Dominic (Slater Brothers #1) by L.A. Casey

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Synopsis:

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WARNING: If you don't like a leading male that is a possessive pr**k, Dominic is NOT for you. If you don't like a leading female that is a stubborn bi**h, Dominic is NOT for you. If you don't like over the top drama and characters who have bad tempers, Dominic is NOT for you. Most of all, if you don't like characters who CURSE A LOT and say EXACTLY what they feel and are thinking without sugar coating it then Dominic is REALLY NOT for you.

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After a car accident killed her parents when she was a child, Bronagh Murphy chose to box herself off from people in an effort to keep herself from future hurt. If she doesn't befriend people, talk to them or acknowledge them in any way they leave her alone just like she wants. 

When Dominic Slater enters her life, ignoring him is all she has to do to get his attention. Dominic is used to attention, and when he and his brothers move to Dublin, Ireland for family business, he gets nothing but attention. Attention from everyone except the beautiful brunette with a sharp tongue. 

Dominic wants Bronagh and the only way he can get to her, is by dragging her from the boxed off corner she has herself trapped in the only way he knows how...by force. 

Dominic wants her, and what Dominic wants, Dominic gets.

Review:

*Warning: This book made me very angry. There will be swear words, but really if that bothers you this book wouldn't be for you regardless. Also some spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk*

Alright. Dominic. I was really excited to read this one, but first can I just say there is a difference between dominant alpha male and abusive asshole? This is abusive asshole, NOT alpha male. This book is soooo not cool with me it is not even funny. And I love dominant alpha male books. I love strong women who don't take crap from anyone. I love what this book said it was, but unfortunately it wasn't as advertised. It was abusive assholes "falling in love". Sure. And the girl is not a stubborn bitch, she is batshit crazy abusive asshole as well. There is a difference. 

This is the story of Bronagh and Dominic. Two physically and verbally abusive people. Right from the start. They both seem to hate each other, Bronagh is adamant that she hates Dominic, but he thinks that somehow this abuse will lead to her being his girlfriend. Or something. So why does Bronagh hate Dominic? What did he do the first time they met that was sooo horrible she is abusive towards him from them on? Well he was sitting in her seat! Of course...he is new, it is his first day, she is late to class and when she arrives she finds him in her seat. Like OMG guys, how could he!?! He is a monster!! She just immediately throws a temper tantrum and starts yelling at him for being in her seat. No asking him to kindly move or even trying to be nice. Nope, instantly she is a nightmare. Yey! And she doesn't get better throughout the entire book. She is batshit crazy the entire time. She has this lame sob story about how since her parents died she wants to just be alone and not let anyone in. How she can't deal with potentially loosing someone again so she just keeps to herself and is fine with that. Until Dominic comes along and starts harassing her. Then things start to change. She starts making friends and ugh. She is still a nightmare, but now she has more people to not be upset by her behavior. Somehow constantly throwing things at someone (shoes, cups, plates, you know whatever is on hand) is totally cool. Beating people up? A-okay. What could be wrong with physical violence that is not consensual? Nothing!

Really most people in this story had crazy violent behaviors. Like the sister, Bronagh's guardian, would seriously kill someone for being mean to Bronagh. Or beat people up or whatever. Everyone was like that. Dominic, Bronagh, the secondary characters. There were only a few people, like one of their teachers, that seemed bothered by the level of violence in the story. It's cool if people just beat the shit out of each other for no reason. Yep. Totally cool. Have some broken ribs? Oh well, that is just what happens. Drove me crazy. 

So I have a rule that I have to read 50% of a book in order to review it. I figure 50% is giving it a fair try. By then you should know if it is good or not. Well I was all ready to put this book aside shortly after 50% when the author introduced a new element. Bronagh and Dominic are somehow dating, and she finally finds out what his family does for work. Wait let me back up here a moment to them dating. Dominic was hella abusive before they started dating, but once they did he was not so bad. And not really dominant at all. Not alpha male at all once they got together. More like trying to be sweet, nice boyfriend. Odd. But Bronagh kept up her crazy angry outbursts every two seconds over nothing. Like I said she never really changes throughout the story. Okay back to the work Dominic and his brothers do. Any guesses? I mean we know he is an underground fighter, but can you guess why? No? Okay I will tell you. Because they work for this drug cartel guy! Yes, this super bad drug cartel guy that is known the world over as a super bad guy. They have to work for him because of some stupid backstory reason, but they are almost done with their contract with him. They will soon be free to do whatever. 

Okay after that great revelation I couldn't stop reading. It was like a train wreck - I couldn't look away. Now here is the real head scratcher - what happens at the end. The bad guy doesn't want the brothers to leave his employment so he is going to blackmail them into continuing using Bronagh as bait and whatnot. Only the brothers come in, kill everyone, the bad guy and all his people, and then just magically get out of working for the rest of the cartel guys. Easy peasy. So why didn't they do this sooner if it was so easy to take out one of the worst guys in the world? Who knows. But yey for them I guess. 

Really this was not a good read. The extreme violence was not cool, Dominic was not an alpha male, and Bronagh had major anger management issues. 

Rating: ★