Figure of Speech (Halle Shifters #4) by Dana Marie Bell
Paranormal Romance
Released March 3, 2015
Samhain Publishing
Reviewed by Sheena
Differently-abled heroes and heroines have been a long under-served population in romantic fiction. I was pleased to see that in Figure of Speech, the heroine, Chloe, has a speech impediment of sorts, the result of a brutal, near fatal attack she endured, barely escaping with her life. Bravely deciding to move forward and reclaim her life, she is finally on the cusp of getting what has eluded her for years – the heart of her fated mate, James (Jim) Woods. The only thing standing in their way is a little groveling (due to his previous abstract rejection of their bond)- and the mortal danger poor Chloe finds herself in once again as she is once again hunted more fiercely than ever before.
Chloe is a fox shifter who is beyond charming. I loved her quiet strength and quirky insecurities. James is a recently turned wolf shifter who is balancing his new lupine lifestyle with the awakening of his long suppressed adoration for Chloe. Ten years her senior he kept her at arms length since she was nineteen and finally (thank goodness!) can no longer dismiss or manage his desires.
Though her friends and family love her dearly, Chloe feels ham-stringed by her physical and speech ailments and works hard to compensate though no one would dare feed any of her feelings of inadequacies.
“Want some Red Butt?” Chloe held up the energy drink, wincing at the words coming out of her traitor mouth… “I knew what you meant.” He ruffled her hair. Don’t sweat it kiddo.” When it came to speech impediments, Chloe had gotten one hell of a winner...Conduction aphasia with phonological paraphasia. Such pretty words for such a sucky disorder. “
Figure of Speech was charming. At times a little too charming. There is the obligatory groveling from Jim for avoiding the mating for so long and abandoning Chloe when she needed him most. There is the element of new and heightened danger. But it lacked a solid plot. Lots of characters milling about without much direction or purpose, besides delivering a one liner or conversational zinger here and there. Chloe has a perpetual target on her back- why- not sure, perhaps it was explained in previous books…which brings me to the immutable fact that if you are not invested in this series, meaning you have read and enjoyed the preceding books and were super inclined to continue with number 4, well you may find yourself grasping at context clues to get your bearings. The plot is thin and perforated, making it hard to get solid footing, and after awhile I threw my hands up, gave up the ghost and took the story as it unraveled before me. I am still not sold on why Chloe was such a mercenary attracting target- fine, Jim’s mom is a bitch- noted, Jim gets his mate’s would-be-murderer beneath his paws and does not kill him or hurt him at all- works for me, anticlimactic resolution in the last 15 pages- why not? Note- it really took some heavy lifting suspension of all things I know and believe about fictional shifter mates to accept Jim’s total punk out when it came to subduing one of the mercenaries he caught. *sigh*
What it lacked in meat and direction, Figure of Speech made up for in the smex department. Chloe and Jim wasted no time becoming carnally related and their passion burned the pages!
She locked her ankles around his waist and brushed her mound against his jeans- covered cock, the fabric rough against her sensitive skin.
“Do that again” he muttered against her neck.
Like he had to ask twice, because damn, that felt good.
Jim unbuttoned his jeans. She’s never thought about the difference between button- fly and zippered pants. She was finding she liked her man in button fly- especially now.
“You went commando?”
“You like that?”‘
She cupped him, stroking his cock. “Yup.”
“Nice to know.” The tip leaked as he shuddered in her hands…
Figure of Speech is a light, quick charming tale if you can suspend a critical reading eye and take it purely at surface value. Putting the problems I had with the mechanics aside, what I absolutely adored is the fantastic way the author characterized Chloe. She was strong but still sweet as pie. Chloe hated her condition, but she did not self loathe and she knew her worth. She was not embarrassed or ashamed to go after her man and most importantly she was a heroine of honor and not a caricature of a disabled woman. She was lovely and desirable and witty and though she had her faults, she did not let them subdue her and for this I celebrate this novel and would love to read more like this in the future as more authors step outside the box and see the beauty in heroines of all types- and abilities.
Grade: C
Erin Burns says
I have been invested in the series, and with that some of your quibbles are cleared up. But overall? It’s like the author spent all her effort on the disability (which was well and charmingly done) and forgot to write the story. I was a bit disappointed and frustrated. There were things I liked, but a whole lot that left me feeling meh.
Sheena says
Hi Erin, great to hear froM you as a series reader. I agree that there was some issues with balance and plot development For sure.