The Remaking of Corbin Wale

DNF - PG 21

Why?

Because Alex is really creeping me tf out.

Let me give you a little context and background, first. I went into this book, loving it. It has been on and off my list since probably its release in 2017. It was available first on Kindle Unlimited, so it went on my list. Then it was taken off KU, so I removed it. Then my library got it as an ebook, so back it went. Then my library no longer had it, so it came back off my list. Then my library got it as an audiobook and I have been listening to so many audiobooks this month that I thought this was the perfect time to finally read what promised - to me - to be a cute, soft little romance in the manner of a Hallmark movie.

And considering that I find most of the male love interests in the Hallmark movies that I have seen to be rather creepy, I guess I was more right than I expected. (Likely would not have even made it this far into the book if I'd had a different audiobook on my phone while I was exercising this morning but it was either this or listening to nothing, so I listened so I made a few more pages instead of pulling the plug when I first wanted to. Probably around page 12.)

So, Alex. Three chapters into the book and every chapter has been from his perspective. I'm guessing little to none of the book will be told from Corbin's perspective. It might have helped to show that Corbin was just as much of a lustful budding stalker as Alex was, but, as it is, Alex is out there in this realm all by himself.

At the point when I stopped the book, Alex was in the middle/end of the first real conversation he has had with Corbin. Prior to this, they've exchanged a handful of words at a time, mostly of the ‘Hi, what can I get you today?' variety because Corbin has been a return customer to the bakery Alex has taken over for his mom. So, the have spoken a little, but entirely superficial, customer service conversation that you get in everyday life that are irrelevant and mean nothing. Probably a total of five conversations.

So, the two scenes that made me totally bow out of this book are as follows.

Alex gives Corbin a fresh slice of bread as a snack. Watching Corbin eat makes Alex fantasize about putting Corbin on his knees and getting a blowjob from him. (Pretty sure this is the second day that Alex has seen Corbin.)

Alex sits down across from Corbin and watches him. Starts to fantasize about him. Likens Corbin's lips to a bruised peach and wants to shove his fingers in Corbin's mouth. (Pretty sure this is the very next day.)

There's also a strange fascination that Alex seems to have about Corbin being shorter and thinner than he is - and with all the specific forms the fantasizing has taken, I cannot help but to think that this is ‘better to subjugate'. Alex also does not let anyone forget that Corbin is a little wild looking, was bullied in high school - in all the usual ways slender boys are - and then his ears look a little like a fairy's.

Either Corbin is something not human - in which case Alex is super objectifying and exoticizing him (and it's something I'm not interested in) - or Corbin is 100% human - in which case Alex is super objectifying and exoticizing him (and I an only guess that Alex will try to keep him a little wild and fairy-like which is creepy).

So, yeah.

Also, I was going to give a little disclaimer that, you know, I only read twenty pages, maybe I had a kneejerk reaction to Alex, typical me stuff when I don't know if I was the issue and maybe I'm just too sensitive - then I went and read some of the one star reviews and I found out that Alex actually goes and gets worse and I am seriously not here for this creepy ass whatever fetishizing and I am so glad that I am as kneejerk-y and sensitive to this stuff as I am otherwise I would have kept reading and just bleh.