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3.27 AVERAGE
3.27 AVERAGE
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this advanced reader copy.
PLOT: Mara, the protagonist of the story, is a 31-year-old woman living a quite boring and average life. On a trip to beautiful Budapest, Mara goes to a palm reader. She informs Mara that she must makes some changes in her life; these changes will help her to meet her true love very soon. After a strange series of events, Mara, pretending to be a fortune teller, meets Josef. She believes he is her dream man, and tells him that a woman named Mara is his destiny. She tells him to meet her at a specific pub in three months from now.
This bizarre orchestration leads Mara to begin a new chapter in her life. She starts transforming herself to be the ideal woman for Josef. A makeover of sorts. During this reformation, she makes new friends, becomes interested in her work, and becomes closer to her new flatmate, Ash.
THOUGHTS: Lizzy Dent has done a marvelous job of writing authentic, flawed, and unique characters; main and secondary. Every single one of her characters is distinguished, and it is one of the reasons I really liked this story.
There are quite a few scenes that are comedic, which I really enjoyed. What I really loved is the relationship between Mara and movies. I can't describe how much I liked these scenes.
Mara can be quite annoying at times, but she is flawed, which leads to her whole arc.
This story is about catharsis, self-trust, love, family and friendship, and the author has done a great job webbing all these together.
PLOT: Mara, the protagonist of the story, is a 31-year-old woman living a quite boring and average life. On a trip to beautiful Budapest, Mara goes to a palm reader. She informs Mara that she must makes some changes in her life; these changes will help her to meet her true love very soon. After a strange series of events, Mara, pretending to be a fortune teller, meets Josef. She believes he is her dream man, and tells him that a woman named Mara is his destiny. She tells him to meet her at a specific pub in three months from now.
This bizarre orchestration leads Mara to begin a new chapter in her life. She starts transforming herself to be the ideal woman for Josef. A makeover of sorts. During this reformation, she makes new friends, becomes interested in her work, and becomes closer to her new flatmate, Ash.
THOUGHTS: Lizzy Dent has done a marvelous job of writing authentic, flawed, and unique characters; main and secondary. Every single one of her characters is distinguished, and it is one of the reasons I really liked this story.
There are quite a few scenes that are comedic, which I really enjoyed. What I really loved is the relationship between Mara and movies. I can't describe how much I liked these scenes.
Mara can be quite annoying at times, but she is flawed, which leads to her whole arc.
This story is about catharsis, self-trust, love, family and friendship, and the author has done a great job webbing all these together.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this advanced reader copy.
PLOT: Mara, the protagonist of the story, is a 31-year-old woman living a quite boring and average life. On a trip to beautiful Budapest, Mara goes to a palm reader. She informs Mara that she must make some changes in her life; these changes will help her to meet her true love very soon. After a strange series of events, Mara, pretending to be a fortune teller, meets Josef. She believes he is her dream man, and tells him that a woman named Mara is his destiny. She tells him to meet her at a specific pub in three months from now.
This bizarre orchestration leads Mara to begin a new chapter in her life. She starts transforming herself to be the ideal woman for Josef. A makeover of sorts. During this reformation, she makes new friends, becomes interested in her work, and becomes closer to her new flatmate, Ash.
THOUGHTS: Lizzy Dent has done a marvelous job of writing authentic, flawed, and unique characters; main and secondary. Every single one of her characters is distinguished, and it is one of the reasons I really liked this story.
There are quite a few scenes that are comedic, which I really enjoyed. What I really loved is the relationship between Mara and movies. I can't describe how much I liked these scenes.
Mara can be quite annoying at times, but she is flawed, which leads to her whole arc.
This story is about catharsis, self-trust, love, family and friendship, and the author has done a great job webbing all these together.
PLOT: Mara, the protagonist of the story, is a 31-year-old woman living a quite boring and average life. On a trip to beautiful Budapest, Mara goes to a palm reader. She informs Mara that she must make some changes in her life; these changes will help her to meet her true love very soon. After a strange series of events, Mara, pretending to be a fortune teller, meets Josef. She believes he is her dream man, and tells him that a woman named Mara is his destiny. She tells him to meet her at a specific pub in three months from now.
This bizarre orchestration leads Mara to begin a new chapter in her life. She starts transforming herself to be the ideal woman for Josef. A makeover of sorts. During this reformation, she makes new friends, becomes interested in her work, and becomes closer to her new flatmate, Ash.
THOUGHTS: Lizzy Dent has done a marvelous job of writing authentic, flawed, and unique characters; main and secondary. Every single one of her characters is distinguished, and it is one of the reasons I really liked this story.
