Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The Dating Plan by Sara Desai

32 reviews

ellajoy12's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

hermithebs's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

mybookishlife2's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? Yes

5.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

lenina's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional lighthearted reflective 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

3.5

I'M OBSSESSED with this quote: 
  You took the chaos and made it calm
 
The book was WAY too cheesy at some places but overall it's a good read with character development 
would definitely recommend 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

krutikasurve's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny lighthearted 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? Yes

3.75

This book fulfilled my dream as a young Indian American woman. I too want to bump into my white high school crush who once rejected me and have him fall in love with me after becoming confident and hot. What a dream. 

Also to have a white man be invested in your culture, friggin' bonus. 

The book was enjoyable. Again, you know what's gonna happen. But you enjoy the ride. 

Also, smut. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

faitaupea's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny hopeful reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

emilyle's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional inspiring lighthearted 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? It's complicated

4.5

i listened to this book instead of reading it because i could rent the audio earlier then i would get the book. 
i thoroughly enjoyed this book. it is a cheesy book but the whole thing makes me melt. they are an unlikely couple and jump through so many hoops for each other and to be with each other. there is fake dating which only ever leads to actually dating.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

annreadss's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0


Expand filter menu Content Warnings

lsvctria's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

it was a good cheesy read. cute and does read like a nerdy teenager’s fantasy. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

allyhoo811's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.0

I am not usually much of a contemporary romance reader; however, I choose this book earlier this year a my Book of the Month pick. Prior to reading I learned that it was the second book in a series, so I proceeded to read the book "The Marriage Game" before picking up this one. "The Marriage Game" (the author's debut) was quite a disappointment to me (2.5 stars), but I saw potential in the author's humor and writing style -- so I decided to give this one a chance.

I was NOT disappointed. This book was such a treat. The humor and writing style that I loved from the author's debut were on full display, and most of the problems I had were much improved. This was leaps and bounds better!

What I liked:

1) No insta-love: This was a contemporary romance where the characters actually had a history together. It wasn't just boom meet cute and married a few weeks later.

2) The friends-to-lovers and enemies-to-lovers combo tropes: You will understand if you read.

3) No ridiculous miscommunications: Sure there was some miscommunication (mainly from their past as teenagers); however, it wasn't overdone. For the most part the two main characters would talk out their problems and not let things fester.

4) The male lead wasn't crazy possessive: Sure Liam felt jealousy when other men flirted with the girl he liked, but he didn't immediately jump to wanting to pummel them into oblivion.

5) The family interactions: These are some of my favorite parts of Desai's novels.

What kept it from being a five star read?

1) Both books in the series seem to be trying to get away from the typical romance heroine "type", while appreciating diversity in women. This is great and one of the things that drew me to the series in the first place. However, I'm noticing a trend where in order to accomplish this goal women who would be considered conventionally attractive (blonde, blue-eyed, thin, etc.) are being portrayed in a very negative light (vapid, sexually inappropriate, petty, cruel). The overall vibe given is that women who look like this are bad people, who can't be trusted. We shouldn't have to build people up, by pushing others down.

2) Interestingly, the male protagonists in the novels are very much the traditional perfect male leads (tall, handsome, intelligent, wealthy, chiseled abs, etc.), and the female characters put down other less perfect men for their looks as not good enough.

Neither of these things are a good look when you are celebrating diversity in your characters.

Hope this changes in future books.

*********************************

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read and I hope this author keeps improving. Will read more. 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings