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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
this actually gave me so much stress omg. the last sentence ðŸ«
A very well-realized slice of life, even if the journey is a little derivative, Like a House on Fire tells the story of Merit, who is at the cusp of turning forty, unfulfilled by her stable, but mundane life as a stay-at-home mom, decides to give her passion for art and career one last chance.
Lauren McBrayer's sleek, heartfelt writing does the heavy lifting; the protagonist is flawed but also relatable and endearing. As the sapphic romance blooms, the chemistry is rightfully evident, and the banter is as fun as what one would expect from a romance novel (even though this is not quite marketed as one). As someone who have studied architecture in the past, I particularly enjoy the believable depiction of their roles as practicing architect/designer (so much office/client gossip!).
Ironically, once the romance peaked, my enthusiasm for Like a House on Fire actually waned slightly. As mentioned by another reviewer, the premise is evidently inspired by Carol by Patricia Highsmith, with a similar age gap dynamic, and sexual exploration of two women who had previously identified as straight. Like a House on Fire goes down the expected story beats when it comes to the protagonist's awakened sexuality: scenes of new found passion, lust for life, as well as the guilt and anxiety choosing between following her heart, or her duty maintaining her motherhood and her loveless marriage. The ending in particular, feels like it has left all the juicy bits off page, to arrive at a happy ending without really depicting the 'how'.
Overall, I still really enjoy Like a House on Fire as it stands, particularly for its overall presentation. Even though the last 30% is very much 'been there, done that', lacking the freshness evident at the start, I still find this to be a fast, enjoyable experience.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
Lauren McBrayer's sleek, heartfelt writing does the heavy lifting; the protagonist is flawed but also relatable and endearing. As the sapphic romance blooms, the chemistry is rightfully evident, and the banter is as fun as what one would expect from a romance novel (even though this is not quite marketed as one). As someone who have studied architecture in the past, I particularly enjoy the believable depiction of their roles as practicing architect/designer (so much office/client gossip!).
Ironically, once the romance peaked, my enthusiasm for Like a House on Fire actually waned slightly. As mentioned by another reviewer, the premise is evidently inspired by Carol by Patricia Highsmith, with a similar age gap dynamic, and sexual exploration of two women who had previously identified as straight. Like a House on Fire goes down the expected story beats when it comes to the protagonist's awakened sexuality: scenes of new found passion, lust for life, as well as the guilt and anxiety choosing between following her heart, or her duty maintaining her motherhood and her loveless marriage. The ending in particular, feels like it has left all the juicy bits off page, to arrive at a happy ending without really depicting the 'how'.
Overall, I still really enjoy Like a House on Fire as it stands, particularly for its overall presentation. Even though the last 30% is very much 'been there, done that', lacking the freshness evident at the start, I still find this to be a fast, enjoyable experience.
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
I wish there was more on the ending. I want to know how merit ended her marriage and ended up with jane. It was dropped in so quickly, i had to go back and relisten to make sure i was getting it right! Overall, a super fast-paced, coworkers-to-lovers romance that kept me wanting more!
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
tense
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
I loved this book. I re-read almost immediately after finishing it. Like a House on Fire is a story of new identity, new love and new beginnings. We follow Merit as she comes to terms with the fact that she's unfulfilled in her marriage and has found in her new boss, a person who fills the emptiness in her life left by her husband. Through Merit's eyes we also examine her colleague and love interest, Jane, as a work relationship that always had blurred boundaries morphs into a torrid love affair. I really would have loved to read this story from Jane's POV.
I enjoyed the relationship between Merit and Jane despite the cheating aspect involved in their relationship. Merit's husband was not a bad guy and I believe that stories like these call us to examine the circumstances under which a long term relationship might break up and deal with the complexities of human behaviour and human relationships.
It was a genuine pleasure to watch Merit find her voice and her heart as she navigated her work relationship with Jane. I also enjoyed the epilogue and I believe that given how Merit had carried on during the affair, the ending was the only sensible outcome.
Likely the best work of women's fiction I've read so far this year. A solid 5-star read.
I enjoyed the relationship between Merit and Jane despite the cheating aspect involved in their relationship. Merit's husband was not a bad guy and I believe that stories like these call us to examine the circumstances under which a long term relationship might break up and deal with the complexities of human behaviour and human relationships.
It was a genuine pleasure to watch Merit find her voice and her heart as she navigated her work relationship with Jane. I also enjoyed the epilogue and I believe that given how Merit had carried on during the affair, the ending was the only sensible outcome.
Likely the best work of women's fiction I've read so far this year. A solid 5-star read.
Did this book frustrate me in the best and worst possible ways? Yes. Yes, it did.
Did I consider giving it a 4-star rating because of what McBrayer did to my nerves in chapter 19 and the epilogue? Yes, Yes I did.
Did I immediately realize that I am actually a literary sadist and that this was the literary pain I've been needing to feel for a while? Yes. Yes I did.
Ps. I am not a huge fan of Merit and her metaphors, but I still love (and resent) the story.
Did I consider giving it a 4-star rating because of what McBrayer did to my nerves in chapter 19 and the epilogue? Yes, Yes I did.
Did I immediately realize that I am actually a literary sadist and that this was the literary pain I've been needing to feel for a while? Yes. Yes I did.
Ps. I am not a huge fan of Merit and her metaphors, but I still love (and resent) the story.