Annabelle Eaton

Crossing The Line by Annabelle Eaton Nov 2013

Love the blurb.
Such a welcome relief to read a book without poverty, broken Hxhs, backstabbing besties and similar such plots. A refreshing change where both the Hxh grew up in wealthy homes instead of being homeless, jobless and hungry or abused.
The cover is perfect. That’s exactly how I picture Amelie! I will definitely try this author again because I like her writing style and the entertainment she provides in this book.

I loved the start of this book, with the heroine’s quirky thoughts:
Heroine’s mum says to her: “……Just be respectful and polite.”
Heroine’s thoughts: Be polite. Bloody cheek. Like I was going to go around kicking the guests in the shin and spitting in their champagne.

And LOL

In her POV:
“You’re so beautiful,” he says. I stare at him. Is he broken? I’ve had barely any sleep the past couple days; I must look like hell.
“You were mumbling in your sleep.”
Oh that’s never good. “What did I say?”
“You said that I drive you crazy, and then something about your troll.”
Uh oh. Wow...Yeah, there is nothing I can say to salvage that.
“Did he sound okay?”
“Who?”
“The troll.”

There are many more of these LOL moments. Thoroughly enjoyable.


Unfortunately, this is the extent of her character growth.
She has no worthwhile interests, no hobbies, nor does she dedicate her time to any causes, sport interest, nor studying. She has no attributes that a heroine would normally have in novels. She isn’t sympathetic or loving. She doesn’t care for her parents, her siblings nor her colleagues. She has a slight bond with one or two friends when she needs to confide in them, but nothing strong and exceptionally deep. IIRC she has studied but has no use for her degree or diploma and the one job she has, was something her parents organised for her.

21 year old Amelie comes from a wealthy background. Wealth that she resents. Basically she is disenchanted with her lot in life and what her parents stand for. She has never used that wealth to better her life in any meaningful way nor has she used it to contribute to society or the underprivileged. She’s not broken, mentally or physically abused so while I can understand she is reluctant to fall into the life her parents want for her, I can’t understand why she hasn’t made something of herself with the opportunities she has. Can’t understand why she has no goals or dreams other than to move out of her family home.

Alcohol and boredom consume her life completely:
Throughout the book, she is either drunk, talking/thinking about getting/being drunk or thinking about getting others drunk:
4% into the book - where I got completely drunk
13% - and I’m a little drunk.
20%/22%/25% - hopefully get drunk with him. / so I now have to get drunk. /
I should get her drunk
42% - I’m still drunk,
55% - I am so getting him drunk. / I’m never drinking again – for at least a week anyway.
85% - Alcohol is definitely the answer
95% - The alcohol might calm me down a bit

Boredom. She is bored at dinners, meetings, at work, etc, etc
10% - bored out of my mind.
19% - I will probably be bored, sitting around in meetings
28% - the most boring, long and awkward dinner
35% - I’m bored. I’m beyond bored.
42% - Your meetings are boring,
50% - fifteen boring minutes of small talk / Can you die of boredom?
72% - my parents’ painfully boring friends / little tasks that’s non urgent and very boring.
86% - (I was hoping her attempt at skiing would be a positive one) Going across is boring and slow. I want to ski to go fast, like everyone else




He loves her despite and because of:
“…….your overreactions and lack of thinking before you speak. And having no brain to mouth filter only adds to the fun…..And one day we’ll have a talk about what’s really going on with your family and why you’re so desperate to get away and distance yourself from them…You constantly worry about becoming them and are always telling me how much you dislike this life. If there’s a disagreement, you accelerate it and storm out before they can do what? Side with Isabel? Tell you they’re disappointed in you? What do you think they’re going to say?” He tilts his head, staring into my eyes and says, “They do love you.”

She does have a come-to-Jesus moment at the end but by then I had no interest in this superfluous, ungrateful and inconsequential heroine. This is one of those rare books where I didn’t want a HEA for the MCs.

He is sweet and gentle. Caring and real and true to his life goals. I wish he loved a heroine who was worthy of him.

I finished the book despite the editing issues because I thought she would mature and wanted to see how she would be redeemed. Sadly this doesn’t happen as she is remains also wholly delusional:
“I’m so lucky that the lazy, boring, judgmental and stuck-up gene skipped me.”
… (mehr)