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cscott1115's review
3.0
Not necessarily one I would have picked on my own, a little too simplistic and obvious for my taste.
hannahlcheung's review
4.0
The format of this book reminded me a lot of Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple, which is one of my favorite books. I liked Annie as a main character- very analytical and fact based and type 1ish, and she reminded me of my sister in law. I was glued to this book, and the only things that docked a star for me were the rushed romance and the fact I didn’t really understand why she was isolating herself from others. The romance just didn’t feel that believable within the timeline, and did I mention I don’t know why she was putting herself through isolation without covid days? but I loved the premise of the story and I was hooked from the beginning.
sweetlybsquared's review
3.0
This was the first book I read by Camille Pagán, so I was excited to dive right in. She's a local Michigan author, and I love reading references to places I know, of course. In the beginning, the main character Annie reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant. I didn't like the beginning of either book. The style of the main character telling their own whiny story came across as self-centered and annoying to me. But both characters evolve pleasantly.
I liked the unique backgrounds of the other characters, as Annie learned more about those around her. The neighbor's secret in particular was something I hadn't seen dealt with in a book previously (but I don't want to give it away before you read the book). The book was so much better than the beginning because of the development of all of the characters that Annie initially didn't bother trying to get to know. Giving those reveals away would really ruin the book for someone who hasn't read it yet.
Overall, I'd give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars and I look forward to reading more books by this author. I'd recommend this book as a nice story, especially for someone with Michigan connections.
I liked the unique backgrounds of the other characters, as Annie learned more about those around her. The neighbor's secret in particular was something I hadn't seen dealt with in a book previously (but I don't want to give it away before you read the book). The book was so much better than the beginning because of the development of all of the characters that Annie initially didn't bother trying to get to know. Giving those reveals away would really ruin the book for someone who hasn't read it yet.
Overall, I'd give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars and I look forward to reading more books by this author. I'd recommend this book as a nice story, especially for someone with Michigan connections.
katieneedsabiggerbookshelf's review
4.0
Annie does not want to meet anyone new. Her fiancé just took a month long trip to Paris by himself, calling to tell her while on the way to the airport, she just resigned from her job after her jerk of a boss sexually harassed her, and her best friend is trying to sell her essential oils when what she really needs is just her best friend. When Annie crosses paths with Harper, however, she finds it hard not to become friends with her new neighbor.When Jon suddenly asks her to join him in Paris, Annie wonders what it is she truly wants.
This book was just what I needed. After a DNF I needed something cute and fun that made me not want to stop reading. This book hit the nail on the head. I loved Annie and her experience with dealing with Jon leaving to go off to Paris, and her job situation. I adored that she didn’t back down with the job thing and let them walk all over her, but continued to let them know what had actually happened. The characters in this book were lovable, quirky, and all around fun. I highly recommend!
This book was just what I needed. After a DNF I needed something cute and fun that made me not want to stop reading. This book hit the nail on the head. I loved Annie and her experience with dealing with Jon leaving to go off to Paris, and her job situation. I adored that she didn’t back down with the job thing and let them walk all over her, but continued to let them know what had actually happened. The characters in this book were lovable, quirky, and all around fun. I highly recommend!
thepolishedbibliophile's review
4.0
I enjoyed this story from start to finish as we follow Annie's life which is in a bit of upheaval. She is no longer working in her role as a chemist, she is living with her mother who has her own life struggles, has a falling out with a friend and her fiance has taken off for unexpected trip. Watch as she swears off making new friends, follows a mystery with her next door neighbor, and grows to stand up for herself.
yetanothersusan's review
5.0
This might not be the perfect book, but it was the perfect book for me! Despite addressing some serious issues, the book is quirky, with interesting and different characters, and a good sense of humor! Annie is very analytical and her scientific common sense reactions to things like her friend's evangelical promoting of crystals and oils is hysterical! On top of all this, the presentation was fun, using journal entries, emails, and texts to tell the story. It all combined to make for an enjoyable escapism type of read!
