Crazy Love by Tara Janzen

Crazy Love, the newest (and very highly anticipated by me) book in Tara Janzen's Steele Street series, came out yesterday. I ran out and bought it, read it already, re-read parts, and of course, I've got some thoughts on it.

Crazy Love was another fast and enjoyable read, as evidenced by the fact that I totally devoured it. But I was a little disappointed, which I think is more of a risk when you're seriously excited for a book. This was the story of Dylan Hart, the ultra-cool and elegant head of SDF and Skeeter Bang, the barely 21, psychic, computer geek, ex-street kid. The two characters have great chemistry. Dylan is becoming increasingly unhinged by his obsession with Skeeter, and his internal musings are hilarious. I also have to say I just love Skeeter. I read a book like Moon Called, and I wonder why fantasy and mystery authors are so much better at creating strong, intelligent (and sexy) heroines than romance authors, whose genre is more character driven than plot driven (a topic for another post, I guess). But Janzen has created a great character in Skeeter. I didn't even mind her age (a bit younger than I normally like in a heroine). I think that the key is restraint. Skeeter is set up as an over the top character--her appearance, her interests etc. But her personality is intelligent, mature and caring (well, apart from a few lapses when Dylan makes her crazy).

So what was disappointing? I wanted more of them. This was one book where I felt the other characters and all the action were taking away from the main story. And we saw so much of what they were feeling inside, I wanted some more meaty scenes between them. At the end, Dylan has pretty much acted like a total asshat. Throughout the book, Skeeter (with good reason) has been pretty unsure if Dylan has any real feelings for her, and he plays right into that. But all that seems a little glossed over and they just jump into bed. I was looking for a bit more soul-baring emotion, I guess. True confessions and all that. Skeeter deserved that. I love that shit.

As for secondary characters, I jest lurve Travis James and how Janzen has developed his character over the course of the books. I thought that his book was being set up in Crazy Kisses (4th book in the series), and I didn't like the girl. When I realized that wasn't the case, I was happy, 'cuz I love me some Travis. This time I was like, yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Just what I would do. [Amongst other things, I love that he loves the older ladies. Older women-younger men stories are hot. My second husband's going to be younger than me. Just Kidding! Sorry, honey.] Then Ms. Janzen threw a big ol' monkey wrench into the works. I, for one, am very curious to see what's going to happen. But I have to wait until November. Boo. Despite being a little bit disappointing, Crazy Love was still a fun read and a keeper.