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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Like a House on Fire was not what I expected, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it. Merit has been married for 12 years to her husband Cory, life is typical, with kids, jobs, and the usual marital issues. Then Merit meets Jane and her life changes. While, I couldn't relate to Jane's life in the end many of the issues she faced and the redundancy of her life, and the questions she asked herself, "Is this all life has to offer?" I could relate to it. Overall the book was well written, I enjoyed the characters and the story, which I did fly through and while the ending did catch me off guard, I enjoyed the book.
challenging
hopeful
tense
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:
Complicated
‘younger woman with a husband meets powerful older woman, passionate & sexual affair ensues, torn between her conventional life’ is not exactly a new sapphic story. It’s the oldest one there is. And despite that, Lauren Breyer has made it fresh and exciting.
Her writing is easy to read and her characters are well-drawn; both Jane and Merit feel messy and so real. I really liked Jane and Merit’s dynamic too – ‘little bird’ and that feeling of having 19 conversation threads at once with someone who gets you, and Merit supporting her with the cancer / Jane supporting her through the miscarriage.
Ooh and the scene in Mexico has great imagery: margaritas by the pool, looking at yourself in the mirror drunk knowing you’re about to do something bad, the rain pouring outside the restaurant, touching bare skin as you sit side-to-side in the booth. Veryyy well written.
The ending of the story made me gasp – it needed a little more backstory to make sense, but we love to see a sapphic happy ending. 4/5 stars
Her writing is easy to read and her characters are well-drawn; both Jane and Merit feel messy and so real. I really liked Jane and Merit’s dynamic too – ‘little bird’ and that feeling of having 19 conversation threads at once with someone who gets you, and Merit supporting her with the cancer / Jane supporting her through the miscarriage.
Ooh and the scene in Mexico has great imagery: margaritas by the pool, looking at yourself in the mirror drunk knowing you’re about to do something bad, the rain pouring outside the restaurant, touching bare skin as you sit side-to-side in the booth. Veryyy well written.
The ending of the story made me gasp – it needed a little more backstory to make sense, but we love to see a sapphic happy ending. 4/5 stars
I think this was an ok book. I enjoyed the writing style and most of the characters. The plot was good but I think the ending could have been better.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Alcohol
Moderate: Death of parent
This was written well- as in, the writing pulled you in and kept me reading. With that being said, it definitely fell short for me-merit’s husband was extremely unlikable and it made it hard to understand why she’d be so torn about leaving him. Also, the prolonged affair was just uncomfortable to read. I wanted to root for merit and Jane, but the constant deception was shitty and I just kept wishing for her to be honest with him and choose her happiness and her truth.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc
This book is incredible. I am generally not a big fan of non-fiction (it is rare to find one I love), but I can't put this book down. The author is an incredible writer where it is so easy to follow everything she says. I don't find myself bored with too many details or missing information. Her transitions between times are seamless, and the story is delightful. If you are looking for a fun and enjoyable read, pick this one up!