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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
halfway through: hating the protagonist more and more as this book goes on. hoping she either redeems herself or I re-find some empathy for her before the end.
marking everything else as a spoiler because, well, it probably is.
now finished, and
I suppose my relevant lens is that I'm a child of divorce. So the world in which this cheater decided to implode her family to be with her special sunshine just wasn't the world I'd have chosen. But let's be real: I was hating her throughout the book because she's a fucking terrible mother. Her husband is a fucking terrible father, too, don't get me wrong. He's worse than she is. But she's completely absent from her kids' lives, so self-absorbed and caught up in her creepy fucking creeper boss that she has NO energy or attention for the family that she chose to have.
And wtf is up with constantly reminding each other "oh we're not lesbians." The fuck, y'all.
Also I thought this whole scene was really rich:
Ummmmm ma'am did you ever stop to consider that YOU'VE been having an AFFAIR for months and oh hey, betcha haven't told Cory that either, have you?? Bite me with your righteous indignation; he's trying to do something for your family and you're checking out from that family more every day.
Just not the book for me. Giving this two stars rather than one because the writing was good. And I probably should've figured out that I wasn't going to like this type of story.
marking everything else as a spoiler because, well, it probably is.
now finished, and
Spoiler
omfg no. hate the ending, hate the protagonist, just, no.I suppose my relevant lens is that I'm a child of divorce. So the world in which this cheater decided to implode her family to be with her special sunshine just wasn't the world I'd have chosen. But let's be real: I was hating her throughout the book because she's a fucking terrible mother. Her husband is a fucking terrible father, too, don't get me wrong. He's worse than she is. But she's completely absent from her kids' lives, so self-absorbed and caught up in her creepy fucking creeper boss that she has NO energy or attention for the family that she chose to have.
And wtf is up with constantly reminding each other "oh we're not lesbians." The fuck, y'all.
Also I thought this whole scene was really rich:
Merit's vision was blurred with confusion and fury. Her brain tried to catch up.
Cory got a big promotion that he hadn't told her about.
Cory had been secretly saving money.
Cory bought a house without consulting her.
Ummmmm ma'am did you ever stop to consider that YOU'VE been having an AFFAIR for months and oh hey, betcha haven't told Cory that either, have you?? Bite me with your righteous indignation; he's trying to do something for your family and you're checking out from that family more every day.
Just not the book for me. Giving this two stars rather than one because the writing was good. And I probably should've figured out that I wasn't going to like this type of story.
It's been a while since I was so captivated and engrossed in a story and this one DEFINITELY delivered! Very character driven, we get to know Merit, married for twelve years and a mother of two, she is trying to get back in the work force. When she applies for a job at an architectural firm, she meets Jane, an older, mysterious Danish woman with undeniable appeal. Initially the two women develop a great friendship but eventually it develops into something more, leaving Merit to question just what is making her happy - a life staying at home have scheduled, lack luster sex or an exciting new partner who really makes her feel alive? Very relatable and EXCELLENT on audio narrated by Marin Ireland. I REALLY enjoyed this one and recommend it for fans of books like When I ran away or The nine lives of Rose Napolitano.
emotional
hopeful
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:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
Like a House on Fire is a lesbian romance novel, mostly. Merit, an architect and mother of two who is nearing forty, starts a new job and finds herself in a really intense friendship with her female boss. Eventually, that friendship grows into more, and Merit and Jane have a passionate affair.
I was initially going to give this book 4/5,, but after writing this review it feels more like a 3/5. This book is very readable and somewhat hard to put down. I really enjoyed Jane and Merit's relationship, but I was a little skeeved out by all the cheating and lying. It was a little frustrating that Merit's husband was SO unlikeable - it made it hard to understand why she wouldn't just leave him. I was most disappointed by the ending. The epilogue was a nice little fake out moment, but in order to create that, it seemed like the author just decided to skip over what otherwise would have been the climax of the conflict. I don't want to spoil anything, but I guess it just felt like it jumped forward way past what should have been the resolution of the book, and that left me unfulfilled.
I'm not sure why this is being marketed as a literary fiction novel and not romance. The characters are older and I guess there is some commentary on aging and motherhood, but mostly it's a romance and it's not particularly deep beyond that.
I was initially going to give this book 4/5,, but after writing this review it feels more like a 3/5. This book is very readable and somewhat hard to put down. I really enjoyed Jane and Merit's relationship, but I was a little skeeved out by all the cheating and lying. It was a little frustrating that Merit's husband was SO unlikeable - it made it hard to understand why she wouldn't just leave him. I was most disappointed by the ending. The epilogue was a nice little fake out moment, but in order to create that, it seemed like the author just decided to skip over what otherwise would have been the climax of the conflict. I don't want to spoil anything, but I guess it just felt like it jumped forward way past what should have been the resolution of the book, and that left me unfulfilled.
