Book Review: Cross Roads by Devney Perry
I had a tough time getting into Cross Roads by Devney Perry. From the start, I struggled to connect with the story, and there were moments when I seriously considered DNF’ing it. I might have just read this at the wrong time, but overall, I found the pacing uneven and the plot somewhat boring.
The story’s structure, especially the flashback chapters, contributed to the uneven pacing. Typically, I’m not a fan of chapters that delve into the past, but these weren’t too bad. While I would have preferred their history to be condensed into memories rather than full chapters, I survived without dying of boredom. These flashback chapters, all from the FMC’s POV spanning ages 8 to 25, could have been more engaging, though they were short enough to tolerate.
One of the biggest issues for me was the lack of chemistry between the characters. The story seemed to lack the tension and desire you expect from a second-chance romance. The interactions felt robotic, and I didn’t feel much of a connection between West and Indya in the beginning. It’s rare to find a romance where the woman is the rich, powerful one, and while that was a nice change, the dynamic was uncomfortable at first because of the deception, secrets, and miscommunication. Normally, I enjoy stories with those elements, but in this case, they weren’t executed well. Everything was tied up in the last 5% of the book without a true conversation or explanation, which felt jarring and unsatisfying.
The lack of immediate context regarding Indya’s motives for buying the ranch also made her actions seem questionable, and I didn’t warm up to her until later in the book. However, as the story progressed, it became clear that her intentions were genuine, and I started to like her more. West, on the other hand, was a character I felt for from the start. His struggles were evident, and while Indya’s help was crucial, there were still unresolved issues, particularly with his father, that left the book feeling unfinished.
WHERE WAS the Tension—the desire! The angst and tension you want in a second-chance romance were missing, and it took a while for me to invest in their relationship. That said, I enjoyed the last 50% of the book much more than the first half, and by the end, I was rooting for West and Indya. Their relationship became adorable, and they certainly deserved their happily ever after. While it wasn’t a wow read, I’d recommend it if the premise interests you.
The audiobook was performed by Samantha Brentmoor and Connor Crais. The quality of the audiobook was great. I really struggled with Samantha’s performance. It was slow, and her cadence did not help engage in the story.
A quick note: I’m not a fan of Devney Perry’s sex scenes; it just didn’t work for me.
Overall, Cross Roads leaned heavily on the vibes of their past rather than the stakes of their present, which made it a bit of a mixed bag for me.
