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2.94 AVERAGE
2.94 AVERAGE
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I picked up this book because it was marked as “Romance” by my library, and since I wanted to read some romance after Bend Toward the Sun (by Jen Devon), I was really excited! Unfortunately, I would not call this a romance at all. It’s a narrative of Rose’s life as the fantasy of her dreams bleeds into real life, and vice versa. It’s about the consequences of her actions after she meets Hugo in the real world, and the fracturing of reality as her life collides with Hugo’s. It really is an amalgamation of the anxieties I imagine a mother would have (since I'm not a mother). The only thing romantic in this book is how much love and support Rose’s husband, Josh, has for Rose, even after his life also intersects with Hugo’s.
Foley’s writing style takes some getting used to, and I was kind of confused about what many scenes looked like because of it – the descriptions of monsters and places were a bit convoluted to me. Since I’m a big mood reader, and believer in “right book, wrong time”, I wonder if my rating would be different if I had been prepared for this type of book. As it is, I wanted a romance book and this didn’t deliver. I can see why someone would like this book, I'm just not the right audience.
2.5 / 5 stars (It Was Okay)
Content Warnings
Minor: Drug abuse
Rose is basically a bored housewife and mother. Her family is pretty great but she spends her waking hours a bit disappointed with her life. When she dreams, she's on an island with another man, Hugo. But Hugo isn't real. He only exists in her dreams. That is until Rose comes face to face with the real Hugo. However, it's another disappointment for Rose as the real Hugo looks nothing like the handsome suave man in her dreams. He's aged and overweight. I can't say I loved this book. There are 3rd person omniscient narrator shifts that I found too distracting. Also, you want to root for Rose, but she's not a great person. She's a human, flawed person but she's not the best. If there's someone to root for it'd be Josh. But then how perfect he is seems almost unrealistic. It's like his minor flaws were an afterthought to make hims less perfect. Don't even get me started on Hugo, the worst character in this book. I don't know if I can honestly recommend this book to you.
Awful. Awful characters (Rose and Josh both need to be slapped) awful plotline (really, must I spend half my reading time trying to create a mental map of where the big spiders live in relation to the cave?). I started skimming at page 130; skipped all of page 200 until the epilogue where I learned there had been "an incident". Didn't even care enough to spend the time flipping back through to find out what it was.
When I started this book I already felt a connection. Rose was unhappy with herself, hating herself, hating her dull life, ignoring reality. I related to her in that way. Throughout this book I felt angry with her rash decisions at times. There were multiple occasions when I yelled at her,Josh, Hugo and many more individuals while reading this story. There were many times when this book made me angry but still I couldn't let it go. I loved the concept of this book overall. It wasn't my favorite book but it definitely deserves four stars from my view because of the amazing writing that took me away.
This one had an interesting plot that helped me want to keep moving through the story. The tone throughout changed and went to a more dark place than I was expecting-- the beginning had some dark undertones but was more on the fanciful side.
Too whiny, and I'm sorely disappointed. I should have checked the Goodreads rating first. I was drawn to the premise of the story but I cannot stand that it's centered around this spineless, hapless woman. Not sure if I'll finish it! Add: I finished it to see how it ended. This one is for those who enjoy "Inception-esque" type stories, but the writing remains quite bland and single-layered. Unfortunately you need to be able to get through the first half. Actually, the acknowledgements page with the author's back story intrigued me even more and I really appreciated her sharing it.
DNF at 50%. This book made me uncomfortable, and I'm not sure why. I felt icky every time I picked it up. Maybe the way Rose was hyper-focused on being an amazing mother but also just let her youngest live in the car while she obsessed over a guy who was not her husband? It just . . . creeped me out and made me feel gross. Tried to push through, but couldn't finish.
Mi è piaciuto molto questo libro, ma devo dire che non mi ha mai preso a pieno!!
Ho trovato i personaggi molto umani e realistici e mi sono ritrovata molto nel personaggio di Rose.
L'idea del libro è molto originale, ma avrei voluto sapere di più del perchè -scientifico- Rose e Hugo si sognassero a vicenda.
Ho trovato i personaggi molto umani e realistici e mi sono ritrovata molto nel personaggio di Rose.
L'idea del libro è molto originale, ma avrei voluto sapere di più del perchè -scientifico- Rose e Hugo si sognassero a vicenda.
This book was not remotely what I expected it to be when I picked it up. The first half was slow and not as relatable as I was hoping - the miserable housewife with an arrogant husband trope is a bit outdated. However, as the story progresses it sucked me in. The author has a gift for describing nightmares in a way that makes you feel like you're in them. The ending was both shell-shocking and very satisfying.
