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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Cute quick read/listen. Narrators were good! If you want a quick read that has forced proximity and marriage of convenience this will hit the spot!
I'm not sure why, but I went into this book thinking it was going to be a crime novel where one roomie stalked/crept on the other. That's what I got from the cover I guess? Even though now I clearly see the two wedding rings. Anyways. This is not a crime novel. This book is a straight up romance novel. It was a fun, beach-y read that I blew through in a couple of days. Holland Baker ends up married to Calvin in the classic marry-for-a-visa-then-fall-in-love plot. That is a classic plot line, right? It felt familiar (one of the reasons I only gave it 4 stars). The romance between Holland and Calvin and their will-they-won't-they problems both felt very real. The part at the end when Holland needs to find herself before she can be with Calvin had me rolling my eyes, but OK. I guess I just don't believe women need to be alone to find themselves. They can stay with their hot husbands and still be successful and independent. That's just me!
My roommate also happens to be an Irish musician I had to marry so he could stay in the country! April fools (obviously), but a girl can dream
Libby/audio
The roller coaster of emotions i just went through...! When i tell you the book just gutted me!!!! Christina Lauren, you dirty rotten scoundrel! J/K...but also not?!?
This is the story of Holland, a girl who has a big crush on a busker in the subway, who one day, months after mildly obsessing over him for months and visiting him daily, gets just drunk enough to work up the nerve to talk to him for a minute. Turns out, hes Irish. (*double swoon!)
Unfortunately, she gets shoved down on the tracks by a homeless guy, so her high-high of the night is a little bit of a bust...
Her uncle is a big-time music guy, and she brings him out to visit her busker, and since his diva just quit, he happens to be in need of some fresh talent.
Turns out though, that Calvin, the busker, is actually not a legal citizen, so he cant be hired. Her nemesis at work makes a flippant joke that she should marry him so he can get his green card, and after thinking it over, she decides to make the offer.
What follows is a sweet, lovely, slowly built love story, while the inevitable lie creeps between them, her jerk-user best friend aggressively lobs grenades at them, things work toward the inevitable 3rd act, and crap generally hits the fan. And this is where my heart and guts get shredded and i went through actual turmoil, up until the last second, when everything works out. But man, i was sick for a while there! CL really had me worried, and dragged it out until the final moment, which was both horrible and wonderful.
A had a few minor criticisms though...
i don't feel that we are shown much of H and C really talking, sharing or getting to know each other. Some of it happens off-page. Considering the circumstances, they should really communicate more. If i were Holland, i would want to know EVERYTHING about Cal. She has a giant crush on him before and after they meet. They go on one 'date' And yes, she is hiding that crush from him, and her feelings. Yes, that is supposed to cause tension between them, but even though they play a 'get-to-know-insider-information' game, it is really just a get to know stuff about H game. Yes, they are both pretty private, and they both have really hidden themselves from most people in general, but it doesn't help the situation to have so little sharing/opening up to each other, and i really feel that it could have been handled better by the author. The conflict would have been sharper, and the final resolution although satisfying as is, would have felt better if we had more time to marinate in that aspect of their relationship. It felt a little too rushed, and i really wish they had stronger emotional vulnerability, especially at the end.
I (as the reader) never really feel like i know either of them. I know Cal is into H. And he loves his music. And he is super happy to have his dream job. I know he has a family, and he is Irish. I know he likes H apartment. And German food is his favorite. I know how he acts when he is hungover. And i know he prefers to be naked at home. I know he's afraid of being mobbed by fans. And that he gets high from being on stage/adored. But i don't know much about who he is inside. He never steps in front of danger or defends or rescues H when ppl say or do harmful things to her. I also know H prefers that. (This is where her modern fem ideals start to show) i think that is probably for the best in this scenario, because he does let her fight her own battles, and figure out her own boundaries, but he checks in on her afterword, to make sure she is okay. So it isn't like he doesn't care. But there is a small edge of not quite unselfishness there, hovering around the edges. A tiny chink in the foundation of the relationship.
If things had continued in the status quo, as they were, the power balance between them would have led to Holland feeling bitter toward Cals success, while her dreams were set aside so she could be his support system. So i get that she needed time on her own to really flex her muscles and stand on her own merits. Thats great and all. But before that even happens, there is a conflict/resolution that doesn't have a satisfying emotional connection, and leads into this ultimate conflict/climax. My point here is simply to say, these two have never really started with a strong foundation in this story. So i have some reasonable doubts about them realistically as a long term couple. The difference here, i think, is that they both at least are willing to be open to making progress, and improvement. They could make it work. We just don't see much of that in the bedrock of this story IMO.
Also, H is supposed to be a great cook, and both of them are fairly broke, yet they eat out/takeout almost exclusively. This is a tiny thing, but it bugs me.
After H writes her essay, she says she plans to let C read it to give his permission for print, but then she sees something and cancels the meeting they planned, so that little plot point gets dropped into the ether. What happened? Did she publish anyway?
