May's Book of the Month Discussion with Megan, Dara, Kenya, & Alicia

Every month Fantasy Floozies get together with authors Megan Martin and D.T.Dyllin to discuss the Book of the Month.

This month is the Contemporary Erotic Romance DIRTY by Megan Hart

Book Summary:

This is what happened…

I met him at the candy store.

He turned and smiled at me and I was surprised enough to smile back. This was not a children’s candy store, mind you–this was the kind of place you went to buy expensive imported chocolate truffles for your boss’s wife because you felt guilty for having sex with him when you were both at a conference in Milwaukee.

Hypothetically speaking, of course.






Our Favorite Lines


Megan D. Martin

"He didn’t approach me, made no move to touch me, not an awkward social half hug nor a handshake, and I found myself both grateful and disappointed." Is mine. I love how real Hart made her emotions.



Dara Dyllin

I'm a fan of all the American Psycho references... not really a favorite line... but yeah.... lol

Kenya Wright

"...his voice and laugh, the slow deep honey of it that made me want to lean against him and rub myself on him the way cats do, purring." 

Alicia W.B.
Okay got one: On another man the comment would have come off smarmy, earned a roll of the eyes and an automatic addition to the "not with James Dean's prick" file. 

James Dean

Kenya Wright

lmao@ james dean's prick file!!!

Alicia W.B.

And now I'm going to Google James Dean because I don't know what he looks like and he'd better be hot based on that line

Megan D. Martin

omgh you don't? He is beautiful!

       

Dara Dyllin

Really?? You don't know what James Dean looks like??

                

Alicia W.B.

He's a-ight 

What did we think about the HERO and HEROINE? 

Dara Dyllin

The Hero reminds me of my Hubs... super patient with a woman with issues. LMAO

How's that for TMI for you Kenya?! hehe

Alicia W.B.

Even though I figured out the heroine's story pretty early on, I thought it was one of the more shocking heroine backstories I've come across

Megan D. Martin

I liked Dan A LOT. I thought he seemed like a good guy, but I found that Elle drove me crazy about halfway through the book. She drove me crazy. I was only able to forgive her craziness once I realized what was going on with her past.

Alicia W.B.

And yes, Dan was super patient. I liked him a lot. And he had that great quirk about wanting to have sex in public--which made him avoid being too much of a "good boy"

Megan D. Martin

LOL @ Dara. @ Alicia, I found it to be one of the most shocking as well. I think it had a lot to do with the way Hart presented it. The way she described her feelings. It made it all very real.

Kenya Wright

I pretty much agree with you all.

I loved how the Heroine changed throughout the book.

Remember the room she kept painting

and how that room changed with her personality

loved!

Alicia W.B.

Oh yeah, that was great how the room reflected what she was feeling

Kenya Wright

yes. I'm stealing that for my books

Alicia W.B.

I loved that too. Kudos to the author. Well done.

Kenya Wright

objects are going to change with my characters!

Dara Dyllin

Thumbs up on that from me as well. 

Any things we didn't like about the book? 

Dara Dyllin

Honestly, I got bored at about 20% in and had to make myself finish the book. Hear me out before I get boo-ed...

Alicia W.B.

I won't boo you. There were big blocks of telling and summary toward the beginning.

Kenya Wright

Yes. There were major slow points throughout the book especially during that 20%

"I thought of him here. I thought of him there. I thought of him while I took a shit."

Alicia W.B.

Stuff like: "I thought about him a lot over the next couple weeks. I thought about him while..."

Yes!

Agreed...

Dara Dyllin

The writing was good, the concept good... but I wasn't consumed like I prefer.

Megan D. Martin

Yes, I agree with you Dara. It was the end that saved the book for me. The last 25%.

Kenya Wright

(Dara is only consumed when the heroine is beating the crap out of women and sleeping with all of their boyfriends while the bloody women lay on the ground watching.)

Dara Dyllin

Whatever Kenya! LMAO!

               

Megan D. Martin

LOL then she should have loved the hero in Flirting with Chaos ;)

Alicia W.B.

In general, I tend to think that contemp romance has more internal monologue than other genres I read--which frustrates me just about every time I read contemp romance. But I didn't find it to be more so in this book than in others.

