Under Locke

5.00 for the AB / 3.00 generous stars for the story, and it's all Iris' faultSo how long was this book? The audio says 16hrs. and the ebook say 486 pg. but to me it felt like this went on weeks, months, years, eons??? I dunno. IT. WAS. ETERNAL. I liked [b:Kulti 24044596 Kulti Mariana Zapata https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1419402858s/24044596.jpg 43644221] and [b:The Wall of Winnipeg and Me 29367958 The Wall of Winnipeg and Me Mariana Zapata https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1456774327s/29367958.jpg 48358625], they're long and slow-burn, but H and h are people with rich, even if pedestrian, lives. People who, even when their being a**holes, have logical reasons for acting as they do, and the long stretch that it takes for the H/h to get together is logical and makes, the ultimate HEA, well earned & satisfying. In this case I can't say the same and the main reason is Iris Taylor. This girl! Ugh! She was exhausting! And the arc of her story, which only covered 3 months, felt like a lifetime. I think part of the problem might be that this is an earlier book from [a:Mariana Zapata 5760202 Mariana Zapata https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1330380214p2/5760202.jpg]. [b:Lingus 13500758 Lingus Mariana Zapata https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1330240154s/13500758.jpg 19047610] also didn't work for me, and for similar reasons. The male characters, despite being (sanitized versions) of MCs, which are not my preference in books or in RL, are at least logical in their actions and ultimately likable. I can't say the same thing for Iris. That girl tried my patience. On the one hand she was this virginal, but capable, long suffering, good girl. On the other hand she's a bit of a damsel in distress, which I don't mind, but also pretty quick to slut shame other girls, calling them whores, for flirting with her man or having once slept with him, a 30-something, ex-con, tattoo parlor owning, MC member. Shocker, right? I would've thought he had spent his time until he met Iris, saying his prayers. I feel bad disliking Iris, because she has a sadz backstory, however that is not a pass for being judgy and old-time Regency novel clueless. She gets better, but it was trying. Also, besides Dex's mother, Iris was the only likable or good woman on page. How convenient. All, and I mean ALL, of the men orbited around her. Perfect, angelic, good girl Iris. Ultimately [a:Callie Dalton 7438028 Callie Dalton https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1541784504p2/7438028.jpg] got me through this (I weirdly love her voice for men) and [a:Mariana Zapata 5760202 Mariana Zapata https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1330380214p2/5760202.jpg]'s signature humor is still present, but maybe this was a story that could've been novella length. Just a thought.