And then, at the end, does she join C at his relocation? Or do they do the long distance thing? Just some small things I'm left wondering about. 🤔
Also, through most of the book, Holland is pretty selfless. She scouts Cal, and she helps him with his music. (She does this because he is actually talented, and even though she has a connection via her uncle/family, it's not something she does to get anything for herself. She sacrifices for her uncle, and for Cal, and even though she secretly has big feelings for Cal, that's just a bonus, and she fully plans to give him up/shred her feelings/heart when he leaves in the future, since she figures for him it is more of a business transaction.) It's a little odd considering her choice of career path(she is adrift in her career), but in a small way, Cal appreciates her help and brings her attention to her 'talent' in this small thing. Thats cool.
But then when she writes her essay(and maybe I'm wrong here? As it isn't elaborated on in detail) her story seems to take on a pretty self-centered flavor. She talks about her talent, how SHE found him, and SHE is the reason he is where he is. It's all pretty much about her. And while 'write what you know' is definitely a thing for a reason, and her perspective is something that would be a hot take/inside information in the scenario of this book, something about it just left me feeling disappointed by it/her during this moment. I wish she had found something different to write about.
Anyway, This was really great, and i did really enjoy it. I just had some tiny nitpicks.
The Audiobook narrator had a slightly bothersome cadence when doing her American accent(most of this book) but i think she is actually Irish, so she absolutely KILLED Calvins brogue, so i can forgive her.
I will definitely read this again.
The roller coaster of emotions i just went through...! When i tell you the book just gutted me!!!! Christina Lauren, you dirty rotten scoundrel! J/K...but also not?!?
This is the story of Holland, a girl who has a big crush on a busker in the subway, who one day, months after mildly obsessing over him for months and visiting him daily, gets just drunk enough to work up the nerve to talk to him for a minute. Turns out, hes Irish. (*double swoon!)
Unfortunately, she gets shoved down on the tracks by a homeless guy, so her high-high of the night is a little bit of a bust...
Her uncle is a big-time music guy, and she brings him out to visit her busker, and since his diva just quit, he happens to be in need of some fresh talent.
Turns out though, that Calvin, the busker, is actually not a legal citizen, so he cant be hired. Her nemesis at work makes a flippant joke that she should marry him so he can get his green card, and after thinking it over, she decides to make the offer.
What follows is a sweet, lovely, slowly built love story, while the inevitable lie creeps between them, her jerk-user best friend aggressively lobs grenades at them, things work toward the inevitable 3rd act, and crap generally hits the fan. And this is where my heart and guts get shredded and i went through actual turmoil, up until the last second, when everything works out. But man, i was sick for a while there! CL really had me worried, and dragged it out until the final moment, which was both horrible and wonderful.
A had a few minor criticisms though...
i don't feel that we are shown much of H and C really talking, sharing or getting to know each other. Some of it happens off-page. Considering the circumstances, they should really communicate more. If i were Holland, i would want to know EVERYTHING about Cal. She has a giant crush on him before and after they meet. They go on one 'date' And yes, she is hiding that crush from him, and her feelings. Yes, that is supposed to cause tension between them, but even though they play a 'get-to-know-insider-information' game, it is really just a get to know stuff about H game. Yes, they are both pretty private, and they both have really hidden themselves from most people in general, but it doesn't help the situation to have so little sharing/opening up to each other, and i really feel that it could have been handled better by the author. The conflict would have been sharper, and the final resolution although satisfying as is, would have felt better if we had more time to marinate in that aspect of their relationship. It felt a little too rushed, and i really wish they had stronger emotional vulnerability, especially at the end.
I (as the reader) never really feel like i know either of them. I know Cal is into H. And he loves his music. And he is super happy to have his dream job. I know he has a family, and he is Irish. I know he likes H apartment. And German food is his favorite. I know how he acts when he is hungover. And i know he prefers to be naked at home. I know he's afraid of being mobbed by fans. And that he gets high from being on stage/adored. But i don't know much about who he is inside. He never steps in front of danger or defends or rescues H when ppl say or do harmful things to her. I also know H prefers that. (This is where her modern fem ideals start to show) i think that is probably for the best in this scenario, because he does let her fight her own battles, and figure out her own boundaries, but he checks in on her afterword, to make sure she is okay. So it isn't like he doesn't care. But there is a small edge of not quite unselfishness there, hovering around the edges. A tiny chink in the foundation of the relationship.
If things had continued in the status quo, as they were, the power balance between them would have led to Holland feeling bitter toward Cals success, while her dreams were set aside so she could be his support system. So i get that she needed time on her own to really flex her muscles and stand on her own merits. Thats great and all. But before that even happens, there is a conflict/resolution that doesn't have a satisfying emotional connection, and leads into this ultimate conflict/climax. My point here is simply to say, these two have never really started with a strong foundation in this story. So i have some reasonable doubts about them realistically as a long term couple. The difference here, i think, is that they both at least are willing to be open to making progress, and improvement. They could make it work. We just don't see much of that in the bedrock of this story IMO.
