Don’t skip the dialogue, even if you use subtitles and are a fast reader. It sometimes switches from one sentence at a time to whole chunks of dialogue and action getting skipped. Plus, the voice acting is superb, and the physical reactions of characters can convey a lot of emotion.
Apart from White Orchard, you shouldn’t need to complete all side quests in your area before moving on. Particularly with witcher gear, it’s sometimes expected to need to come back at a later time when you’re more powerful.
Others may disagree, but I don’t bother dismantling gear and weapons. I find it simpler to just sell things and buy materials I need from vendors.
The game takes a while to warm up the plot. It picks up with the Baron quests, and the big emotional parts come out full steam towards the last third of the story.
If you manage to finish it, replay it with different choices. Some of the character reactions can be really endearing, others can be terribly heartbreaking.
Both expansions also have excellent stories, one with a Faustian plot, the other with dark stories in a fairy tale veneer.
I would suggest you try to make it as far as the botchling quest. If you still don’t care for it after that then I’ll concede that it’s not your style of game.