The Main Attraction, by Jayne Ann Krentz

I've just finished The Main Attraction, by Jayne Ann Krentz.

The whole town was buzzing

Filomena Cromwell's return home after ten years set small, sleepy Gallant Lake on its ear. Gorgeous, successful and driving a flashy Porsche, she was no longer the mousy girl who'd once found her fiance in bed with another woman. And Fil was determined to show the town just how irrepressible she'd become!

Trent Tavinder, a guest at the Cromwell family lodge, observed Fil's escapades with amusement. In her quieter moments he knew she was warm, sincere and loving. He'd let her have her day, as long as she reserved her nights for him....

After a couple of good JAKs, another bad one. It wasn't as awful as that mess, Golden Goddess, which I read last month, but it was pretty bad, at least most of the way. A C-.

The problem was the hero, Trent, who was a terribly dominating, my way or the highway kind of guy. It was all about how Filomena needed a man who'd have a firm hand with her, how she has a talent for mischief and needs someone who can manage her. Oh, please! And it's not like Filomena was one of those feisty children in a woman's body that used to populate historicals in the 80s. Oh no, she's a sensible, intelligent professional woman, who behaves pretty well, actually. The way Trent treats her, it's like he sees her as a child who needs her parent to set her some limits. Disgusting.

I mean, there's one particular scene in which the asshole actually sends her to her room to change her dress! I started beating the book against a wall at that point. My friend thought I was trying to kill an insect. I just couldn't believe she'd give in to something as humiliating as that. It was like that quite a bit during most of the book. She'd make some token protest, and then give in.

At least Filomena grew some backbone near the end, when Trent demanded that she "prove her love" in a very ridiculous way. She did make him suffer quite a bit, and stood her ground, and that is the only reason this book didn't get a D-range grade.