Book Review: Plot is hot but the editing is not.

Secret Seduction

Written by Jill Sanders.

Yes, it seems a while since I have read and reviewed something not Science, Science Fiction or Fantasy.  I read this through so here it goes.

Katie Derby left college to go traipsing around Europe after finding out that her mother had been lying to her for 26 years.  She was actually the biological offspring of one Damiano Cardone.  Wandering around Europe maintaining no contact with her concerned family she is rather surprised when Jason, her lifelong best friend, rescues her from a kidnap attempt in Greece.  I do not intend to retell the entire tale here.

The book was entertaining for numerous reasons.  The plot was decent with Katie coming off as being not quite the spoiled rich kid you would expect from her upbringing.  The thugs were exactly what you would expect for amateur hour.  Truly the reason someone buys a book with this kind of title is for the scenes that get the reader all hot and bothered.  This expectation was met in a rather tasteful manner, not over the top rutting on every page.

Something that bugs me here, because I write also, is that the quality of the product was not high for someone who in her bio states has been on the NYT best sellers list.  Editing for paragraph or content repeats should be on a checklist along with copy editing before you deserve to be there.  I’m certain at this time that the reason for the sales was…people who want books to make them hot and bothered don’t seem to give a shit about editing.  That’s my take.

I’m awarding four points for ‘plot and hot’ and two points for editing averaging to three out of five for the finished product.  Enjoy.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Seduction-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B00E9GQQ9K

Sex as a Story Telling Device

I have sex in my books. I do not have abusive sex, non-consensual sex and as of yet not vindictive sex. There are some who feel that the story can be told without sex. I agree, it could. Is it a reasonable argument that sex shapes our lives, causes us to make decisions one way rather than another or influences who we decide to interact with on a regular basis? We are sexual creatures, it is who we are.

Would a young person with same sex preferential tendencies (or opposite sex) develop into a different person based on the dominant gender or views of their household or society? My characters do and sex is one of their forms of expression.

I’m not going to belabor this any longer except to say that the sexual content of my books falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum and is used to carry across some of the plot and have the reader experience more dimension in the character. If you want to criticize it that is fine? If you want to use its presence to not read anymore works from that author then that is your choice. But you know what that means…sex has influenced you and you have given it control.

Enjoy.

http://nextyouniverse.com