Review: Misdemeanor by C.F. White (Responsible Adult #1)

Note: This ARC was provided by Pride Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

I often find it difficult to put into words how a book I love has affected me, but it's also equally difficult to find the right words to express why a book doesn't quite work for me. Unfortunately, in the case of Misdemeanor, the first in the Responsible Adult series from C.F. White, it's the latter. When I originally read the blurb for this book, which also happens to be my first read from the author, I was immediately intrigued. I had a feeling it would be heavy read, one with a fair bit of angst, and that it was. This held promise, especially in the first couple of chapters. After all, how could I say "no" to a story about a nineteen-year-old named Micky O'Neill who took in the responsibility of caring for his younger brother Flynn, who is diagnosed with Williams syndrome. Earning a paycheck is a must and he finds a job at Morgan's, a local grocery, and has twenty-five-year-old Daniel Peters, the manager, as his boss, and these two are as opposite as you can get, not just in terms of temperament, but also in terms of backgrounds. Lo and behold, there's an attraction that could be more, but even if they act on it, it doesn't mean anything. Right?

First things first: this book ends in a cliffhanger, and it's not a doozy of a cliffy. I don't particularly like cliffhangers, especially when there's no inkling of there being one before going into the book, but it's not too much of a deal breaker. I'm just saying that if you're the type who doesn't like cliffhangers, you may choose to hold off because there is no news--at least, that I've found--regarding the release of the sequel. I have to particular points of contention with this book: the abrupt shifts in character points-of-view and the fat-shaming. The former gave me whiplash, which wasn't helped by Micky's constant push and pull when it came to his feelings for poor Dan. The latter, well, it just made no sense to me. Fat-shaming a peripheral character? For what purpose? For comedic effect? It was as if the author couldn't help herself and went out of her way to detail Dougie and his heavyset, unkempt physical appearance as well as his eating habits and how desperate he seems to constantly eat. Then to end it on a cliffy? It was like the last nail in the coffin. Sorry but I cannot give more than two stars to Misdemeanor. ♥

Date Read: 14 July 2017

Learn more about C.F. White.

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