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
shadyhero's review
3.0
I’m really struggling to find the right words to describe how this book made me feel. For starters, I loved this, laughed out loud so many times, gasped in surprise and got worried. Yet I still have a few bones to pick that aren’t really that bad but my brain refuses to really accept?
Annie Mercer, a realistic (because I don’t think pessimistic fits her at all), smart, facts-over-feelings type of woman who puts everyone’s comforts and needs over hers.
Annie is going through a tough time because on top of losing her job due to her former boss’ sexual harassment, which affected her career and future in the field, her fiancé decides he needs to go through some kind of self-discovery trip to France to which she is not invited and the man even asks to not be contacted by anyone... his own fiancée included.
Annie also decides that she is not up to disappoint by new relationships so she keeps new people at arms length until she meets the lovely and singular new neighbor Harper and our very optimistic Mo. And here her own self discovery journey begins.
Honestly I find Annie very relatable and someone I found myself in a lot of times. I loved seeing her opening to her new friendship with Harper and her rekindling with her childhood friend Lessa. As well as accepting a lot of new ways and things into her life that her past self would’ve refused immediately.
I find the whole Mo situation so freaking funny and was honestly a twist I was not expecting. Imagine having the same thought process as Jon(the fiancé in question)?? my man here really thought it was best to hire a damn private detective to make sure his fiancée was okay rather than, y’know, answering her damn emails?? or picking a phone and calling??? oh my god!? if men have anything is THE AUDACITY! and I’m glad Annie calls him out on that!
But not everything is perfect because then she thinks: “Part of me is touched that Jon went so far as to hire a private investigator to check on me.” girl... no... Didn’t really like that this was brushed off as “kind of sweet” because it was honestly plain weird and Jon was giving me warning flags since he asked his own fiancée to not contact him for 4 weeks while he suddenly flew to another continent and then had the AUDACITY to say he didn’t talk it over with her because he “knew” she would talk him out of it. Talk about trusting the woman you supposedly wish to spend the rest of your life with?
But I digress, back to my original point: imagine hiring a private detective only for your fiancée to fall in love with said detective and leave you...
Which brings me to the point at the beginning: I know leaving Jon was the reasonable thing to do because Annie realized she didn’t really see herself with him, her relationship was based more on comfort and security(that she knew what to expect). Then she realizes his life was actually in Paris, something, amongst a lot of other things, they did not share and weren’t in the same page with for two people set to get married in a few months. While she does see herself in the future with Mo and she feels the thrill and passion with him and he makes her see things differently.
It’s good to point out that our protagonist struggles with letting people in because she fears them leaving. It comes from her father leaving her&her mom and then passing away years later (a topic I won’t go too in depth). So Annie’s constant fears about Jon leaving her again after his little France escaped during the book are understandable.
But when it comes to her relationship with Mo my brain goes “you’ve only known him for a few weeks, my love” but then Annie reasons “if I were to be abandoned by a man, let it be a man I was actually in love with”. I mean, it took her a lot to really accept that thought process but MY logical side of the brain is just not having it, I’m sorry.
Not going to lie, I would’ve been more satisfied if after ending her relationship with Jon, the type of relationship with Mo was a platonic one, not necessarily romantic.
In another note, pleased with the way the sexual harassment incident was treated and I’m glad it wasn’t used as some plot point and then brushed under the rug, Annie got her justice and closure of the whole situation.
Overall, what I am 100% sure is that I really enjoyed this book just enough, I’d say that 3.5⭐️’s is my actual rating taking into consideration I disliked Jon a lot, he was not the good man we thought he was and a lot of little comments he made and things he did to Annie bothered me but he kept being painted as a good natured man and the whole Mo situation that still doesn’t really fit in my brain.
It was also easy to read, relatable and funny. Nice characters, well paced story and a very well written female lead.
Annie Mercer, a realistic (because I don’t think pessimistic fits her at all), smart, facts-over-feelings type of woman who puts everyone’s comforts and needs over hers.
Annie is going through a tough time because on top of losing her job due to her former boss’ sexual harassment, which affected her career and future in the field, her fiancé decides he needs to go through some kind of self-discovery trip to France to which she is not invited and the man even asks to not be contacted by anyone... his own fiancée included.
