Sarah's Reviews > Scent of Roses

** spoiler alert ** Do you know the feeling when you really aren't enjoying a book, but you feel committed and have to see it through to the end? That's how I felt reading Scent of Roses.

There was something about the characters that just fell flat for me. I really hated Liz's constant inner monologue of exaggerated assumptions about other characters, i.e. assuming Zach made his money from drugs?!

The villain is revealed and dealt with so late in the book, it almost seemed like an afterthought.

And this is a petty criticism, but cunnilingus is considered sexually adventurous? Is it the 1950s? When Zach was like 'Whoa, pump the brakes, that might be TOO MUCH, TOO FAST' I was so confused/amused. Like okay, you can have penetrative sex, but let's save the oral for another time, that may be too overwhelming for this sexually experienced woman...okay Zach. 🤔🙄

Also, there was mention of condom use in the first sex scene, but it was glaringly absent in the up against the wall quickie and thus I spent the rest of the book thinking Liz was going to find out she was pregnant.

Anyway, I cared way more about Maria, Miguel, and Raul. And I wish Miguel had been treated less like a stereotype.