But the summarizing weeks passing and that "thought of him" stuff was too much telling.

Megan D. Martin

There were times where I felt the author was keeping us at an arms length from the character. Where we were kind of detached

Dara Dyllin

@ Megan... That seemed like it was done on purpose because the character keeps everyone at arms length. But then it also kept the reader detached and didn't serve the novel well over all.

Kenya Wright

awww good point @ Dara 

(An angel dies every time Dara makes a good point)

(I'm just saying)

Dara Dyllin

That's why they're dying left and right apparently. ;)

Megan D. Martin

Wait, I didn't die. Are you sure? ;) 

Dara Dyllin

@ Alicia I like internal monologue and I'm not sure what it was about this book that didn't suck me in.

Kenya Wright

I think Dirty is definitely not your typical contemp Erotic romance. It came off more literary.

Alicia W.B.

Wtf does "literary" even mean. Not once while I was reading did I think, "Oh this seems literary."

Kenya Wright

o that book was literary

i have created elements!

Alicia W.B.

oh gods

Kenya Wright

1- can stand the test of time

2- story has a significant theme that tells the person something about being human

i forgot the other ones

Alicia W.B..

Again, I see that in most contemp romance that I read

Kenya Wright

you've been reading the best ones dick head

while I trudge through the bad ones!!

and tell you not to read them

:-(  (my life is hard)

Alicia W.B.

Okay :P

Would you read more by this author? 

Alicia W.B.

I respected a lot about the book, so I think I'll like some her other stuff.

Kenya Wright

I definitely would. I browsed her other books and she writes some pretty dark erotic romances. That's my thing.

Megan D. Martin

I don't know. Maybe. I wouldn't read another book about Dan and Elle.

(there are more in their series right?)

Alicia W.B.

There's a follow-up novella

I think that's it for these characters

Dara Dyllin

@ Megan.. I agree I'm over those characters but I would read other books by Hart. :) 

What would you have changed about this book?

Kenya Wright

I would have taken out most of the dragging points. I'm an action junky. I like things to move along.

Megan D. Martin

Same for me @ Kenya. I would have added more action and excitement to the plot line

  

Alicia W.B.

I'd cut a lot of the summary nonsense. Can we say chapter break and time shift?

Dara Dyllin

I think the book was meant to be a character study. If that's not your thing then you're going to crave more action.

Some people really enjoy character studies with little action...

Kenya Wright

good point @ Dara (and another angel falls from heaven)

Alicia W.B.

So Megan and Kenya just don't "get it" then? Is that what you're saying?

Megan D. Martin

Wahhh can't there be both? @ Dara

Alicia W.B.

I actually disagree.

Kenya Wright

(shocker)

Alicia W.B.

A book can be a character study and still avoid dragging.

 Megan D. Martin

LOLOLOL

Alicia W.B.

Kenya read all of Name of the Wind and Wise Man's Fear despite their being slow, because they were engaging

Kenya Wright

this is true but I found it dragging a whole lot

Dara Dyllin

I think there can be a balance with a book being a character study and with action. I think the problem, like I previously stated, was the distance between Elle and the reader.

Kenya Wright

I only read it to steal his writing style.

Alicia W.B.

SHUT UP WHEN I'M MAKING A POINT!

Kenya Wright

lol! go on time out Alicia!

Alicia W.B.

:'(

Dara Dyllin

Go ahead and make your point Alicia. :)

Kenya Wright

5 minutes in the corner. Keep it up, and no TV tonight.

Alicia W.B.

Oh, I finished already. It wasn't all that significant.

Dara Dyllin

I'm playing good cop. ;)

Megan D. Martin

I am just observing lol

Kenya Wright

(When Dara plays good cop, portions of heaven whither away.)

Alicia W.B.

Thank you, Dara. I'm taking you off my isht list for the rest of the week.

Megan D. Martin

@ Alicia are you pouting? ;)

Dara Dyllin

@ Kenya... that part might be true. :p 

Last question: How many stars do we give the book?

Alicia W.B.

Megan D. Martin

Kenya Wright

Dara Dyllin

I don't like to rate other author's book publicly. I know, I suck. :p

Kenya Wright

:-(

Alicia W.B.

That's cool. (I knew you'd say that.)

Kenya Wright

you suck Dara!