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onlyonebookshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity and Abandonment
thecuriousbean's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
tita_noir's review
3.0
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I actually did.
It starts off really strong with the heroine Antonia ready top get married and her fiance showing what an entire ass he is. Also she has some work related drama as she works in a small publishing company that is being derailed by nepotism. And finally, she is a frustrated writer herself. She has a romance novel WIP that she has been working on for awhile and she has some self-doubt about being a committing to it and putting her own work out there for real.
Aiden is an assistant professor at an Irish university who is on tenure track grind. He comes from a big Irish family and has some abandonment issues because his father just up and deserted the family.
The two meet when the end up in the same little town in Ireland in a local vacation rental. Antonia goes there to lick her wounds of her now cancelled wedding and put in some real time writing her book. Aidan goes to work on a paper he has to present at a conference.
I actually liked both Aidan and Antonia and I especially liked when they talk books and literary theory and basically geeked out on anything lit related.
Ultimately though I thought the book didn't really capitalize on its own inherent conflict. Antonia is just there for a week. She and Aidan fall into an immediate and intense attraction and affair. They begin to catch feelings. But instead of letting the brevity of them knowing each other, and the real spectre of knowing that Antonia will leave by weeks' end and get back to her real life in Chicago act as the focus of the romantic conflict and angst, the author threw in a lot of places where Aidan and Antonia would argue and one or the other would stomp off in a huff. Honestly, I never felt any of the arguments had any meaning or weight. They sprung up out of the most trivial things where I had to go back pages and wonder 'hey wait what are they arguing about, again?'
Also Antonia's big conflict of whether to go back to her job or concentrate on writing full time felt like a non-conflict as well. I never got the impression she was independently wealthy enough to eschew work to go all in on a writing her romance novel. The amount of hand wringing over that was excessive. She is not a published writer at all, the idea of holding down a day job and committing to also writing just never seemed to occur.
There were parts where it slogged in the middle, mostly those tempest in a teacup arguments. I had no issues putting the book down for days at a time to pick up something else.
The last part (after one final blow up argument ... remember they've only known each other a week throughout the entire book...) where they both make some resolutions is stronger and more interesting. So it ended strongly, if a little unbelievably.
Overall, it was just ok. I think the author writes really well, I just wasn't super engaged and wished I felt a better emotional connection to the love story.
It starts off really strong with the heroine Antonia ready top get married and her fiance showing what an entire ass he is. Also she has some work related drama as she works in a small publishing company that is being derailed by nepotism. And finally, she is a frustrated writer herself. She has a romance novel WIP that she has been working on for awhile and she has some self-doubt about being a committing to it and putting her own work out there for real.
Aiden is an assistant professor at an Irish university who is on tenure track grind. He comes from a big Irish family and has some abandonment issues because his father just up and deserted the family.
The two meet when the end up in the same little town in Ireland in a local vacation rental. Antonia goes there to lick her wounds of her now cancelled wedding and put in some real time writing her book. Aidan goes to work on a paper he has to present at a conference.
I actually liked both Aidan and Antonia and I especially liked when they talk books and literary theory and basically geeked out on anything lit related.
Ultimately though I thought the book didn't really capitalize on its own inherent conflict. Antonia is just there for a week. She and Aidan fall into an immediate and intense attraction and affair. They begin to catch feelings. But instead of letting the brevity of them knowing each other, and the real spectre of knowing that Antonia will leave by weeks' end and get back to her real life in Chicago act as the focus of the romantic conflict and angst, the author threw in a lot of places where Aidan and Antonia would argue and one or the other would stomp off in a huff. Honestly, I never felt any of the arguments had any meaning or weight. They sprung up out of the most trivial things where I had to go back pages and wonder 'hey wait what are they arguing about, again?'
Also Antonia's big conflict of whether to go back to her job or concentrate on writing full time felt like a non-conflict as well. I never got the impression she was independently wealthy enough to eschew work to go all in on a writing her romance novel. The amount of hand wringing over that was excessive. She is not a published writer at all, the idea of holding down a day job and committing to also writing just never seemed to occur.
