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evarano's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 ⭐️
Refreshing and sweet romance!
Minnie has bad luck, to put it simply. It all began 30 years ago when the infamous Quinn Hamilton stole her lucky name. When Minnie and Quinn happen to meet at a New Years Eve party, the night before their birthday, they have an unexpected connection. Throughout the coming year, Minnie and Quinn reflect on their past New Years while both on a journey of growth. Somehow, they keep running into each other, constantly wondering if maybe the lucky part is them being together.
I really loved this book. The story was sweet, light, funny and heartbreaking all at the same time. The writing was fantastic, kept me engaged and interested from the beginning. The author succeeded at showing the characters in a really authentic and realistic way. They were likeable and I was always rooting for them, but at the same time they showed their flaws and had to work through them. The only character I really struggled with was Connie, Minnie's mom. Like the other characters, she really went on a journey, which I can appreciate, but it wasn't always easy to read. My only complains would be that the story did move very slowly, and you often don't know where it's heading, however, I wanted to know and didn't mind sticking it out because I really enjoyed the book. But, the big finish really does happen at the very, very end. Lastly, everything about Minnie and Quinn is very coincidental, like oh of course they would happen to meet there, but again, I enjoyed it! It was fun to put the pieces together and follow them on their journey together and a part. Like other reviews had stated, I'm not too sure how to characterize this book, it has a little bit of everything and that's what made it great. Really enjoyable read!
Refreshing and sweet romance!
Minnie has bad luck, to put it simply. It all began 30 years ago when the infamous Quinn Hamilton stole her lucky name. When Minnie and Quinn happen to meet at a New Years Eve party, the night before their birthday, they have an unexpected connection. Throughout the coming year, Minnie and Quinn reflect on their past New Years while both on a journey of growth. Somehow, they keep running into each other, constantly wondering if maybe the lucky part is them being together.
I really loved this book. The story was sweet, light, funny and heartbreaking all at the same time. The writing was fantastic, kept me engaged and interested from the beginning. The author succeeded at showing the characters in a really authentic and realistic way. They were likeable and I was always rooting for them, but at the same time they showed their flaws and had to work through them. The only character I really struggled with was Connie, Minnie's mom. Like the other characters, she really went on a journey, which I can appreciate, but it wasn't always easy to read. My only complains would be that the story did move very slowly, and you often don't know where it's heading, however, I wanted to know and didn't mind sticking it out because I really enjoyed the book. But, the big finish really does happen at the very, very end. Lastly, everything about Minnie and Quinn is very coincidental, like oh of course they would happen to meet there, but again, I enjoyed it! It was fun to put the pieces together and follow them on their journey together and a part. Like other reviews had stated, I'm not too sure how to characterize this book, it has a little bit of everything and that's what made it great. Really enjoyable read!
evarano's review against another edition
5.0
Refreshing and sweet romance!
Minnie has bad luck, to put it simply. It all began 30 years ago when the infamous Quinn Hamilton stole her lucky name. When Minnie and Quinn happen to meet at a New Years Eve party, the night before their birthday, they have an unexpected connection. Throughout the coming year, Minnie and Quinn reflect on their past New Years while both on a journey of growth. Somehow, they keep running into each other, constantly wondering if maybe the lucky part is them being together.
I really loved this book, finished it in two days! The story was sweet, light, funny and heartbreaking all at the same time. The writing was fantastic, kept me engaged and interested from the beginning. The author succeeded at showing the characters in a really authentic and realistic way. They were likeable and I was always rooting for them, but at the same time they showed their flaws and had to work through them. The only character I really struggled with was Connie, Minnie's mom. Like the other characters, she really went on a journey, which I can appreciate, but it wasn't always easy to read. My only complains would be that the story did move very slowly, and you often don't know where it's heading, however, I wanted to know and didn't mind sticking it out because I really enjoyed the book. But, the big finish really does happen at the very, very end. Lastly, everything about Minnie and Quinn is very coincidental, like oh of course they would happen to meet there, but again, I enjoyed it! It was fun to put the pieces together and follow them on their journey together and a part. Like other reviews had stated, I'm not too sure how to characterize this book, it has a little bit of everything and that's what made it great. Really enjoyable read! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review.
readingwithkenz's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
4.25
amybartoli29's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
crispycritter's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
This is the second Good Morning America romance pick that has been a major disappointment and I’m starting to think I can’t trust their romance recs (I'm looking at you, Dead Romantics). Their other recs are generally solid. But it’s like they pick whatever shitty zero spice romance is new and call it a day.
