Redheaded Jill

I started a new series last week by a new author. I am not going to tell you her name because I’m not trying to bash her or say she’s not a talented writer. The idea behind her novels was excellent. The plots were decent and the characters were mostly likable. However…

If I never hear the phrase, “Loved to distraction” again it will be too soon. Every. Single. Book. uses this phrase. “And her husband, who loved her to distraction…” Ok, we get it. They’re in love. But guess what… they all fell in love within days. MINUTES almost. Every single character who “falls in love” falls in love in the span of a week. Thus leading to intimate moments in a week. Which wasn’t a regency era norm. Perhaps the final straw that made me skip to the ending of the last three of her books was this… Every single male character was SUCH a sissy when it came down to it. This big hulking tough guy who fought off six crooks at once and has a history of being an underground prize fighter has too many scruples to not ask his gf for permission for everything. He’s constantly reassuring her, “I would never force you to do anything” even when he’s talking about a first kiss or a hug. Oh. My. Word.

There is nothing LESS ROMANTIC than a dude constantly asking for permission to breathe in her direction. I feel like this isn’t men written by a woman. This is men written by a man who claims he’s an ally for women. Or men written by a male feminist. Sorry. It’s not good writing. Even when the plots start out strong they crash and burn because the male characters are so… not manly.