REVIEW: The SEAL’s Rebel Librarian by Anne Calhoun
Dear Anne Calhoun,
It’s no secret I’m a fan of your work. The previous novella in this series, The SEAL’s Secret Lover, was, for me, missing a little something which linked the “hey you’re hot, let’s hook up” and the “let’s get married” but I still enjoyed it.
I enjoyed this book too but at times it was a real struggle. Not because of the story or the romance, but because of the editing. Or, I should say, the lack of it. It is, however, a digital release, so a corrected file can easily be uploaded to etailers, and other readers might well then have a better experience than I did. You should get right on that St. Martins. Seriously.
So I’m going to talk about the bad editing and give examples but I really hope the publisher fixes the file because the book deserves better. For me, these kinds of errors throw me so far out of the story, it’s difficult for me to get back in. In fact it took me four nights to read it. It’s an 87 (ish) page novella. I could usually knock that over in one night.
The good news is that the editing issues are mostly in the first 30 pages or so; the last portion of the novella was much smoother and I was finally able to relax into it.
And speaking of, let’s talk about the story first.
Jack Powell played a large role in The SEAL’s Secret Lover, even though he didn’t actually appear in the book, so I was glad to get to finally meet him. He’s a former navy SEAL who left the teams after watching one too many teammates bleed out in his arms. He developed PTSD, the bulk of which seemed to manifest itself in an inability to sleep well and a tremor in both hands. Jack had accepted a job at Grey Wolfe Security, based in Istanbul, but had to bail when he realised the tremor made him a liability rather than an asset. All his life, Jack has relied on his body. It has never before let him down. He feels now, that it has betrayed him. He feels weak and this is something both unwanted and unfamiliar.
As part of Jack’s “therapy” he has enrolled in some college classes for veterans. (He has actual therapy with a counselor too.) For his Psychology 101 paper, he has decided to write about PTSD and the best available treatments. Which is where our heroine comes in.
Erin Kent is a librarian at the college library. She is 34 and (relatively) recently divorced. Looking back, she realises she was stifled in her marriage and that she had sublimated her own needs and desires in deference to her (ex-)husband’s. Now, she’s going to live large and do all the things. Her list includes buying a motorcycle, parachuting and dating. She plans to start with the motorcycle and work her way up to dating.
When Jack approaches Erin in the library for help with research for his assignment, there is an immediate attraction. Erin declines Jack’s offer of a coffee date because he is a student and she is staff and because he is younger than she. (Actually, the staff/student thing is never really addressed but because of how the story ends, I decided it probably didn’t need to be.) The age difference isn’t a thing which bothers Jack at all and after her initial reluctance, Erin drops it as well.
When they meet again at the local Ducati dealership, Jack gives Erin an assist with an overly patronising salesman. And Erin, tired of being the good girl who never takes a risk, invites Jack to her place for “coffee” which is, of course, not coffee at all.
They agree to keep things casual. She’s not ready to seriously date and he is planning on getting better and then moving to Istanbul. There’s no future in their fling. (Yeah, of course.)
One of the things which is still a sore point for Erin in her failed marriage is her ex-husband’s accusation that she “broke her promise” (ie the marriage promise of “til death do us part”). It is terribly important to Erin that she be a person who keeps her promises – both to herself and others. Her promise to keep things casual with Jack comes back to bite them later.
Over the next little bit, Erin and Jack meet regularly for hot sex and he helps her with her motorbike purchase and with riding. She has done a beginner’s riding course, but he gives her tips and advice about her bike, including practical lessons on an old, unused runway. He also helps her with her parachuting dream; as a SEAL he has plenty of experience and a tandem jump is easy peasy for him.
I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that they both find themselves in far deeper than they anticipated and they each have to decide what to do about it.
Jack and Erin have frank conversations about their struggles and their dreams and I did think they had a future together. I was definitely happier with the progression of the romance here as opposed to the first book. I felt like I didn’t miss any steps in this one.
