2.5 rounded up to 3
“We weren’t unlikely, Nix,” I say, no levity in the words. “We were inevitable.”
Must read Book 1 as this picks up where the cliffhanger left off.
Characters
Maxim (has a PhD in Climate Science):
Maxim is from a wealthy family who has made their living in the oil/gas industry. However, Maxim doesn’t support the use of fossil fuels, so he doesn’t want anything to do with the family business and has created his own business. He loves his family, but has a strained relationship with his father. His brother is running for President and Maxim is supportive and willingly sings Owen’s praises because he knows he’s the right man to lead the country.
”My father is privileged and arrogant and sometimes misguided, but he’s the only father I have, and I want a relationship with him. Sometimes loving your family is awkward and hard, especially when you don’t believe the same things, don’t choose the same paths.”
"Politics and oil are two of my least favorite things. My brother is running for president and my father is an oil baron, if we’re still using words like “baron.”
So fuck my life.”
The following words/phrases were used to describe Maxim: voted one of America’s most eligible bachelors, focused, methodical, commanding, determined, delicious, dominant, protective, a man with convictions and goals, hard worker, phenomenon, principled, brilliant, intense, empathetic, explorer.
”He strides into every room like he owns it—like there’s no one in it he can’t persuade, convince, or recruit. The force of his charisma is a tangible thing, a hook that lures you before you even feel it in your mouth.”
Lennix (co-owner of a political consulting firm):
Lennix is a proud member of the Yavapai-Apache Nation (an American Indian tribe). Her mother disappeared when she was around 13 and she is passionate about the plight of her people.
“You don’t hold back someone like Lennix because the beauty is in how she flies. I want to see her soar.”
The following words/phrases were used to describe Lennix: courageous, defiant, a fighter, brave, strong personality, passionate.
The Story:
Told in two parts. There is a huge plot twist at the end of Part 1 that completely flips the story that was developing and Part 2 goes in a bit of a different direction.
My Thoughts:
The following are my thoughts about this book:
- Thankfully the cliffhanger from book 1 was resolved fairly quickly.
- I’m not sure the bad guys and their reasons were plausible. I struggled with the “why” in this aspect of the story. Of course, not finding the body was just too predictable. 😏
- I loved the relationship between Lennix and her aunt
- Why does everything have to make a statement???
“Can you even grasp what it means for a Native American girl raised on the rez and a black woman to be running the campaign for the probable next president of the United States?”
- I liked that Maxim and Lennix could disagree and handle it like mature adults. It's refreshing to have characters that don't run away because of petty and stupid misunderstandings.
- I understand why there were so many references to the environment and the Native Americans. But, it never let up. Every chapter there was something mentioned and at one point I just felt like I was getting beat over the head with these two subjects. Every situation was another reason to tie in these subjects. Even a meal turned into a climate issue.......
“I don’t tell people they should stop eating meat,” I say. “But eating more chicken than beef is a great start, and buying deforestation-free meats is a huge help, too.”
- On top of the two issues mentioned previously, this is a political book too. I felt inundated with "heavy" subjects.
“I don’t esteem my right to bear arms over another person’s right to live and not get shot by some idiot with weapons that belong on a battlefield, not in the hands of a civilian.”
- The twist at 50% completely ticked me off and I seriously contemplated not finishing the book. I majorly skipped chapters 26-32 because I didn't want to read anything about that event. It ruined the book for me. 😡😡
- I liked the way Lennix stood up to Maxim's dad.
“If you want a Cade for your schemes, find yourself another one.” I position myself between the two men, pressing my back into Maxim’s hard chest and glaring up at his father. “This one, you can’t have.”
- I struggled with Part 2. I couldn’t buy into Maxim’s choice. Book 1 and Part 1 of this book never even hinted he was interested, so I couldn’t get behind the plot.
- The fact that they couldn’t be open about their relationship was frustrating. If you want to paint a candidate as truthful and one who has the country’s best interests at heart, maybe you shouldn’t lie about who you are in love with. It just came across as hypocritical. It’s another reason I really disliked Part 2 of the book.
- At 85% Lennix completely ticked me off. How dare she!!! Ugh. She turns him down because she doesn't want to be by his side for the most important job of his life? 👎 argh 😤
- Maxim:
“You signed up for me,” I say, wanting to shout, but keeping my voice low. “And I signed up for you, whatever that means, wherever that takes us.”
- Lennix:
”Easy to say when ‘whatever’ is you becoming the leader of the free world, and me smiling and looking pretty for a ‘say no to drugs’ campaign, or advocating for literacy. It’s not what I want to do. That’s not who I want to be.”
Way to support your man. NOT!! 😡😡
- Lennix is either preachy or defensive. She definitely started to irritate me.
- I majorly skipped from 50% through the rest of the book. This didn’t have anything to do with the writing because the quality is what I would expect of this author. It’s just the content, the “preachy” aspects of the heroine and the plot turn that irritated me.
Overall:
I was disappointed. I wavered between 3 and 4 with book 1 and went into this one a little hesitantly. I thought book 1 was a little preachy and didn’t want to go through the same thing in book 2. But, this was a little bit worse because on top of the environmental and Native American subjects, politics was added to the story. So every aspect started to become someone’s “opinion” on something rather than just a fun story.
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- Do you need to read previous books in series?: Yes
- POV: dual POV
- H likable? Yes
- h likable? she started to irritate me
- h virgin? Not in book 2
- OW/OM drama? No
- H/h cheat? No
- Steamy? Yes
- Did I skip pages? Yes. Skipped the last half of the book
- Big secrets? a small one that Maxim keeps from Lennix
- Did I cry? Yes
- Cliffhanger? No
- How it ends: It ends before the election so you never really know if he becomes president. So for me it didn’t really have a satisfying conclusion.
- Recommend? As much as I love this author, this duet wasn’t my favorite so I’m sad to say I wouldn’t recommend.
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Quotes
“Should I decorate myself like a float in the Macy’s Day parade, too? That’s only slightly less pomp and circumstance than this appearance on The View.”
“People are sick of bickering. They’re tired of politicians locking horns and comparing dicks and getting nothing done. They want leaders who’ll set their differences aside long enough to actually help somebody.”
“You can still fight with fear in your heart.
The fear of what you’ll lose can make you that much more determined to win”
“this bracelet is significant. It’s symbolic of the fact that I’ve been all over the world, but you are my one place.”
“Traditions are the memories of those before us, breathed to life when we carry them on.”
“You can’t give a man lube and then deny him anal, Nix. That’s just cruel.”
“It’s a gag gift.”
“It is not a gag to me. It’s basically a promissory note. This is you promising me anal.”