Payback by Amy Daws

Category: Romantic Comedy
Publication date: 05/16/2019
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Cliffhanger: I dunno

This one made me mad, folks. Why? Because it’s a well-written, funny book with a hot, hot, HOT hero that seems like a genuinely, hard-working, nice guy, and the heroine is...a complete twatwaffle that I hated with the fire of a thousand suns.

Plot overview: Allie seeks to get revenge on her cheating ex by filming herself having a hot one-night stand with football star Roan. A sex tape scandel ensues.

The plot was right there in the blurb, and I should have read it before downloading. But I usually really like this author, and I downloaded without question.

via GIPHY

My problems with this entire plot, and Allie as a character, are two-fold:

1. You SERIOUSLY thought the best way to get even with a cheating ex was to film yourself having a one-night stand with a hot stranger? That’s REALLY the best you can come up with? Not only is that an irresponsible and completely immature plan, but it never occured to you that if you sent a sex tape to a dude who has proven himself to be a lying, deceitful jackass that he—or the chick he cheated on you with—might do something bad with said sex tape? Like maybe distribute it?  You’re an idiot, Allie. 
2. Let’s assume for the sake of argument that it had been Roan who filmed himself having sex with Allie without her permission. That would be gross and unforgivable and we’d want him strung up by the balls, wouldn’t we, ladies? It’s an unconscionable violation of trust! So, why should we root for a heroine who did that VERY thing to a man? I don’t believe in double standards, and Allie doesn’t deserve a happily ever after with Roan after what she did to him. She could’ve ruined his career—his LIFE—by distributing that film (accident or not), and for what? A stupid, half-baked revenge plot against a dude who shouldn’t even matter to Allie anymore? It’s disgusting and it made me hate Allie as a character WAY too much to be able to read more of her story. She doesn’t deserve Roan. 

 
So, I DNFd with extreme prejudice. It won’t stop me from reading the author’s work going forward, because like I said, I’ve enjoyed her other books. But this one was a big ole NOPE for me. Allie can eff all the way off.  

Does this book contribute to or help crush the romance stigma?
It’s not stigma-y. No rehab needed. But the heroine’s morals are seriously lacking.

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