The PTSD storyline was front and centre but I think because of the story length, it didn’t quite get the attention it needed. I’m not an expert, but the sudden recovery didn’t entirely make sense to me. Perhaps that is how it happens though. I was fascinated by Erin’s insight into the link between mind and body and how something which disturbs the mind will often be felt first in the body.
“…but the truth is that it happened in my body before my brain caught up with it. Like my body knew before I did that something was wrong.…”
This physicality is emphasised time and again in the story.
I liked Jack and Erin together and, once I was able to move past the editing issues, I enjoyed the story. Their connection was strong and not just on a sexual level.
Which brings me to the editing. *sigh*
In the first chapter, Jack is driving his sister’s car.
Jack Powell parked Rose’s BMW 3-series at the back of the lot next to his therapist’s office building, safely away from door dings.
While waiting in the car park:
He thumbed in a text.
What’s up?
The reply came before he had his helmet off.
Why was Jack wearing a helmet while driving? Is he the Stig?
But then:
He swung his leg over the Ducati’s seat and texted his sister while he walked into the nondescript two-story building situated just off Lancaster’s main drag.
Hang on. Now he’s on a bike? I guess that explains the helmet at least.
His shoulders, helmet, and backpack threatened the water cooler and the tiny table stocked with tea and hot cocoa.
So, now he’s in the therapist’s waiting room, still with a helmet. Okay.
After the appointment however, he:
got in Rose’s BMW and drove over to Grannie’s.
Where’s the bike?
Using his spare opener, he opened the garage door to find her sensible Toyota Camry missing, giving him an unimpeded view of his dust cover-shrouded bike. For a long minute he stared at it, listening to his body.
Yes. This was exactly where he should start.
He swept the cover off the Ducati 1099, neglected over a long winter.
Found it!
And then there was the first sex scene. I know, because the text tells me, that Jack is “not tall” and also, that Erin is “tall for a woman”. They are standing up, he is clearly taller than she, at least a little bit, because he bends his head to kiss her. So that’s the set up. This is what the text says:
“Oh, fuck,” he muttered again, and bent his head to kiss her.
His mouth was temptation in flesh, warm, full, borderline pouty lips against hers. His cock still firmly in her hand, she parted her lips and felt his tongue slip inside to touch hers. His hands cupped her breasts, brushing his thumbs over her nipples, then coaxed the straps from her shoulders. The fabric sagged a little, baring the upper curves and swells. Still gripping his shaft, she stepped forward, nestling his cock against her upper abdomen, framing the head between her breasts.
I’ve tried. I’ve spent hours – there have even been diagrams – but I can’t get this to work. Unless Erin has a ridiculously long neck, like a giraffe. And really short legs.
These things read to me like there had been changes from a previous version but no-one had read through the whole manuscript to make sure it all fit together properly. Sure, the author has some responsibility here but… isn’t that was editors are for?
And yes, before anyone asks, I checked all the above quotes against the finished version of the book. (The version for sale as at March 9 at least.) It’s exactly the same as my ARC, but I cut and pasted from the finished version.
There were a couple of other things too but I’ve banged this drum enough. It’s difficult for me to discount the effect on my reading enjoyment the sloppy editing had. I’m not sure I can actually. I know I’d have enjoyed the book a lot more had the editing been smooth (like, perhaps, the excerpt from the full length novel due out later this year which I am all over by the way). The romance worked better for me here than in the first novella. While I had some quibbles with certain aspects of the story, I liked it. Let’s call it a B-.
Dear Anne Calhoun’s editor,
You get a D.
Regards,
Kaetrin
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Bad editing is bad, but your review made me laugh. Thank you!
@Sirius:Me too. Bwahahahaha
@Jayne: I am now tempted to draw some diagrams and figure out the puzzle Kaetrin could not solve lol. I suspect I will loose this challenge though.
