papercranestitches's review
3.0
When I started writing this review, I had no idea how to rate this book.
None.
When the story begins, Matt has been seriously injured in a car accident. He’s broken and scarred, wracked with pain, and mostly bed-bound. I’ve never been in a car accident that serious (knock on wood!), but I know how grumpy I get when I’m sick, so the man immediately had my sympathy. I completely understood why someone in his position would feel vulnerable, irritable, and defensive. I even understood why he might lash out at those taking care of him.
Unfortunately, it quickly becomes clear that it’s not only the accident and his resulting injuries that are causing Matt to act like an ass. No, he’s always been a short-tempered, ill-mannered, homophobic, emotionally-stunted asshole with anger management issues and quick fists. And the things that he says and does to James practically every time they are in the same room together? They’re vile (I still cannot get what happened at the dinner party out of my head or my heart).
To put it boldly: Matt had no redeeming qualities. Not one.
As a reader, I didn’t quite know what to do with this realization. I mean, I’m glad the author didn’t try to pass off Matt’s behavior as something that we were supposed to accept and love him in spite of. No, Blackwell called Matt out repeatedly - he was an unlovable dick. So that’s good… right?!
Well… not exactly.
Because at its core, Rescue Me is still supposed to be a romance novel. And what do most readers want from a romance novel? Two flawed but likeable people to meet and fall in love.
Instead, we got Matt and James.
And while I loathed Matt with the power of a thousand fiery suns until 85% of the way through the novel, James wasn’t always my favourite person either. Admittedly, James is patient. James is kind. James is sexy. James is way more than Matt deserves. But James is also a little shallow; he believes Matt’s good looks are a good enough “redeeming quality” to justify sleeping with him (even in the face of his atrocious behavior). He’s also indecisive and weak; I lost count of the number of times that James supposedly cut off all ties with Matt only to turn around and sleep with him again a few days - sometimes only a few hours - later. Where was his backbone? Where was his self-respect?!
* Face palm! Face palm! FACE PALM! *
When James eventually tells Matt that he loves him, I was both moved and furious. I was moved by James’ willingness to make himself vulnerable to Matt, and furious because Matt still hadn’t done one thing to deserve James’ love. He hadn’t said one kind thing to him. He hadn’t done one kind thing for him. Let's face it, he hadn’t even asked James something as simple as how he takes his coffee or what he likes to do when he’s not nursing cranky, closeted homophobes back to health. Instead, Matt had physically and emotionally pulverized James at every opportunity, shaming him for his sexuality and the honesty of his emotions.
How can anyone fall in love with someone who treats them like that? It makes no sense to me.
And so I struggled with this book.
I even struggled with its ending. When Matt finally realizes that he could lose James forever, he turns into this sweet, vulnerable, attentive guy that wants to cherish James for the rest of his life. But as much my sappy, romantic heart wanted this to happen, and as much as I wanted Matt to be this guy, everything we know about him up to this point says that he’s just not wired this way. It was as if the author gave him a complete personality transplant at the last minute in order to give her readers a happily ever after. It just didn’t feel authentic.
So after reading the epilogue and watching the characters fuck their way into the sunset on the hood of a sexy black Ferrari, I was left a little stunned, having no idea how to rate a book I had nearly DNF'd several times.
Was it worth 1 star because I have never hated a main character more than I hated Matt (and seeing him get a HEA after what he put James through seemed not only undeserved but also cosmically unfair)? Was it worth 2 stars because I liked James’s character and was happy to see him get a happily ever after (regardless of who it was with)? Should I give it 3 stars because even though I loathed James, the writing was compelling enough to keep me reading for more than 400 pages? Or, does it deserve 4 stars because I liked James, thought the writing was well done, and the last 15% of the novel gave me the sweet, vulnerable, attentive James I had been hoping to see way earlier in the novel?!
It was a tough decision, but I ultimately gave Rescue Me 3 smooches. While it wasn't exactly my cup of tea, and I don't think I'll be picking up another book by this author in the near future, I still think that objectively it was a good book.
None.
