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kottengoesbork's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
ginasandra's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
5.0
samstillreading's review against another edition
2.0
The Rom-Com Agenda has a great premise for a story – the hero learns from romantic comedies how to be a great hero while his guide falls in love with him. It’s a great idea but the execution fell flat for me. Perhaps it’s that I didn’t connect with Eli or I haven’t watched many of the movies that Eli and Leah watch.
Eli proposes to his relatively new girlfriend just as she’s about to go overseas on a sabbatical. She refuses and Eli is left heartbroken, clueless to what he’s done. Months later, he’s still lost and pining for Veronica. Enter Leah, who just happens to be working everywhere when Eli’s sister and her friends drag him in for a top to toe makeover. Leah’s secrets are two fold – she’s taking on any job to get out of the small town after she’s sorted her late foster mother’s effects and she heard Eli’s proposal to Veronica in secret. Still, Leah can’t help but enjoy Eli’s company. As she’s brought into the plan to make Eli into the leading man that nobody, not even Veronica, can resist, she finds that she really looks forward to his friendship – and possibly more.
I really enjoyed Leah’s character and personal growth throughout the novel. She’s the sort of person that you want to have as a friend. Eli, however, just didn’t do it for me. He was far too stuck on Veronica for the majority of the novel and it dragged. I thought the finale when he meets Veronica again to be hilarious – it’s so over the top – but maybe I wasn’t laughing with him, but at him. (Sorry). It took that kind of dramatic shaking up (again – it happened in the opening of the novel) for Eli to see all he had going for him. I would have liked to see less of Eli mooning over Veronica and more of his transition to romance with Leah as it just seemed to drag. The slow burn had me looking for fast forward at times and I did skim over sections. Perhaps this was why I found it difficult at times to distinguish between Eli’s sister Jenna and their friends, even though they had their quirks (one had coloured hair, another was a gym junkie).
I also found that the writing, while technically proficient, lacked ‘sparkle’. By this, I mean that X-factor that lifts the characters, setting and plot off the page and into your head and heart. The dialogue and descriptions were fine and there was plenty of detail, but they just didn’t spark the connection with my heart. Perhaps this is a case of it’s not the book, it’s me.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the ARC of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Eli proposes to his relatively new girlfriend just as she’s about to go overseas on a sabbatical. She refuses and Eli is left heartbroken, clueless to what he’s done. Months later, he’s still lost and pining for Veronica. Enter Leah, who just happens to be working everywhere when Eli’s sister and her friends drag him in for a top to toe makeover. Leah’s secrets are two fold – she’s taking on any job to get out of the small town after she’s sorted her late foster mother’s effects and she heard Eli’s proposal to Veronica in secret. Still, Leah can’t help but enjoy Eli’s company. As she’s brought into the plan to make Eli into the leading man that nobody, not even Veronica, can resist, she finds that she really looks forward to his friendship – and possibly more.
I really enjoyed Leah’s character and personal growth throughout the novel. She’s the sort of person that you want to have as a friend. Eli, however, just didn’t do it for me. He was far too stuck on Veronica for the majority of the novel and it dragged. I thought the finale when he meets Veronica again to be hilarious – it’s so over the top – but maybe I wasn’t laughing with him, but at him. (Sorry). It took that kind of dramatic shaking up (again – it happened in the opening of the novel) for Eli to see all he had going for him. I would have liked to see less of Eli mooning over Veronica and more of his transition to romance with Leah as it just seemed to drag. The slow burn had me looking for fast forward at times and I did skim over sections. Perhaps this was why I found it difficult at times to distinguish between Eli’s sister Jenna and their friends, even though they had their quirks (one had coloured hair, another was a gym junkie).
I also found that the writing, while technically proficient, lacked ‘sparkle’. By this, I mean that X-factor that lifts the characters, setting and plot off the page and into your head and heart. The dialogue and descriptions were fine and there was plenty of detail, but they just didn’t spark the connection with my heart. Perhaps this is a case of it’s not the book, it’s me.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the ARC of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
erinrichards1993's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bigplanswithbooks's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
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? No
4.0
samix3reads's review
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? No
3.5
nats_bookventures's review against another edition
3.0
I thought this book was cute, but I had a hard time getting through it. Some of the dialogue felt forced and too cheesy. I also felt that some of the word choice was either a bit much or too juvenile. I didn’t hate the book, but it just wasn’t for
Me
Me