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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
I would rate this book 3.5 out of 5. If you’re a fan of Emily Dickinson, you might enjoy this book. Emma, an overworked and unappreciated woman, embarks on a journey to discover her inner Emily while staying in the former home of the renowned poet. As Emma experiences the life she’s always craved, she finds love and friendship, which is truly inspiring!
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
emotional
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:
Yes
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
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:
Yes
lighthearted
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
in 3 Stars
One Liner: Family drama was good, but the romance wasn’t
Emma Rini doesn’t remember the last time she took a break or did what she wanted. Her younger sister is having her first baby and her parents are busy holidaying and planning retirement. Emma is too busy and single, managing the family bookstore with little to no help.
When her parents assume she will take over the shop, Emma decides she needs to get away. She books a six-week vacation at a manor, a place where her favorite poet, Emily Dickinson, spent her time. Turns out, she isn’t too great with managing the manor and needs help from the grumbling architect.
What does this vacation have in store for Emma?
The story comes in Emma’s first-person POV.
My Thoughts:
While Emma wants love and HEA, the book focuses more on her growth, which I liked.
The character arc is realistic enough as the FMC tries to copy her role model (Emily Dickinson) and realizes that’s not how things are done.
Also, no one is bad or evil. No Reddit stories here though it starts like one (you can tell I’ve been spending too much time on that platform). Everyone is flawed and makes assumptions, something they finally discuss openly. Still, I like that the FMC’s family loved her as much as she loved them.
The setting is lovely as it should be. I like the descriptions of the place and the house. There’s something about old stone buildings, right? Even if you end up freezing in the middle of the night!
There’s quite a bit of detail about Emily Dickinson, though at times I felt it got a bit too much. But then, she’s not my favorite as such, so maybe I didn’t feel that interested. Still, it’s not a deal breaker.
The side characters (especially Cecily) were interesting. I wish Grace had a bigger role, though.
So, my main issue is with the love track or the romance. I don’t know what tropes to mention. Grumpy vs. sunshine maybe but I didn’t vibe with it. Heck, I didn’t feel anything except a truckload of annoyance whenever the romantic track appeared.
This leans heavily on miscommunication tropes, lies, secrets, etc. Seeing the FMC excited about some developments feels weird. I still don’t see the connection the lead pair is supposed to have. It was just… all over the place.
The ending is nice enough but I wasn’t interested in HEA by then. I still got it, though!
To summarize, Not Quite by the Book has a worthy premise and some of it is really good. I might have liked it more if the romance had been better handled.
Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #NotQuiteByTheBook
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The FMC is obsessed with Emily Dickerson. It was too much. Every other sentence referenced back to her. Unnecessary and made it unreadable for me.