When the story begins, Matt has been seriously injured in a car accident. He’s broken and scarred, wracked with pain, and mostly bed-bound. I’ve never been in a car accident that serious (knock on wood!), but I know how grumpy I get when I’m sick, so the man immediately had my sympathy. I completely understood why someone in his position would feel vulnerable, irritable, and defensive. I even understood why he might lash out at those taking care of him.
Unfortunately, it quickly becomes clear that it’s not only the accident and his resulting injuries that are causing Matt to act like an ass. No, he’s always been a short-tempered, ill-mannered, homophobic, emotionally-stunted asshole with anger management issues and quick fists. And the things that he says and does to James practically every time they are in the same room together? They’re vile (I still cannot get what happened at the dinner party out of my head or my heart).
To put it boldly: Matt had no redeeming qualities. Not one.
As a reader, I didn’t quite know what to do with this realization. I mean, I’m glad the author didn’t try to pass off Matt’s behavior as something that we were supposed to accept and love him in spite of. No, Blackwell called Matt out repeatedly - he was an unlovable dick. So that’s good… right?!
Well… not exactly.
Because at its core, Rescue Me is still supposed to be a romance novel. And what do most readers want from a romance novel? Two flawed but likeable people to meet and fall in love.
Instead, we got Matt and James.
And while I loathed Matt with the power of a thousand fiery suns until 85% of the way through the novel, James wasn’t always my favourite person either. Admittedly, James is patient. James is kind. James is sexy. James is way more than Matt deserves. But James is also a little shallow; he believes Matt’s good looks are a good enough “redeeming quality” to justify sleeping with him (even in the face of his atrocious behavior). He’s also indecisive and weak; I lost count of the number of times that James supposedly cut off all ties with Matt only to turn around and sleep with him again a few days - sometimes only a few hours - later. Where was his backbone? Where was his self-respect?!
* Face palm! Face palm! FACE PALM! *
When James eventually tells Matt that he loves him, I was both moved and furious. I was moved by James’ willingness to make himself vulnerable to Matt, and furious because Matt still hadn’t done one thing to deserve James’ love. He hadn’t said one kind thing to him. He hadn’t done one kind thing for him. Let's face it, he hadn’t even asked James something as simple as how he takes his coffee or what he likes to do when he’s not nursing cranky, closeted homophobes back to health. Instead, Matt had physically and emotionally pulverized James at every opportunity, shaming him for his sexuality and the honesty of his emotions.
How can anyone fall in love with someone who treats them like that? It makes no sense to me.
And so I struggled with this book.
I even struggled with its ending. When Matt finally realizes that he could lose James forever, he turns into this sweet, vulnerable, attentive guy that wants to cherish James for the rest of his life. But as much my sappy, romantic heart wanted this to happen, and as much as I wanted Matt to be this guy, everything we know about him up to this point says that he’s just not wired this way. It was as if the author gave him a complete personality transplant at the last minute in order to give her readers a happily ever after. It just didn’t feel authentic.
So after reading the epilogue and watching the characters fuck their way into the sunset on the hood of a sexy black Ferrari, I was left a little stunned, having no idea how to rate a book I had nearly DNF'd several times.
Was it worth 1 star because I have never hated a main character more than I hated Matt (and seeing him get a HEA after what he put James through seemed not only undeserved but also cosmically unfair)? Was it worth 2 stars because I liked James’s character and was happy to see him get a happily ever after (regardless of who it was with)? Should I give it 3 stars because even though I loathed James, the writing was compelling enough to keep me reading for more than 400 pages? Or, does it deserve 4 stars because I liked James, thought the writing was well done, and the last 15% of the novel gave me the sweet, vulnerable, attentive James I had been hoping to see way earlier in the novel?!
It was a tough decision, but I ultimately gave Rescue Me 3 smooches. While it wasn't exactly my cup of tea, and I don't think I'll be picking up another book by this author in the near future, I still think that objectively it was a good book.
podperson2206's review
5.0
Wow! That was a fecking fantastic read! It was difficult to read at times and I wanted to smack Matt for most of the book but it was a more than satisfying ending! Totally recommend it, lots of angst!
jamieco's review
DNF at 70%
This has got to be, hands down, the worst mm read I’ve ever read!