This book is some bizarre, unpleasant time capsule - Bridget Jones’s Diary meets Love Actually - somehow published for the first time in 2020. Quinn is the same emotionally constipated buffoon we used to root for without the charm of Colin Firth or Hugh Grant.
This book has massive plotting and character issues. It’s a romance without a romance. Quinn, our love interest, is barely on the page. And when he is he is a WALKING RED FLAG as both Minnie's internal diagloue and her friends keep wisely advising her. It's a weird flex in a romance novel to ask us to root for the dude that Minnie's gut is telling her is a bad idea. Most of the relationship between Quinn and Minnie seemingly develops off-page.We can't count the flashback scenes as romantic development since they don't realize there was any connection between them until the end - and even then - they only connect one of the moments together. BAD, SOPHIE COUSENS. THIS WAS BADLY DONE! What relationship we do see develops through her desperately showing up at the same place she thinks he’ll be on Sundays. Girl, he has your phone number. If he wanted to he would. Quinn doesn't seem to treat his other friends this badly. Seriously, this dude is presumably using the phone to text & make plans with his friends, how in 2020 is he going old school and just hoping to run into you?!?! It's not romantic, he just doesn't care. I have been you, Minnie. I have dressed up and desperately waited to run into a guy where our classes overlapped because he couldn't be bothered to call. Jesus. I don’t want to root for a relationship like this. Oh you guys kissed and he ghosted you? Girl no. I just feel like this whole book was Minnie setting “boundaries,” not being able to enforce them, and then rationalizing letting Quinn treat her badly. Once again, I don't want to root for this. Expecting a guy like this to change is a fantasy. And Cousens just did not have the writing chops to pull off the magic required to make me believe.
So much fricken time spent with secondary characters and I kept thinking WHY? How is this furthering the relationship between Quinn and Minnie? I’d say we get a 70% Minnie and her friends 30% Minnie and Quinn split if we are being generous. Reader expectations are arguably the most important factor in whether someone will enjoy a book or not. This was marketed as romance, not women's fic, not general contemporary fiction whatever The cover tagline is, "How many changes to meet your perfect match?" I expected the romance to be at least equal to whatever personal growth Minnie experiences in the book. And yet - it read like a subplot. That is incredibly frustrating. At 60% I kept thinking wow, we must be getting to the romance soon, yeah? Nah.
The time jumps are nonsensical and confusing. I'm not sure what they added other than showing Quinn in relationships with perfectly fine partners. That's not giving me a lot of confidence in the long-term viability of the relationship. One girl likes taking selfies, mercy me. Minnie arguably has bigger 'flaws' that Quinn seems to be unaware of - she's basically Briget Jones 2.0 Hot Mess Express. But getting her life together. Most of the characters in this book, Quinn included, act as though Minnie is not a fully fledged adult and needs some looking after. Is Quinn going to feel resentful that he's basically dating a stand-in for his mother because he doesn't believe Minnie can live independently? THAT is a real, fundamental deal-breaker.
We eventually realize that Quinn and Minnie have been unknowingly circling each other for years and oh yeah, some of these plot strings are never connected satisfactorily. Example 1: Quinn and Minnie never learn that they were chatting with each other as kids over how to assemble Minnie's second-hand Lego Millennium Falcon. What even is editing anymore if we're violating a basic narrative principle? *cough* Chekhov's Gun *cough* Example 2: The Indian street dog. They both fed/gave attention to this dog. Minnie has a pic of Leila, the dog, and her as her phone background - we are never shown Quinn seeing the pic and recognizing it. 'Tee hee it's such a small world.' NO. STRAIGHT TO JAIL. Example 3: The party at Bambers when Quinn and Minnie kiss as teenagers. Quinn realizes that this was Minnie when she uses the same unique term in the present. Cousens tells us that Minnie realizes he's also that boy from Bambers, but how?? We don't see that initial scene from her perspective and as far as I know there was nothing particularly unique about Quinn that night. Didn't she say she drank so much she threw up on herself or something? Was she even sober? What jogged her memory?? TELL US!!! I COULD GO ON.
