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kaleys23's review against another edition
4.0
Originally reviewed at Books Etc.
I love Beth Kendrick and I'm always so excited when she publishes a new book. It should be no surprise then that I jumped at the chance to read her latest novel, New Uses For Old Boyfriends. The book was good and I enjoyed reading it...but...I found it a little lacking.
I think one of my issues is I found the characters to be somewhat two dimensional. Or maybe I just didn't get the connection I wanted with them. For example, Daphne, Lila's mom, drove me up the wall. I completely understand that she's been dealt a really hard hand in life but she wouldn't listen to her own daughter, who she seems quite close with. To be fair, this made Daphne's eventually transformation even more awesome. Not to give too much away, but she really shines once she finds her new path in life and gets her spark back.
This isn't the first time Kendrick has set a book in Black Dog Bay. A lot of the characters from Cure for the Common Breakup pop up in this story too. I felt like too many previous characters showed up and that took away from really getting to know Lila and Malcolm. Sure, I loved finding out what Summer and Ingrid were up to but, for example, Ingrid was such a secondary character and she shone far more than Malcolm, one of the love interests, did.
All that being said...I did like the book. I liked that the romance wasn't totally obvious and I really enjoyed seeing how Lila and Daphne grew as women. They had a lot of really tough stuff to deal with and they did it with class - not everyone would be able to do that. It was also fun to get a bit of a crash course in couture fashion history. Kendrick did a good job of sharing information without overloading the reader with unnecessary facts.
Maybe my expectations were too high for New Uses for Old Boyfriends. I do expect "ohmygod, I love this book to infinity and beyond" feelings when I dive into a new Beth Kendrick novel. Do I wish I had loved it more? Absolutely. Do I still think you should read it? Yep! This is a sweet novel, with depth!, that takes place in a small town everyone will want to visit. While it can stand on its own, I would recommend reading Cure for the Common Breakup first so you can get to know the characters and the town from the beginning.
*A copy of this book was provided by BookSparks via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*
I love Beth Kendrick and I'm always so excited when she publishes a new book. It should be no surprise then that I jumped at the chance to read her latest novel, New Uses For Old Boyfriends. The book was good and I enjoyed reading it...but...I found it a little lacking.
I think one of my issues is I found the characters to be somewhat two dimensional. Or maybe I just didn't get the connection I wanted with them. For example, Daphne, Lila's mom, drove me up the wall. I completely understand that she's been dealt a really hard hand in life but she wouldn't listen to her own daughter, who she seems quite close with. To be fair, this made Daphne's eventually transformation even more awesome. Not to give too much away, but she really shines once she finds her new path in life and gets her spark back.
This isn't the first time Kendrick has set a book in Black Dog Bay. A lot of the characters from Cure for the Common Breakup pop up in this story too. I felt like too many previous characters showed up and that took away from really getting to know Lila and Malcolm. Sure, I loved finding out what Summer and Ingrid were up to but, for example, Ingrid was such a secondary character and she shone far more than Malcolm, one of the love interests, did.
All that being said...I did like the book. I liked that the romance wasn't totally obvious and I really enjoyed seeing how Lila and Daphne grew as women. They had a lot of really tough stuff to deal with and they did it with class - not everyone would be able to do that. It was also fun to get a bit of a crash course in couture fashion history. Kendrick did a good job of sharing information without overloading the reader with unnecessary facts.
Maybe my expectations were too high for New Uses for Old Boyfriends. I do expect "ohmygod, I love this book to infinity and beyond" feelings when I dive into a new Beth Kendrick novel. Do I wish I had loved it more? Absolutely. Do I still think you should read it? Yep! This is a sweet novel, with depth!, that takes place in a small town everyone will want to visit. While it can stand on its own, I would recommend reading Cure for the Common Breakup first so you can get to know the characters and the town from the beginning.
*A copy of this book was provided by BookSparks via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*
jessreadthis's review against another edition
4.0
A perfect "relaxing on a Saturday afternoon" kind of read. This is a no stress, outlandish enough in providing escapism, and quirky characters that are easy to like sort of book. A most definite chick lit book as the male characters are designed to appeal to the female reader. And if that is the kind of book mood you are in, go for it in reading this book. I laughed out loud at least five times and had a perma-grin through the last half of the book.
A home shopping network host has-been, Lila Alders finds that her life has been drastically altered. She has no work contract renewal, a cheating husband who has hosed her in divorce proceedings, and all her worldly possessions fit into a large over priced SUV with bad electrical wiring. With her head down, she heads home to the safety net of Black Dog Bay and her mother's care. What she finds is a safety net with a large hole right in the middle. Her devoted housewife mother hasn't been able to keep up with the finances left when Lila's father passed away. A stack of bills and a meeting with an attorney reveal a mass of debt with few options. When a chance encounter with her mother's old white Dior dress reveals a treasure trove of designer and couture garments, Lila realizes all may not be lost. What is left of the family fortune may be tied up in her mother's clothing. Seeking to save the family "farm" so to speak; Lila and her mother open up a vintage clothing boutique for the summer tourists in Black Dog Bay. Lila encounters three past exes from her former high school life and realizes she doesn't want to be the "place holder" girl in a man's life. Lila discovers there is permanence in second chances with new beginnings.
