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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
sad
slow-paced
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
informative
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A cozy read, perfect for lovers of music! I found the ending to be a bit unrealistic but liked it nonetheless.
This book reminded me of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and of course The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry. The characters were quirky but loveable, and the reader gets swept into their lives. It left me feeling warm and hopeful that sometimes life really does take turns that lead to happy endings.
Loved it! Like a mashup of High Fidelity and a great Nora Ephron romantic comedy from the 90s.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Most of the group liked this. It was fluffy, they said, but certainly a needed change after the heaviness of The Underground Railroad. And they liked discussing it and the power of vinyl records. Personally, I didn't care for this. The premise was great- I am a sucker for books where the protagonist can prescribe the perfect book or song for what ails you, and I really did enjoy what amounted to a list of songs for me to check out on my own. There really were some good ones to discover. And the cast of quirky characters is usually something I like.
But... the "romance" was the weakest part. Those parts were sort of like a soap opera, from the first time they meet (she faints and he literally sweeps her into his arms), to the conversations where she says she needs to tell him something and he dismisses her with his assumptions(think: "I need to tell you something, Ted," the heroine says dramatically, only for him to interrupt with "No, Victoria, I already know," but of course he doesn't; or the alternate, "No, there's something I need to tell you first," which shuts down any open lines of communication and my eyes roll out of my head and I need to go find them- they're covered in cat hair now, thanks a lot.) Also, twenty years passes, and she forgot about the love of her life? She never, like, googled him? Flash forward to her finding out that the worst possible thing has happened to him, and this is like that scene out of It's a Wonderful Life where he finds out that the worst possible thing has happened to his wife, which is that she has become a LIBRARIAN!! OH, NOOOO. But our main character is now working IN A FACTORY, GASP. Like... really? He's not doing drugs on the corner or living in a park? He has gainful employment and is contributing to society? Um... okay. I mean, it's not what he wanted to do with his life, and I get the tragedy of that, but... hm.
And the only way she can reach him is through... a flash mob? Uh. Okay...
It's not a bad book, per se- it certainly has its fluffy moments. But it wasn't a book for me.
But... the "romance" was the weakest part. Those parts were sort of like a soap opera, from the first time they meet (she faints and he literally sweeps her into his arms), to the conversations where she says she needs to tell him something and he dismisses her with his assumptions(think: "I need to tell you something, Ted," the heroine says dramatically, only for him to interrupt with "No, Victoria, I already know," but of course he doesn't; or the alternate, "No, there's something I need to tell you first," which shuts down any open lines of communication and my eyes roll out of my head and I need to go find them- they're covered in cat hair now, thanks a lot.) Also, twenty years passes, and she forgot about the love of her life? She never, like, googled him? Flash forward to her finding out that the worst possible thing has happened to him, and this is like that scene out of It's a Wonderful Life where he finds out that the worst possible thing has happened to his wife, which is that she has become a LIBRARIAN!! OH, NOOOO. But our main character is now working IN A FACTORY, GASP. Like... really? He's not doing drugs on the corner or living in a park? He has gainful employment and is contributing to society? Um... okay. I mean, it's not what he wanted to do with his life, and I get the tragedy of that, but... hm.
And the only way she can reach him is through... a flash mob? Uh. Okay...
It's not a bad book, per se- it certainly has its fluffy moments. But it wasn't a book for me.