Don't Rush Me (Nora Jacobs) Paperback – February 6, 2018

RE-RE-READ NOTES:I loved this just as much the third time around. Maybe more. I absolutely love these characters and their interactions. And I thoroughly enjoy the world they inhabit and the storyline the authors have devised. I wasn’t even bothered by the several tropes, clichés and problems in DON'T RUSH ME.Ordinarily, I would be irritated at some of the silly decisions and plot points near the end of the book (see Read #3 Update Notes at the end of the review). I would be bemoaning yet another heroine with a tragic past full of horrid abuse, PTSD, and trigger issues. Even her trope-heavy abuse background doesn't bother me too much, because she doesn't wallow in it. She has risen above it and it is mostly a footnote mentioned in asides. And yes, I know Nora is a bit of a Mary Sue. But somehow, it really doesn't bother me in this series. I really like her character, and only find myself intensely curious to know more about her "gifts" and what she is that causes this crazy attraction.But somehow, NONE of that impacted my enjoyment of this particular book. It all just works for me. Hopefully it works for you too :)FIRST REVIEW:I loved this book! And now I am seriously hoping that this debut author (author team) doesn't take ages to release the sequel. (Edit: they didn’t, the sequel is now out!)I enjoyed it so much that it never made it to either my TBR or Currently Reading shelves. I picked it up on KU in the late evening and was so sucked in I stayed up most of the night, devouring it. I enjoyed it so much that, as soon as I finished, I went and bought it on Kindle for my permanent library. I then proceeded to turn around and read it all over again - something that I almost never do (granted, it is a fairly short read at only 268 pages). I have even added it to my "Picks" list - though it is a debut novel and I have no idea if this duo will be able to keep the story up through an entire series. But I enjoyed it that much.And what is most interesting is that I derived that much enjoyment and did all of the above *despite* numerous issues people (including me) would normally consider "problems" with a book. Maybe it was just the mood I was in - desperate for something new and different to dive into - and this fit the bill. Perhaps in another place and time the story's flaws would have caused a much more critical rating.Somehow, none of that mattered. For me, the whole was greater than the sum of its parts.In many ways, this first novel was like an extended prologue. I can see the next novel being the real starting point - Nora gets hired by the FUA and now becomes a part of the Underworld police force. Her talents are used to improve FUA case resolution and gradually strengthen the FUA's standing both with the Underworld and the Federal Government. Her confidence, PTSD, trauma improve along the way, and it provides her with the opportunity to learn about all aspects of the Underworld and its many races, and gradually uncover who and what she is and learn to harness it. And this all leads to the development of her various RH relationships (whatever the hell they may be - hell, perhaps we haven't even met many of the RH characters yet!).So maybe part of my enjoyment was my belief of where the story is headed? We shall see. If this is the direction the story is headed, count me in!Since any discussion I have of the specifics of the story is likely to stray into spoiler territory, I am going to tag it all as such. Read on at your own peril!Oh and please note... serious trigger warnings: lots of reference to abuse, rape, PTSD, mind rape, etc. Most of her background is alluded to without great detail, and much of what is detailed is more of the paranormal variety (i.e. mind rape), but you want to be avoid this one if the darker side of relationships offends.POSSIBLE SPOILERS:............This is a VERY slow burn RH. And by that, I mean so slow that there really isn't any romance apparent in the first novel at all. Hardly even the hint of it. And really, hardly even any characters that you think could be a potential part of a harem! Peculiar. And usually something that would turn me off. Though I love a slow burn, I at least want to feel/see all the potential harem members and watch the romance unfold. I want to be able to savor that slow burn.Here, we have a number of characters that just don't seem to fit the RH mold. In fact, the authors have taken pains to specifically rule them out as romantic interests! Huh?! And the few that are still in the running, I'm just not sure I like them as romantic leads so far. Hmmm. So, let's talk specifics...First, the couple potential RH members:Parker - Vampire. Security Chief for Henry's clan. Here is possibly the only clear-cut RH member. Nora is attracted to him, and he comes across as sexy. But somehow not just terribly alpha. Confident, yes. But he defers far too much to his master. Guess you could say he is beta, but somehow he seems a little weaker than even that. So, I am on the fence as to whether I will really be drawn to him. Not to mention that this weakness led to him allowing Nora to be essentially abused (see Henry below). Not a good start.Oliver - Sorcerer. He is clearly in love with Nora, so obviously there is a potential RH tie here, but he is just so...wimpy! And young. And wimpy. And sweet. And caring. And wimpy. *sigh* He will need a serious personality overhaul and confidence injection and real character growth to become harem-worthy. He's more like the sweet kid brother than Nora needs to build up and protect. Also not a good start.Now, the other male characters introduced thus far:Wulf - Werewolf. Sexy - check. Alpha - check. So far, so good. Attracted to Nora - uh, nope, not so far. Nora attracted to him - uh nope, not so far. In fact, not much in the way of character development here. He's a sexy cardboard cutout with potential.Nick - ? (I am guessing upper level demon or dragon?) He is sexy and Nora clearly thinks he is. He also thinks she is attractive. They have a nice, flirty, bantering relationship. Could easily develop into more. But the authors overtly downplayed that attraction and sent them into friend territory partway through the book. Uh oh. (And Gorgeous? Ugh, dumbest name ever! Keep calling him Nick, Nora) (Wait, Nick, Nora...anyone else keep