What did you like least about "Deceptive Calm" by Patricia Skipper?

[CUT YAFIQ]

If I had to mention something I liked least, it would be the ending and some sexual scenes.

[Patrícia Gomes]

I must admit that I also found the sexual graphic scenes too much for the book. Even though they are useful in incorporating a strong message, I found myself pausing the book several times due to the aggressive descriptions.

[Tasha Marie Poole Sullivan]

I think the sex scenes were graphic and clinical. These could have been written better since they didn't add a lot to the storyline anyway. I understand the author was trying to get across the mentality of Tod, who obviously did not see women as people but rather as objects to be used, but I feel like there could have been a better way to do this.

[Jane Gent]

I thought the sexual scenes were a little over the top, and the point could have been made a little less graphically. I have read many books with this kind of content, but I was not prepared for this level of intensity after reading the synopsis. While it was in the 'Romance' genre, I felt this was a small part of the story, overshadowed by its brutality. I also found the profane language overused and, therefore, distracting. The overall use of racial slurs had a similar effect. While probably a true depiction of life at that time, I found the frequency of this also unnecessary.

[Deretha Thompson]

The least thing I liked about this book were the numerous sex scenes. I believe the book would still have thrived better with less descriptions.

[Joanna Perry]

I was disappointed by the abortion and by the sex scenes, which were pornographic in my view. I didn't like the ending at all. The scenes with Trisha were more interesting, and I was sorry her character was alcoholic. I liked her character the best.

[Dawn Flootman]

I think that the sex scenes could have been omitted and still kept the book going. And I also agree that there really is too much history that was put in the book.Also it was hard to tell if Vanessa was white toned or not.

[ana vujkovac]

The only thing that bothered me in this book was the ending… it was really fast paced towards the end but I felt like the ending should have been more rounded and not so much as a cliff hanger as it was.

[Williams Jaden]

The sexual scenes were too graphic which reduced the audience the novel could be recommended to. Not everyone will like such.

[Nwachukwu Chrysogonus]

The explicit sexual content in this book renders it inappropriate for certain readers. Personally, this aspect was the most disappointing and off-putting part of the novel for me. Upon reviewing the book's description, I was surprised to find that there was no warning or indication of the graphic nature of the content. In my opinion, the explicit scenes did not add substantial depth or meaning to the narrative, and their inclusion felt somewhat gratuitous. A content warning or hint in the book's description would have been appreciated, allowing readers to make a more informed decision about engaging with the material.

[Corinna Borsato]

I found the character of Tod to be highly disturbing. He courted Vanessa for years, only to change radically after their marriage. His sudden distaste is appalling and uncalled for. He worked hard to win her over, only to abuse and discard her. Why put all the effort to begin with? I really struggled in understanding why such a depraved man would go to extensive lenghts for Vanessa and then reject her so ruthlessly.

[Zulay]

The sexual scenes were a bit too graphic. Not a book I could recommend to my niece who loves to read.

[Beate Diener]

The history lesson could have been skipped or kept to a minimum. It did put me off at the beginning of the book. The ending was odd. There is no mention of how Vanessa or her child were doing after nearly drowning. Then Barry decides they are going to be together forever. Where is Vanessa's voice or choice in this?

[Michaela Ellis]

I enjoyed this book thoroughly, and I found no issues with the sex scenes or triggering content. I often found myself struggling to get past certain dialogue. When Tod confronts Vanessa about work and says, “If I must sire an heir to get you out of there, so be it,” I couldn’t have rolled my eyes any harder.

What is this, the 11th century, Tod?

For some reason, cringy dialogue is very off-putting to me, regardless of whether I like the book or not

And I’d also like to add that I agree with a lot of others here. I could’ve done without the history lessons, and in all honesty, I skimmed most of those sections… History was never my favorite!

[tallred63]

The thing that I liked the least were the detailed sex scenes. They seemed to come out of no where; and they didn't really flow with the story. If she felt it necessary to include this in the storyline, she could have conveyed the actions without becoming so descriptive.