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fanboyriot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Sexual content, Abandonment, and Cursing
Minor: Alcohol, Death of parent, Car accident, Vomit, Alcoholism, Grief, Infidelity, and Cancer
bookcheshirecat's review against another edition
3.5
“Have you ever loved someone for so long that if you had to tell them how much you care, you’d be scared to even begin and that you may never stop talking once you start?”
➽ In the Event of Love is a cute, wintery Romance set in the small-town Fern Falls. The story follows Morgan Ross, who is a successful event planner, but after a scandal, she's forced to lay low in her hometown. I really liked Morgan, she has complicated feelings about Fern Falls due to a bad breakup and family issues. She couldn't wait to get out of there and has now found success in LA. Having to confront her past and feelings of insecurity is tough on her, but she has no other choice. Her boss Johanna literally forces her to take a break in order to reorient herself, especially as a big promotion is coming up and Morgan has been overworking herself. I liked seeing Morgan rediscover her hometown and reflect on what she really wants her future to look like.
➽ Morgan has to team up with her ex-best friend and crush Rachel, whose Christmas Tree Farm is on the brink of ruin and it's up to Morgan to plan the perfect fundraiser. Fern Falls is at risk of a corporate takeover like the next town over. I liked how the book discussed the impact that a corporation moulding a town into the perfect resort has on local, small businesses and the individuality of the town. Morgan doesn't want Fern Falls to be bought off, as she can already see the store owners being driven out by chain stores and prices they can't compete with.
➽ Despite liking the romance and themes discussed, this fell flat for me. I thought Rachel and Morgan's romance was cute, but I don't feel like we got to know Rachel as much as I'd like. A dual POV might have worked better here and avoided some of their communication issues!
-> I also didn't like Ben as much as I was supposed to. He crossed a lot of boundaries in the very beginning and it rubbed me the wrong way.
-> I felt like the story took on too many different topics, but didn't manage to do them all justice. Some aspects just felt underdeveloped, such as Morgan's grief or the discussion of alcoholism. The main antagonist and
-> The epilogue made me cringe.
Minor: Alcoholism, Death of parent, and Grief
offbrandclubsoda's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Addiction, and Alcoholism
oernst02's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism
jane_cs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer
amiraqualls's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Moderate: Alcoholism
monicalaurette's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
“Sometimes, mistakes are the beginning of something wonderful.”
Graphic: Alcohol, Sexual content, and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, and Alcoholism
Minor: Vomit and Misogyny
callmekt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I love a good romance that starts with a complicated relationship. This book had a great setup with a lot of promise, but no pay out. The MC Morgan and her love interest Rachel were former besties in high school, but while Morgan took off for the city to start a life and career of her own, Rachel stuck around the small town where they grew up. Their parting was not amicable, and I loved the allusions to the big fight and fallout.
Unfortunately, that level of complication did not extend beyond the middle of the book. I felt Morgan and Rachel reconciled too easily before starting their relationship.
The main plot involved Morgan setting up a big fundraiser to save Rachel's tree farm. This also had an easy resolution, especially with Christy, who is the main villain. Christy is part of a large enterprise that had taken over a neighboring small town, and she's leading the charge to do the same in Fern Falls. The decisions she makes in the climax of the fundraiser plot are such a 180 from what she had been doing until that point that it took me out of the book.
The book ends with the standard Hallmark plot of the Big City Girl staying in the small town indefinitely. And while there's a lot of lead up to that sort of ending, it's still disappointing to me, the person who would like the Big City Girl to return to the Big City with her love interest in tow for once.
My final thought involves the description of attraction Morgan has to Rachel. It's entirely based on Rachel's appearance and descriptions therein. I guess that's great for some people, but love is more than looks. I wanted to know what Rachel did to make Morgan feel wanted and welcome. I wanted Rachel to see Morgan for who she is, and I wanted Morgan to melt at every sign of Rachel putting her trust in her.
Despite these gripes, I did enjoy this book. It's a cozy, holiday story I would recommend for the holiday season.
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism
joensign's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcoholism, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, and Grief
haileyhardcover's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Moderate: Sexual content, Abandonment, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Alcohol