Skid Out (Heavy Influence) was very clearly the introduction to a series - meant to make you buy the later books.
I didn’t.
It’s the story of Jake and Alyssa - next door neighbors - and how they begin their relationship.
Honestly, I had a ton of issues with the ages of the characters. At the beginning of the book, Jake is 17 and Alyssa is 14.
Yes, you read that right.
She’s fourteen.
And yes, it is just as creepy as you think it is.
Let’s just say I’m glad no sex was actually shown.
The thing is, three years is a HUGE age gap when you’re that young, especially as Jake was presented as somewhat worldly for a 17-year-old. (Which, why was he meeting with business contacts without a guardian or lawyer or actual adult there? He can’t sign a contract at 17 when he’s clearly living with his mom, and thus not an emancipated minor.)
And the fact that Jake wasn’t a virgin and Alyssa was, and he was looking at her sexually despite her just starting high school…honestly, I was more creeped out than interested. And the “you’re not like other girls” Jake exhibited toward her really didn’t help.
All told, while I at least somewhat liked the characters, and probably would’ve really enjoyed the story had they been five years older (22 and 19 isn’t creepy at all), the ages just bugged me too much.
Since it wasn’t totally terrible, this gets
Two Stars
