For more of my reviews, visit my blog As the Book Ends .I received an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
My best friend has this saying anytime we go out to eat and the food didn’t completely knock our socks off, but wasn’t inedible, he looks up at me and says, “It’ll make a turd.” Certainly an inelegant way of putting things, but it makes sense. I feel much the same way about “Ain’t He Precious.” It didn’t blow me away, but it wasn’t bad either. It can be easily compared to food that isn’t awful, but is just…edible.
The romance between Trixie and Ry was adorable. However, there was no angst, no real longing or pining. After a day in the same town, they just sort of rip each other’s clothes off and that’s that. For me, this was the biggest let down. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I love angst, tension and fighting; the build-up is what makes things so amazing when a couple finally comes together. Not only was the romance too easy for my tastes, the sex scenes were almost non-existent–instead of writing about their intimate moments, Poe cuts the scene off right before getting to the good stuff.
I also didn’t completely understand the need for the narration by Pap. At the beginning, middle and end, there was a chapter written from his perspective. While I did like him as a secondary character, these short chapters just seemed unnecessary, and I honestly wanted to just skip them.
Dislikes aside, “Ain’t He Precious” was a light and easy read that managed to bring a few smiles to my face. Of course, this should come as no surprise considering Juliette Poe is actually New York Times Bestselling Author Sawyer Bennett. The woman knows how to write a romance. As this is the first book in this series, I can only hope that it improves in time. Bennett is certainly a talented author and has actually set up a clear sequel that I am interested in reading.
My Takeaway: While not a life-changing book, “Ain’t He Precious” is a short, sweet romance that will manage to put a smile or two on your face. Although I did find it a bit flawed, I have high hopes for the series moving forward.
My Rating: 3 Stars
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