Let Me by Cecy Robson

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

Publication date: 04/19/2016
Kindle Unlimited: No
Cliffhanger: No

I’ll admit right up front to being a big fan of this author. Her Weird Girls series is one of my all-time favorites in paranormal romance. And I’ve read all the other books in the O’Brien family series and loved them. So, it should come as no surprise that I enjoyed this book as well. Here’s the stuff that worked for me: 

• Sol is Latina. I think there is a staggering lack of representation of non-caucasian heroes and heroines in romance today. Sol was smart and tough and caring and everything a reader could want from a romance heroine AND she wasn’t white. (Take note of that, publishers who say characters who aren’t white “don’t sell.”) ​

• Both Sol and Finn have some pretty horrific emotional damage to overcome, but the details of all that horrific emotional damage were somewhat muted, so I didn’t feel traumatized by the read. (Just so y’all can’t say I didn’t warn you, this book includes discussions of past child abuse, suicide, mental illness, and violence. Child abuse is a hard limit for me, and even I didn’t feel triggered by this one. It was handled well, and no gory details were given. I REALLY appreciated that.)
• I enjoyed seeing little glimpses of the rest of the O’Brien family, but their presence never overpowered Sol and Finn’s story. And this book stands nicely on its own. If you haven’t read the rest of the series, you could pick this one up and not feel like you were missing crucial parts of the story.
• The angst level was just right. It was angsty, but not so angsty that I felt exhausted after reading it. (I can’t really handle high levels of angst. I’m too old and grumpy for that.)  
• MMA-fighting heroes are hot. That is all.  

So, Romance Rehab, you’re probably saying, if you liked the book so much, why not give it a 5-star rating instead of 4? Well, the only thing that didn’t really work for me was how easily the couple’s problems were solved by love. It seemed like all that emotional damage was overcome by this couple falling in love. Yes, Finn went to a few court-mandated therapy sessions that probably helped, but it was ultimately Sol who “saved him” from his destructive behavior. I kind of felt like if she ever left him, he’d instantly revert back to his old ways. I would’ve enjoyed it more if Finn had figured out how to “fix” himself (maybe with the help of his fantastic family) and not used Sol as glue to hold himself together.  

But, minor quibble aside, this is a great addition to the O’Brien family series, and this author remains one of my favorites. It’s a rare author who can bounce back and forth from paranormal to contemporary, and I admire the hell out of her for being able to pull it off so flawlessly.

Does this book contribute to or help crush the romance stigma?
It’s clean and sober. No rehab needed.

Other reading suggestions
Definitely check out the author’s backlist. And for more sexy, fighter heroes, check out this “best of” list.

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