I just finished a novel that I've chosen not to review or reveal the title and author. Having said that, you're probably thinking I hated it or couldn't find enough good things to say about it to warrant a review. It was actually a good story, and certainly not badly written, an interesting mystery with ample suspense. Within the body of the story there was a romantic thread that started out combative but eventually warmed up.
Here's the thing: as a female author I strive to get the male characters in my stories accurate - from their reactions, their thoughts, their words, to who they are as men. I've written many different kinds of protagonists and peripheral or secondary male characters. I've been told by males that I've done a pretty good job with them.
Which leads me to the novel mentioned above. I could not equate the hero's thoughts with a real man. This character was a former Marine, in law enforcement. But, to me, his "romantic" thoughts about the heroine were too girly. At least, to me.
Maybe it depends on the type of men a particular author has experienced in life. Of course there are "sensitive" men, even Type-A personalities have feelings, can be tender, but they don't generally think or respond to emotional situations like girls/women. And this character just did not think like a real man in my opinion. I wanted to slap him upside the head a couple of times and yell, "Man up, bud!" Maybe it's just me.
Anyway, that's why I chose to not review or mention the story.
Father, help all of us authors write the stories the way you want them told, to do our best, to be who you designed us to be. Thank you for it all. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.