I'm not sure why this is being marketed as a literary fiction novel and not romance. The characters are older and I guess there is some commentary on aging and motherhood, but mostly it's a romance and it's not particularly deep beyond that.
3.75 stars! Did I binge read this book instead of work on (or start...) my 25 page paper? Absolutely. In my opinion this book had a stronger resemblance to a queer romance story rather than a work of fiction, but the way it ended was ... amazing.
Marriage is not easy, I think that's safe to claim. It's beautiful and messy and complex and at times ugly. Committing yourself to the same person for the remainder of your life is a big risk; the risk that you will grow an evolve at the same pace with that person over time does not always pay out. Some marriages can overcome that growth and evolution, and in other instances, the evolutions are too great.
Enter Lauren McBrayer's debut novel - and seriously I am still shocked that this is a debut! Our MC is twelve years into her marriage with her husband Cory, more or less going through the motions, when she ends her SAHM life of the past few years to return to the workplace. Her boss, Jane, and Merit quickly bond and build a friendship that supersedes their working relationship. Over the course of a few years, Merit's fondness for Jane grows from one of platonic admiration, to romantic interest. From here the reader embarks on a journey of self-discovery with Merit as she entertains her feelings on a quest to have more from her marriage, relationships, and life.
What I loved:
- This book was just so readable! McBrayer is a talent with words and wrote beautiful prose.
- Both of our leads were strong female characters, represented well by their assertion in the workplace as well as in life.
- The exploration into sexual identity later in life is one that is not written about very often, and one which I really appreciate. Not everyone is so lucky to "know" from an early age that they are queer, and it's so important to show these later-in-life discovery stories as well.
- McBayer writes complex relationships so well! I was engrossed in the dynamics of Merit and her husband (their marriage read so believably, and being inside Merit's mind reacting to the some of Cory's oblivious moments made me chuckle). The couples experienced so many of the same issues I think a lot of couples experience (miscarriage, the desire to have or not to have any more children).
- The self-discovery was paced so well. I enjoyed that we weren't just thrown into the romantic part of Merit and Jane's relationship but that it was built over and extended period of time. You really got to experience and grow the admiration and longing along with Merit.
- And we all know that I am a sucker for an untraditional HEA. Read the epilogue!!! Just beautifully done.
I would highly recommend this book! It would also make a terrific buddy or bookclub read. Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for and eARC and early release copy.
TW/CW - miscarriage, cheating, age gap
Enter Lauren McBrayer's debut novel - and seriously I am still shocked that this is a debut! Our MC is twelve years into her marriage with her husband Cory, more or less going through the motions, when she ends her SAHM life of the past few years to return to the workplace. Her boss, Jane, and Merit quickly bond and build a friendship that supersedes their working relationship. Over the course of a few years, Merit's fondness for Jane grows from one of platonic admiration, to romantic interest. From here the reader embarks on a journey of self-discovery with Merit as she entertains her feelings on a quest to have more from her marriage, relationships, and life.
What I loved:
- This book was just so readable! McBrayer is a talent with words and wrote beautiful prose.
- Both of our leads were strong female characters, represented well by their assertion in the workplace as well as in life.
- The exploration into sexual identity later in life is one that is not written about very often, and one which I really appreciate. Not everyone is so lucky to "know" from an early age that they are queer, and it's so important to show these later-in-life discovery stories as well.
- McBayer writes complex relationships so well! I was engrossed in the dynamics of Merit and her husband (their marriage read so believably, and being inside Merit's mind reacting to the some of Cory's oblivious moments made me chuckle). The couples experienced so many of the same issues I think a lot of couples experience (miscarriage, the desire to have or not to have any more children).
- The self-discovery was paced so well. I enjoyed that we weren't just thrown into the romantic part of Merit and Jane's relationship but that it was built over and extended period of time. You really got to experience and grow the admiration and longing along with Merit.
- And we all know that I am a sucker for an untraditional HEA. Read the epilogue!!! Just beautifully done.
I would highly recommend this book! It would also make a terrific buddy or bookclub read. Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for and eARC and early release copy.
TW/CW - miscarriage, cheating, age gap
Merit’s life has become rote after two kids and twelve years spent married to the same man. But she’s been feeling the urge to break free from her static life. She reenters the work force returning to her job as an architect where she meets Jane, a stunning and talented architect who is willing to hire someone after a long hiatus. Jane soon becomes a mesmerizing and beguiling force in Merit’s life and as they work long hours together, their friendship blossoms. Their connection is undeniable and Merit feels as though she’s truly able to be herself around Jane, or at least she feels as though she’s found a version of herself she has grown to love again. But could there be more to their friendship than something that’s strictly platonic? This novel has a lot of introspection and contemplation while also moving the plot along. It raises great questions about the ways in which we confine ourselves through our life choices and that women don’t need to be static in their lives. Thank you to NetGalley and to Penguin Group Putnam for the advanced review copy. To hear more about this and other books, listen to my book recommendation podcast, Books Are My People.