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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was one of those books I really wanted to like but just couldn’t get into. The premise of this book is extremely cute: struggling actor takes a directing job without looking into it, and it turns out she’s signed up to direct a production of Cinderella at a retirement community. She’s contracted to stay for the summer, and of course, she meets a hot man and lots of great friends.
A lot of people seem to really like this book, so don’t let me deter you at all from reading this - I’m in the minority ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I may just not love Courtney Walsh books (I was meh about Cross-Country Christmas and Cross-Country Romance). My main issue is that the main character is just not likable (to me). And not in the way that she’s flawed or prickly or guarded - basically, not in a way that was interesting. Rosie isn’t honest with literally anyone in her life, and she looks down on her job at the retirement community despite being barely able to pay her rent. Of course we should all have jobs we enjoy and dignity in employment is important, but Rosie was really condescending about it and it was so obvious she found it beneath her. Also, it was ironic for her to act so above it when she didn’t even bother to read the job description. All of this wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing and could make for a great read, but unfortunately I just found myself frustrated by Rosie’s inability to realize she had relatively easy solutions to most of her problems. I did appreciate how straightforward the romance was, because I feel like in real life it should be relatively easy when you find someone you connect with. But that didn’t make up for the rest of the book feeling lackluster to me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for an advance reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Was hoping to enjoy this as a theatre kid, but this was too much of a cheesy Hallmark story for my liking. The FMC was exhausting— she didn’t know vital facts about her supposed best friends and kept quibbling about being honest with them before deciding not to be. She’s almost 30, has been at it for years, and is far from the only struggling actress in New York, but there is little mention of the incredible community there that could be helping her work through her problems. I skimmed through the rest of the book to see if things would pick up, and although the intergenerational aspects and the rehearsal process were intriguing, and the romance kind of cute, it wasn’t enough to engage me.
Also, no queer characters in a story about theatre is a bit suspicious to me. Although I’m seeing that this is marketed as “Christian fiction” so perhaps that explains it.
Also, no queer characters in a story about theatre is a bit suspicious to me. Although I’m seeing that this is marketed as “Christian fiction” so perhaps that explains it.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Booker may have just taken the title “book boyfriend”
And this books ending ?!?!?
And this books ending ?!?!?