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A review by lestexcept
Mr. Garcia by TL Swan
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Minor: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Injury/Injury detail
Was I expecting to rate Mr. Garcia lower than Mr. Masters and Mr. Spencer? No. And it isn't really because of Sebastian Garcia himself. Overall, the book was ok. I often found myself thinking that the story wasn't very strong, and because of that, it sometimes felt drawn out. I was gobsmacked to realise that there was no 3rd act break-up; I actually looked out the window to see if there were any flying pigs because I didn't think T. L. Swan would write a book with no 3rd act break-up.
My issues:
1. While Sebastian was a strong-willed character, I can remember at some point seeing a comment somewhere that said he wasn't sweet or tender (or something like that). I disagree; yes, he was dark and tense, but he wasn't anywhere near what I was beginning to envision.
2. I liked April for her strength, independence and determination - but, the way it was presented too often came across as temperamental and tantrum-like. I appreciated the acknowledgement of her demons, but considering they were such a fundamental part of the book, they should have been worked on and shown in a way that showed change and healthy progress. Not to mention, she'd crap on about his, at times, crap communication and his lack of opening up, and yet, she herself had moments where she should have been more forthcoming: her insecurities and paranoia that her husband would cheat because of her previous marriage. Yes, shit was going on, but she should have found a (non-temperamental) way to address it.
3. I'm noticing a trend with Swan's books (after 8 of them). She loves incorporating kinky, but she always does it in a way that makes it seem freaky (how the FMC reacts, even though the MMC will comment on how perfect she matches him because she is also kinky) and taboo. How does she do that? The FMC always says the what is happening in the moment is "wrong" but feels right. There is nothing "wrong" about the activities the couple get up to, and I find it disconcerting every time the words are said.
4. Why does Swan mention the FMC's parents but never properly incorporate them? It happens in every bloody book. I never understand it.
5. I was rather surprised that for all that Julian and Spencer shared with Sebastian, he kept secrets from them.
6. Honestly, their relationship, in the end, felt kind of forced. They would be one of those couples that you would predict having major, constant fights and a possible on/off-again relationship. The ending didn't feel authentic to me; if anything, it felt like their getting married and having kids was just part of what was supposed to happen, not what naturally happened. I struggle a lot with contemporary romances (I tend to read a lot of dark romances and then occasional contemporaries) because of children always being included in the epilogue, and especially because of the whole approach of "when the child is born, I'll share them... for now, though, they're all mine", so when it happened in the epilogue of Mr. Garcia, I felt so uncomfortable. For me, that sort of thing just feels like there's a possibility of them, in some part, resenting their child in the future because they've taken some of their partner's/spouse's attention away from them. And to make matters worse, they'll have 3+ kids.
7. It's happened in a number of Swan's books now, but I've noticed that the MMCs will have their HEA, and then when it comes to other books they are featured in, they'll comment about other women in ways that make me uncomfortable. Like Spencer going on about the women at April's short-lived job. He reflects on aspects of it in a way that sounds sad, and for a man who was supposedly so in love with his wife, I felt so irritated by it. In their own books, Swan's men are so captivated and focused on their wives, and then when it comes to other books, when their wives aren't around, they make comments like that.