OstensiblyA

No, I'm not dead — though I very much feel that way. After forever of unemployment I'm working again and my body is taking its sweet time to catch up. I basically work and sleep now, reading has taken a back seat. =(

But, of course, what little I get to has to piss me off. At this point in this book I just read the most gratuitous, non-sensical sex scene I have ever read. 

Why do romance authors think that there must be a sex scene (or more) in every. single. book? Why? This book was a great opportunity for a compelling story without genital bumping. It looked like the primary couple, Abby and Hawk, weren't going to have sex because of something that happened to Abby the year prior. But in the middle of an intimate scene between the two the book cuts to completely random side couple Logan and Callen, whose part of this book came out of nowhere. They have known each other all of eight hours, if that, most of which Logan has been passed out. She is his nurse on the medical transport after he was knocked off a roof. She's drawn to him so she stays with him. After scant conversation suddenly they're having sex in his hospital bed because they have this feeling that they're "the one" or whatever. Never mind that his life is in danger on top of his injuries. Oh, did I forget to mention he has a concussion, like three fractured ribs, a fractured hip, and broken leg? And until this point he had been refusing his pain meds? But he feels nothing but pleasure as she is bouncing up and down on his dick because no other body parts are involved in this activity. Right. Gratuitous and non-sensical. 

At least the slow, intimate moments with Abby and Hawk advanced the story somewhat as they had been the couple we were heading toward from the beginning and they kept discussing the plot. Logan and Callen brought the entire book to a grinding halt. I just cannot understand the authorial choice to put any of that in this book. It irritated me so much I put the book down and walked away. Then, in the end, Abby and Hawk did have sex. The scene of theirs that was cut off resumes after the Logan and Callen interlude and they take it the whole way. So, again, what in the hell was the point? Either way it was unnecessary, but even more so since it wasn't needed to interject sex into the book since every damn romance must have some because apparently love does not exist without sex anymore.

The Logan and Callen scene ruined the Abby and Hawk scene for me. First of all, I hate when some rando side couple who just met beats the primary couple to having sexytimes. It's a total pet peeve of mine. And I was so irritated and bewildered by those other two existing at all and doing what they did that I just couldn't get into what Abby and Hawk were doing. Even though theirs was sweet and had a nice history. Although, that said, I would have preferred it if they didn't have sex. If they worked toward it by making Abby feel comfortable but didnt quite get there it would have been a much stronger story. 

And, again, it skimped out on the suspense part of romantic suspense, so that wasted sex scene is even more annoying as that space could have been used to better wrap up the suspense plot. It's disappointing because I was so into the action in the beginning of the book (though it did get to be confused with all the jumping around).

Lost post meltdown (screaming and offensive words):