Review by cluthrie -- Perfect. by D. D. Larsen
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cluthrie
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Review by cluthrie -- Perfect. by D. D. Larsen
[Following is a volunteer review of "Perfect." by D. D. Larsen.]
Content warnings: sexual assault, violence
When I read the description of D. D. Larsen's novel Perfect., I couldn't wait to get started. A passionate, forbidden love story set in the atmospheric mountains of Colorado? Sign me up!
The prologue unfolds with our first-person narrator Seryna, who informs us that everything she ever knew - namely, that she is a hard worker who is dedicated to becoming a doctor - crumbles upon her first glimpse of an attractive man, affectionately dubbed the mystery man. Not only does this guy, who we later learn is called Kieran, possess the magic power of making Seryna instantly aroused, but he is also a rich and talented 25-year-old FBI agent. On top of that, he is investigating Seryna's family for possible involvement in the production of a dangerous amphetamine-spiked alcohol called GAP.
On their own, I think all three plot lines are fascinating. We have Seryna's internal struggle, a steamy romance, and the GAP thread. Unfortunately I don't believe these threads tie into each other well. The dissonance between scenes can be quite jarring.
I believe the erotic scenes were somewhat effective. On one hand, I could feel the steaminess, but the frequency of these scenes, as well as the repetition of the same language throughout, made them tiresome to read after a certain point. For example, Seryna slams her mouth so often against Kieran's, I'm surprised either of them made it through the novel with any teeth left. In addition, the effect of the animated body parts creeped me out a little - Seryna was "assaulted by soft hands" enough that I began to think she was in a relationship with Kieran's hands instead of the man himself. A personal gripe of mine is when authors choose to use the word 'assault' to denote pleasure... I don't want to think about assault when I'm reading a consensual love scene! On the topic of assault, Kieran and Seryna's meet-cute occurs when Kieran interrupts an attempted sexual assault. It's great to know that Kieran is a rescuer and all about keeping Seryna safe, but the lack of any consequences upsets me. Sexual assault shouldn't be a throwaway plot point, as it is in this novel. I was so surprised that Seryna isn’t affected by it in any discernible way.
Something I failed to comprehend as I read this book, was the root of the attraction between Seryna and Kieran. They claim to love each other, but all I see is their physical connection and Seryna's complete dependence on this man. She claims to be a strong and independent woman, and a hard worker to boot, but there comes a certain point when the author needs to stop telling, and start showing. When it comes to Seryna’s characterization, I just can’t buy that she is supposedly so hard-working and intelligent when she consistently uses poor judgement. For instance, why can’t she be a doctor and date Kieran at the same time? Why does she start questioning her dreams because of him?
I really liked the atmospheric descriptions of life in the Colorado mountains. From the climate, to descriptions of the peaceful forest, I was left wanting more! You can really tell how passionate the author is about her setting. However, Larsen’s tendency to tell instead of show stands out as my least favorite aspect of the novel. For instance, there are several scenes that happen off-page that I think could have been sweet and heartfelt, such as Kieran asking Seryna to move in with him. Instead we get scenes, such as Seryna’s step-by-step guide to making strawberry pie. Don’t get me wrong, I love strawberry pie, but why focus on the pie instead of other aspects of the story? There are also a few phrases that, instead of coming across as sexy, come across as absurd, such as this moment from Chapter 31: “Not giving me time to think, he slams his mouth into mine and devouring it.” Once again, I worry for their teeth, not to mention the need to revise!
Overall, I rate D. D. Larsen's Perfect. 2 out of 4 stars. There were plenty of typos and editorial mistakes that, once ameliorated, will improve the book significantly. My qualms about the book aside, it was still enjoyable for me to read. Perfect. will appeal to readers who like an erotic book with a thrilling, fast-paced plot, plenty of love scenes, and who aren’t concerned with the occasional use of profanity. The book is also worth a read to experience the ending, which came as such a surprise to me that I couldn’t help but laugh with delight! I have to admit that I want to know what happens in the next book.
