Demanding Ransom by Megan SquiresPublished by: Self Published on April 30, 2013
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 372
Source: Blog Tour
Buy on Amazon • Book Details
Rating: ★★★
Sometimes life takes things away from you.
In nineteen-year-old Maggie Carson’s case, it’s taken more than its fair share.
Determined to move forward, Maggie embarks on her first year of college, hoping to finally put her past behind her, exactly where it belongs.
But that’s hard to do when the present is just as difficult. And even harder when someone like Ran, the gorgeous paramedic that keeps crossing Maggie’s path, challenges her to face things head on, rather than bury them like she always does.
Ran hasn’t had a perfect life either. But there’s something different about him, and something different about the way he makes Maggie feel. Maybe meeting Ran is life’s little gift for Maggie—a sort of consolation prize for enduring everything she's had to go through.
But things don’t come easy for Maggie. Why should love be the exception? And just when everything starts to settle, it’s all turned on its head once again.
If there is one thing Ran has taught Maggie, it’s that you can’t sit on the sidelines of your own existence. When life takes something that’s yours, you have every right to demand it back.
Only for Maggie, that is easier said than done.
I really enjoyed the first three quarters of Demanding Ransom. The characters had great personalities, and I really felt like we were starting off in a great place! Maggie was fun and a bit of a tom boy, Maggie’s brother was a typical jock guy but clearly super nice, and Ran was witty, flirty, and pretty darn hot!
“Did you not get the memo that you’re supposed to be a girl?”
I roll my eyes at him, deliberately slow so he can get the full effect of my annoyance. “I got the memo. There were just too many instructions so I decided not to follow too closely.”
Up until this point, the one problem I had with the story was how Ran was so obsessed with ‘healing’ Maggie. Ran was really into Maggie and kept trying to get to know her, but Maggie was constantly pushing him away. Part of me wasn’t quite sure what Ran saw in Maggie and why he was so insistent on getting to know her, when she clearly wanted no part in it. I think I just felt like he was awfully dedicated for someone who didn’t even know her!
But despite that, I still enjoyed the book! Ran was a fabulous guy and I adored his personality! I like how Ran really challenged Maggie. He didn’t make things easy for her, but in a good way. He really forced her to look at her life and stop feeling sorry for herself. I did feel like the author was taunting me a bit because whenever things got heated between Maggie and Ran I got so excited and wanted MORE MORE MORE but they kept pulling back! It was like I was an addict being cut off. I wanted my dose of hotness! LOL! But Ran and Maggie had awesome chemistry when they were together. View Spoiler »
He traces the chapstick over his own lips and I’ve never felt jealous of an inanimate object in my life up to this point, but the envy I have over that stupid chapstick is unreal.
For me, the book did kind of fizzle out at the end though. It took a really unexpected turn that I didn’t particularly like. There’s a difference between something being an unexpected twist that’s kind of exciting, and something being so unexpected that it just came out of left field and jolted the story a little. For me, it was the latter. View Spoiler »
Even though I wasn’t totally sold on the ending, I still enjoyed Demanding Ransom overall. I think the best thing it had going for it was the fun, fresh, and light dialogue. There were so many random passages that had me giggling, and that’s really what made the book a fun experience!
The Verdict
That sucks about the ending. I hate when that happens. And I know what you mean about Ran wanting to fix Maggie when obviously she wants no part of it. I don’t know any guy who would take a girl’s bad attitude or standoffness for too long unless they were married to them. Unless Maggie has this amazing personality or best effing body ever, what guy would take the constant rejection? Anyways, I may have overshot what really happened in this book, but I was just thinking about this story flaw in so many books.
I’m sorry to hear this book was a bit of a disappointment 🙁
I definitely understand where you’re coming from re: Ran’s feelings for Maggie. I had the same problem with Melissa Walker’s Unbreak My Heart. I’ve seen it in novels on more than one occasion where the love interest seems more interested in the challenge of ‘fixing’ the protagonist as opposed to simply liking her for who she is. This is particularly true when the protagonist is repeatedly standoffish or seemingly uninterested in a romantic relationship. I don’t know many men who would find that sort of attitude a turn-on or put up with it long term.
Also, Ran!? Strange names in YA and NA are an immediate turn-off for me. I kept wanting to read that as “Ryan”. It was either that or hear Flock of Seagull’s “I Ran (So Far Away)” on repeat in my head.
Great review! Unfortunately, I think I’ll be passing on this one, as the lacklustre romance coupled with that strange plot twist sounds like more than I could bear.