I had the exact same problems and even referenced the same example about the car/bike switcheroo in a review I posted somewhere (Goodreads or Amazon). I’m not overly anal about small editing mistakes in books but stuff like that jerk me completely out of the story because I have to go back and reread to see if I missed something. Then I become hyperaware of all other issues. Not the writer’s fault at all, mind you, but still… it lessens my enjoyment of the book for sure.
You’d think someone like Calhoun could find a few beta readers to do this for free. I’d point out errors for her. I really get annoyed at being asked to pay money for something that the author couldn’t be bothered to proof read.
Great review Kaetrin. The continuity errors sounds super-annoying, which is really too bad because the book sounds like a good read otherwise.
@SAO: Sometimes changes are made at the last minute and there isn’t time for beta readers before the book goes to press.
I noticed the bike/car switch up in my arc copy too, but I just assumed it would be fixed in the final version so I didn’t comment on it in my review. It’s too bad it got overlooked. I am really enjoying this series though, and I loved the third one that just came out this week which is a second chance/reunion romance. I’ll be interested in your take on that one!
Haha, what an excellent review.
I find someone doing a paper on PTSD in Psych 101 kind of odd as it’s… kind of complicated and involves several systems, including potential biological changes and not just chemical. Especially about “best treatment options” when they’re… not pursuing them? Unless the hero’s on medication (which in my experience is critical) and CBT or EMDR or such (although he is doing talk therapy, and that works well for me because I’m very social and open, but I… would not expect that from someone who has had to bottle themselves up, or is socialized as a man in general, although if the hero IS then hey that’s awesome as it’s a serious toxic masculinity problem and this is SUPER RAMBLY and anyhow CBT’s success rates are pretty high).
I think those would bother me just because of the amount of time I’ve spent being diagnosed, dealing with, figuring out treatment plans for, and finally managing and recovering from PTSD and see it used as shorthand for “wounded warrior” that magically goes away with the Power Of Love. Honestly, the bike/car stuff would bother me more, hah.
Okay, one more grumble, and that’s that the military is basically where all PTSD research and breakthroughs come from, so that’d be the first place I’d be looking for assistance even if I was no longer in active service. There are huge amounts of PTSD resources earmarked JUST for military/veterans.
All of this said, I really enjoy Anne Calhoun’s writing (wonky editing aside) so I’m probably going to pick this up anyhow, because even if they’re not getting a lot of it right, at least I get to see myself represented a bit in books and it makes this thing I’m always going to carry around (I’m successfully asymptomatic… on 5 different medications and a lot of effort spent on management/coping/strategizing and executive functioning, and that’s after hmm 3 years of treatment? Closer to 4, I guess. Time flies!).
Also I would have bought it on “Rebel Librarian” alone, and loaned it to librarian friends for the same reason. <3
@Sirius:@Jayne: um… Thank you? :) I actually felt pretty bad writing it as Anne Calhoun is one of my favourite authors. But oh boy that editing was bad.
And, trust me Sirius, all the diagrams have already been drawn. They didn’t help.
@Jeannie: yes. Part of the reason it took me four nights to finish the book was that I needed to take breaks so I could settle and enjoy, instead of letting the hypercritical out to play.
@Janine: yes!
@SAO: maybe a(nother?) beta reader would have helped, but this is a traditionally published book. Isn’t that what editors are for?
@Christine Maria Rose: if I’d read the book before it was released I’d have made the same assumption. But I was a bit slow getting to it so I checked against the published version. I plan to read the next one but I’m thinking of just buying it. I figure the publisher might not be super happy with me right now!
@Lindsay: parry of your first query might be more of an issue with my paraphrasing. That said, I’m not sure you’ll get much comfort from the portrayal of PTSD here. The recovery was too sudden for me.
As far as I can tell Jack didn’t take medication, it was just the talk therapy – which was mentioned but not a lot. Which is fine. Sometimes that’s just what people need and they don’t need medication. I guess it depends in the individual. I was interested in the way the mind and body link was portrayed in the book but I also got a little impatient with Jack thinking he was “weak” for having PTSD. I suppose that’s not an unusual reaction but it indicates he’s the more bottled up variety of guy I think.
