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funny
hopeful
sad
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
A cute summer book. Predictable, but fun to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Suicide
Moderate: Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual content, Death of parent
Minor: Animal death, Cancer, Drug use, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Alcohol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide
Moderate: Suicide attempt
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, Abandonment
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book captures the funny, mundane, depressing, confusing, and absolutely ridiculous moments that come with our humanness—like how inconvenient it is to actually bathe in a bath or getting food stuck in your teeth or mindlessly eating a whole sleeve of Oreos. We end up spending so much time thinking about how things should be—fun, meaningful, profound—we forget that we are here. We forget to notice those small things that make us human. This book makes us notice, and feel a little embarrassed about these things, appreciate them, and inspires us to simply be.
However, I wish this story didn’t come to be so predictable. At the beginning, it felt like this could be a story about two unlikely friends who overcome their respective demons and fears. Which they are, and Phoebe certainly did, but I was constantly waiting for Lila to catch up. She remained unlikable throughout most, if not all of the book. I think more time could have been put into their growth and friendship and less about Gary. This ended up feeling quite cliche—like a romcom that seems fun, witty, and romantic, but when you really think about it, it’s not at all realistic. I mean, in no world would Phoebe actually get pulled into a wedding like this—it’s almost out of character for Lila to include her. And whyyyyy did Matt have to show up at the end?! It was unsurprising and disappointing for things to be tied up so neatly in a little bow, rather than reflect real life, messy and unpredictable as it be.
I wish Phoebe continued to be adjacent to the wedding, pondering things, asking those difficult questions, all the while gaining new perspective from Lila—perhaps making that transition from witness to participant of the joys of life by joining the wedding people in the final when scene she is really ready to step back into the world and start a new chapter.
However, I wish this story didn’t come to be so predictable. At the beginning, it felt like this could be a story about two unlikely friends who overcome their respective demons and fears. Which they are, and Phoebe certainly did, but I was constantly waiting for Lila to catch up. She remained unlikable throughout most, if not all of the book. I think more time could have been put into their growth and friendship and less about Gary. This ended up feeling quite cliche—like a romcom that seems fun, witty, and romantic, but when you really think about it, it’s not at all realistic. I mean, in no world would Phoebe actually get pulled into a wedding like this—it’s almost out of character for Lila to include her. And whyyyyy did Matt have to show up at the end?! It was unsurprising and disappointing for things to be tied up so neatly in a little bow, rather than reflect real life, messy and unpredictable as it be.
I wish Phoebe continued to be adjacent to the wedding, pondering things, asking those difficult questions, all the while gaining new perspective from Lila—perhaps making that transition from witness to participant of the joys of life by joining the wedding people in the final when scene she is really ready to step back into the world and start a new chapter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
If you want a romance novel, don’t read this book. Phoebe is divorced, unhappy in her career and lonely. She’s having a hard time making ends meet, having children and her cat just died.
She is depressed and suicidal and plans a trip to a hotel in Rhode Island that she’s always wanted to visit. Cue the ‘wedding people’.
The banter is hilarious and Phoebe’s sense of humor and dialogue made me laugh out loud throughout the book. It takes a while to get into the story but after half of the book I couldn’t put it down.
She is depressed and suicidal and plans a trip to a hotel in Rhode Island that she’s always wanted to visit. Cue the ‘wedding people’.
The banter is hilarious and Phoebe’s sense of humor and dialogue made me laugh out loud throughout the book. It takes a while to get into the story but after half of the book I couldn’t put it down.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide attempt
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide
dark
emotional
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Alcohol
Moderate: Vomit, Pregnancy
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide