Bad Romeo (Starcrossed, #1) by Leisa Rayven Series: Starcrossed #1
on December 23rd 2014
Pages: 417
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When Cassie Taylor met Ethan Holt at acting school, sparks flew. She was the good girl actress. He was the bad boy about campus. But one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing, Cassie and Ethan's romance seemed destined. Until he broke her heart and betrayed her trust. Now the A-list heartthrob is back in her life and turning her world around. One touch at a time.
Cast as romantic leads once again, they're forced to confront raw memories of the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their secret college affair. But they'll also discover that people who rub each other the wrong way often make the best sparks.
Reading this book was an exercise in frustration. Here’s the plot in a nutshell. A man is a prick, a woman is fixated on his dick, said man breaks said woman’s heart, and they wind up starring in a Broadway show opposite each other as lovers.
The beginning of Bad Romeo is actually quite strong. Perhaps it’s the fact that I was a theatre major in college, but I easily got sucked into the story of these young adults desperate to pursue their dreams and hone their craft. The depiction of the performing arts—the auditions, the acting exercises, the insecurities—rang 100% true. Add in two talented, intriguing characters involved in an antagonistic relationship, and I was one happy reader.
Unfortunately, things deteriorate quickly when Cassie begins to fall for Ethan. Despite the fact that he is a grade-A douche nozzle, she becomes completely obsessed with Ethan taking her virginity. Every diary entry and virtually every waking moment is focused on Ethan’s penis, her neglected vagina, or sex with Ethan. She acts like an insane woman, repeatedly pleading with him to make love to her. It’s pathetic, embarrassing, and eye roll worthy.
Just like every other college guy who has a gorgeous, kind and talented woman throwing herself at him and begging for sex, Ethan refuses (sure, whatever). He’s too “damaged” to have sex with her. He can’t even handle a civil, platonic relationship. No matter how poorly he treats her, Cassie is a willing doormat and she keeps coming back for more. Then there’s Ethan’s insistence on keeping his pseudo relationship with Cassie a secret, which made no sense to me at all. When the reasons for his dickish behavior are revealed, they are completely lame and a total letdown.
The flip-flopping between past and present is so disjointed it makes the storytelling ineffective and beyond frustrating. I was so over their relationship that I had little interest in the current animosity Cassie has towards Ethan or finding out how he broke her heart.
This book perfectly illustrates the weakness of many new adult novels. There’s just way too much melodrama, and at my age I ain’t got time for that.
Bad Romeo ends on a cliffhanger, but needless to say I won’t be hurrying to buy the next book.
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