3.5 Stars
Copy provided by Netgalley
I usually love a good damsel in distress novel especially if there’s menage involved. Sign me up. Didn’t quite love this one however and I think it was a bit too stereotypical and predictable. Nothing was surprising or shocking and in fact the blurb basically summarizes the whole book. The relationship fell flat and lacked feeling. The heroine runs away from her old life and of course it’s a past she can’t run from and the end was predictable with her getting kidnapped. I dunno it just was kind of a letdown and lacked some originality or suspense.

Normally I love all the ingredients that were thrown into this mix, but unfortunately this did not come together like it should have. The characters had no depth, the entire plot was in the synopsis, and the sex wasn't even that great. Better luck next time.

Diamonds and Spurs is definitely more of a plot-driven novel, as the characters lacked the depth of emotion required to be character-driven. Mandy, the heroine, has the most formed personality, while the two male love-interests seem nearly interchangeable with nothing to make either distinct. The other characters feel as though they are more a part of the setting, something to prove there are people around, rather than to help move the storyline in any way.

While the action-based plot of the novel is entertaining, the romantic aspect does not have the element of realism needed to make this story believable. Mandy did not think twice about the mens arrangement though it was never fully explained to her nor conventional. Vince and Cameron share everything, but the dynamics of the men go unanswered. Maybe the logistics would not have forwarded the plot, but it could have added depth to the characters. Other than their initial argument about Mandy, there was no basis to the partnership outside of a willingness to share.

While I appreciated the plot taking precedence over the physical intimacies of a polyamorous relationship, the story did not flow with consistency. Every once in a while, this novel would skim right through and bypass a couple of potential scenes that could have made the book feel more like a cohesive whole.