The Boy Next Door

by Ella James

[Eve1972]

This cover is OK. It is pretty generic and not really how I pictured the hero. The composition is good though. I would have moved the title a little more to the left, but otherwise, it is fine.

I don't really have a lot to say about this one. It was just OK for me. My FIL passed away Monday so I wasn't in the chiperest of moods to begin with, and this one sounded like it would be a cute lighthearted read. It was NOT.

The writing was fine. It was nicely paced. I just didn't connect with either of the main characters or the plot overall. They had ZERO chemistry IMO. Amelia was a doormat and Dash was just depressing and weak. Good Lord was this guy weak. The entire book was the heroine going for it and propping up this sad sack of hero, AND the heroine STILL came off as a doormat, so that gives you some idea how weak this hero was (IMO). In fact, the entire book depressed me. There was never any lighthearted moments between these two.



Not to mention we have this HUGE secret of Dash's hanging over the entire book and when it FINALLY comes out WAY too late in the book, it turns out to be a pretty heavy and vomit inducing secret. I guess I was supposed to feel sorry for him. Like he got taken advantage of. I didn't. I felt he was old enough to know right from wrong and the excuses didn't fly with me. Since we don't find out what it is until so late into the book the aftermath is swept under the rug, and doormat Amy just gets over it lickdy split. I don't have much else to say. Like I said it was just OK.