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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
Abbi Waxman is a go-to author for me. This book did not resonate as much as some of her previous books however.
A famous father that disappeared 25 years ago suddenly reappears and Christa is called back from her research work on a secluded island. The characters are fun and quirky and the STEM storyline was a bonus.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for the advanced digital copy of the book.
A famous father that disappeared 25 years ago suddenly reappears and Christa is called back from her research work on a secluded island. The characters are fun and quirky and the STEM storyline was a bonus.
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for the advanced digital copy of the book.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I had recently thrown a book across the room in annoyance after reading half of it, so I was leery about this book. Pleasantly surprised. Imagine, if you will, that Steve Irwin the crocodile hunter was American. This is the story of that fictional guy's daughter. Interesting characters, fun scenes, funny dialog, enough tension without it taking over. Rom Com. And in first person too, which normally I HATE! very pleasantly surprised.
This wavers between 2 and 3 stars.
NITPICKY
-the uncolonized island of Violetta features a British school system and Anglo names
-Christa, the MC, is only 27, but has a PhD, 4 years of field experience, and an offer of tenure. At minimum, she should be in her early 30s
-a lot of weird Britishisms in the beginning that tapered off
-the Gen Z characters sure are... characters
-the subplot with Alex Dutton, the reporter, went absolutely nowhere and could have been cut from the novel with no real changes to the story
THE GOOD
-Abbi Waxman has a really fun, expressive writing style that's very enjoyable
-the overall story - the missing father returning from the dead, the price of fame and stardom, the weirdness of Hollywood, healing and moving on from grief and trauma - was solid
-especially the healing from grief and trauma bits
THE STUPID
-the Hollywood agent is SO EVIL he
-fucking WHY?
-that's Bond level villainy shit
THE REALLY STUPID
-I HATE instalust and instalove
-HATE IT
-Christa has known Nathan (as an adult) for literally a week, he's so sexy she salivates every time she sees him, and they're calling each other 'baby' and professing their love by the end of the fucking week
-straight romance novels are fucking exhausting that way
-Christa's so TINY that Nathan sticks her in a fucking child's wagon and wheels her into her house (no stairs? not even a stoop?) and into her bedroom
-I found myself skimming the romance scenes in frustration
-the book would have easily been 4 stars without it
-If my love interest told me "we tesselate, baby," as part of their romantic speech, I would literally die laughing
NITPICKY
-the uncolonized island of Violetta features a British school system and Anglo names
-Christa, the MC, is only 27, but has a PhD, 4 years of field experience, and an offer of tenure. At minimum, she should be in her early 30s
-a lot of weird Britishisms in the beginning that tapered off
-the Gen Z characters sure are... characters
-the subplot with Alex Dutton, the reporter, went absolutely nowhere and could have been cut from the novel with no real changes to the story
THE GOOD
-Abbi Waxman has a really fun, expressive writing style that's very enjoyable
-the overall story - the missing father returning from the dead, the price of fame and stardom, the weirdness of Hollywood, healing and moving on from grief and trauma - was solid
-especially the healing from grief and trauma bits
THE STUPID
-the Hollywood agent is SO EVIL he
Spoiler
helps a client fake his own death and covers it up for 25 years-fucking WHY?
-that's Bond level villainy shit
THE REALLY STUPID
-I HATE instalust and instalove
-HATE IT
-Christa has known Nathan (as an adult) for literally a week, he's so sexy she salivates every time she sees him, and they're calling each other 'baby' and professing their love by the end of the fucking week
-straight romance novels are fucking exhausting that way
-Christa's so TINY that Nathan sticks her in a fucking child's wagon and wheels her into her house (no stairs? not even a stoop?) and into her bedroom
-I found myself skimming the romance scenes in frustration
-the book would have easily been 4 stars without it
-If my love interest told me "we tesselate, baby," as part of their romantic speech, I would literally die laughing
Not my favourite of Abbi Waxman’s but still fun. Did not love the replication of extractive, colonial research on a made up island, portrayed as something quaint and idyllic.
Not my favorite by her. The situation made me angry and it got worse. It got better at the end, but not enough to redeem the whole story. What saved it from being a DNF is the awesome writing - the characters did make me laugh, especially the main character.
When reading this one, be prepared for Christa's mom, Denny. She has a couple of insightful, kickass moments that are terrific.
Synopsis in a sentence (or two):
Christa enjoys her “sciencey” life of solitude on a remote island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. When Christa’s Dad, a famous naturalist, reappears twenty years after his suspected death, she must return to her family in Los Angeles to find answers.
Characters:
I appreciated the way the Liddle family dealt with adversity through sarcasm. Admittedly, I’m an introvert and an over-thinker with a bit of a sarcastic side. Naturally, it’s fun to see characters with somewhat similar mindsets. The MC, Christa, has a fun, anti-social inner monologue. While I didn’t feel like I got to know the romantic interest, Will, I relished the awkwardness presented in all of their romantic encounters. I also loved Christa’s strong viewpoint as a woman in science. She never waned from her love of nature despite her character changing in so many other ways.
Pacing/Storyline:
Two significant storylines caught my attention in this one. One was the evolution of Christa, the main character. The other was that of a father who disappeared for twenty years and reappeared as if nothing had happened. I liked both storylines. That said, I found myself clamoring for more of the missing dad storyline because I found it so unique. The family banter and family dynamics had me moving through this book at a quick clip, eager to see how everything unraveled. My only wish was that the story had focused more on Christa’s situation with her Dad than on Christa’s romance.
Read this if you love:
Christa enjoys her “sciencey” life of solitude on a remote island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. When Christa’s Dad, a famous naturalist, reappears twenty years after his suspected death, she must return to her family in Los Angeles to find answers.
Characters:
I appreciated the way the Liddle family dealt with adversity through sarcasm. Admittedly, I’m an introvert and an over-thinker with a bit of a sarcastic side. Naturally, it’s fun to see characters with somewhat similar mindsets. The MC, Christa, has a fun, anti-social inner monologue. While I didn’t feel like I got to know the romantic interest, Will, I relished the awkwardness presented in all of their romantic encounters. I also loved Christa’s strong viewpoint as a woman in science. She never waned from her love of nature despite her character changing in so many other ways.
Pacing/Storyline:
Two significant storylines caught my attention in this one. One was the evolution of Christa, the main character. The other was that of a father who disappeared for twenty years and reappeared as if nothing had happened. I liked both storylines. That said, I found myself clamoring for more of the missing dad storyline because I found it so unique. The family banter and family dynamics had me moving through this book at a quick clip, eager to see how everything unraveled. My only wish was that the story had focused more on Christa’s situation with her Dad than on Christa’s romance.
Read this if you love:
audio - I loved The Bookish LIfe of Nina Hill so I had high hopes for this one by same author. Alas - It wasn't as good. Christa's dad, famous wildlife explore, who was thought dead for 20 yrs, suddenly shows up again. Which means Christa has to come out of her self-imposed hiding and deal with her family.