I did have some questions about how Jack’s separation from the Navy came about. Wouldn’t they be offering him help? But the novella length didn’t allow for that kind of detail.
*part
*sigh* I’m commenting from my phone and my fingers are too big!!
@Kaetrin: Psh, your fingers aren’t too big, the buttons are too small!
Thanks for the response! I definitely won’t be seeking any comfort re: PTSD from this, but it still sounds like something I’d enjoy.
I can absolutely see the “PTSD = weak” thing going on for a while because there’s still a lot of stigma around it — I’ve actually had people in my hearing say that “Some people are just wired that way” or “Some people just have weaker genes” and it makes me furious because PTSD is one of the single most common human conditions no matter what society you’re from or what language you speak. It’s our body’s response to life-threatening situations and trauma. There are some professions you EXPECT people to eventually have PTSD (first responders, train conductors, police officers) it’s so common, but this stuff is… not advertised. My brother had to attend regular counseling as part of his conductor job because they knew he would eventually hit someone, because that’s a thing that happens a lot with trains. This is absolutely not something the company talks about otherwise.
I’m honestly interested because he IS in therapy and that’s a really good sign and most people are super resistant to that step, so I am glad the author included that part! I’m also really interested in the skydiving because I have, in fact, jumped out of perfectly good airplanes (and also made my company institute an addendum to our “no more than 6 people on a single plane” rule with “AND NO JUMPING OUT”, pfffbbbt). Quite frankly, I’d rank it motorcycle < skydiving < dating in terms of scariness too! ;)
I guess part of my commenting is that I'd like authors to get at least some parts right (and it sounds like this author did) and I know it's hard to explain stuff in novella-length, but Lia Silver writes some excellent PTSD-related romance (plus shapeshifters who get named due to how they smell, because why not) as she's also a PTSD therapist, so I've found extremely helpful things in her books I didn't even know I was looking for!
Nalini Singh also tends to nail PTSD and half the time doesn't even outright identify it as such, and a couple of her books were eye-opening to me because they mentioned things I thought happened because I was a horrible person, not because hey untreated PTSD causes this. Whoa. It also let me actually start questioning if maybe my entire life of depression and anxiety might actually be something else, because my initial response (and the responses of most people in my support group to their initial diagnosis!) was "But I CAN'T have PTSD, I haven't been in a war!".
Basically, Romance Novels Save Lives. Change lives? They help.
Sadly, the Power Of Love (or magical hoo-hahs) solving all the world's problems immediately is a trope that is not going away anytime soon. My really hardcore recovery took about a year (I was functional during it and frustrated it was happening so slowly), and even that was uncommonly fast and my doctors and therapists had to constantly rein me in. I will mention that my Ex's magical bologna wand did not cure me, and in fact my PTSD diagnosis was the beginning of the end of our relationship (which is fine with me, honestly. I mean I'd rather have someone stand with me, but otherwise I'd rather someone leave than think they have to stay and be miserable for my sake!).
@Lindsay: If you read it, will you come back and tell me what you thought?
@Kaetrin: Absolutely! I do plan to read it, like I said, for motorcycle librarian and skydiving, rawr. Because my tandem jump was not at all sexy for all you’re strapped to another person, but the whole thing lasts for like 8 seconds, it felt like. Hee.
@Kaetrin: I’m just checking in as I’ve been reading it today, I’m at about 60% and I’m REALLY enjoying it — I’d forgotten how much I love Anne Calhoun! Besides the editorial issues (that are still present, and definitely would have had me grumpy if I hadn’t known about them beforehand) I’m loving it, things make excellent sense to me, and I absolutely think that a really good job has been done on keeping things true to life with PTSD/Combat Anxiety.
