A review by emcbee
Drowning to Breathe by A.L. Jackson
2.0
I wanted to like this book. The first book was a little irritating with the triple repetitions of words like "Dark. Dark. Dark," but I liked the distinct voices of the two point-of-view characters and, since it had a cliffhanger ending, I wanted to know how the story turned out.
Again I was okay with the literary style, though the repetitions of particular phrases became annoying. Sebastian has a "pretty, pretty mouth." Shay has "simple, simple dreams." I liked Sebastian's voice better and better as the story went on and got more and more irritated with Shay.
And then... (spoiler alert)
In the first book I was alarmed at how quickly Shay not only introduced her 4-year-old daughter to Sebastian, but allowed him to become part of this child's life when Shay believed that Sebastian wasn't going to be a long-term addition. In this book, this problem got worse: Shay's daughter starts calling him "daddy." Neither adult discussed it with her. Then, in a moment of serious stupidity, Shay and Sebastian elope--again without taking the daughter into consideration. It got even worse when she asked him to wear a condom because she had forgotten her pills...
and he said no.
And then, tra la, she decides to just go ahead and have unprotected sex with him and risk another pregnancy when's she's already a struggling single mother.
I mean.
After that I couldn't finish the book fast enough. I was enjoying the story of two young people who weren't innocent and unaware of the world. They'd both had losses and bad things happen to them; they were both well aware of consequences that can follow their behavior. But that whole sequence just made me dislike both of them. And Shay would go on and on about the importance of protecting Callie, but would just wander off and leave her with friends at the drop of a hat. Not to mention getting so involved with Sebastian that she barely knew the kid existed.
HEA ending. Strange escalation of situation with Callie's father turns into a #metoo moment, and seemed rushed. But as I was in a hurry to get done with "Dark. Dark. Dark." and similar it didn't bother me.
Again I was okay with the literary style, though the repetitions of particular phrases became annoying. Sebastian has a "pretty, pretty mouth." Shay has "simple, simple dreams." I liked Sebastian's voice better and better as the story went on and got more and more irritated with Shay.
And then... (spoiler alert)
In the first book I was alarmed at how quickly Shay not only introduced her 4-year-old daughter to Sebastian, but allowed him to become part of this child's life when Shay believed that Sebastian wasn't going to be a long-term addition. In this book, this problem got worse: Shay's daughter starts calling him "daddy." Neither adult discussed it with her. Then, in a moment of serious stupidity, Shay and Sebastian elope--again without taking the daughter into consideration. It got even worse when she asked him to wear a condom because she had forgotten her pills...
and he said no.
And then, tra la, she decides to just go ahead and have unprotected sex with him and risk another pregnancy when's she's already a struggling single mother.
I mean.
After that I couldn't finish the book fast enough. I was enjoying the story of two young people who weren't innocent and unaware of the world. They'd both had losses and bad things happen to them; they were both well aware of consequences that can follow their behavior. But that whole sequence just made me dislike both of them. And Shay would go on and on about the importance of protecting Callie, but would just wander off and leave her with friends at the drop of a hat. Not to mention getting so involved with Sebastian that she barely knew the kid existed.
HEA ending. Strange escalation of situation with Callie's father turns into a #metoo moment, and seemed rushed. But as I was in a hurry to get done with "Dark. Dark. Dark." and similar it didn't bother me.