There are quite a few scenes that are comedic, which I really enjoyed. What I really loved is the relationship between Mara and movies. I can't describe how much I liked these scenes.
Mara can be quite annoying at times, but she is flawed, which leads to her whole arc.
This story is about catharsis, self-trust, love, family and friendship, and the author has done a great job webbing all these together.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-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
This book is just not it.
This book is set over 3 summer months by the sea so it would be a good summer read if you're looking for something lighthearted. However....
The premise of this book is an interesting one though. The protagonist, Mara, let's astrology rule her life and when she's on holiday she ends up "accidentally" becoming a fortune-teller and tells this random guy that he's going to fall in love with her. But she just creates this creepy obsession with this stranger and its all just weird.
The main character is just not it. She is so tedious, frustrating and cringey. She stalks this stranger on social media and tells everybody that she's in a relationship with him. She's so obnoxious and rude about her only friend who was suffering with mental health issues after having a baby and also to her family and her flat mate Ash. She's so unlikeable, it's so frustrating!!!!
This book had so much potential but the protagonist was so unlikeable it made the book very cringey.
I felt that it ended very bluntly and there were plot lines left unfinished. It would have been great if there were a time jump at the end to show maras life a year on.
⭐⭐ 2/5
This book is set over 3 summer months by the sea so it would be a good summer read if you're looking for something lighthearted. However....
The premise of this book is an interesting one though. The protagonist, Mara, let's astrology rule her life and when she's on holiday she ends up "accidentally" becoming a fortune-teller and tells this random guy that he's going to fall in love with her. But she just creates this creepy obsession with this stranger and its all just weird.
The main character is just not it. She is so tedious, frustrating and cringey. She stalks this stranger on social media and tells everybody that she's in a relationship with him. She's so obnoxious and rude about her only friend who was suffering with mental health issues after having a baby and also to her family and her flat mate Ash. She's so unlikeable, it's so frustrating!!!!
This book had so much potential but the protagonist was so unlikeable it made the book very cringey.
I felt that it ended very bluntly and there were plot lines left unfinished. It would have been great if there were a time jump at the end to show maras life a year on.
⭐⭐ 2/5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking
Minor: Mental illness, Pregnancy
In The Setup, 31-year-old Mara finds herself on a solo vacation in Budapest she was supposed to take with her best friend, Charlie. But unfortunately, Charlie is a new mom and had to back out at the last moment. Mara is a big believer in astrology, consults her horoscope daily, and wants to find her soul mate. While on the trip, Mara decides to consult a fortune-teller, one who suddenly goes into labor during the reading, but not before telling Mara she will meet "the one" imminently. As Mara closes up the woman's shop for her, she encounters her dream man and impersonates the fortune-teller to arrange a future meeting. Mara feels she must return home and makeover every area of her life, to be ready for their rendezvous. Fate has a surprise for Mara, though, a handsome new flatmate. Which of these men is her destiny? Will Mara trust herself to make that decision?
I really enjoyed Lizzy Dent's previous book, The Summer Job, and her writing draws me in. Dent convincingly creates flawed, complicated, and somewhat offbeat characters. Mara grapples with self-doubt, immaturity, and even self-sabotage. Her character arc and growth are about self-love and learning to trust herself, and the book is as much about that as it is about romantic love. The secondary characters make this story. Mara's work friends were delightful and funny! Some genuine laugh-out-loud moments throughout the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to review this ARC.
I really enjoyed Lizzy Dent's previous book, The Summer Job, and her writing draws me in. Dent convincingly creates flawed, complicated, and somewhat offbeat characters. Mara grapples with self-doubt, immaturity, and even self-sabotage. Her character arc and growth are about self-love and learning to trust herself, and the book is as much about that as it is about romantic love. The secondary characters make this story. Mara's work friends were delightful and funny! Some genuine laugh-out-loud moments throughout the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to review this ARC.
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
I was very disappointed in the lead character and found I didn't like her often. She felt immature and a bit of a drain on those around her. But those around her brought the rating back up for me. I loved the side characters. And I felt like they had some very wise words for muddling through life
I absolutely loved Lizzy Dent's previous book, The Summer Job, so as soon as this galley became available I requested it. Lizzy has the innate ability to create flawed characters who frustrate you and make you want to shake some sense into them while also wanting to give them a big hug and a pep talk.
Mara has felt like a failure for most of her life. She has projected this feeling onto her parents and so avoids a relationship with them so she won't be reminded that they are disappointed in her. The sad part is that they aren't - it's all just a narrative that Mara has created in her head. She has a heavy dose of self-doubt.
