Casee‘s review of Loves Me, Loves Me Knot (Chicks with Sticks, Book 2) by Heidi Betts.
Jenna Langan knows what she wants, and as she tells her best friends after their weekly knitting group, she doesn’t need a man to give it to her…only a few of his best swimmers. And just because her marriage to undercover vice cop Gage Marshall ended badly doesn’t mean he can’t still give her the baby she’s always wanted. In fact, she’s willing to bet a couple of her favorite hand-knit boas that she can tie him up in knots he’ll definitely enjoy…
An unexpected seduction is one thing, but stud service? No, thank you. Gage had his reasons for pulling the plug on his happily ever after with Jenna, and nothing that’s happened since their divorce has changed his mind. That is, until Jenna got it into her head to tie him up and drag him down. Now he has no choice but to stick around until he knows for sure if his ex-wife is pregnant. But the more time he spends with Jenna, the more his resolve begins to unravel…
I HATED THIS BOOK.
After Tangled Up in Love, I was really looking forward to this book. I’m a sucker for reunion stories. This was not a reunion book. It was more like a “I want to get pregnant and am going to rape you to get your sperm” book.
That’s right, Jenna rapes Gage. There’s nothing else to call it. She drugged him specifically so she could tie him up and have sex with him. For the sole purpose of getting her pregnant. She knew how Gage felt about kids; he doesn’t want them. It’s the reason they got divorced. Yet her and her friends concoct this plan for Jenna to get what she wants. And why not get it from Gage? She deserves it.
Can you see where I’m going with this?
I wanted to stop reading the book about 40 or so pages in. I skipped to the back and read the last few pages. Then I flipped through it. The only reason I went back and sort of skimmed it was b/c of what was setup for the next book.
There was nothing good about Gage and Jenna’s relationship. Sure, Gage was a total ass changing his mind about kids after they had already gotten married. If Jenna was a little more attentive, she would have associated it with Gage’s job. I suppose she can be excused b/c she was so heartbroken. But nothing excuses what she did to try to get pregnant.
I just couldn’t get past that part.
1 out of 5.
This book is available from St. Martin’s Press. You can buy it here.
Other books in the series:
I don’t think I’d be able to read this one either. Thanks for the honest review.
I wouldn’t have been able to read it either. Thanks for the heads up.
Ouch! This one wasn’t on my to-read list, and it doesn’t look like I will be adding it either. I too have trouble when the hero or heroine does something as off base and unforgivable as what you described. It can kill a book, as it did for you.
I didn’t much care for the first book in this series due to the actions of the hero*, so I’ve been flip-flopping over whether I should give the author a second chance. I am sooo glad now that I waited and read this review because the heroine’s actions in this book would make me really, really angry. Beyond angry, in fact.
I’m kind of surprised that I hadn’t heard about this before now. I’m sure that there would have been a huge outcry if the roles had been reversed — if the hero drugged and raped the heroine with the intention of getting her pregnant against her wishes. But for me, it doesn’t matter who’s raping whom — it disgusts me either way. The fact that it’s done with the intention of bringing a child into the world against one of the parent’s wishes just makes it even more disturbing. How is that at all romantic?
Anyway, as another poster said, thanks for the honest review — you’ve most likely saved me money and mass amounts of aggravation.
*Spoiler: I didn’t like that the (sober) hero had sex with the heroine for the first time when she was drunk off her ass. So absolutely not cool.
A frickin’ men.
I can’t even review this book, I was so pissed off with it. I spent so much time being pissed off at everyone so I had to put it down.
You see though, I wasn’t that pissed off at Gage because his reasons for changing his mind were legit. I blame him for not being honest with Jenna but even though he changed his mind. He divorced and gave her the chance to go find someone else to have kids with since he didn’t want any. He didn’t deserve what she did to him.
This whole book just put a bad taste in my mouth. Ugh.
Wow! You guys are so HARSH! You know this stuff happens in real life.
I mean how many times have woman tried to trap men into marriage by getting pregnant or putting holes in a guys condom. I mean I don’t agree with rape…But not every single book is a PERFECT romance.
Ouch ^_^; I almost bought this one, but stopped myself since I thought the first book was so-so. Lucky me I guess 😀
Ouch! I’m so sorry to hear you guys didn’t like LOVES ME, LOVES ME KNOT. Of course I wish every reader could love every book I write, but I understand that everyone has her/his personal likes & dislikes. Personally, I enjoy stuff that pushes the envelope, which is maybe why I do it so often. And where Gage & Jenna were concerned, they were still so in love with each other, I wasn’t worried about either of them taking that first love scene the wrong way.
I hope this won’t keep you from giving KNOCK ME FOR A LOOP a shot, though. I don’t *think* I did anything too over-the-top with Zack & Grace. 😉
Jennifer, I wasn’t trying to say that this should have been a PERFECT romance. It was the drugging that was so distasteful to me. Tricking a man into getting you pregnant isn’t the same as drugging them.
Heidi, I am still planning on reading KNOCK ME FOR A LOOP. After the Hummer and the dog, I can’t wait to read it. LOL
You are right that everyone has their personal likes and dislikes. I can even understand what you mean about Jenna and Gage even though I don’t see it the same way.