No Control

While Shannon K. Butcher is definitely a good writer, if you’ve read one “Romantic Suspense” novel, you’ve read them all. This genre inspires books that are all basically the same (predictable) except the characters’ names and settings are different.

In this particular book, No Control, a woman named Lana Hancock is captured by a terrorist group only to be freed by a large man named Caleb Stone, an army guy who had infiltrated the terrorists’ ranks. Months after her recovery, the terrorist group is after her again because of what she witnessed through the slit in her head covering, and Caleb must protect her. Naturally, Lana hates Caleb, as she associates him with her awful ordeal and isn’t remotely interested in having him look out for her.

Don’t these books always start out with one main character hating the other, or the two main characters hate each other? Yet dramatic circumstances that never happen to anyone always somehow ensue, which of course always leads to mind-blowing sex. Amazing how that happens.

What’s always amazing is the sex in these types of books. It’s always the most amazing, bestest sex ever, despite the fact that it’s the first time! Everyone’s bodies are always perfect, smooth, and muscular in all the right places! Everyone always smells fantastic, and there’s no unsightly body hair or body acne! The guy’s package is always freakin’ huge! There’s almost never any mention of a condom, even though these people usually barely know each other! In this case, however, a condom is used. Characters always say ridiculous, dramatic things to each other! Seriously, if a guy said to me what Caleb says to Lana in this story I’d throw up. For hours.

Let’s also discuss how the guy in these stories is all about the woman and wants nothing except to protect her (old-fashioned and sexist!) and have sex with her for the rest of her life. Would he ever look at another woman or cheat on her?! Of course not! This is a Romantic Suspense novel! The two main characters are going to be together forever and ever. And ever. It’s just so realistic

I have never understood the appeal of books like No Control, except that there are unfortunate women out there who believe this kind of stuff actually happens, and hopefully, will happen to them. It’s absurd and sad. The sooner women give up the insane fantasies about men these books perpetuate, the better off all women will be!

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