“Fate might hate me, but that doesn't stop me from hoping one day she forgets about her favorite chew toy. When that day comes I hope karma has some fun with that bitch fate” ― Harper Sloan, AxelIn theory Axel was everything I look for in a novel. It had the requisite drama, alpha males, and dash of sexy. However, above all, I must be drawn to the book and I could tell within the first few pages that I was not. I literally had to force myself to keep reading and even then I skipped through the majority.The storyline seemed interesting enough. Second-chance love involving the lovely, down-and-out Izzy who'd been the target of domestic violence and her once-upon-a-time boyfriend, Axel. (Who she thought was killed in action, but turns out- not so much.)The author spends the majority of the novel telling me what's happening and this I just can't get over. The over the top description - which normally works for me, for the most part (i.e. Kristen Ashley), but so didn't with Axel because the voice was so stunted. The characters were two dimensional and flat for me. I couldn't connect with them. The dialogue felt forced and NO ONE throws that many "fucking"'s and "pussy"'s and "damn"'s in regular conversation, even if they are a badass marine. I've been around wayyy too many soldiers and they cuss (way more than their mama's should allow) but it was just excessive to a point where I kept rolling my eyes.The heroine grated my ever loving nerves with all of her whining. Yes she had some rough times, but by god man up, woman! We get it! Get over it!“I still love him. This man that I have thought was forever lost to me. If I am completely honest with myself, I never stopped loving him. But, all this knowledge shouldn’t scare me. The teenage love we shared over a decade ago has grown with such a power that it will kill me if I lose it again.” ― Harper Sloan, AxelAND she spends the first half of the book ranting about Axel and how he did her wrong and the next thing you know, their dry humping each other on a wall and she ends up pregnant. (Though obviously not from the dry humping.) I never once was given any clue as to what, exactly, she loved about him, other than the fact that she just did. Okay? Uhhh-.I just couldn't break down and like this book, no matter how many half naked former Marines the author tried to distract me with.Visit my blog for more reviews and recommendations!Join the Miss Construed Review's Facebook community!
 - Harper Sloan)
