Reviews

The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick

scavengercat's review

2.0

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Cute cover, cute premise. Not a great book. This was not well written.

wenlingzhao's review

emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

• boring and so drawn-out it only sped up like 70% in
• if you read the blurb, the entire story and ‘plot twist’ is so obvious and completely spoiled
• Essie and Liv’s mum were the only good characters
• personally I didn’t like the writing style it was very tell not show
• most of the characters had to be completely stupid or gullible because there’s no way Liv got away with everything she was doing
• the alternate title they published for the book is much more fitting for the majority of the plot of the book
• overall it was underwhelming and Liv was just annoying

teresaalice's review

2.0

I really enjoyed Patrick's other books. I knew they ran sentimental, and I'm okay with that. However, I found the protagonist in this book so whiny, petulant and downright unlikeable that it really ruined the book for me.

jilly1130's review

hopeful inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

bek67's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Narrator is was good, but I'm always a sucker for a British accent! 

I liked this book but didn't love it so 3 stars for me. Liv was mostly likable as a character and Essie was an interesting character as well. Interesting premise as Essie wants Liv (her cleaning lady) to finish her novel after she has dies, but it most be done in secret. 

I really struggled with the dynamic between Liv and her husband.

There is certainly history there but to know the hubs was willing to take out a substantial loan for his family business without consulting his wife is IMO grounds for a least a separation. No clue how they worked that one out. And the hubs was going to do it just to appease the sister?? The entire plot around this seemed weird and weak at best. Maybe that is because I'm a pragmatic person and would not have let this sister bully me and my parents just because she was jilted at the alter. I mean this sub plot didn't work at all for me. Maybe if it was done in a different way?

 

alybre13's review

3.0

This is an amazing title for a book, but a terrible title for this specific book. The title and cover are misleading for what is, boiled down, a discount version of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

mdevlin727's review against another edition

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

A coming of age story but make it a 40 year old who does absolutely nothing in the end 

19mooremar's review

adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

annoflore's review

emotional funny lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

rachelcmorrison's review

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

This book is certainly lighthearted, but to the point of being boring and underwhelming. Liv spends a whole book writing a book, and feeling less comfortable with her relationship but settling for doing nothing about it. I kept going to the end as I was recommended this book by a friend so wanted to see what the fuss was about, unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend it. 
Unfortunately there were a good number of typos throughout which pulled my focus too.