DNF Series Review: Woodlands by Jen Frederick

DNF December Review Blitz — Day #1: I’m sharing my thoughts on some book series that I have marked as incomplete as I have never finished the first novel in the series. Find out why these weren’t for me:

Synopsis for Undeclared (from Goodreads):
For four years, Grace Sullivan wrote to a Marine she never met, and fell in love. But when his deployment ended, so did the letters. Ever since that day, Grace has been coasting, academically and emotionally. The one thing she’s decided? No way is Noah Jackson — or any man — ever going to break her heart again.

Noah has always known exactly what he wants out of life. Success. Stability. Control. That’s why he joined the Marines and that’s why he’s fighting his way — literally — through college. Now that he’s got the rest of his life on track, he has one last conquest: Grace Sullivan. But since he was the one who stopped writing, he knows that winning her back will be his biggest battle yet.

Series: Woodlands
Author: Jen Frederick
# of Books: 5 (View Full Reading Order here)

There are a few novellas.

Book Order: Connected
Complete?: Yes
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Military
Heat Rating: unsure
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Dates: April 2013 – March 2017
Source & Format: Own–Kobo

Note: I stopped reading Book 1, Undeclared, at 29% (start of Chapter 6) and marked the series as DNF. Find out why…

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

I’ve read a few Jen Frederick novels in the past and have had a bit of a mixed bag with them. I actually think I marked this series as one of the first I found of hers on my TBR but ended up reading some other series first.

I was in the early stages of a reading funk when I started this. I really hoped the unique premise of long-lost pen-pals would stop my reading slump…

What I Liked:

–The Pen-Pal Connection–

I loved the concept of this romance: pen-pals who have never met but seemed to have bonded and possibly fell in love through their words. I’ve never really encountered that before in a New Adult novel so I was excited to watch this romance unfold.

What I Didn’t Like:

–Immature Heroine–

I think I usually have more patience for slightly immature college students but I was in a reading funk when I started this and Grace was starting to grate on my nerves. I can’t fault her given her age and some of the circumstances but I got tired of reading about her going to parties and letting lose.

–Lack of Chemistry–

Noah–he seemed sweet. He clearly only wants Grace and isn’t afraid to show it. However, I wasn’t sold on their chemistry together. Part of that is because Grace is reluctant to get her heart broken again but I also just failed to see this connection that had been described as so strong between them.