Review Tour: What It Looks Like by Matthew J. Metzger (Review + Giveaway)

What It Looks Like

Author: Matthew J Metzger

Release Date: August 20 2016

Buy Links:  Amazon US  Amazon UK  JMS Books  

Add to Goodreads here.

Length: 80,615 words

Blurb

Eli Bell is the only son of a police chief inspector and a forensic scientist. He's grown up wonky in a world that only deals with the straight and narrow -- and his new boyfriend isn't helping.

Rob Hawkes is six feet of muscle, tattoos, and arrest warrants. A career criminal and a former guest of Her Majesty's Prison Service, he'd rather hit Eli's parents than sit down to dinner with them. One wrong move, and Rob could destroy Eli -- and his family -- without a second thought.

But this isn't what it looks like.

Rob's not in control here -- and Eli's the one to blame. 

This is my first Matthew Metzger book, so I have to admit I was not really used to his style of writing. I could appreciate the funny banter between the characters, but I found it a bit hard to actually connect with them. I just couldn't get a positive feel for any of them.

Rob was too brash for my taste. I understand his character is supposed to be comfortable in his own skin and not care what others think but, honestly, his attitude is a complete turnoff. The way he speaks and behaves with Eli's parents and niece, most people can think before they speak and try to not come off as complete jerks. Even the end of the book had me wanting to kick him in the shin for his attitude. As for Eli, he was just meh to me. I didn't actively dislike him but, truthfully, I never grew to care for him, either. Together these two seem to set the sheets on fire, but I have to wonder if they'll still be facing the same disapproval and mistrust a year into their relationship.

The animosity between Eli's parents and Rob is understandable in many ways but after a while it just becomes redundant.  The discussions, the arguments, etc... after a while I'd had enough.  Eli's attitude about it all didn't really help it, either.

The BDSM aspect in my personal opinion (and I know many readers will disagree with me) was a tad disconcerting.  I didn't like their threats of punishments when they were mad at each other. The way they spoke to one another. I just didn't feel it.  Granted I'm not a huge fan of BDSM so it's sometimes a huge turnoff for me in a book and it possibly clouded my opinion.

While I personally did not truly care for this book, I can appreciate the fact that many readers will enjoy it. The writing is well done, Mr. Metzger seems to truly develop complex and realistic characters and this story tackles a theme: Transgender, that a lot of readers are wanting to see now.

3 Stars!

***A copy of this book was provided to Bayou Book Junkie in exchange for a fair and honest review ***

Author Bio

Matthew J. Metzger is the front for a British-born author dragged up in the south of England as part of a typical nuclear family with three kids, a mortgage, and no dog because a dog would get hair on the carpet. A brief escape to the north to study focused his writing from daydreaming rambles to his first novel, Our Last Summer. It is unquestionably better than the dissertation he produced at the same time for his university degree, but probably not as inventive as the excuses he provided for missing classes so often.

Matthew has since returned to the London area, and therefore lives mostly on the public transport. He suspects that his next few pieces will probably involve homicidal characters on the London Underground.

For more information, please visit matthewjmetzger.wordpress.com.

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