Yet another book where the character thinks, oh he could be happy with me for a few months before his commitment issues rear their ugly head and we break up - no wait I’m lonely let’s bone - and as the reader I’m sitting here like no girl your first instinct was good. Not enough was shown on the page to really believe these two were gonna make it and Quinn was in a good place for a serious relationship.
Romance authors, I will keep saying this - telling us your MMC is going to therapy doesn’t get them a free pass to be a dummy for most of the book and then just end up with a happily ever after. You. Need. To. Show. Us. They’ve. Actually. Changed. Ya know what woulda been a real easy way to show Quinn was making progress? He has a massive aversion to talking on the phone. Maaaaybe he starts calling Minnie and they have actual conversations together. Just a thought.
Both their shitty moms magically change for the better at the end. Poor Quinn & Minnie. Incredibly cheap and unsatisfying. Their moms just needed a friend. Bam. Problem solved.
This book is some bizarre, unpleasant time capsule - Bridget Jones’s Diary meets Love Actually - somehow published for the first time in 2020. Quinn is the same emotionally constipated buffoon we used to root for without the charm of Colin Firth or Hugh Grant.
This book has massive plotting and character issues. It’s a romance without a romance. Quinn, our love interest, is barely on the page. And when he is he is a WALKING RED FLAG as both Minnie's internal diagloue and her friends keep wisely advising her. It's a weird flex in a romance novel to ask us to root for the dude that Minnie's gut is telling her is a bad idea. Most of the relationship between Quinn and Minnie seemingly develops off-page.
So much fricken time spent with secondary characters and I kept thinking WHY? How is this furthering the relationship between Quinn and Minnie? I’d say we get a 70% Minnie and her friends 30% Minnie and Quinn split if we are being generous. Reader expectations are arguably the most important factor in whether someone will enjoy a book or not. This was marketed as romance, not women's fic, not general contemporary fiction whatever The cover tagline is, "How many changes to meet your perfect match?" I expected the romance to be at least equal to whatever personal growth Minnie experiences in the book. And yet - it read like a subplot. That is incredibly frustrating. At 60% I kept thinking wow, we must be getting to the romance soon, yeah? Nah.
The time jumps are nonsensical and confusing. I'm not sure what they added other than showing Quinn in relationships with perfectly fine partners. That's not giving me a lot of confidence in the long-term viability of the relationship. One girl likes taking selfies, mercy me. Minnie arguably has bigger 'flaws' that Quinn seems to be unaware of - she's basically Briget Jones 2.0 Hot Mess Express. But getting her life together. Most of the characters in this book, Quinn included, act as though Minnie is not a fully fledged adult and needs some looking after. Is Quinn going to feel resentful that he's basically dating a stand-in for his mother because he doesn't believe Minnie can live independently? THAT is a real, fundamental deal-breaker.
We eventually realize
Yet another book where the character thinks, oh he could be happy with me for a few months before his commitment issues rear their ugly head and we break up - no wait I’m lonely let’s bone - and as the reader I’m sitting here like no girl your first instinct was good. Not enough was shown on the page to really believe these two were gonna make it and Quinn was in a good place for a serious relationship.
Romance authors, I will keep saying this - telling us your MMC is going to therapy doesn’t get them a free pass to be a dummy for most of the book and then just end up with a happily ever after. You. Need. To. Show. Us. They’ve. Actually. Changed. Ya know what woulda been a real easy way to show Quinn was making progress? He has a massive aversion to talking on the phone. Maaaaybe he starts calling Minnie and they have actual conversations together. Just a thought.
Both their shitty moms magically change for the better at the end. Poor Quinn & Minnie. Incredibly cheap and unsatisfying. Their moms just needed a friend. Bam. Problem solved.
jfunn2's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
jfloru's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
4.0
mela_318's review against another edition
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? No
4.25