There were parts where it slogged in the middle, mostly those tempest in a teacup arguments. I had no issues putting the book down for days at a time to pick up something else.
The last part (after one final blow up argument ... remember they've only known each other a week throughout the entire book...) where they both make some resolutions is stronger and more interesting. So it ended strongly, if a little unbelievably.
Overall, it was just ok. I think the author writes really well, I just wasn't super engaged and wished I felt a better emotional connection to the love story.
emmalita's review
4.0
Twitter has been talking about Charish Reid’s forthcoming debut novel, The Write Escape. I was happy to receive it as an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Antonia is about to get married, she has a good job in publishing and she is kind of working on her novel. The problem is, her mother doesn’t like her fiance, she doesn’t like her soon to be in laws, and now their are rumors of trouble at her publishing house. In a few short hours, she loses her fiance and her job.
Dr. Aiden Byrnes has had a bad year since his girlfriend left him. He’s afraid she was right that he’s been drifting through his career. If he doesn't make tenure in a year he’s out. He’s uninspired by his writing, his teaching, and his life in general.
Separately, Antonia and Aiden retreat to vacation cottages in Tully Cross, Ireland to recuperate and find themselves. They end up finding each other.
I loved Antonia and Aiden, separately and together. The best part of the book was Antonia and Aiden sparking off each other intellectually while talking about Zora Neale Hurston and the parallels between African American and Irish cultures (not the Irish slaves myth, they clear that right up). I enjoyed the parts where they sparked off each other physically as well. I enjoyed their bickering and arguing. Both characters come to life as they spend time together.
What doesn’t work as well is the conflict that is the obstacle to their HEA, and it’s resolution. I don’t think Reid was entirely comfortable with the high drama of emotions. I don’t know how to articulate the difference between the authorial confidence in Antonia and Aiden’s bickering, and the lack of confidence in their big fight, I just know I felt it.
Bobbles in voice aside, Charish Reid can write and she has a clear appreciation for the genre. I very much hope Reid is hard at work on a novel for Antonia’s awesome sister, Octavia. I think as she writes more romances, a genre for which she has a clear fondness, her books will keep getting better. The Write Escape was sets the bar high for her next book.
Antonia is about to get married, she has a good job in publishing and she is kind of working on her novel. The problem is, her mother doesn’t like her fiance, she doesn’t like her soon to be in laws, and now their are rumors of trouble at her publishing house. In a few short hours, she loses her fiance and her job.
Dr. Aiden Byrnes has had a bad year since his girlfriend left him. He’s afraid she was right that he’s been drifting through his career. If he doesn't make tenure in a year he’s out. He’s uninspired by his writing, his teaching, and his life in general.
Separately, Antonia and Aiden retreat to vacation cottages in Tully Cross, Ireland to recuperate and find themselves. They end up finding each other.
I loved Antonia and Aiden, separately and together. The best part of the book was Antonia and Aiden sparking off each other intellectually while talking about Zora Neale Hurston and the parallels between African American and Irish cultures (not the Irish slaves myth, they clear that right up). I enjoyed the parts where they sparked off each other physically as well. I enjoyed their bickering and arguing. Both characters come to life as they spend time together.
What doesn’t work as well is the conflict that is the obstacle to their HEA, and it’s resolution. I don’t think Reid was entirely comfortable with the high drama of emotions. I don’t know how to articulate the difference between the authorial confidence in Antonia and Aiden’s bickering, and the lack of confidence in their big fight, I just know I felt it.
Bobbles in voice aside, Charish Reid can write and she has a clear appreciation for the genre. I very much hope Reid is hard at work on a novel for Antonia’s awesome sister, Octavia. I think as she writes more romances, a genre for which she has a clear fondness, her books will keep getting better. The Write Escape was sets the bar high for her next book.
lauriereadsrom1's review against another edition
4.0
Charish Reid's "The Write Escape" was a witty and charming story featuring likeable, sympathetic characters and a lovely setting in Ireland. I have wanted to visit Ireland for a long time, but reading this book with its descriptions of the country's beautiful scenery and welcoming residents made me even more anxious to start planning my visit!
