Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
I did not connect with the writing style and authorial voice at all. AT ALL. There was too much telling and not enough showing, not enough scenes of things actually happening. This is written in 1st person from Maybell’s POV (our female protagonist) — and from the start we are relentlessly bombarded with Maybell’s thoughts and feelings about everything: her difficult childhood, her dreadful job and cat fishing colleague, her great-aunt (with whom she couldn't bother to keep in touch), fantasies about her perfect life with her perfect man, etc. etc.
And unfortunately I loathed Maybell — I cannot stress how much I viscerally despised that woman. I hated being in her head. Her internal monologue was rambling and aggravating in its banality. I know Maybell is meant to come across as shy, likeable, a people pleaser but self-deprecating, a bit of an oddball and endearing in her tendency to daydream. Instead, I found everything about her unbearably annoying, immature, and utterly inane. Everything she said that was meant to be witty or funny, I just found lame and stupid. After 108 pages, I wanted slam her head against a wall. It’s rare for me to hate a character that much!
While I understood Maybell had a rough upbringing and was still coming to terms with that, I couldn’t muster up any sympathy for her, she was that insufferable to me. I just could not root for her at all.
Maybell’s love interest, Wesley, was…there. A 108 pages in and he is still a blank slate, no personality whatsoever. Poor guy was drowned out by Maybell’s incessant babble I think.
Suffice to say, this author is not for me.
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
This was so sugary sweet! Both our hero and heroine were cinnamon rolls at heart and just was fuzzy and warm all over the place. Will absolutely be going back to this one when I need a pick me up!
funny
lighthearted
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
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-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
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The first 40% of this book was a struggle. We follow this girl named Maybell who has found out that her Great Aunt has died and that she has inherited this house only when she gets to the house she finds out that someone else has also inherited the house.
Something I’m learning about myself is I don’t really care for storylines where they are fixing up an old house or something like that which I realize is the plot here but after hearing a lot of positive things I wanted to give it a chance because with plots. I don’t think I’ll enjoy, there are times I do end up still liking them. This wasn’t one of those times unfortunately and I did not care for that part of the story.
Along with that, the beginning 40% I did not care about at all. I couldn’t care less about the house and Wesley was just so grumpy. Every moment of page time these two had was just them arguing and given this is a forced proximity book where they were basically the only two characters it got annoying for me the reader very fast. Grumpy x Sunshine is one of those hit or miss tropes for me along with enemies to lovers. The beginning half I really thought I was going to give this book 2 stars and had also debated dnfing it.
However, once we saw these characters start having peaceful conversations this book improved a ton! I really like the upward trajectory the second half of this book took. Wesley is all of the sudden a completely different person (in a good way) and you start to understand a bit more why he is the way he is. On a personal preference level, I definitely think I would’ve enjoyed this book more had he become a lot more likeable sooner because he wasn’t grumpy at all for the rest of the book which makes me hesitant to recommend it as grumpy x sunshine and more as “looks like he could kill you, is actually a cinnamon roll” kind of trope meme thing. Either that or I think adding his perspective could’ve helped as well because it really was a drag to get through the unlikeable Wesley at the beginning.
I really liked the social anxiety rep. There were parts I definitely could relate to and felt for Wesley in. He definitely had some similar experiences to my own.
I also appreciated the lack of the forced third act conflict at the end. Like yes there was a conflict to some extent I suppose, but it wasn’t one of those forced ones where all of the sudden the characters can’t be together that I’m tired of seeing.
Overall I did like this book but given how unenjoyable the beginning was, I can’t really justify giving it a higher rating than a 3.5.
Something I’m learning about myself is I don’t really care for storylines where they are fixing up an old house or something like that which I realize is the plot here but after hearing a lot of positive things I wanted to give it a chance because with plots. I don’t think I’ll enjoy, there are times I do end up still liking them. This wasn’t one of those times unfortunately and I did not care for that part of the story.
Along with that, the beginning 40% I did not care about at all. I couldn’t care less about the house and Wesley was just so grumpy. Every moment of page time these two had was just them arguing and given this is a forced proximity book where they were basically the only two characters it got annoying for me the reader very fast. Grumpy x Sunshine is one of those hit or miss tropes for me along with enemies to lovers. The beginning half I really thought I was going to give this book 2 stars and had also debated dnfing it.
However, once we saw these characters start having peaceful conversations this book improved a ton! I really like the upward trajectory the second half of this book took. Wesley is all of the sudden a completely different person (in a good way) and you start to understand a bit more why he is the way he is. On a personal preference level, I definitely think I would’ve enjoyed this book more had he become a lot more likeable sooner because he wasn’t grumpy at all for the rest of the book which makes me hesitant to recommend it as grumpy x sunshine and more as “looks like he could kill you, is actually a cinnamon roll” kind of trope meme thing. Either that or I think adding his perspective could’ve helped as well because it really was a drag to get through the unlikeable Wesley at the beginning.
I really liked the social anxiety rep. There were parts I definitely could relate to and felt for Wesley in. He definitely had some similar experiences to my own.
I also appreciated the lack of the forced third act conflict at the end. Like yes there was a conflict to some extent I suppose, but it wasn’t one of those forced ones where all of the sudden the characters can’t be together that I’m tired of seeing.
Overall I did like this book but given how unenjoyable the beginning was, I can’t really justify giving it a higher rating than a 3.5.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No