When I first began reading Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series I LOVED them! I could not get enough of them, quickly buying the next one before I finished with a current book. Long about book number 15 or 16 I began to get really weary of the whole Shephanie/Ranger/Joe thing. Her character is so static, it never changes. She still just limps along barely paying her bills, and she can't choose a man. I mean what's up that? I'm so over it. I did not buy the last two books, I quit.
Then there was the Flower Shop Mysteries by Kate Collins. I really loved this series too! The characters were fun, the mystery plots were good and there was a love interest that kept me going... for a while. The 12th book comes out this fall, and I'm kinda tired of waiting around for Abby to decide to commit to her hunky boyfriend Marco.
I like dynamic characters that grow and change. Just because a character gets married doesn't have to spell the end of the series. James Patterson does it right, in my opinion. His Women's Murder Club series is one of my favorites. His characters are so dynamic, it provides another layer of interest to see how they will grow. The main character just got married in this year's installment, and it worked beautifully with the plot.
While I've been laid up with the knee, I've begun a new series, Madelyn Alt's Bewitching Mysteries. I got over the whole, 'Oh my gosh they are witches' thing and told myself they are FICTION. I enjoyed the first two, but again, this main character is so.... stuck! ahhhh
Note to authors: Let your characters change and grow like all people do, it adds more interest to your books!
