"Rise From Slumber"

★★

Ouch!

This is the sappy, love-at-first sight romance novel on steroids. Everything over-the-top. ​

​The characters were shallow and ridiculous, the plot barely tolerable. The only reason for the two stars instead of one: the writing mechanics were well done and the dialogue was believable at times. Not all of the time, but some of the time. The Kindle formatting was messed up in places also.

​Anyway--characters. The Dad, Matthew, acts more like his daughter's boyfriend than a dad; and she talks to him along the same vein. Even Gina, the friend, calls the dad by his first name. I couldn't quite sort the relationship/friendship with Gina because the chapters were abrupt, tending to conclude before anything of substance happened. It was extraordinarily rushed, scene after scene.

​Then there's Lucas, who is in EVERY romance novel, but with little substance. Karleen, the main protagonist, appeared flighty and ridiculous. Her character was written as if the author has ADHD and transferred that to her main character.

Here's the thing though -- this ISN'T supposed to be a typical romance. It's meant to be a Paranormal Romance. And there are elements of the paranormal. Karleen falls inexplicably ill and Lucas starts getting hurled about a room, also inexplicably. So--now we have a ridiculous over-the-top romantic element and an equally cliché over-the-top paranormal experience.

​For me, this was a yawnfest.