Book Review: Mating Theory by Skye Warren
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Mating Theory
by Skye Warren
Category: Contemporary Romance
Series: Trust Fund
Tags: Alpha Male
Kindle | Paperback | Apple Books
Rating: ★★★
Skye Warren’s words utterly captivated me from the start in Mating Theory. How can words make me feel desperation, sadness, uncomfortableness, disgust and hope all at the same time?
Sutton is drunk, on a rooftop watching the two people he loves kiss at a party when we first meet him.
He’s in love with the soon-to-be groom, Christopher, AND the soon-to-be wife, Harper. Ashleigh, a young girl now working the streets finds him there and a connection is made.
He’s so lovesick and she’s just trying to survive, but perhaps even in those dire circumstances love can prevail.
The Cover
I’ll fully admit that I was planning on reading this romance book based on the cover alone. I mean look at it! It’s beautiful. He’s beautiful. And the positioning is just dramatic to me, making me want to discover this guy’s story.
It definitely deserves a spot on my hottest romance book covers list. When I read that this was an angsty Pretty Woman story, I was sold.
The Prose
What I loved most about this book, and I don’t think I say this often, was the beginning prose. I felt Warren’s words.
I could see the pictures that her words painted – especially Sutton’s primal moves and motives. Ashleigh was working the streets and I REALLY didn’t want to find out or read about how she was probably abused in that position but I couldn’t stop reading.
I was completely enthralled in the beginning. That, my friends is a sign of a good book.
Sutton
I also fell for Sutton. I felt for him when he was propositioned by Christopher and Harper. Was it really an offer or a slap to the face?
Yet as the story unfolded, you could see how Sutton came to finally understand how things had worked out for the best between him, Christopher and Harper and I could appreciate this understanding even having not read Survival of the Richest or the Evolution of Man, the precursor books.
Ashleigh seemed to be his saving grace and he hers. Sutton wanted her but I appreciated that we saw that he was aware that she was broken and vulnerable and didn’t want to take advantage of that.
Her short time as a prostitute didn’t even matter when it came to Sutton’s love for her. Others would love despite that but as he said he loves her because of it. Her strength.
In the end, I felt that he did the right thing because he loved her and to know that what they have is based on love and not desperation or lack of choice.
My Hangups
Although I loved the beginning so, so very much, this book would have gotten a higher rating if there was more development to their characters and to their relationship.
The beginning was beautiful, that first night at his house, but then we’re just told that they spend four days and nights together.
I felt that it was such a missed opportunity to not delve into how they could have grown more together. How each could have torn down the other’s walls.
But, instead, it was just a case of instalove that moved so very quickly. I felt so cheated from not getting more.
Perhaps there was more to Sutton’s history given in Survival of the Richest but I read this as a standalone. I would have loved more background on both of them or even more of their day to day to build their relationship which wasn’t given at all.
I didn’t really care much for Ashleigh and I think it’s because I didn’t KNOW her beyond that she worked the corner. Even more on Ashleigh’s friend Ky would have been great too. Overall, the second part just had me wanting more.
Then there was their age difference – ah, I could have done without that honestly. Does it make it more “believable” that someone of that age would be on the street? I don’t know but I wasn’t a fan of that detail.
Despite these concerns I would recommend reading this book. Sutton is a keeper.
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