I kind of skipped reading book one in this series so I'm not sure how much of these guys' stories i missed, but from this book alone, I really liked it. There was a lot of angst (thank you Jack!) but seeing as I am kind of in a angst mood as of late, it worked pretty well with me. And while I am not a big fan of the kiddies, in general, I like how Jack's kids were here. Messed up and sometimes little shits--but they have gone thru hell, so I think we can cut them some slack. I'm thinking I would have walked away though, the first, or even the second, time that Jack threw a hissy and tossed Tony out. But love is stupid sometimes. Maybe Jack will learn his lesson and won't be such a secretive shit in the future. Will have to go back and read the first book in this series, since this has got me intrigued.4.25 stars I have read several of K.A. Mitchell's books, and have really enjoyed them. This book, not so much. It started well, the build up was good and I really liked Tony. But then the sh- stuff - hit the fan and it turned into some heavy reading (you'll get the shit/stuff joke if you read the book). I haven't written a review before, so I read some for this book after I finished to get me going in how to put my thoughts and feelings into words. I came across a review by Hannah (dated Apr 28,2012) and it said everything I felt about it. I could have written it myself.Here are some quotes. Please read her FULL review.- "I started it with the assumption that it was a romance, but there was actually very little about it that could be considered romantic. Instead, Not Knowing Jack was a prolonged angst-fest with an uneasy HEA tacked onto the end."- "The skeletons in Jack's closet end up hijacking the plot, diverting attention away from the romantic elements of the story and making for some pretty heavy reading."- "So why did I give this book three stars instead of fewer? First, because Tony was a great character. He was worth reading about (...) Second, it really was well written. Even though I was expecting one of Mitchell's sexy romances instead of an uncomfortable drama, I had to admire her handling of the complex situations and emotions she was writing about. It was well done; it just wasn't what I wanted to read."Remember, those were quotes from Hannah's review not my own words. She just nailed everything I wanted to say.By the way, I read Not knowing Jack out of order. Not knowing Jack is #2 in the Ohio books series, and I didn't read #1 Regularly Scheduled Life (Sean and Kyle's story) first. Because I didn't know there was #1 and #2. I don't think it mattered very much, but they were secondary characters in this book. I don't think I'll be reading their book though. I want to read something else in stead.
What do You think about Not Knowing Jack (2010)?
K.A. Mitchell has a writing style that calls to me. Probably why I have read four of her books in a row.I like stories with established couples, and this author writes them better than most. She drops you into the story, and then gives you all the background you need to fall in love with her characters. I definitely fell for these two. Jack and Tony were a case of opposites attract, but it worked for me, as well as them.This author doesn't go for over the top story lines, but presents us with realistic problems in a way that makes for a very interesting read.K.A. Mitchell is an author that I will be reading more of as soon as my book budget allows.
—2010ee146
A sexy cover hides a book with a surprising amount of gravitas. Word of warning, this relationship is constantly on the verge of self-destruction, which won't be to all tastes. I wasn't particularly bothered, and I enjoyed the sense of drama here that touches on some all too real issues. It allowed me to embrace rather than resist some of the excesses and just enjoy the book. No prior knowledge of the Ohio series is required.
—lorapa
