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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I had little to no expectations. Cried like 3 times, joyous tears. I don’t write reviews. This was different.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Maybell is a dreamer with her head stuck in the clouds. Wesley has anxiety that makes it hard for him to go out in the world. When Maybell's aunt dies, she leaves them both her big old house. But things don't go very smoothly. The house needs a lot of work, and Wesley and Maybell have some issues to work out, both individually and together.
I wanted to love this book. The author approaches Maybell and Wesley's issues really well, and I love how she tackles them. Both characters learn to live with the things that make them unique, instead of "magically" overcoming them with 20 pages to go in the book. But at the same time, I couldn't connect with either character. Both of them were well written and lovely, but neither of them sparked me, and it took me quite a while to finish the book.
I wanted to love this book. The author approaches Maybell and Wesley's issues really well, and I love how she tackles them. Both characters learn to live with the things that make them unique, instead of "magically" overcoming them with 20 pages to go in the book. But at the same time, I couldn't connect with either character. Both of them were well written and lovely, but neither of them sparked me, and it took me quite a while to finish the book.
funny
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:
Yes
adventurous
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:
Yes
Hogle is a new to me author, “Twice Shy” is only her second rom-com novel but you'd never know it. I wasn’t sure what to make of this book when first opened it, however Maybell’s coffee shop in the sky drew me right in! If Hogle’s imagination is anything like Maybell’s its no wonder this book was so good! Maybell’s innate shyness and the struggle to over come it, is something I think a lot of us book-lovers can relate to and it endeared her to me right away. Wesley is one of my favorite type of hero’s, grumpy, slightly broken, but oh so sweet and innocent! Hogle did a great job of telling us what was going on in Wesley’s mind though Maybell’s eyes. I loved the imagery painted of Aunt Violet’s house, both in its hoarders monster state and after its restoration, making the house, with its ghosts and hidden passages, a character all its own. Maybell and Wesely’s staticy chemistry makes for a nice slow boil, the heat being turned up until you just want these two to jump each other. The sex is almost a closed door, but not quite, and though I am a wide open door fan this type of scene was perfect for these two awkward turtles. This is a 5 star for me. It’s a comfort read, no high drama in a setting that makes you want to curl up and stay awhile. I’ll defiantly be visiting Falling Stars and Maybell’s Coffee shop in the clouds again!
funny
lighthearted
This is one of those tropes that are among my least favorite: a couple inherits a building and must renovate it together, finding true love in the process. However, Ms. Hogle manages to give this a unique twist in that both Maybell and Wesley are extremely shy and introverted. It makes their interactions almost painful at first, but as they slowly build a relationship, they find they can both have their dreams. It's a lovely read, just quirky enough and making me want to root for the couple to get past their inhibitions and take a chance.
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-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
I loved Sarah Hogle's debut, as well as her more recent Just Like Magic. Twice Shy is far more quiet compared to the others, and while there is still the same kind of quirk it's much more muted by the characters' emotional conflicts and the book's emphasis on mental illness. While I really enjoyed the bulk of the book, I did feel like the theme of love "fixing" a person's mental illness didn't really hit. As a person with anxiety no where near the level portrayed in the book, who is on medication and in therapy, the resolution was nice for the plot's sake, but I did not love it and found myself mostly frustrated that no one even mentioned more realistic ways to treat such illness that is not suffering until you find someone who loves you enough to be an emotional support system willing to forgive anything because that's their personality flaw.
I also didn't really understand some of the external plot--where was their money coming from to fix up this house? It's described as a money pit--a hoarding situation in 11,000 square feet, and it's fixed with a couple of dumpsters and some Magic Erasers? What happened with the funding? It's all glossed over, and I wish there'd been more meat on the bones there.
Soooo...by far my least favorite Sarah Hogle book, but the writing is still A+.
I also didn't really understand some of the external plot--where was their money coming from to fix up this house? It's described as a money pit--a hoarding situation in 11,000 square feet, and it's fixed with a couple of dumpsters and some Magic Erasers? What happened with the funding? It's all glossed over, and I wish there'd been more meat on the bones there.
Soooo...by far my least favorite Sarah Hogle book, but the writing is still A+.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Emotional abuse