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Casey’s Reviews
I Just Gave My First 1-Star Review
The worst book I’ve ever read has a 4.3 Goodreads rating
Normally, I don’t pan books. If something I read is subpar, I just move on without rating it. As a writer, I know how much bad reviews can hurt, and that not every book is going to every reader’s cup of tea.
But this novel is objectively bad, so I feel obligated to warn future readers.
The quality of Harlequin Romances varies
I don’t read a lot of Harlequins. I’ve recently gotten into the genre as a form of research, since I’ve considered going into the snappy-romance business myself.
My mother-in-law is a long-time Harlequin subscriber and loaned me a few of her favourites to start with. I found them decent — short, sweet, and a bit formulaic, they were exactly what I expected from their sentimental covers and provocative titles.
Murder at the Alaskan Lodge by Karen Whiddon promised to be just the same. Part of Harlequin’s “Romantic Suspense” line, it should have been a basic mystery with a romance element.
It was not.
First, the set-up was rushed. Maddie, our protagonist, finds out her estranged grandfather has left her a 50% stake in…