I think the ONLY gripe I have is with the psychologist endorsing exposure therapy when they don’t have much rapport, only because exposure therapy is brutal, but on the other hand the military generally recommends exposure therapy as they need people to go back and do the thing that finally pushed them over the trauma cliff in the first place. I don’t have to do exposure therapy because uh no one should experience that ever anyhow. I also think Jack’s being a dick about medications as not ALL meds affect response time/perception/etc (honestly, I was so headfoggy and had awful executive function issues until I was on the right meds, now I’m… well, totally functional!) but that is such a common myth, and there are so many surrounding PTSD and other mental illnesses, I’m not super surprised by it. A LOT of people are extremely resistant to meds, and I’ve watched folks in my PTSD support group struggle with the idea of taking them, trying them, then going “Oh wow what a difference why did I wait”, heh. I don’t think medication is the only solution and for some people it might not be (especially for other mental illnesses) but PTSD is a tricky beast and doesn’t behave the way things like depression and anxiety do (although it can cause both and be mistaken for them, I was misdiagnosed with them for decades).
I’ll let you know when I finish, but so far this book’s a solid A for me. That whole feeling of your body (or brain) betraying you is brutal and takes… a long time to come to grips with, and honestly, there are days I still struggle with not being able to do everything I want to. So much of this has rung true for me.
(Also, I just glommed up the rest of Deborah Blake’s Wickedly series plus novellas, her Baba Yaga ones? The second and third books deal with PTSD really well, and I think the second book absolutely nailed it from the hero’s perspective. Plus those books are delightful!)
@Lindsay – I’ve been eying the Baba Yaga series for awhile. I’m glad to hear you think she portrayed PTSD well – I’m going to add them to my wish list.
@cleo: I started the first and for some reason didn’t keep reading — I recently picked it back up, and must have been in a different headspace because I LOVED it this go-round, and chewed through the rest very happily (and am now waiting for the next spin-off book, hah).
I keep finding authors I like and they’ve only written a few books! Gosh.
@Lindsay: Excellent! I’m glad you’re enjoying it and that you were able to chime in re the portrayal of PTSD etc from a position of knowledge. Thx! :)
Calhoun’s full-length novel due out at the end of next month, _Under the Surface_, looks good and is generating some good buzz. I tend to like her longer books a bit better than the novellas and so this upcoming one is definitely on my radar.
@Sharon: Mine too!
@Kaetrin: Okay, finished it, loved it, but I do wish it had been full length or a little longer.
I think what’s key for me is that at no point is Jack officially diagnosed with PTSD, and that might make all the difference in accepting the ending for me. If he was dealing with trauma and through all of this dealt with it, then I’m down with things stopping once he’s found his confidence again. If he DOES have PTSD, well, it’s probably going to sit like a time bomb and explode further down the line when he’s in a place where he can deal with it (it DOES that — so many people who suffer from childhood-related PTSD often don’t show full symptoms until years, maybe decades later, it’s like your brain finally says “okay you’re safe NOW DEAL WITH THIS” and it really sucks). But I think that him knowing more about PTSD and having a partner who loves him and a supportive group of friends/co-workers might be the push he needs to get further help if he needs it. He’s in a good place for me to HEA.
I mean, the real answer for me would be 6 months later — is he sleeping, is he having nightmares, is he still hitting the ceiling when startled, etc — but I’m good with this being chalked up as healing from trauma vs not-healing-and-it-getting-worse which is when you need outside help.
The jump was good too, I didn’t get to jump from nearly so high, I’m seriously jealous, my freefall was like 8 seconds, 40 would have been AMAZING. Also, sexy librarian. Totally passing this one on to friends (especially librarians because we got to see a librarian do actual librarian stuff!) with high marks with the caveat that the editing is wonky.
@Lindsay: Erin was the best wasn’t she? :)
@Kaetrin: Erin was FANTASTIC and honestly, the fact that Jack only ever said “Yes you can” was pretty amazing too. I’d date ’em both. Very happy romance.