Thursday, April 29, 2021

Review: "Man Eater" by January James

It's been a while. Life got in the way and family has kept me occupied over the last few years, so I've rarely had time for myself to review anything, let alone actually read anything.

Luckily, over the past few months, I've gotten quite accustomed to listening to audiobooks, and they have become my new favourite past-time. I just wish I didn't go through them so quickly, because those Audible credits get used up quite fast.

I'll hopefully create another post about my "Return to Reading" journey at some point in the near future, but for now, this post was created to review a book that I actually read (and not listened to) recently. I have actually previously published this review last night via Goodreads, so I am simply just copying it to my blog.

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Clicking the image will take you to its Goodreads page.

Quinn

I was a child prodigy.
Graduated two years early. Founded my media company at sixteen. Billionaire at twenty-five.
No-one could stop me. Not even my arch-enemy, who tried everything in his power to bring me down. I was heading for global domination.
Until I met her.
I was mesmerised. I was obsessed. I needed her like I needed the earth beneath my feet. As my life and business fell apart, piece by piece, she held me and made me forget it all. And then she was gone.
I was a child prodigy.
I knew the answer to every question.
Except one.
Who is Jade Bardot?

--

Jade

I had no idea who Quinn Sullivan was. That should have made it easier.
I was supposed to ruin him.
My aim was to uncover his secrets, unveil his weaknesses, unearth his flaws.
My task was to rip his world apart.
My weapon was seduction.
They all see beauty, but the beast is in my heart.
I was supposed to ruin him.
But what I did was so much worse.

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"Man Eater" by January James

5 out of 5

First off, as a mother of a rambunctious toddler, I was quite surprised at how fast I was able to get through this book! I actually forced myself to stay awake to keep reading because I was so entranced by the storyline and I couldn’t put it down. It was as if I needed to know what happened next, and I needed to know it by yesterday.

January spent a lot of time at the beginning building on character development for both Jade and Quinn, and it was so beneficial to the plot as readers are literally able to witness how both of the characters transform as soon as they meet. Jade is a firecracker of a woman with an enigmatic interior and I love just how strong-minded she is. January James mentioned that this book is the first in the series called “Femme Fèroces” and Jade is truly a representation of a fierce woman. Describing Quinn is a tad more difficult, as he definitely is not the man I assumed him to be. A lot of his character development is a result of meeting Jade and their interactions, but it was refreshing to read a book where both the male and female protagonists have an equal share in the “Alpha” role.

The relationship between Jade and Quinn is an interesting one. As a reader, we are given so much information that neither of them are privy to as characters, and every interaction between the two of them creates a sense of tension that enhances the plot line. As much as I appreciate the physical relationship between Jade and Quinn, I feel like a little more emphasis on emotional intimacy would have given more depth to their relationship. With that being said, it is understandable why the physical connection overpowers the emotional connection, simply because of who both Jade and Quinn are as characters and once you read it you will understand as well.

Without giving away anything, the ending was predictable (as are most romances), however, it was the plot that did me in. I was so intrigued with the way the storyline progressed and appreciated the twists and turns that kept me reworking through my theories up until the very end. I enjoyed the originality of the storyline as it wasn’t your typical “boy meets girl; they fall in love” kind of romance. Also, I definitely did NOT see that coming. I had many theories about how it would come together at the end, and despite working them over and over with all the twists, I am impressed with how none of them fit the bill.

I would definitely recommend reading “Man Eater” if you’re looking for a dramatic romance with a hint of suspense and mystery. January’s writing is so descriptive that it literally inserts you into the book yourself. Her attention to even the tiniest of details is what captured my attention at first, but it was how she riskily, yet confidently, approached those details that kept me reading.

Personally, this is the first book by January James that I have ever read, as she reached out via social media to offer a copy of “Man Eater” in exchange for an honest review, but I can definitely say it will not be the last of hers that I read. Colour me curious.

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If you're interested in reading "Man Eater", you can find out more information about it via January's website, or her Instagram page. You can also purchase it via the following links:

Amazon CAN (Kindle Edition)
Amazon US (Kindle Edition)

Thanks for reading! Let me know if there is anything you'd like me to post, change, talk about, etc!

Much love!

-BB♡