*Warning: I have already read
the books I am covering, any and all posts may and do contain spoilers.
Overall My Sweetest Escape is a good read but not something I
would gush about over coffee convincing a friend to read. A lot of books in this genre are self
published and you can end up buying a nightmare of a book to get through.
Escape was an easy read without constant publishing and editing errors. It was
sweet. In my opinion a little too PG though, I like my books a little steamier;
more sex scenes. Scenes that get you a little hot and bothered. This book just
doesn’t do that. It’s a cutesy read about two people with secrets and self hate
that fall for each other and bring one another out of a dark place.
Even though Escape is book 2, it can basically be read as a stand-alone.
The characters from Mistake are heavily integrated in Escape so you still get
glimpses into their lives since Jos has taken up residents in their newly
acquired Yellowfield home. I did think it was odd the author had neatly paired
off all the main co-characters in the first novel and then had two brand new
characters for the second installment.
You didn’t get the chance to have someone to root for in part 2.
Normally books that take on new characters in book 2 focus on the friend or
roommate who was there for the ride in part 1. You had already been hoping for
the happily ever after for that person by the time you sit down to read their
story. Jos and Dusty are characters that were not in Mistake at all. I do think
it would have been better to have some overlap between the two books. Like if
Jos would have come for a visit one weekend in book 1 and been a total train
wreck or if Hunter would have known Dusty before and we got a view into him and
his relationship with all the Yellowfield House members.
Cameron also uses some of the same phrases for Taylor
(Mistake) and Jos (Escape). The books are two different characters. In my
opinion, the fact that these two girls were written by the same author shows.
Using word for word phrasing for two points of view for two separate characters
when writing the inner monologue is a little repetitive and strange. Each girl
is her own person and how many people do you know that think word for word like
you? Example: “Oh, if he hadn’t said
please.” In Mistake Taylor thinks this phrase a couple of times and then Jos
thinks it word for word in her own head in Escape. Both girls think it when
giving into an argument with their romantic interest. More differentiating in writing Jos’s
personality from Taylor would have been much better for the writing. And the
story itself.
All right, now lets talk about Jos and Dusty-
Jos: Cameron definitely likes the pissed at the world main
female for this series. I actually like the character of Jos better then
Taylor, but for both books the female lead was an angry girl with a dark secret
who falls in love even though she won’t admit she likes the charming boy
with a dark secret of his own.
My next
gripe with Jos is how strongly she believes that she committed murder and how
she believes she only deserves bad karma toward her forever more. Then heavy
make out sessions seem to cure fights and all the inner turmoil going on in the
brains of this couple. Jos believes she is responsible for Nathan’s death so
strongly that she has turned her life upside down and then all that vanishes
with a kiss from Dusty. Seems a bit unrealistic to me and frankly a little too
easy of a solution.
Dusty: Beat boxing?! I mean don’t get me wrong, when people
are really good beat boxers it does sound cool and I am sure it is a very
difficult skill; but really?! It doesn’t exactly sound like the most alluring
male romantic lead. Give me a hot guitarist or MMA fighter any day of the week…
but beat boxer? I mean maybe I’m missing something here, I don’t know. I had
this same train of thought when Cameron had all the male characters break out
into a choreographed break dancing routine in the middle of a crowded club in
book 1. Sounds a little ostentatious to me, and more boy band not hot badass.
But through that I guess I should have been more prepared for the beat boxing.
In
the same way I believe everything was solved too quickly with make out sessions
I also thought it was strange that Dusty goes from “This can never happen.” to
“I’m not going anywhere. Not even if you try to make me. Not again.” so
quickly. Without Dusty’s point of view you’re kind of left thinking… How did he
get from point A to point Z so fast? What changed?
I started this post out with saying My Sweetest Escape was a
good read and then after re-reading my own words I feel like I have done a lot
more ranting than raving. I guess it’s easier to point out the things we see
wrong or dislike. I still stand by what I said though, it is a good read, and
just not rave worthy I guess.
Source:
Cameron, C. M. (2014). My sweetest escape. Don Mills, Ontario: Harlequin HQN.
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