Title: Complicate Me
Series: Book 1. The Good Ol' Boys
Author: M. Robinson
Release Date: September 14, 2015
ARC received from M. Robinson for an honest review
DNF at 34%
(for now)
I don't normally post reviews for DNF, ARC or self-bought, but I believe this book deserves one. Not for anything else but because I felt like this would be a book I would have loved except something ruined it for me. Like nuts in my pastries. I love brownies. I can eat a dozen in one sitting. But put some nuts in it and no matter how much I crave for them, I will either try to remove those pesky nuts one by one or I'll just set the whole box aside. That's kind of how I felt with Complicate Me. There were tiny crushed nuts in my brownies that keep me from completely enjoying it.
I loved the whole concept. I loved how the Prologue, no matter how heartbreaking it was to read, got me excited and intrigued to read Alex and Lucas' story, I appreciated the emotions that the author elicited from me, and there really are good scenes in the 34% that I've read.
So, why did I stop?
I was getting more frustrated by the minute with Lucas. Sure, I appreciate the usual frustration and anxiety from stories I read, I actually love those books that can make me feel like I'm having mini-heart attacks or make my skin tingle, but I just couldn't handle Lucas' attitude any longer.
Their age and how they think, act, talk. I couldn't connect. I keep forgetting that they're 11-14-year-olds and even when they boys reached the age of 16, I still can't feel it.
And when I do remember that they are early teens, I feel somewhat uncomfortable from how they act and speak. There's just something there.
What did I like about it?
I love the friendship between Alex and the boys. I don't necessarily care for how they acted when Cole appeared or how they warn Lucas off of Alex, but I like how they see her as their little sister.
I do like the author's writing. This is my first read from the author and it's captivating. She gives details that are enough to have an emotional impact on the readers. I had a tear or two from that one scene with Stacey and Lucas and Alex. Ouch.
The friends to lovers theme is a soft spot for me. I enjoy reading these kinds of books because even if it's fiction, it feels real and possible. It makes for a good daydream with your next door childhood crush, you know?
However, all these good things I liked about Complicate Me just weren't enough for me to ignore the "nuts in my brownies" for the time being.
I might pick this up again someday just so I can find out how things go (and because I don't really like DNF-ing), and maybe then I can give a full review 100%. But for now, if you were to ask me what my rating is for the first 34%, I'd say somewhere between a 2.5 to 3-star.
If you like nuts in your brownies, you might enjoy this more than I did. Give it a go and let me know. ;)
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