You know that feeling when you really want to love a book? Like, you go in with high hopes, ready to be obsessed, already picturing yourself recommending it to everyone you know. Maybe the premise sounds perfect, the vibes are immaculate, or the author has never let you down before. So you crack it open, settle in, and wait for that magic to hit. But as you keep reading, something just… doesn’t click. You’re turning pages, willing yourself to feel something, hoping that any minute now, it’ll grab you. Because you want to love it—you really do. But sometimes, no matter how much you try, a book just doesn’t hit the way you expected. That was me with Does It Hurt? By H.D. Carlton.
I wanted to love it—I really did. I went into it with the highest of hopes, spurred on by the sheer number of five-star reviews, the hype, and my absolute love for Haunting Adeline and Hunting Adeline. So, imagine my surprise when I found myself skimming sentences… then paragraphs… then entire pages just to get to the end.
Let me be clear: I am not dogging on H.D. Carlton. Does it Hurt? Was just not the experience I was expecting. I normally love H.D. Carlton. She has a way of crafting dark, enthralling stories that pull you in like a riptide, and yet, somehow, I felt like I was dog-paddling my way through this one. It wasn’t the characters—I actually liked them! The female lead had a gripping backstory, and the male lead’s use of Italian throughout the dialogue was seamlessly woven into the story, making him feel authentic and oh so hot, rather than gimmicky. But something was… off.
Could it have been the bad guy?
Maybe it was the villain? I still can’t quite decide if I was annoyed by him or just confused. He had all the makings of a classic creepy antagonist—an old salty dog, living alone on a practically deserted island, shrouded in mystery. But something about him screamed “pirate impersonator at a second-rate theme park,” and I just couldn’t take him seriously. Was it the way he spoke? The overly dramatic, borderline caricatured dialogue? I don’t know. Maybe that’s exactly what I was supposed to feel, and I just wasn’t on board (pun fully intended).
Was it the pacing that bothered me? It did drag in a few places. I kept waiting for the tension to build, for that feeling of unease to creep up my spine the way it did in Haunting Adeline, but instead, I found myself more focused on how many pages I had left rather than what was actually happening. It was like being on a road trip where the GPS keeps rerouting you—you’re still moving forward, but you’re not sure you’re actually getting anywhere.
Don’t get me wrong, had its tense moments, but every time the suspense started to build, it was like the author paused, scratched her head, and thought… You know what this scene really needs? Sex. Because apparently, nothing says imminent danger like a steamy hookup while a lunatic is on the loose.
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That being said, I don’t think this book is bad by any means. There were genuinely well-crafted moments, flashes of the brilliance that I know Carlton is capable of. The romance had some decent chemistry, and it definitely had some greeaaat sex scenes, maybe not at the best places in the novel (IMHO) but WOWWZAA!!! Not to mention the survival aspects of the plot were very intriguing, even if they didn’t completely hold my attention.
Maybe my expectations were just too high, Maybe I was unfairly comparing it to Haunting Adeline and Hunting Adeline, which, let’s be real, are tough acts to follow (if you like spice, those are definite should reads!) Or maybe this just wasn’t the book for me—and that’s okay! Reading is subjective, and for every reader like me who felt a little underwhelmed, there are probably ten more who were completely obsessed with it.
So, would I recommend it? Honestly, it depends. If you love H.D. Carlton’s work and want to check off everything she’s written, sure—give it a go! But if you’re new to her books, I’d suggest starting with Haunting Adeline instead. That one will hook you. Does It Hurt?, for me, was more of a mild sting than a deep cut.
If you still need to grab your copy of any of these great titles, you can get them here on Amazon. Or get one for free when you sign up for a free trial from Audible.
Until next time, bookish besties—keep it brash, keep it bookish, and keep it true to you!
Ps. In case you missed it last year, check out the blog post 14 Spicy Reads Just In Time for Valentine’s Day!
