Torrent

When Gabi and Lia finally learn to surf the river of time, they realize they must make hard choices about life and love in the third and final book in the River of Time series. 

Gabi and Lia Betarrini have learned to control their time travel, and they return from medieval Italy to save their father from his tragic death in modern times. But love calls across the centuries, and the girls are determined to return forever—even though they know the Black Plague is advancing across Europe, claiming the lives of one-third of the population. In the suspenseful conclusion of the River of Time series, every decision is about life … and death. (from Goodreads)

If I heard Gabi call Marcello 'my man' one more time, I swear I was going to shred the book into confetti and use it at a party or throw the book across the room. And it's a library copy. (But it was kind of funny when Marcello was talking about 'his men,' meaning his knights. If you looked at it using the same meaning Gabi used, Marcello would be gay. If he was, that would have solved a lot of my problems with this book.)

So after two weeks of  being in ancient Italy stalking and staring at Marcello lustfully, the Big Moment comes. Gabi, of course, has decided that she's in wuv with Marcello Mr. Italian Hottie. But oh no. Not the casual hookup type. No. The OMG-I-want-to-marry-you-now type of love. (If you even consider that love, not lust.) -____- She's seventeen. Because, see, the medieval Italians married at seventeen, so Gabi should be able to marry then, too. 

*spoiler for first and second books* (highlight to view) And Gabi kept telling us how her father was soooooo overprotective and would grill any boy she brought home. Yet with one look at Marcello and a word from his wife, poof! he decides Marcello is okay. *end spoiler*

There was so much purple prose in this book about Marcello Gabi's one true love, it wasn't even funny. So many people complained that Halo by Alexandra Adornetto had purple prose, but this book was far worse. Far, far worse. 

And the plot was so predictable that it wasn't funny either. I was guessing every turn. And why couldn't Marcello just disappear forever?

When my second favorite character was killed off so Marcello could be with his true wuv, I couldn't stand it anymore. I stopped reading. 

There was a point in the book when I thought this book was actually good. But I underestimated the author's need for Marcello. 

After I accidentally saw the last line, I read the last chapter and gave up on the book. I have better things to do than read about pansies getting rescued by men drenched in purple prose for the entire freaking book. 

It's amazing how good the first book was and how things went all downhill from there. 

Note: The author says that she's considering a spinoff series about Lia and Luca. I might read them, even after the way these books turned out, because Luca is still my favorite character and I'd like to read more about him.