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3.27 AVERAGE
3.27 AVERAGE
It was a quick escape.
For me, “The Setup” promises an engaging romantic comedy but ultimately delivers a lackluster experience.
The premise, centered around love and unexpected connections, had potential, yet the execution feels superficial. The characters, while relatable at first, lacked depth.
The plot unfolds in a predictable manner, making it difficult to remain invested in the outcome. While there are moments of humor, they are overshadowed by a narrative that fails to explore the emotional nuances of relationships. The setting, though vivid in description, does not compensate for the shortcomings in character development and storytelling.
Basically, "The Set Up" is a light read that may appeal to those looking for a quick escape, but for readers seeking depth and a memorable story, it may fall short of expectations.
For me, “The Setup” promises an engaging romantic comedy but ultimately delivers a lackluster experience.
The premise, centered around love and unexpected connections, had potential, yet the execution feels superficial. The characters, while relatable at first, lacked depth.
The plot unfolds in a predictable manner, making it difficult to remain invested in the outcome. While there are moments of humor, they are overshadowed by a narrative that fails to explore the emotional nuances of relationships. The setting, though vivid in description, does not compensate for the shortcomings in character development and storytelling.
Basically, "The Set Up" is a light read that may appeal to those looking for a quick escape, but for readers seeking depth and a memorable story, it may fall short of expectations.
Read fast and was VERY interesting but LORD!!! That main character was so selfish, lacked empathy and treated her parents horribly. she was generally just a bad person and i was flabbergasted how anyone else in the book thought she was great and so “helpful” She literally made EVERY THING about her. She was EXTREMELY obsessive and gives astrology nerds SUCH a BAD rep. Also don’t think the ending should’ve worked out the way it did. She constantly made horrible decisions not caring how it affected anyone else. i would’ve dumped her SO QUICK. No wonder she only had one friend.
Mara Williams isn’t really happy with her life these days. Her one friend is busy being a new mom, and she's bored with her job at a community pool. She’s been in the coastal UK town of Broadgate for a couple of years, but still doesn't know anybody or feel like she fits in.
She’s unexpectedly solo on a weekend trip to Budapest thanks to her only friend being busy with the aforementioned new mom thing, and when she stumbles upon a fortune teller, she can't help but pop in for a reading. Mara's whole life revolves around astrology. If her sign says it, it must be true. She hears a bit of her fortune before the fortune teller goes into labor and bails on her. Alone, Mara finds herself trying on the fortune-teller's veil and when a handsome customer walks in, she takes fate into her own hands and tells him that he will find his soulmate (her) back in her hometown and he should visit on the last Friday in August when he’s in the UK.
Once back home, Mara embarks on a makeover - getting a haircut, buying non-black clothes, and generally getting herself ready for Josef, her unsuspecting love interest. Beyond her personal makeover, she decides to get invested in the beach club she works in, so she bands together with her coworkers to rally the town to keep it open. But of course, the idea of fate and actual fate are two different things, Mara must decide if Josef is her destiny or the fulfilling life she's starting to build to get ready for him.
This book was fairly predictable and I didn't find myself connecting with Mara or really anyone else in the story. Everything felt a little 2D, and Mara was quite frankly not a character that I was rooting for. I enjoyed The Summer Job from Lizzy Dent and will give whatever she puts out next a shot, but this isn't one I'll be gushing about.
She’s unexpectedly solo on a weekend trip to Budapest thanks to her only friend being busy with the aforementioned new mom thing, and when she stumbles upon a fortune teller, she can't help but pop in for a reading. Mara's whole life revolves around astrology. If her sign says it, it must be true. She hears a bit of her fortune before the fortune teller goes into labor and bails on her. Alone, Mara finds herself trying on the fortune-teller's veil and when a handsome customer walks in, she takes fate into her own hands and tells him that he will find his soulmate (her) back in her hometown and he should visit on the last Friday in August when he’s in the UK.
Once back home, Mara embarks on a makeover - getting a haircut, buying non-black clothes, and generally getting herself ready for Josef, her unsuspecting love interest. Beyond her personal makeover, she decides to get invested in the beach club she works in, so she bands together with her coworkers to rally the town to keep it open. But of course, the idea of fate and actual fate are two different things, Mara must decide if Josef is her destiny or the fulfilling life she's starting to build to get ready for him.
This book was fairly predictable and I didn't find myself connecting with Mara or really anyone else in the story. Everything felt a little 2D, and Mara was quite frankly not a character that I was rooting for. I enjoyed The Summer Job from Lizzy Dent and will give whatever she puts out next a shot, but this isn't one I'll be gushing about.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked the idea of the book once I got past my slight dislike and frustration with the main character.
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Group Putnam - GP Putnam’s Sons. I received advanced reading copy via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Setup begins as Mara is getting ready to enter a bar & choose between two men. She doesn’t make decisions without consulting her daily horoscope and isn’t sure which way to choose.
While on a solo trip to Budapest, she is told by a fortune teller that she is to meet “the one” imminently - and then, through a series of events, she thinks she has - and that he will come looking for her in three months. First, she needs to makeover her life.
Mara is stuck and feels a failure - didn’t graduate from film school nearly a decade ago, no serious relationship in the same amount of time, job at the local lido (community pool), no local friends, and a new flatmate, Ash, who turns out to be a man.
She aims to turn everything around to be perfect for “the one” - but what happens when things don’t go according to plan?
Mara was a tricky heroine, because she sometimes made decisions and I wanted to shake some sense into her. I didn’t always like her. However, as you learn more about her past, her decisions and lack of trust in herself starts to make a lot of sense. I enjoyed seeing her grow as a person and embrace her new community.
And Ash. Ash is basically the perfect romance book hero - does the man have any flaws? It didn’t seem so.
Quality side characters abound, especially her coworkers at the lido! Her friendship with Charlie was also very relatable.
Good book to bring along to the beach or read with a book club and discuss!
Solid 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
The Setup begins as Mara is getting ready to enter a bar & choose between two men. She doesn’t make decisions without consulting her daily horoscope and isn’t sure which way to choose.
While on a solo trip to Budapest, she is told by a fortune teller that she is to meet “the one” imminently - and then, through a series of events, she thinks she has - and that he will come looking for her in three months. First, she needs to makeover her life.
Mara is stuck and feels a failure - didn’t graduate from film school nearly a decade ago, no serious relationship in the same amount of time, job at the local lido (community pool), no local friends, and a new flatmate, Ash, who turns out to be a man.
She aims to turn everything around to be perfect for “the one” - but what happens when things don’t go according to plan?
Mara was a tricky heroine, because she sometimes made decisions and I wanted to shake some sense into her. I didn’t always like her. However, as you learn more about her past, her decisions and lack of trust in herself starts to make a lot of sense. I enjoyed seeing her grow as a person and embrace her new community.
And Ash. Ash is basically the perfect romance book hero - does the man have any flaws? It didn’t seem so.
Quality side characters abound, especially her coworkers at the lido! Her friendship with Charlie was also very relatable.
Good book to bring along to the beach or read with a book club and discuss!
Solid 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
Libby Kindle. Didn’t like as much as The Summer Job.
totally totally love Lizzy Dent. such good writing, such fun characters, such a beautiful setting. LOVE
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Predictable but cute