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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
I wanted to like this book soooo badly. The setup was great, the characters were all interesting, they just… didn’t have any chemistry. The thing is I think they could have had, but we weren’t shown that before everyone was getting down, so it ended up feeling hollow and like they were simply being pushed around like dolls—fleshed out, complex dolls, but without any real dynamics in between them. I’m not sure if this was a taste thing or a writing thing but it just did not work for me.
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Rating relative to my expectations of novellas since there isn’t always room for all the expansion and development you’d like. That considered, this was a sweet little jaunt of a romance! Scratched the itch for some simple, wholesome queer love in these dark times. The characters had unique relationships and were all different reflections of the trans experience. The spice was exciting and captured the nuances of t4t dynamics as well. I don’t think anything from this book will particularly stick with me or made a lasting impact but it was the warmth I needed right now!
The Companion was . . . well, just okay. It was an okay read, one that I neither loved nor loathed, but it's only been a day and I already struggle to remember much about it. E.E. Ottoman is a lovely writer who knows how to use language and setting to orient the reader with the story, but as far as story goes, there's not much of it.
Basically, this is the story of three people, all of them transgender, who find a safe space outside town, in the forests of Upstate New York. They all have a great deal of baggage, struggles both social and creative, but instead of using their seclusion to unpack that baggage, to deal with it, to grow from it, they . . . well, just sort of quietly acknowledge it and leave it to fester in the background. There's no growth, no conflict, and no tension to propel the story forward. Aside from their relationship, nothing changes.
This was far more sexual than I expected from the blurb, and while I have zero problems with erotic content, the suddenness of it all didn't sit well with me. Characters are barely introduced, still at the awkward stage of getting to know one another, and one second they're kissing, the next they're being intimate. On top of that, Madeline goes from quiet, timid virgin to bold, confident sexual experimenter so quickly that I had emotional whiplash. All of that might be fine in hardcore erotica, where you hardly expect plot or character development, but it felt out of place in an historical romance.
Speaking of historical, the story goes to great lengths to avoid describing genitalia or sexual mechanics, which I think is wonderful and admirable, as gender identity and expression should be about more than what's between our legs. That being said, I got the sense that at least two of the characters had surgically transitioned, which would be a year too early for anybody in the US, and knowing that took me out of the story.
There is a cozy sort of romance to be found here, and Madeline and Audrey are very sweet together. I loved the idea of a safe space, and the fairy tale allusions in the forest were delightful. Beyond that, though, I'm sad to say The Companion isn't a story that will stick with me.
https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2024/03/23/book-review-the-companion-by-e-e-ottoman-romance/
Basically, this is the story of three people, all of them transgender, who find a safe space outside town, in the forests of Upstate New York. They all have a great deal of baggage, struggles both social and creative, but instead of using their seclusion to unpack that baggage, to deal with it, to grow from it, they . . . well, just sort of quietly acknowledge it and leave it to fester in the background. There's no growth, no conflict, and no tension to propel the story forward. Aside from their relationship, nothing changes.
This was far more sexual than I expected from the blurb, and while I have zero problems with erotic content, the suddenness of it all didn't sit well with me. Characters are barely introduced, still at the awkward stage of getting to know one another, and one second they're kissing, the next they're being intimate. On top of that, Madeline goes from quiet, timid virgin to bold, confident sexual experimenter so quickly that I had emotional whiplash. All of that might be fine in hardcore erotica, where you hardly expect plot or character development, but it felt out of place in an historical romance.
Speaking of historical, the story goes to great lengths to avoid describing genitalia or sexual mechanics, which I think is wonderful and admirable, as gender identity and expression should be about more than what's between our legs. That being said, I got the sense that at least two of the characters had surgically transitioned, which would be a year too early for anybody in the US, and knowing that took me out of the story.
There is a cozy sort of romance to be found here, and Madeline and Audrey are very sweet together. I loved the idea of a safe space, and the fairy tale allusions in the forest were delightful. Beyond that, though, I'm sad to say The Companion isn't a story that will stick with me.
https://sallybend.wordpress.com/2024/03/23/book-review-the-companion-by-e-e-ottoman-romance/
lighthearted
fast-paced
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Kinda nice to read about queer people in happy, normal lives. No one gets murdered. No one gets bullied. It’s literally just 3 trans people living on farmland on the east coast of the U.S. It does reference prior discrimination, which I appreciate because it is so ingrained in the queer experience that if it weren’t mentioned, it’d feel out of touch. The only thing that really bothered me about this book is the spelling and grammar errors. Most of it is clear, and then at the end, there are several. It gives the vibe that it was almost rushed. Mostly I enjoyed it enough, but like others have mentioned, I wish the characters were a little more in-depth. It tended to be hard to get attached to them and I would’ve liked more backstory or emotions that don’t have to do with each other, something personal and human.
Slow, sweet, and far more spicy than I expected. I love romances that center queer joy and healing, and the 1940’s setting is just the icing on the cake.
Read for the 2023 Transgender Day of Visibility book challenge.
Read for the 2023 Transgender Day of Visibility book challenge.
This story tries to do a lot with a short page count, but it felt like the focus laid in the wrong areas. I was excited to read a t4t4t romance, but the relationships and attraction developed extremely quickly, and it was hard to actually imagine the connection between the characters. This was especially the case for Audrey and Victor, who we got a few kind of awkward interactions and one monologue about their past as exes, but it didn't seem to have the development of relationship to see how they could get back together. It was interesting to see the characters navigate a different relationship structure, and I liked the initial conversations of navigating spending different time with Victor and Audrey, but their true throuple status kind of starts and ends with their threesome, and we don't see it develop any further. Other reviews are spot on when they point out how much more attention to detail the food in the novel rather than the relationships.
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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:
Complicated