This edition of the LoveRotica Book Challenge is one that I did not enjoy at all. The book is controversial to say the least, but I wanted to keep an open mind. Well, sometimes you should just go with your gut. The selection from the title alone was enough to make me feel like I had the meat sweats, but I got a hard head. I present:  N*gg$r Baby by Kimberly Smith.

Here’s what I think:

DNF – Scratch That- Could Not Finish!!!

I tried, I really tried to read this book with an open mind. I am a member of an online group that was bashing this book and the author was on there explaining why she wrote it. Her reasons seemed valid and I like to support new to me authors. I know how it is to try to market your book, so I opened my mind and my wallet and purchased the book, despite the title. (Which by the way made me audibly gasp when I first encountered it.)

I get the concept of BDSM fetishes and I am well aware that it is not for everyone. This for sure is NOT for me! Each time I read the “N” word in this book, I felt like I lost a bit of my soul. I cringed as I read the dialogue, the deep southern drawl booming in my head as she called him Massa and he called her that horrible word. I had a physical reaction to it. My body actually lurched forward. That’s when I put it down, the first time.

I explained what I was reading to my husband and he looked at me like I was crazy. (He’s white, by the way.)Then he asked me why I would subject myself to that. My only reply was I hate not finishing a book once I start reading. My hard head went back to it and kept reading. I made it to chapter 5 before my body reacted again. This time I was nauseous. That did it. I closed the app and started writing this review.

To the author: I applaud you for attempting something new. You are very brave. However, I don’t know many people that would be interested in this topic or the dialogue used in this book. Maybe try marketing it to a very specific group of people. The rest of us ain’t ready! (Yes I said ain’t) It was physically painful for me, and I am a very open woman. I am so disappointed that I couldn’t finish it, but my sanity is worth more. Good luck.  I mustered up 1 kiss for this one.