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You dream the same dream your whole life. You're on a magical beach with a beautiful man who saves you from the dangers and treachery the island hides. A city filled with castles is seen in the distance but after years of trying you can't quite reach it. Then one day you see the man in real life. He sees you and it makes you question your reality, your life.
That's the premise of Hugo & Rose. I was so intrigued by it and just had to pick up the book. It took me a really long time to get into the book, and by the end, I really think the book didn't live up the book as a whole.
Rose is a mother to three kids and happily married to Josh, an ER doctor. Rose is in the trenches of motherhood. Her point-of-view is brutally honest. She loves her children, but she has no time to herself. Her once fit figure has changed due to having children and she's ashamed of her outward appearance. She doesn't feel desirable to her husband and her kids annoy her most days. During the day she's barely holding it all together, but at night escapes to her dreams with an adventurous man who slays life-size spiders and who's an expert at grass sword-fighting. Her Hugo.
Then she sees a man who looks eerily similar to her dream Hugo. A little pudgier and aged, this man is Hugo. His mannerisms, his eyes. It shakes her and leads her down a dark path that makes her question her sanity, her reality, and her life.
I read a few early reviews of this book, many of which say that the synopsis is slightly misleading. I don't know if I would use the word "misleading" because that word implies you were told one thing but you got another. I think the conclusion I drew from the cover and the summary was a much lighter feel. But I was pleasantly surprised when I got deeper into the book and it was actually a much darker read in tone. Everyone in this book goes a little crazy and that part of the book was entertaining and propelled me to keep reading (once I got to the crazy).
This book was really slow for awhile and it took awhile for it to stick. While Rose is an unlikable character, the author made me understand her plight and the darker thoughts she has about her children and her husband. The dream sequences, with the exception to the ones towards the end, were mostly filler and I wasn't interested in reading them. I found myself skimming many parts of this book. I wasn't truly hooked until things started going terribly wrong in the latter half of the book.
For me, the book didn't hold my attention at all times and I was not impressed with it as a whole. If you're looking for a unique women's fiction novel combined with a bit of a thriller vibe, you might pick this one up. I didn't really love it though.
2 stars
* I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
____________________________________________
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You dream the same dream your whole life. You're on a magical beach with a beautiful man who saves you from the dangers and treachery the island hides. A city filled with castles is seen in the distance but after years of trying you can't quite reach it. Then one day you see the man in real life. He sees you and it makes you question your reality, your life.
That's the premise of Hugo & Rose. I was so intrigued by it and just had to pick up the book. It took me a really long time to get into the book, and by the end, I really think the book didn't live up the book as a whole.
Rose is a mother to three kids and happily married to Josh, an ER doctor. Rose is in the trenches of motherhood. Her point-of-view is brutally honest. She loves her children, but she has no time to herself. Her once fit figure has changed due to having children and she's ashamed of her outward appearance. She doesn't feel desirable to her husband and her kids annoy her most days. During the day she's barely holding it all together, but at night escapes to her dreams with an adventurous man who slays life-size spiders and who's an expert at grass sword-fighting. Her Hugo.
Then she sees a man who looks eerily similar to her dream Hugo. A little pudgier and aged, this man is Hugo. His mannerisms, his eyes. It shakes her and leads her down a dark path that makes her question her sanity, her reality, and her life.
I read a few early reviews of this book, many of which say that the synopsis is slightly misleading. I don't know if I would use the word "misleading" because that word implies you were told one thing but you got another. I think the conclusion I drew from the cover and the summary was a much lighter feel. But I was pleasantly surprised when I got deeper into the book and it was actually a much darker read in tone. Everyone in this book goes a little crazy and that part of the book was entertaining and propelled me to keep reading (once I got to the crazy).
This book was really slow for awhile and it took awhile for it to stick. While Rose is an unlikable character, the author made me understand her plight and the darker thoughts she has about her children and her husband. The dream sequences, with the exception to the ones towards the end, were mostly filler and I wasn't interested in reading them. I found myself skimming many parts of this book. I wasn't truly hooked until things started going terribly wrong in the latter half of the book.
For me, the book didn't hold my attention at all times and I was not impressed with it as a whole. If you're looking for a unique women's fiction novel combined with a bit of a thriller vibe, you might pick this one up. I didn't really love it though.
2 stars
* I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
____________________________________________
★ Check out my list of UPCOMING BOOK RELEASES!!
____________________________________________
Find more of my reviews & other bookish things here:
✥ Read this review on the blog!
✥ My blog Reading Books Like a Boss
✥ Like on Facebook
✥ Follow on Twitter
✥ Pin with me on Pinterest
✥ Follow on Instagram
✥ Subscribe by Email