How do I put this nicely? Sometimes I wonder how some readers can add 2 + 2 and not come up with 4? I'm reading a book and really enjoying it - probably more on that later. But as I often do, when reading a book by an author where I don't have many of her backlist, I'll do a bit of investigating to see what else she has. I was on Amazon last night (while at my sisters since I had no hydro but that too is another story) checking out this particular author's books when I came across this interesting dichotomy.
Check out the book on the left. What kind of book do you think this might be? Check out the title of the book. What kind of book do you think this might be?
Check out the product description.
Her sexy letters are his only lifeline in his dangerous world…
Successful computer software engineer Eve Carmichael melts under yet another hotter than hot letter written by Reserve army soldier Sean O’Callahan. Yet Eve can’t take the thought of his life in danger overseas, and she resolves to get a sex life—and a life period. That means forgetting Sean before anything bad can happen to him. To celebrate her thirty-fifth birthday, Eve plans a trip to Male Call, a male review club. Still, she worries about Sean. She hasn’t received a letter from him in too many weeks. And oh, how she longs for those flirtatious, hot letters.
Sean finds Eve’s letters to be the only lifeline in his increasingly chaotic world. As their feelings grow hot and heavy, he can’t wait to return home and kindle that pure firepower.
When Eve receives a letter from Sean saying he’s been wounded, her fears are realized. But fate and a little mischievous planning by her friends will serve up the greatest surprise of all.
Warning: Contains explicit sex, some graphic language, and mild violence.
What kind of book do you think this might be?
I'm thinking it will be a book with - and I quote "explicit sex, some graphic language, and mild violence." Now check out what some 'reviewers' wrote about the book:
"One star because you can't give none and anyway it was free. Was expecting short romance, got bad porn. Didn't bother to finish it, but I'm sure I'm not missing anything."(first example of someone who tried to do a simple 2 + 2 and came up with 17 or something.) Here's another case of a 2 + 2 = 7
"I have gotten some good books for free for my Kindle so I decided it would be good to try Male Call. I am sad to say I am very disappointed. It is extremely smutty and the use of fowl language is horrible. I believe the author didn't spend enough time on creating a history for the characters and you are just thrown into what feels like the middle of a book. This book is so short, I read it on my lunch hour start to finish (after skipping about what felt like 20 pages of smut) Not good... But I guess if you like smut, this would be a good read"And one more where I think 2 + 2 = 33 or something.
"pure and complete trash. I dont mean that in a good way. Even for free this book is a bad value."
What were these readers expecting???? It couldn't be more clear. This is a book that has sex scenes and some swearing . It's going to have a high level of steam. The cover tells you that. The title tells you that. The product description tells you that. So how clueless can these "reviewers" be? 2 + 2 = 4. It's that simple. I get that some readers can be offended when there is some or a lot of sex in a book. That is their preference and their right to read that kind. Heck, when I first started reading romance again, I only read kisses only books and didn't want to read anything stronger. And with that in mind, at the time I wouldn't have bought the book with all the warnings and then been shocked when there was heat.
Get a clue you "reviewers" who are shocked when a book has a naked chest, a provocative description and a racy title. I find you annoying. And yes, in case your wondering, the book I'm reading is by Denise Agnew. I'm loving it and I've loved the previous two books I've read of hers. And yes, I bought Male Call as well as another book by her. And yes, I am expecting it to be steamy.
And yep, I've had a few days which have helped give me a case of the crankies
8 comments:
I'm only surprised it's not m/m. ;-) -- willaful
Probably didn't bother to read it through and then blame the author etc instead of themselves. Also, a half naked guy on the cover should have you reading just how much "graphic" their is. Romances of the more "gentler" kind usually have scenery pictures on their covers or fully dressed covers.
Fowl language indeed! Sexy times are one thing, but when they bring the innocent chickens in...
Seriously, I agree. These kinds of criticisms are so unfair.
I tend to go on and on about people's sense of entitlement, but this is a prime example. These readers feel entitled to get whatever they want without checking first what they are actually grabbing, and then it's not "whoa, this is not what I expected!" but "this is crap and it's all YOUR fault!"
This kind of thing drives me bat-shit crazy, especially when it comes from genre fiction readers who should know better. Honestly? In the modern history of all genre fiction, publishers have constantly used visual and descriptive cues to clue readers in. I want a cozy mystery with little to no violence? Yeah, I'm not picking up the book with a bloody knife on the cover and mention of a serial killer in the blurb. I'm going for the book that has a pie on the cover with a steamy skull and crossbones hovering over it. Or a cutesy cat playing with a ball of yarn.
I mean, like get a clue already.
Geez, some people.
Willful, that would have REALLY shocked them wouldn't it? *chuckle*.
Farmwifetwo, exactly. There was more than a hint that this book contains 'content of a sexual nature' :-). As you say, starting with the cover. How some could not figure that out astounds me.
Jessica, Yes!!! THINK OF THE CHICKENS. And how they got dragged into this. Obviously that one person is equally equally ignorant of what homonyms are. And they are being very unfair to the author.
AL, I think they are mostly showing their own stupidity. It's like they look at a chicken, buy a chicken that says chicken on the package, cook it and then complain because it doesn't taste like steak. And again those poor fowl.
Wendy, I think one of the things that drives me really bat shit crazy is these people who complain when the chicken doesn't taste like steak then go on Amazon and give the book one star which drags the bar down. It's very wrong and very unfair to the author that people who can't figure out the most basic thing do this.
LOL, I'm with Willful, was surprised it wasn't m/m :)
See, what happened is that they got it for free. Greedy people!
Nath - and without paying any attention, scooped it up and then gave it 1 star on Amazon. That's just wrong!! I see lots of free books for the Kindle and I read some of the reviews more for the storyline, check out what it's about and then decide whether to go for it or not. There are a lot more that I don't go for because.....I Know that 2+2=4!!
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