I got a request for a review this
week, and I was super excited. I love
reviewing novels! Thank you Alexis Rae
Hudson for reaching out to me to ask for a review. I am
greatly disappointed to say that I cannot say that I enjoyed the book. However, I would like to make a disclaimer
and remind everyone that these are my opinions only. While I may not have enjoyed the book, others
might- so take what I say with a grain of salt.
But my duty as a reviewer is to review them honestly- and so I shall.
I loved the front cover. Gray and mysterious. And it gave clear indication of the type of
book I was getting into. Erotica. Bring it on.
While the erotic parts were steamy,
they were, unfortunately the only part of the book I didn’t want to rip into
with my editor’s pen.
Length. The first thing that really struck me was the
pacing. We were flung from scene to scene
too quickly, not given a chance to really delve into the characters, get to
know them, empathize with them.
The two first characters: Skylar and
her father Carter. Skylar refers to
Carter throughout the book as ‘Carter’.
I thought at first their relationship must not be fantastic, thus giving
us a reason for why she wouldn’t call him Dad, but later she calls him terrific…so
I was at a loss. These kind of
unexplained discrepancies drive me nuts because I can’t stop thinking of the
WHY. There must be a reason- but I
cannot figure out what that reason is.
Skylar is described as the “girl
next door” look, and later we find out that her hips and breasts have filled
out from working out (um- not possible btw) and her legs are muscular from her
stripper training. Other than these
details we don’t really see Skylar.
I know I sometimes expect too much
from erotica. Some people are of a mind
that it should not be realistic-, I call this fluff erotica. If you can manage to not question the
unbelievable parts- very enjoyable. Skylar
goes into an establishment looking for work- but they only have jobs for
strippers. He has every type of exotic woman
except the normal looking one- so obviously he just HAS to have her?
Right. He then begins to talk her into taking the job. In great detail. Maybe because I have never tried to get a job
as a stripper, but I cannot imagine someone wanting the “normal girl” look so
bad that he has to basically beg her to agree to be hired. Sir, there are many, many normal girls that
could be molded and taught how to strip.
Why does it HAVE to be her?
That being said, I was really
looking forward to seeing Skylar’s journey from “good girl” to knowledgeable
stripper. Her trials, the pain and
bruises, fittings, learning how things work, how to approach clients. All of that.
I took a pole dancing class once for research- no lie, writing
research. That shit is HARD. My thighs were black and purple for two weeks
following. I really wanted to go there
with Skylar. Sadly, this part was
skipped over.
And then she meets THE ONE. By falling over him, which was fun. But then they go all “I want you”” I need you”. *sigh*
Am I the only one who finds getting to know someone sexy? That is the best part of an erotic
novel! The tension before the
resolution. Anyway. Literally she falls over him, he asks if she
is okay, and then BAM- “ lets sex”. Also
she is a virgin…and she initiates the sex with a blow job. Which she of
course knows how to give….perfectly. And she swallows. This might
all be believable if we saw her grow from girl next door virgin to strong,
sexual stripper…but we didn’t. But then
the actual act itself was much more believable.
Hudson does a good job capturing the delicate balance between the
wanting and not knowing what to do. The
sex kind of gets away from Skylar and before she knows what’s what, it’s
over. Erase that bj and this scene was a
thumbs up!
I won’t go into any more detail
about the rest of the story in case I throw out any spoilers.
Main Street could greatly have been
improved with the help of an editor for overall discrepancies, plot holes, and
grammar. I found several misspellings
(after two and a half years as a copywriter…I can’t NOT see them). And the commas. *sigh* One of my initial notes as I was
reading was, “Oh god…the commas.” I don’t
think I have anything further to say on that.
But yes, an editor would have helped.
Greatly.
I give Main Street, sadly, one
star. Although I did not enjoy this
book, if you like fluff erotica, give Main Street a try- let me know what you
think.