Thank you Goodreads giveaways and NAL Penguin Group for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
A home shopping network host has-been, Lila Alders finds that her life has been drastically altered. She has no work contract renewal, a cheating husband who has hosed her in divorce proceedings, and all her worldly possessions fit into a large over priced SUV with bad electrical wiring. With her head down, she heads home to the safety net of Black Dog Bay and her mother's care. What she finds is a safety net with a large hole right in the middle. Her devoted housewife mother hasn't been able to keep up with the finances left when Lila's father passed away. A stack of bills and a meeting with an attorney reveal a mass of debt with few options. When a chance encounter with her mother's old white Dior dress reveals a treasure trove of designer and couture garments, Lila realizes all may not be lost. What is left of the family fortune may be tied up in her mother's clothing. Seeking to save the family "farm" so to speak; Lila and her mother open up a vintage clothing boutique for the summer tourists in Black Dog Bay. Lila encounters three past exes from her former high school life and realizes she doesn't want to be the "place holder" girl in a man's life. Lila discovers there is permanence in second chances with new beginnings.
Thank you Goodreads giveaways and NAL Penguin Group for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
brianajae's review against another edition
4.0
This was a sweet book but I didn't particularly like any of the characters (except for the masterful sewer slash Marine Malcolm). I wasn't really interested in what happened to anybody, but I loved the descriptions of the vintage clothes, even if I was about as clueless as the protagonist as to which designer did what.
gbokretsion's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
This book was a really good read, but I was disappointed at how it didn’t dive deeper into Lila & Malcolm’s relationship. As if blossomed, I really wanted to know more about them, but instead was left wanting to know more.
westgurlie32's review against another edition
5.0
Took me forever to finish it because I forgot it in the camper, but seriously this series is fantastic. Love the characters and Black Dog Bay so much!
bluekaren's review against another edition
4.0
This story was a lot of fun. New Uses for Old Boyfriends was a great upbeat story about overcoming. Lila was a great character who goes home after a nasty divorce to live with her Mom. Lila’s Mom is completely broke. Of course, her Mom is in complete denial about her financial situation which leads Lila to take action. This book was full of fun ideas and surprises.
The setting of Black Dog Bay was so quaint and perfect for Lila to start over. There was a bit of humor in this story. I could totally relate to Lila, even though she comes from wealth she is really down to earth. This story also features some high fashion labels, I am grateful Lila is as ignorant as I am about that. Her romance starts with the man she though she would marry. It took an outsider to see the truth about this romance leaving room for someone she never even noticed.
Although this is not my normal type of read, I found this lighthearted romance to be an easy read. The story builds up nicely. The author sprinkles in humor that most women can relate to. This is all written in third person, which makes it easy to understand the characters motives. There are women in almost every stage of life featured in this story. Lila’s mom, a reluctant bride, her meddling sister, a former beauty queen (who is also pregnant), a mean girl, a bartender, a NY shark, a few glamorous seniors, and then Lila herself round out this story. This is just a great story about women. Women not giving up on dreams, no matter what your age.
The setting of Black Dog Bay was so quaint and perfect for Lila to start over. There was a bit of humor in this story. I could totally relate to Lila, even though she comes from wealth she is really down to earth. This story also features some high fashion labels, I am grateful Lila is as ignorant as I am about that. Her romance starts with the man she though she would marry. It took an outsider to see the truth about this romance leaving room for someone she never even noticed.
Although this is not my normal type of read, I found this lighthearted romance to be an easy read. The story builds up nicely. The author sprinkles in humor that most women can relate to. This is all written in third person, which makes it easy to understand the characters motives. There are women in almost every stage of life featured in this story. Lila’s mom, a reluctant bride, her meddling sister, a former beauty queen (who is also pregnant), a mean girl, a bartender, a NY shark, a few glamorous seniors, and then Lila herself round out this story. This is just a great story about women. Women not giving up on dreams, no matter what your age.
christine_queenofbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this one up almost immediately after finishing the first in the series. I'm giving them the same rating (I liked them), but I think I like the first slightly more than the second. This one has a plot point that was a little eye-rolly for me. Alas, it's a return to this sweet town, its quirky inhabitants, and summer. A nice, cozy series featuring women doing things while also maybe trying to find love.
cslats33's review against another edition
4.0
I loved that this one didn’t focus on any romantic relationships but a mother and daughter. I loved all the characters as usual and the fact that Summer was still in the story a lot was great.