One hero is an absolute disgusting pig, that had absolutely ZERO character development. The other hero is the biggest doormat/punching bag I’ve ever met. At 70% onto the book, the asshole hero still hasn’t accepted he’s gay or bi and is still using gay slurs.
The doormat hero hasn’t learned that the asshole is never going to accept him and still pines for him and goes back to him again and again. We also get thrown in there at like sixty something percent, that the other nurse was in a relationship with the doormat hero for 8 years and the doormat is considering getting back with him. By then I am so confused because in all his times during his point of view, that man was never even a thought.
This story was just a giant clusterfuck and I hate saying that about something a person has put time and effort into writing. I respect the author, and the writing structure itself wasn’t bad, but the characters were horrible.
This has got to be, hands down, the worst mm read I’ve ever read!
One hero is an absolute disgusting pig, that had absolutely ZERO character development. The other hero is the biggest doormat/punching bag I’ve ever met. At 70% onto the book, the asshole hero still hasn’t accepted he’s gay or bi and is still using gay slurs.
The doormat hero hasn’t learned that the asshole is never going to accept him and still pines for him and goes back to him again and again. We also get thrown in there at like sixty something percent, that the other nurse was in a relationship with the doormat hero for 8 years and the doormat is considering getting back with him. By then I am so confused because in all his times during his point of view, that man was never even a thought.
This story was just a giant clusterfuck and I hate saying that about something a person has put time and effort into writing. I respect the author, and the writing structure itself wasn’t bad, but the characters were horrible.
cmira2027's review
2.0
Frustrating, I can't remember reading a book where I so intensely disliked the characters and their behavior. I wanted to kill Matt, or at least hurt him badly. His behavior was inexcusable and yet everyone excused it; and James, after being repeatedly hurt in truly despicable ways, both verbally and at one point physically by Matt, still lets him back in and allows him to keep hurting him. I was very close to DNF this, if the book had been poorl written I wouldn't have. I have enjoyed other books by Ms. Blackwell, but this one just did not work for me.
zazzilou's review
4.0
4.25 Stars
I hated Matt through most of this book.
"I'm sorry. Being an asshole isn't easy to change."
Truer words were never spoken. Yep . . . hated him!
I wanted to smack James because he was stuck on stupid for most of this book. His behavior went beyond turning the other cheek on so many different levels. I started to doubt he would ever draw the line, grow a pair, and find his self-respect.
Matt was the quintessential patient from hell: A twisted, angry, physically and emotionally scarred, self-centered, homophobic bastard who wallowed in self-pity while often verbally abusing the people who love him. James was the loving, compassionate, and empathetic caretaker who fell in love with Matt as he attempted to nurse him back to health.
[b:Rescue Me|9564239|Rescue Me|Scarlet Blackwell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1287877837s/9564239.jpg|14450938] began with Matt trapped in his car after a horrendous collision. Followed by a trainwreck: The developing relationship between Matt and James. Matt, an insecure, frightened man who desperately wanted to be loved while being clueless about how to give or receive love. James, a nurse who fell desperately in love with his patient, Matt, a man so emotionally shutdown that he was unwilling and unable to reciprocate. Codependent much?
But wait, there's more . . .
I was totally immersed in their story from the first page because of the excellent writing of Scarlet Blackwell. Difficult to read, but impossible for me to put down. While I found it painful to watch James repeatedly accepting Matt's emotional and (sometimes) physical abuse in the name of love (I remember chanting, "Don't do it, James!" several times), I kept reading because the author made me care about these MCs. I stayed around because I hoped to see Matt realize that James was ready to provide the love he had been yearning for his whole life. And I was not disappointed!
If what you want is an easy, romantic, angst-free read, Rescue Me is not the book for you. I thought about taking a break from my TBR after struggling with a severe case of indifference about the last books I've read. I felt many emotions while reading Rescue Me, but indifference was not one of them. It was great to be connected and emotionally involved with the characters.
Btw, I am a romantic, but I don't believe love conquers all. Falling in love with James may have given Matt the courage to face some of his issues, but I believe it would be wise for them to seek couple's therapy from a mental health professional!
I hated Matt through most of this book.
