-- rivalry done well (considering it's about competing gym owners, that's saying a lot!) -- really fun banter -- nice chemistry -- interesting seconPros:
-- rivalry done well (considering it's about competing gym owners, that's saying a lot!) -- really fun banter -- nice chemistry -- interesting secondary characters -- aspirational lifestyle/business smarts/social media portrayed believably, among the best examples I've come across in contemporary romance -- she is smart, determined, and sticks to her principles FOR REAL, not the half-hearted way some heroines do -- he respects her and is the one who commits first
Cons:
-- it loses momentum about halfway through. They're at a conference, it's done well, and then a bunch of overused tropes get thrown in without conviction (forced proximity, mildly stalkery/controlling behavior, etc.) and it sorta drags from there. -- some noticeable typos -- weirdly square language. Like I haven't experienced this many "gosh" "darn" and "hecks" like...ever. Not in 1950s children's books, not in 70s/80s YA, not in fade-to black romances, not in a weekend’s Leave it to Beaver marathon.
I have to admit, that last con became really distracting to me--at first, it was mildly amusing, maybe even a touch charming, but there is so much of it, and it is so weirdly old-fashioned and mannered, that every time it happened, it really took me out of the story. This won't bother everyone, but it did chafe for me.
I have zero problems with books that are not explicit or show characters who are more reserved, formal, whatever, but I do tend to stay away from books specifically labeled "clean" because there's usually a whole host of other issues that come along with that. I dug a little after all those folksy non-swears and found that the author has referred to her books as "clean," but I'm glad I didn't know that ahead of time, since this one manages to be modern, feminist, fun, and sex-positive despite that. I just found the language got under my skin.
3.5 stars If the momentum of the first excellent half had been sustained, and if the down-home exclamations had just been cut out altogether, this would have been rated higher. Willing to try some of her others, though, there are a lot of smarts and sparks in this despite my issues....more
Audio Notes: ...and add that Ariel Blake's voice is a dream to listen to and a perfect matI'm just going to refer you to Richard's excellent review...
Audio Notes: ...and add that Ariel Blake's voice is a dream to listen to and a perfect match to this thoughtful work of speculative fiction. I skipped back multiple times to listen to her short, endearing renditions of a hum's song because I loved it so much. The gentle chimes in the beginning and end are perfect, too, they set the scene without being intrusive....more
Well-written overall, but I really could’ve lived without (view spoiler)[the magic baby (hide spoiler)]. Are we still doing this?Well-written overall, but I really could’ve lived without (view spoiler)[the magic baby (hide spoiler)]. Are we still doing this?...more
So annoyed by the ridiculously implausible plot and villain and absolutely astonished by the painfully earnest, simplistic writing and characterizatioSo annoyed by the ridiculously implausible plot and villain and absolutely astonished by the painfully earnest, simplistic writing and characterization. If you’d handed this to me blind and told me this was the author’s first book I would’ve believed you, whereas of course she’s had a lot of success with a partner and written other books on her own.
Audio Notes: Also hated the way Laura Benanti read this story overall. Okay voice, okay secondary voices, but the way she narrates and interprets the main character’s thoughts and sentences is overly exaggerated and excitable, so much so it made it seem as though it was this lawyer’s first time being duped, disappointed, come across something exciting, etc. Also felt tonally off and way too upbeat for a thriller. It’s not a cozy mystery where someone’s pie recipe has been stolen, ffs....more
I’ve read advice columns most of my life, so I expected to enjoy this. But it’s so far-fetched and so predictable, with flat characters and pretty basI’ve read advice columns most of my life, so I expected to enjoy this. But it’s so far-fetched and so predictable, with flat characters and pretty basic writing.
Audio Notes: The narrator did a nice job with all the various voices, though. ...more
Enjoyed, but it’s a little less put together and less sparky than the first one. There are moments when the independence/feminism come down 3.5 stars
Enjoyed, but it’s a little less put together and less sparky than the first one. There are moments when the independence/feminism come down a little hard within this context as well.
Also, with characters placed to prime the pump for book 3, must all three couples (and more?) have an enemies to lovers dynamic?...more
Wendy Darling
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