Annie also decides that she is not up to disappoint by new relationships so she keeps new people at arms length until she meets the lovely and singular new neighbor Harper and our very optimistic Mo. And here her own self discovery journey begins.
Honestly I find Annie very relatable and someone I found myself in a lot of times. I loved seeing her opening to her new friendship with Harper and her rekindling with her childhood friend Lessa. As well as accepting a lot of new ways and things into her life that her past self would’ve refused immediately.
I find the whole Mo situation so freaking funny and was honestly a twist I was not expecting. Imagine having the same thought process as Jon(the fiancé in question)?? my man here really thought it was best to hire a damn private detective to make sure his fiancée was okay rather than, y’know, answering her damn emails?? or picking a phone and calling??? oh my god!? if men have anything is THE AUDACITY! and I’m glad Annie calls him out on that!
But not everything is perfect because then she thinks: “Part of me is touched that Jon went so far as to hire a private investigator to check on me.” girl... no... Didn’t really like that this was brushed off as “kind of sweet” because it was honestly plain weird and Jon was giving me warning flags since he asked his own fiancée to not contact him for 4 weeks while he suddenly flew to another continent and then had the AUDACITY to say he didn’t talk it over with her because he “knew” she would talk him out of it. Talk about trusting the woman you supposedly wish to spend the rest of your life with?
But I digress, back to my original point: imagine hiring a private detective only for your fiancée to fall in love with said detective and leave you...
Which brings me to the point at the beginning: I know leaving Jon was the reasonable thing to do because Annie realized she didn’t really see herself with him, her relationship was based more on comfort and security(that she knew what to expect). Then she realizes his life was actually in Paris, something, amongst a lot of other things, they did not share and weren’t in the same page with for two people set to get married in a few months. While she does see herself in the future with Mo and she feels the thrill and passion with him and he makes her see things differently.
It’s good to point out that our protagonist struggles with letting people in because she fears them leaving. It comes from her father leaving her&her mom and then passing away years later (a topic I won’t go too in depth). So Annie’s constant fears about Jon leaving her again after his little France escaped during the book are understandable.
But when it comes to her relationship with Mo my brain goes “you’ve only known him for a few weeks, my love” but then Annie reasons “if I were to be abandoned by a man, let it be a man I was actually in love with”. I mean, it took her a lot to really accept that thought process but MY logical side of the brain is just not having it, I’m sorry.
Not going to lie, I would’ve been more satisfied if after ending her relationship with Jon, the type of relationship with Mo was a platonic one, not necessarily romantic.
In another note, pleased with the way the sexual harassment incident was treated and I’m glad it wasn’t used as some plot point and then brushed under the rug, Annie got her justice and closure of the whole situation.
Overall, what I am 100% sure is that I really enjoyed this book just enough, I’d say that 3.5⭐️’s is my actual rating taking into consideration I disliked Jon a lot, he was not the good man we thought he was and a lot of little comments he made and things he did to Annie bothered me but he kept being painted as a good natured man and the whole Mo situation that still doesn’t really fit in my brain.
It was also easy to read, relatable and funny. Nice characters, well paced story and a very well written female lead.
mugglemom's review
3.0
2.5 stars This was just ok for me. I didn't quite like the ending only because you saw it coming from miles away. Hits all the clichés and tropes and was a pleasant, lighthearted read but I just didn't invest too much interest in the characters. I ended up disliking Annie more than I should have and wasn't totally sold on her character not having any real friends. Tho it did get interesting with Harper.
The plot was good and I definitely didn't see the twist.
Recommend for a light read.
The plot was good and I definitely didn't see the twist.
Recommend for a light read.
mgleeson's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I'm not sure if it was the narrator or not, but I wasn't drawn to this book. It seemed to focus on the main character's relationship with men and almost like she had to secure one before she can get rid of the other. I didn't like either of her prospects and didn't think she should choose either of them. Both were deceitful and inauthentic, and while I'm glad she got rid of her fiance, I don't like that she chose Mo. I also felt like the sexual harassment charge got wrapped up quite nicely and that wasn't realistic either. I like a good love story, but I'm not sure this fit the bill for me.