Also, H is supposed to be a great cook, and both of them are fairly broke, yet they eat out/takeout almost exclusively. This is a tiny thing, but it bugs me.
After H writes her essay, she says she plans to let C read it to give his permission for print, but then she sees something and cancels the meeting they planned, so that little plot point gets dropped into the ether. What happened? Did she publish anyway?
And then, at the end, does she join C at his relocation? Or do they do the long distance thing? Just some small things I'm left wondering about. 🤔
Also, through most of the book, Holland is pretty selfless. She scouts Cal, and she helps him with his music. (She does this because he is actually talented, and even though she has a connection via her uncle/family, it's not something she does to get anything for herself. She sacrifices for her uncle, and for Cal, and even though she secretly has big feelings for Cal, that's just a bonus, and she fully plans to give him up/shred her feelings/heart when he leaves in the future, since she figures for him it is more of a business transaction.) It's a little odd considering her choice of career path(she is adrift in her career), but in a small way, Cal appreciates her help and brings her attention to her 'talent' in this small thing. Thats cool.
But then when she writes her essay(and maybe I'm wrong here? As it isn't elaborated on in detail) her story seems to take on a pretty self-centered flavor. She talks about her talent, how SHE found him, and SHE is the reason he is where he is. It's all pretty much about her. And while 'write what you know' is definitely a thing for a reason, and her perspective is something that would be a hot take/inside information in the scenario of this book, something about it just left me feeling disappointed by it/her during this moment. I wish she had found something different to write about.
Anyway, This was really great, and i did really enjoy it. I just had some tiny nitpicks.
The Audiobook narrator had a slightly bothersome cadence when doing her American accent(most of this book) but i think she is actually Irish, so she absolutely KILLED Calvins brogue, so i can forgive her.
I will definitely read this again.
I’m gonna be honest, I DNFed this book after 10 pages. It starts with (spoilers but I guess it’s in the synopsis, TW for suicide attempt, gaslighting, discrimination against homeless people, and your regular incompetent police officers) the female lead being pushed in front of a train by a random homeless person, after which everyone around, including eyewitnesses and the police, gaslight her and try to make her believe the person never existed and she’s lying about a suicide attempt. All of it seems to be intended as funny and just a comedically wild thing that happens in her life. There was literally nothing that could have salvaged this. How the fck is this a romance book?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
So much bigotry in so few pages.
Two Huge Reasons I would not date Calvin:
1) he doesn’t understand the appeal of sitcoms. I stake my life on the value of sitcoms. New Girl. Community. The Mindy Project. Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Scrubs. How I Met Your Mother. Parks & Recreation. That 70's Show. Younger. The Good Place. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. The Office. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Superstore. M*A*S*H. Cougar Town. Schitt's Creek. Let's just say me and Calvin have serious beef for this one.
2) his favorite cuisine is German food. GERMAN??? That's barely edible, let alone a food worthy of being someone's favorite. There are so many delectable cuisines out there and you choose the one that highlights schnitzel and bratwurst??? There's a reason every time I go to Wiesbaden I only eat at Thai and Japanese restaurants.
This book drags out the 70% breakup a bit too long in my opinion. That whole thing with.
Weirdest quote: “It’s my boss, the stage manager. Imagine Mr. Plankton and Effie Trinket rolled into one." This...doesn't make sense to me. What strange characterization, especially since Effie is so much more camp and redeemable than Brian.
1) he doesn’t understand the appeal of sitcoms. I stake my life on the value of sitcoms. New Girl. Community. The Mindy Project. Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Scrubs. How I Met Your Mother. Parks & Recreation. That 70's Show. Younger. The Good Place. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. The Office. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Superstore. M*A*S*H. Cougar Town. Schitt's Creek. Let's just say me and Calvin have serious beef for this one.
2) his favorite cuisine is German food. GERMAN??? That's barely edible, let alone a food worthy of being someone's favorite. There are so many delectable cuisines out there and you choose the one that highlights schnitzel and bratwurst??? There's a reason every time I go to Wiesbaden I only eat at Thai and Japanese restaurants.
This book drags out the 70% breakup a bit too long in my opinion. That whole thing with
Spoiler
telling his family he had already been married for four years was so weird. I did not get it. With her concealing the crush and him lying to his family it's no wonder they didn't trust each other. It was just painful and rather unnecessaryWeirdest quote: “It’s my boss, the stage manager. Imagine Mr. Plankton and Effie Trinket rolled into one." This...doesn't make sense to me. What strange characterization, especially since Effie is so much more camp and redeemable than Brian.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
This book is a cute romance. It is written like a Rom Com movie. I don't usually like romance., but this book was good.
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A cute quick read. I kinda wish it wasn’t the same conflict keeping them apart two separate time in the book but all and all an entertaining read but I don’t think I’d read it again.