stepford wife to sharped tonged biker babe. Good for her! If it were not for the overabundant biker clichés she might have pulled it off. Super tight Harley shirts, jean skirts, and loads of jewelry . . . come on! That IS the stereotypical "biker babe" but why not accomplish her transformation without being so cookie cutter. And the same goes for the "i don't take any crap from any one except my 'old man', who can degrade me and throw me around" nonsense. My skin still crawls at the FAKE selfsufficient woman that was portrayed.
I loved the first few supporting characters so much. Krystal and Bubba's subplot was one of the things that kept me reading. And who would not love Jim Billy! The family atmosphere at Bubba's made me wanna go bar hopping to find a similar one in my home town! And the serial killer was the glue that held this bomb together.
Then Tate Jackson was introduced to the story and my hopes crumbled. Ok, so I will give him a few things: he's hot, he's dedicated to his work and his son, and he . . . ya, that's about it. I have never wanted to jump into a book and beat the shit out of anyone more than I did Tate. His behavior is the epitome of abusive. Double standards, brain washing, degrading, and the list continues. And Lauren (or should I say Ace since Tate deemed that her nickname even though she repeatedly told him not to) allows this behavior. I think she does this because she feels honored to have the affection of the hot biker focused on her. Um . . . isn't that another form of abusive manipulation?
What floored me more was the "that's how I am and you will have to deal with it." I hate that argument. So because you are rude and obnoxious all the people in your sphere need to bend over and take it because that's just who you are? I should add narcissistic to the list of wrong things about Tate Jackson. Gag me with a spoon. Here is just ONE passage that makes me want to hurl:
"'Yeah, you can ask that and I'll promise to do what I can do. But, Ace, since I was a kid, I had a temper. Tellin' you that don't mean I can't compromise just means I am who I am, I know who I am and you gotta take me as I am and learn to get over it."
*shaking my head in total astonishment* "I am who I am, I know who I am and you gotta take me as I am and learn to get over it" . . . ass sphincter says 'WHAT'? How about you act like a real man and learn to adapt to your surroundings? All this "who fucking cares what you think attitude" does not prove you the more evolved species, it makes you look like a douche! If I sensed just a smidgen of growth I would not despise Tate so much, but I did not see anything but the 'my way or the highway' bullshit.
But then Lauren does not help his misogynistic attitude by going along with his behavior:
"And he loved me and wanted me to move in with him, he heard I was looking at apartments and, like usual, when it all came at him at once, he got angry. I'd have to see what I could do to shield him from that."
Really? Really? All I have to say about this delusional gibberish is Tate Jackson is a baby, plain and simple.
All that along with:
- The lack of pronouns
- The overuse of "old lady"
- The fact that this caveman is raising a child to be as barbaric as himself
- All the tank tops and hooker clothes
I have no desire to read anything from Kristen Ashley and her fantasy depiction of a man. That is not a man. And before anyone burns down my house with hate comments, I love a strong, take charge hero. I've read plenty of books that portray the hero as hard core and ruthless but understanding and gentle with the heroine, that's the kind of hero that steals my heart. Tate Jackson repeatedly questioned Lauren and always talked down to her. With all I've read I suggest Tate take multiple and extensive anger management classes and Lauren delve into counseling for co-dependence.
*stepping off my soapbox now*