The book's main characters, Antonia and Aiden, were well-developed and likeable, and I found myself chuckling at their banter as they got to know each other. They both seemed a little lost in the beginning, but as the story progressed, each seemed to become more confident about their life choices and find their way towards a better, happier future. Aiden and Antonia seemed to bring out the best in each other, and I really enjoyed watching their story play out.
I am not generally a fan of "insta-love" plots, and given the short timeframe over which this story unfolded, I was afraid that the romance would turn into exactly that. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Aiden and Antonia's relationship development felt very natural and organic, not rushed, and when they exchanged "I love yous," I believed in the feelings behind the words. There was clearly an attraction between these characters from the beginning, but it seemed to be as much an intellectual attraction as a physical one, which I appreciated.
Overall, "The Write Escape" was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
*ARC provided by the author via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
The book's main characters, Antonia and Aiden, were well-developed and likeable, and I found myself chuckling at their banter as they got to know each other. They both seemed a little lost in the beginning, but as the story progressed, each seemed to become more confident about their life choices and find their way towards a better, happier future. Aiden and Antonia seemed to bring out the best in each other, and I really enjoyed watching their story play out.
I am not generally a fan of "insta-love" plots, and given the short timeframe over which this story unfolded, I was afraid that the romance would turn into exactly that. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Aiden and Antonia's relationship development felt very natural and organic, not rushed, and when they exchanged "I love yous," I believed in the feelings behind the words. There was clearly an attraction between these characters from the beginning, but it seemed to be as much an intellectual attraction as a physical one, which I appreciated.
Overall, "The Write Escape" was an enjoyable read, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
*ARC provided by the author via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
beckalore's review against another edition
3.0
Cute story and I loved the Ireland setting. The instant attraction was believeable, but the instalove is hard to grasp.
ssejig's review
3.0
Common romance trope: heroine loses both her fiance and her job in less than 24 hours. Job wasn't that great and the fiance was definitely a dud. It sucks, the reason that they break up, but it sure underlines Antonia's nervousness about getting married. She decides that, without a job or a husband, she might as well go on her honeymoon. She could finally work on her novel. But she doesn't count on her dick of a fiancee canceling her reservations. With the local festival going on, she barely finds a room in a cottages 30 minutes away. Tired beyond all belief, she barely realizes she's flirting with the cute Irish guy in line behind her at the grocery.
Cute guy, aka Professor Aiden Byrnes, only has a year before he's up for tenure and he's behind on his publishing. So it's a good thing he's got a week at his annual cottage getaway planned. He's not expecting to see the gorgeous American from the grocery store pounding on his door in the morning telling him that his music is too loud. He's delighted that she is as smart as she is beautiful and, before the week is over, he's plotting ways to help her to stay.
The book was a little cheesy and a little too judgmental of other romance novels but a fast, fun, and fluffy read.
Cute guy, aka Professor Aiden Byrnes, only has a year before he's up for tenure and he's behind on his publishing. So it's a good thing he's got a week at his annual cottage getaway planned. He's not expecting to see the gorgeous American from the grocery store pounding on his door in the morning telling him that his music is too loud. He's delighted that she is as smart as she is beautiful and, before the week is over, he's plotting ways to help her to stay.
The book was a little cheesy and a little too judgmental of other romance novels but a fast, fun, and fluffy read.
lateresita27's review against another edition
4.0
I love the characters and the setting. Both hero and heroine felt authentic to me. Most of the conflict is internal which I like. Plus, it just made me smile. Would read certain scenes again. 4*
julsmarshall's review
4.0
Delightful! Thoroughly enjoyed this new-to-me author. This charming story follows an American writer on holiday from a bad breakup and an Irish professor struggling to find his way. Fun and flirty, I’ll read more by Charish Reid!
stephsromancebooktalk's review against another edition
4.0
4.25 Stars / 3 Steam Fans
Video review available in Week 7 Feb 9 – 15 weekly book reviews.
For other video book reviews, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
Video review available in Week 7 Feb 9 – 15 weekly book reviews.
For other video book reviews, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.