Does anyone else ever think of the Hokey Pokey when they are reading books? You know… “you put your right foot in, you take your right foot out…” No? Hmm.. ok, maybe I’m crazier than I thought I was. Anyways… these day, whenever I happen upon (or a publisher/author) sends me a new “paranormal romance” to read, the Hokey Pokey is the very first thing I think of.
Why?
Because originality is hard to find. (“You put an angel in, you take an angel out, throw in some stupid ass rule, and you shake it all about.”) In a time when every other book published is about a cute, (not necessarily human boy) who has a deep dark secret it is becoming increasingly difficult for anything really good to stand out.
Now, before you get all giddy like a monkey on crack, and assume that I’m going to jump off of a bridge for this novel… I am not referring to “Unbreakable Love.” (*sigh*) Let’s face it…it’s been a while since I’ve been 100% happy with a straight up, no holds bared para-romance, but I am very happy to announce, that this is the first time, (in quite some time,) that (despite it’s somewhat predictable plot sequencing) I was was not bored by what I read.
Hmm… that sounded much more down-trodden than I expected it to. Whatever… First, the synopsis (then I’ll explain myself.)
“Jennie Townsend is unlucky in love, so she is immediately suspicious when a mysterious new student named Nate tries to gain her friendship. But there is something special about Nate, and in spite of her best efforts Jennie finds her feelings for the boy growing deeper every day.
In fact, Nate is more special than Jennie can even imagine. He is a guardian angel, sent to protect Jennie during a most dangerous time in her life. To do so, he must first become close to her – but not too close. The rules for Protectors warn against physical contact and strictly forbid falling in love. But the more time Nate spends with Jennie, the harder the rules are to follow. Will Nate be able to save Jennie from a premature end, or will his own emotions – and Jennie’s – get in the way of completing the task for which he was specifically chosen?”
So… back to my “this isn’t the greatest love story of all time” sucker punch. Let me be clear. I did actually enjoy this book. No, it was not very original. Yes, I could predict what was going to happen about 15 pages before it actually did, but despite it’s flaws I carried this book around in my back pocket for an entire week, reading when I had a free moment.
Here is what I loved about “Unbreakable Love”
The characters (Nate in particular) seemed genuine. A little screwed up, and frustrating when it came to communication, but genuine all the same, WHICH allowed me to dive into their lives on a more emotional level. (No crying mind you, just a bunch of “Awwws” and “WTH you idiot!” s) Carling did a wonderful job with her dialogue and even more…with the descriptions of body language (Hello!!! Forbidden touch remember!) I have to be honest, I got a little angsty when Jennie and Nate got “too close.”
Now, though I won’t go as far as saying that I “loved” the plot, I will say that I “liked” it. There were a few parts that glistened with originality and because of those moments, it allowed me to enjoy the flow of the book without making a shit ton of comparisons in my head.
However, with the good comes the bad. Luckily for Carling (P.S. this is her debut) they are rather insignificant details. (Ones that pleasure readers will not give a rats ass about, so if you want to skip this…feel free.)
First…I freaking HATE the huge blue blob on the front of this book. No, really… I hate it. The image used (though very unlike the characters descriptions in the book) is beautiful and evokes a sense of intimacy with the readers, then BAM! They disrupt the flow with a horrendous title bar in bold conflicting colors. *shudders* I know I shouldn’t care. I know that it’s what inside that really matters, but for the love of all that is holy… You know what, I can’t even finish that sentence. I value my life, and I’m afraid God may strike my ass down if I keep going.
Second. The book should have stopped at page 211 not 214. It’s not that the last 3 pages were horrible, but they should have been listed as an epilogue. Instead (though relevant to the story) they detracted from the solidification Carling had worked so hard to create.
Overall it was an enjoyable book, and anyone who takes pleasure in reading paranormal romances won’t be disappointment. I’m just a harder critic than most.
Happy Reading my fellow Kindle-ites and remember: You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn yourself around, that’s what it’s all about. Hey!
[Rating:3.5/5] <–I totally ganked half a star for the cover. Just FYI
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The Giveaway!