Tumble Into Love by J.H. Croix

Category: Contemporary Romance 
Publication date: 09/24/2015
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Cliffhanger: I dunno
Heat Level: I dunno

Another instance of a USA Today bestseller that just doesn’t work for me. Like, on any level.

via GIPHY

Plot overview: Darren pulls Risa from her car after she wrecks it, and it turns out he’s her brother’s friend. She’s one of those “I’ve been betrayed so I only want a fling” types; he’s one of those “I usually only do casual but she’s so super special I can’t fight this thing between us” types. Cliche land, in other words.

At 6% of this story, after Darren has pulled Risa out of her car and says he’ll take her to her brother’s house, he pulls the car over on a deserted stretch of road says he just HAS to kiss her. They’ve only just met, and she is quite probably concussed after the accident. I had to go back at that point and check to make sure I hadn’t inadvertently downloaded a romantic suspense novel, because I’m pretty sure I’ve seen that EXACT storyline on Criminal Minds a time or two, and I can’t remember it ever working out in the heroine’s favor. But no, it’s not a romantic suspense. It’s just a totally unbelieveable amount of weird instalust.  

Now, I don’t normally mind instalust, but pulling the car over because you just HAVE to kiss a woman who was just in a car wreck? A woman you JUST met? Are you INSANE, Darren? This makes you look like a crazy sicko stalker or something! 

But Risa isn’t as paranoid as I am, I guess, because she was totally into the kiss. I guess I’m supposed to think, “aw, aren’t they sweet? Isn’t it hot that they’re so attracted to each other at first sight?” That’s not what I think, though. Not at all. I think it seems like everything is moving strangely fast for Darren and Risa for no good reason, and that even if the cop who pulled me from a car accident was the second coming of Hugh Jackman, I would probably still think he was going to kill me when he pulled the car over and insisted on kissing me. It was so strange to me that I couldn’t get past it, y’all. I DNF’d. I DNF’d with extreme prejudice, and I haven’t looked back since.

via GIPHY

Does this book contribute to or help crush the romance stigma?
Contributes mightily.

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