thinking Thin Man as they read that??)Terrance - Troll. Nooooo! I love Terrance and was SO excited for him as part of the harem...and then the authors denied any mate bond and explicitly stated it was "clan only", making T a father or brother to Nora. *sigh* I understand the need for them to find a "safe haven" for Nora to live in, and that it would be tough for her to move in with anyone she thought was interested in her. But in that case, put her up in the Agency housing Nick mentioned, please! Or find some way to turn this into a mate thing down the road? The only possible way I can see him becoming a romantic lead is if he currently knows it is a mate bond but has buried that knowledge deep, knowing that Nora is in no place to accept it. And content to just be in her life in any way he can in the meanwhile. Caring for her enough to be content even if there is never more between them. If that is the case, and it really is a mate bond that everyone is hiding from Nora so that she doesn't freak out, then yes, Terrence could end up part of the harem. (and I hope so, because I LOVE his character!)Ren - Incubus. Cardboard cutout stereotype of a gay man. Very gay. So nope. Sweet though :)Henry - Vampire Master/Sire. A**hat extreme. Mind raper. Manipulative. Egotistical. Jacka**. Uses compulsion on her/force. Tries to kill her/turn her. Strikes her/abuse. Doesn't listen to a thing she says or wants. Selfish b*stard. Have I missed any of his nastiness? Clearly obsessed with Nora, but that isn't a very good basis for any relationship - even without all the aforementioned ugliness. So, totally torn here. Yes, it's clear that he is attracted to Nora (obsessed is more like). I can see it being possible for Henry to find redemption and learn to actually care for someone else more than himself. There were hints of that at the end of this first book that had me actually feeling sorry for him. But he would have a LONG way to go. And honestly, what he has done is awful enough I don't know if I'd be okay with Nora overlooking his actions and forgiving him enough to have him as part of her harem. Like I said, it would take a lot for him to be redeemed. Mostly I just want him to burn in hell right now. Perhaps it could be sold if it is an effect of Nora's "charm" that made him act outside his norm (something alluded to by Parker actually).But again, somehow all of those "issues" don't seem to matter! I still enjoyed all of the characters. I loved their interactions with Nora. I think the potential is there for this RH to great. But it would need some big changes by the authors.So, we just don't have the solid basis for a RH here... but somehow it doesn't matter! I kinda loved everyone's interactions with the spunky heroine. And there was a goodly amount of character development across several characters, despite the short length of this novel.Other potential issues:Nora's curse - Her "pull" on people definitely has the potential for a lot of "insta-love" scenarios as well as the potential for it to be difficult to tell whether someone really likes her for her, or is only attracted because of her curse. But I am not overly worried about this. Indeed, it has been set up by the authors as part of the central conflict. Nora not only avoids getting close to people because of her past abuse and PTSD, but also because she fears them only liking her because of her curse. There is even overt reference (with regards to her attraction to Parker) to not getting involved until she knows what causes the curse and can control it - to be sure he really does like her for herself. And Nora's issues become the brakes to the "insta-love", as well as providing a grounding reason for that insta-love to occur on the male's part. They also provide an opportunity to grow the relationship organically and let it develop more naturally.Speaking of Nora's issues, her extremely traumatic background makes it difficult to imagine her ever having a singular healthy relationship, much less finding healthy relationships with a whole harem. That's going to be a tough transition for the authors to make plausibly. They may have gone overboard with her background trauma and abuse.And yet... and yet...None of this mattered! I still found the story engrossing, the characters engaging, the mystery exciting, the pace thrilling. Let's see...can I throw any other superlatives in? LOL(And speaking of Nora's curse - I am guessing it is either some sort of magical ability and/or she is a siren or has some sort of succubus heritage, but one that doesn't use pheromones as with a normal succubus, instead uses magic as was implied when she intentionally attracted Elijah)Overall, the novel was well-written and decently edited - only a few spots here and there were there were typo/grammar errors that need correction.RE-RE-READ #3 UPDATE PROGRESS NOTES:88.0% "Really stupid chat to be having where Elijah or any of the brotherhood are likely to hear them. *sigh*"86.0% "GAH! Have him warn Parker too that they intend to take him! DOH"83.0% "No, no no NO! NOPE. Not going to look at Terrance as a parental figure. Just can't do it. He HAS to be a love interest, darnit!"83.0% "And here is one of the dumbest parts of the whole book. If she can't remember what happened and what Nick talked to her about, why the FUG wouldn't she call him and ask now, instead of just going off on her own? It's ridiculous! Especially since she knows Nick is supposed to be with her for anything she is doing on the case. Not even text/call Terrance as requested? GAH"74.0% "Hmmm... a ride on the back of a motorcycle dressed in a mid-thigh length dress that flares out from the hips does NOT sound like a good idea. Unless of course you want to be flashing the whole of Detroit."72.0% "I'm still not entirely sure why this convoluted scheme is necessary. Doesn't anyone think about trackers? Put one on Parker, let him be nabbed with a tracker on, and Voila!"44.0% "Yes. I know Nora is a bit of a Mary Sue. But somehow, it really doesn't bother me in this series. I really like her character, and only find myself intensely curious to know more about her "gifts" and what she is that causes this crazy attraction. Even her trope-heavy abuse background doesn't bother me too much, because she doesn't wallow in it. She has risen above it and it is mostly a footnote mentioned in asides."