"I'm sorry. Being an asshole isn't easy to change."
Truer words were never spoken. Yep . . . hated him!
I wanted to smack James because he was stuck on stupid for most of this book. His behavior went beyond turning the other cheek on so many different levels. I started to doubt he would ever draw the line, grow a pair, and find his self-respect.
Matt was the quintessential patient from hell: A twisted, angry, physically and emotionally scarred, self-centered, homophobic bastard who wallowed in self-pity while often verbally abusing the people who love him. James was the loving, compassionate, and empathetic caretaker who fell in love with Matt as he attempted to nurse him back to health.
[b:Rescue Me|9564239|Rescue Me|Scarlet Blackwell|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1287877837s/9564239.jpg|14450938] began with Matt trapped in his car after a horrendous collision. Followed by a trainwreck: The developing relationship between Matt and James. Matt, an insecure, frightened man who desperately wanted to be loved while being clueless about how to give or receive love. James, a nurse who fell desperately in love with his patient, Matt, a man so emotionally shutdown that he was unwilling and unable to reciprocate. Codependent much?
But wait, there's more . . .
I was totally immersed in their story from the first page because of the excellent writing of Scarlet Blackwell. Difficult to read, but impossible for me to put down. While I found it painful to watch James repeatedly accepting Matt's emotional and (sometimes) physical abuse in the name of love (I remember chanting, "Don't do it, James!" several times), I kept reading because the author made me care about these MCs. I stayed around because I hoped to see Matt realize that James was ready to provide the love he had been yearning for his whole life. And I was not disappointed!
If what you want is an easy, romantic, angst-free read, Rescue Me is not the book for you. I thought about taking a break from my TBR after struggling with a severe case of indifference about the last books I've read. I felt many emotions while reading Rescue Me, but indifference was not one of them. It was great to be connected and emotionally involved with the characters.
Btw, I am a romantic, but I don't believe love conquers all. Falling in love with James may have given Matt the courage to face some of his issues, but I believe it would be wise for them to seek couple's therapy from a mental health professional!
kaje_harper's review
3.0
2.5 stars. I just couldn't get attached to the main characters in this work. Matt is too nasty and callous, over and over, making the same mistakes. I kept waiting for the author to introduce some kind of major childhood sexual abuse to justify the flaws in this man's character. James is too perfect and too willing to be a doormat. The sex is way too freaking desperate. (I'm sorry, but at a dinner party on a friend's table over the dishes!!!) And then when it switches to HEA it is saccharine sweet. Just a good story desperately seeking a balance and not finding one.
evil_jj's review
2.0
I'm not sure I've ever encountered a character who so frequently cuts off his nose to spite his face. It became so frustrating. I'm all for flawed characters, but this was just too much. Basically, Matt was abusive right up until he very suddenly wasn't, so the change just wasn't believable.
annen's review
3.0
This book is hard to rate, the writing was awesome, the slow-burn was delicious and the sex was hot.
The thing that makes it difficult to rate though is Matt.
He is the worst main character I have ever read. He hurt people's feelings for no particular feelings. The worst of all was how he treated James.
He not only hurt him with his words but he they physically fought and Matt's jealousies were really off-putting.
The scene in their friend's kitchen was what completely put me off Matt completely
This is not a book I would read again, it made me so mad. I wanted for James to grow a pair and walk away from Matt. That kind of love is harmful.
The thing that makes it difficult to rate though is Matt.
He is the worst main character I have ever read. He hurt people's feelings for no particular feelings. The worst of all was how he treated James.
He not only hurt him with his words but he they physically fought and Matt's jealousies were really off-putting.
The scene in their friend's kitchen was what completely put me off Matt completely
Spoiler
Yes Matt, grabbing someone and pushing them down and sticking your dick in them after they have said no makes you a rapist, it doesn't matter if they come or not, it's even worse that you choose not to use a condom. To make matters worse you turn on that person and start questioning their sexual history and calling them a slut.This is not a book I would read again, it made me so mad. I wanted for James to grow a pair and walk away from Matt. That kind of love is harmful.
msmiz95's review
4.0
I do not think I have ever read a more emotionally stunted asshole in all my reading as Matt was in this story.