Since a devastating break up in college, she avoids relationships and puts all her energy and emotional support needs onto just one friend, her BFF. But her BFF has gotten married and now has a child so of course her life has changed to one with little time to herself. Mara knows its wrong, but she can't help feeling hurt about the lack of quality one on one time they now spend together.
Avoiding her intuition, which she feels she can no longer trust, she is fully immersed in astrology and relies on her daily horoscope readings for directions in her life. After visiting a palm-reader, she creates a new narrative in her head regarding the love interest she is destined to meet.
As she begins to get herself "ready" for her destiny, she slowly lets more and more people into her life. She soon is faced with a monumental choice between a male friend currently in her life and the man she believes she is destined to be with. Will she continue to base all of her decisions on generalized horoscope advice or will she finally listen to her heart and trust herself to make decisions.
I loved so much about this story and tried to keep this review general without any spoilers. Believe me, there is a lot more to this story. Moments that will have you frustrated, moments that will have your cheering and moments that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. Definitely recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Putnam for the ARC to read and review.
Mara has felt like a failure for most of her life. She has projected this feeling onto her parents and so avoids a relationship with them so she won't be reminded that they are disappointed in her. The sad part is that they aren't - it's all just a narrative that Mara has created in her head. She has a heavy dose of self-doubt.
Since a devastating break up in college, she avoids relationships and puts all her energy and emotional support needs onto just one friend, her BFF. But her BFF has gotten married and now has a child so of course her life has changed to one with little time to herself. Mara knows its wrong, but she can't help feeling hurt about the lack of quality one on one time they now spend together.
Avoiding her intuition, which she feels she can no longer trust, she is fully immersed in astrology and relies on her daily horoscope readings for directions in her life. After visiting a palm-reader, she creates a new narrative in her head regarding the love interest she is destined to meet.
As she begins to get herself "ready" for her destiny, she slowly lets more and more people into her life. She soon is faced with a monumental choice between a male friend currently in her life and the man she believes she is destined to be with. Will she continue to base all of her decisions on generalized horoscope advice or will she finally listen to her heart and trust herself to make decisions.
I loved so much about this story and tried to keep this review general without any spoilers. Believe me, there is a lot more to this story. Moments that will have you frustrated, moments that will have your cheering and moments that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. Definitely recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Putnam for the ARC to read and review.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: June 7, 2022
A psychic tells Mara she’ll meet a man, Mara then immediately misrepresents herself (as the psychic) to the next man she sees to tell him he’ll meet the woman of his dreams in August, in the town where she lives, and named Mara (shocker). Then we go on her whole journey (via the aptly named horoscope-inspired “Project Mara”) trying to change everything about herself so when the guy gets there at the end of summer, he what…doesn’t think she’s a loser? Maybe along the way she finds herself a therapist and realizes she doesn’t need to change herself for some rando she catfished in a shop but I couldn’t force myself to finish this one and find out.
Really did love Lizzy Dent’s previous book, The Summer Job, though!
A psychic tells Mara she’ll meet a man, Mara then immediately misrepresents herself (as the psychic) to the next man she sees to tell him he’ll meet the woman of his dreams in August, in the town where she lives, and named Mara (shocker). Then we go on her whole journey (via the aptly named horoscope-inspired “Project Mara”) trying to change everything about herself so when the guy gets there at the end of summer, he what…doesn’t think she’s a loser? Maybe along the way she finds herself a therapist and realizes she doesn’t need to change herself for some rando she catfished in a shop but I couldn’t force myself to finish this one and find out.
Really did love Lizzy Dent’s previous book, The Summer Job, though!
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Setup had a super cute premise that I thought would carry the story a little bit more, but the intense flakiness of the main character was a bit tough to get through at times. I wanted so badly to like Mara, and I actually thought the first chapter where she meets Josef/Joe was cute and not too over the top. It was the constant social media stalking to escape from reality and a man who was verrrry much interested in her that irked me.
I truly wish we would have had Ash's point of view in a dual-pov style. Those are my preferred romances and I really struggled with understanding why he was interested in her without that. Ultimately, it felt like they were comfortable together, bonded over movies, and lived together, so of course he likes her! /s
The end was also too rushed for me, so there was a bit off for points there. A fun book overall but wasn't life-changing and most likely won't stick in my mind for too long.
I truly wish we would have had Ash's point of view in a dual-pov style. Those are my preferred romances and I really struggled with understanding why he was interested in her without that. Ultimately, it felt like they were comfortable together, bonded over movies, and lived together, so of course he likes her! /s
The end was also too rushed for me, so there was a bit off for points there. A fun book overall but wasn't life-changing and most likely won't stick in my mind for too long.