rameau's ramblings

This took me back a decade or two. The writing and the story were like something I used to read when I was still “borrowing” Mum’s Harlequins, and although I enjoyed the nostalgia, I’ve moved on. Not only did the references to a then popular TV show, the gay jokes, and the playful ixnay to kink date the book, they made me think less of it. Well, maybe not the ixnay to kink as much as the name Grey’s Anatomy. There were good things too, like how after realising the root of their misunderstanding the main couple actually acted like two adults instead of throwing hissy fits for added drama. Maddy’s reservations and reluctance to trust and Jake’s certainty stemmed from their characterisations instead of appearing from nowhere. I didn’t particularly enjoy the sex scenes—which is ironic considering the imprint and its purpose—but that’s par for the course with my history in fanfiction smut reading. More than anything, this reminded me of why I used to only give three stars or less to even the best Harlequin novels.