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overflowingshelf's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
CW: Infidelity (minor); references to cancer; death of a sibling; grief; veiled references to suicide
I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical of this book when I started reading it. It didn’t hook me right away, and there were a few things that didn’t necessarily work for me. But I’m so glad I didn’t put it down, as I ended up invested in the romance between Hailey and Warren.
The romance was definitely the standout feature of All Signs Point to Malibu, as it was giving some rom-com vibes. I loved that Hailey and Warren have a bit of a complicated relationship dating back to high school. They’re definitely not fans of each other at the start of the story, but you could feel the underlying sexual tension in their arguments. I wouldn’t say they had banter, but they definitely knew how to push each other’s buttons and get enjoyment out of it – I truly loved the dynamics of their relationship. The romance developed at the perfect rate for me and felt natural. I loved that they both were wrestling with their attraction toward each other and the potential deeper feelings there. The romance was perfectly balanced with the main plot of stopping Hailey’s ex’s wedding, and I loved how that inherently added tension and conflict to Hailey and Warren’s relationship. My one complaint with the romance was that I wanted one extra scene at the end as the resolution to the romantic conflict was wrapped up so quickly! I think an epilogue would have worked really well here to show that and make the ending feel a little less abrupt.
Now, when it comes to the characters, I have mixed feelings about them. Both Warren and Hailey felt a bit one dimension to me – I feel like we’re told a lot about them, but we don’t actually know them? I also really struggled to connect with Hailey, and I think some of that is just on me as I couldn’t get over her being an influencer life coach – that felt so superficial to me, and I kind of hated being reminded of that was her job. I did enjoy her psychic abilities, and I thought they worked really well in the story and didn’t feel out of place. I appreciated that Hailey felt like she had emotional growth throughout the story. In the beginning, I was frustrated that she felt like she was entitled to meddle in her ex’s love life (she justified it very, very poorly to me), but I felt like she learned her lesson by the end that sometimes you have to let fate take its course in some things in life.
I liked Warren and felt he was a very empathic character, which made him a little easier to initially connect with. However, I felt like some things in his past – like what happened with his brother – weren’t fully fleshed out. I wanted to know about him, what motivates him, and what has shaped him, but some aspects of his character felt very surface-level.
One area I struggled with in this book was the writing. It’s written in first person present, alternating from Hailey and Warren’s point of view. I find present tense to be a bit awkward in romances and definitely noticed that a bit in this book. Sometimes the writing felt a little choppy, and I feel like this book suffered a bit from too much telling and not enough showing. That made a lot of things, especially when it came to the characters, feel surface-level. I also wished that when we switched from Hailey to Warren’s POV, it had labels above it, as I definitely got tripped up a time or two, especially in the beginning.
Despite some of the issues I had with the writing, I did really enjoy the plot. I liked the framing of the story and how it opened with Hailey ruining a wedding, but we don’t know exactly what she did. I was very curious to know what she did and uncover the journey she went on to get to that point. As I mentioned, I also really liked the romance as well. Once I got invested in that, the book picked up speed for me, and I flew through the end of it.
All Signs Point to Malibu was a bit of a mixed bag for me – I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t love it. It’s a true 3-star read for me. That being said, it was a cute romance and a fairly quick read, so if the premise intrigues you, I think it’s worth picking up. Plus, that cover is so cute – perfect end-of-summer vibes!
Thank you to Sparkpoint Studio/Canary Street Press for the ARC! All thoughts, ideas, and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical of this book when I started reading it. It didn’t hook me right away, and there were a few things that didn’t necessarily work for me. But I’m so glad I didn’t put it down, as I ended up invested in the romance between Hailey and Warren.
The romance was definitely the standout feature of All Signs Point to Malibu, as it was giving some rom-com vibes. I loved that Hailey and Warren have a bit of a complicated relationship dating back to high school. They’re definitely not fans of each other at the start of the story, but you could feel the underlying sexual tension in their arguments. I wouldn’t say they had banter, but they definitely knew how to push each other’s buttons and get enjoyment out of it – I truly loved the dynamics of their relationship. The romance developed at the perfect rate for me and felt natural. I loved that they both were wrestling with their attraction toward each other and the potential deeper feelings there. The romance was perfectly balanced with the main plot of stopping Hailey’s ex’s wedding, and I loved how that inherently added tension and conflict to Hailey and Warren’s relationship. My one complaint with the romance was that I wanted one extra scene at the end as the resolution to the romantic conflict was wrapped up so quickly! I think an epilogue would have worked really well here to show that and make the ending feel a little less abrupt.
Now, when it comes to the characters, I have mixed feelings about them. Both Warren and Hailey felt a bit one dimension to me – I feel like we’re told a lot about them, but we don’t actually know them? I also really struggled to connect with Hailey, and I think some of that is just on me as I couldn’t get over her being an influencer life coach – that felt so superficial to me, and I kind of hated being reminded of that was her job. I did enjoy her psychic abilities, and I thought they worked really well in the story and didn’t feel out of place. I appreciated that Hailey felt like she had emotional growth throughout the story. In the beginning, I was frustrated that she felt like she was entitled to meddle in her ex’s love life (she justified it very, very poorly to me), but I felt like she learned her lesson by the end that sometimes you have to let fate take its course in some things in life.
I liked Warren and felt he was a very empathic character, which made him a little easier to initially connect with. However, I felt like some things in his past – like what happened with his brother – weren’t fully fleshed out. I wanted to know about him, what motivates him, and what has shaped him, but some aspects of his character felt very surface-level.
One area I struggled with in this book was the writing. It’s written in first person present, alternating from Hailey and Warren’s point of view. I find present tense to be a bit awkward in romances and definitely noticed that a bit in this book. Sometimes the writing felt a little choppy, and I feel like this book suffered a bit from too much telling and not enough showing. That made a lot of things, especially when it came to the characters, feel surface-level. I also wished that when we switched from Hailey to Warren’s POV, it had labels above it, as I definitely got tripped up a time or two, especially in the beginning.
Despite some of the issues I had with the writing, I did really enjoy the plot. I liked the framing of the story and how it opened with Hailey ruining a wedding, but we don’t know exactly what she did. I was very curious to know what she did and uncover the journey she went on to get to that point. As I mentioned, I also really liked the romance as well. Once I got invested in that, the book picked up speed for me, and I flew through the end of it.
All Signs Point to Malibu was a bit of a mixed bag for me – I didn’t hate it, but I also didn’t love it. It’s a true 3-star read for me. That being said, it was a cute romance and a fairly quick read, so if the premise intrigues you, I think it’s worth picking up. Plus, that cover is so cute – perfect end-of-summer vibes!
Thank you to Sparkpoint Studio/Canary Street Press for the ARC! All thoughts, ideas, and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer, Infidelity, and Grief
teaand_tomes's review against another edition
fast-paced
4.0
Thank you HTP Books and Goodreads for the giveaway!
The perfect summer read! Hailey's ability to glimpse the future adds a fun twist, while her relatable insecurities make her easy to connect with. Warren Mitchell steals the show with his witty banter and heartfelt evolution, making every interaction with Hailey swoon-worthy. If you’re after a light, magical romance with swoon-worthy moments and beach vibes, this is a must-read!
The perfect summer read! Hailey's ability to glimpse the future adds a fun twist, while her relatable insecurities make her easy to connect with. Warren Mitchell steals the show with his witty banter and heartfelt evolution, making every interaction with Hailey swoon-worthy. If you’re after a light, magical romance with swoon-worthy moments and beach vibes, this is a must-read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Infidelity