I'll still buy that new book but....

Last week I posted on Suzanne Brockmann's upcoming book possibly bringing m/m into the mainstream. I picked up Hot Target from the library and while it was a fine story with excellent writing and all that good stuff I have to say that the Jules Cassidy character didn't impress me much after hsi first appearance.

He he seemed pretty darn cool at first and I guess in a way he was but it didn't take long for him to grate on my nerves, particularly what came off to me as his lapses into what I can only think of as girly-speak. He had this monologue of sorts while leaving a phone message for his friend/FBI partner Alyssa that read to me more feminine than some female characters I've written. There were other instances and I sure hope the frequent use of "sweetie" was his own way of thumbing his nose at the status quo. It wasn't explained and perhaps I missed it because I hadn't read any of the earlier books.

As for the Robin Chadwick character. Gods, he grew tiresome very early on for me. Yes I realize he's very realistic in the portrayal of closeted men who convince themselves they're straight, but for me it came across as one of those ancient kind of old Harlequin stereotypes like the young virginal secretary who cowers in the face of the older mega experienced manly hero.

In the end I came away wanting to seriously bitchslap Robin and take Jules aside and set him on the path to becoming a nice cute uke.

I also had the almost uncontrollable urge of having him run up against the more seme hetero-flexible NYPD guys Anne and I have, just to see what would happen. :P

Still, I'm sure I'll be picking up All Through the Night just to see if these guys become more memorable for me by being the focus of the book.