I feel like the e-book store is becoming like many of my past relationships....a disappointment.Just a slog of half-hearted attempts to immerse a reader, with others trying to cash-in on popular ideas without any creativity. So after a long, long time of bypassing this series in my TBR list, I gave in after hours of searching yielded no potential reads.Of course, I regret waiting now....I'm only 75% through, but I wanted to write this before I forgot a few things....(thanks ADHD).Honestly, the summary is what kept me away. It did not do the story any favors. While it sounds promising, for those who love any vampire story, I've had enough dissappointing reads for every supernatural trope; so anything that sounds even slightly mundane, I avoid. But it's like the summary only covers a small percentage of what actually goes on within the story. There's so much more happening, that wasn't expressed in the summary, that I'm sure other readers bypassed it without realizing they missed a hidden gem.Without spoiling, it's like an adult-coming-of-age for a no-nonsense, strong, independent, & amusing female main character (FMC, going forward). She reminds me of how I'd imagined Calaena ("Throne of Glass" series FMC) when she started out learning to fight/defend herself. I've not encountered anything that turned me away from this FMC, which I'm thankful for. Everything she does & how she behaves is purposeful & fully adheres to her backstory thus far. And what a backstory it is! It feels like we've barely scratched the surface of who/what the FMC is & her capabilities.I knew going into this, that the series is a slow-burn RH. With my expectations set, I continue to be amazed at how the writing keeps you guessing, then second guessing, your answers for who will actually be in her harem! From 1 chapter to the next, options seem to change until you begin to question if you read the summary wrong, that stated this is a RH series lol. And I'm not even the slightest bit bothered by this. I'm fairly certain I know at least 1 male that will end up as her mate, but the others seem to be written with an openness that makes you question if it's foreshadowing or just coincidence. The confusion makes the story even better; because if it was written with clear evidence, I think most of the buildup enjoyment would flatten the feel of this storyline.--- Edit: FINAL THOUGHTS ---I just finished the book & I quite enjoyed the ending. No real CH per say & since the next few books are available, no real wait time lol.By the end, we gain some explanations, but no true answers on who her harem will be. I'm still enjoying this slow buildup, as I fully understand the psychological roadblocks Nora has is definitely a common result of her type of trauma. Because of recognizing the truth of how her behaviors are realistically represented, I don't mind the slowness of the romance side of this series. It actually works well this way & I doubt I'd enjoy it as much if she just changed so suddenly without any outside influence or positive, therapeutic male experiences guiding such a drastic change.We do get a few more clues about Nora, but nothing concrete is suggested about who/what she is (I have suspicions, but this story has already thwarted my initial beliefs enough to rely on anything being so obvious). Regardless of all the unanswered topics, I still truly enjoyed this book & fully believe it all played out as it should.Some reviewers complained about a certain "party scene" to gain info & why a vamp hasn't compelled the answers. Well, they must not understand the lore setup in this series or they may have realized, like I did, this was a logical step. See, compelling in this world works only in that moment; but as soon as it's over (as was also explained when another vamp said "compelling isn't perfect"), the person would realize they were compelled & the entire undercover aspect would be blown. Being able to interpret all potential consequences of any action is just logical. If that would of happened, the storyline would become inconsistent & lose reader trust.So while this book lacked any romantic or intimate scenes, again, this holds consistent with the FMC's background. In case anyone missed it, she has PTSD. That is not a quick fix nor would it be psychologically possible to make such a change in the short amount of time this book takes place (I'd say it was only a few week time span). The author made certain things realistic, so I changed my expectations; because this story has been wonderful without forcing a severe trauma survivor & PTSD sufferer to somehow overcome decades of abuse in a few weeks. I don't suffer from either, so it's only indignation against low, petty reviews for an actual wonderful storyline; especially when you take the time to appreciate the immersion created by having a touch of realism mixed with magical. 😊