******
Perfect.
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Content warnings: sexual assault, violence
When I read the description of D. D. Larsen's novel Perfect., I couldn't wait to get started. A passionate, forbidden love story set in the atmospheric mountains of Colorado? Sign me up!
The prologue unfolds with our first-person narrator Seryna, who informs us that everything she ever knew - namely, that she is a hard worker who is dedicated to becoming a doctor - crumbles upon her first glimpse of an attractive man, affectionately dubbed the mystery man. Not only does this guy, who we later learn is called Kieran, possess the magic power of making Seryna instantly aroused, but he is also a rich and talented 25-year-old FBI agent. On top of that, he is investigating Seryna's family for possible involvement in the production of a dangerous amphetamine-spiked alcohol called GAP.
On their own, I think all three plot lines are fascinating. We have Seryna's internal struggle, a steamy romance, and the GAP thread. Unfortunately I don't believe these threads tie into each other well. The dissonance between scenes can be quite jarring.
I believe the erotic scenes were somewhat effective. On one hand, I could feel the steaminess, but the frequency of these scenes, as well as the repetition of the same language throughout, made them tiresome to read after a certain point. For example, Seryna slams her mouth so often against Kieran's, I'm surprised either of them made it through the novel with any teeth left. In addition, the effect of the animated body parts creeped me out a little - Seryna was "assaulted by soft hands" enough that I began to think she was in a relationship with Kieran's hands instead of the man himself. A personal gripe of mine is when authors choose to use the word 'assault' to denote pleasure... I don't want to think about assault when I'm reading a consensual love scene! On the topic of assault, Kieran and Seryna's meet-cute occurs when Kieran interrupts an attempted sexual assault. It's great to know that Kieran is a rescuer and all about keeping Seryna safe, but the lack of any consequences upsets me. Sexual assault shouldn't be a throwaway plot point, as it is in this novel. I was so surprised that Seryna isn’t affected by it in any discernible way.
Something I failed to comprehend as I read this book, was the root of the attraction between Seryna and Kieran. They claim to love each other, but all I see is their physical connection and Seryna's complete dependence on this man. She claims to be a strong and independent woman, and a hard worker to boot, but there comes a certain point when the author needs to stop telling, and start showing. When it comes to Seryna’s characterization, I just can’t buy that she is supposedly so hard-working and intelligent when she consistently uses poor judgement. For instance, why can’t she be a doctor and date Kieran at the same time? Why does she start questioning her dreams because of him?
I really liked the atmospheric descriptions of life in the Colorado mountains. From the climate, to descriptions of the peaceful forest, I was left wanting more! You can really tell how passionate the author is about her setting. However, Larsen’s tendency to tell instead of show stands out as my least favorite aspect of the novel. For instance, there are several scenes that happen off-page that I think could have been sweet and heartfelt, such as Kieran asking Seryna to move in with him. Instead we get scenes, such as Seryna’s step-by-step guide to making strawberry pie. Don’t get me wrong, I love strawberry pie, but why focus on the pie instead of other aspects of the story? There are also a few phrases that, instead of coming across as sexy, come across as absurd, such as this moment from Chapter 31: “Not giving me time to think, he slams his mouth into mine and devouring it.” Once again, I worry for their teeth, not to mention the need to revise!
Overall, I rate D. D. Larsen's Perfect. 2 out of 4 stars. There were plenty of typos and editorial mistakes that, once ameliorated, will improve the book significantly. My qualms about the book aside, it was still enjoyable for me to read. Perfect. will appeal to readers who like an erotic book with a thrilling, fast-paced plot, plenty of love scenes, and who aren’t concerned with the occasional use of profanity. The book is also worth a read to experience the ending, which came as such a surprise to me that I couldn’t help but laugh with delight! I have to admit that I want to know what happens in the next book.
******
Perfect.
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress by Gustavo Kinrys, MD
