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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
Honestly I knew I was going to love this one before I even started it based on how much I loved Ornithologist’s, but I somehow ended up loving this EVEN MORE? Both Elodie and Gabriel are so ridiculous and so sweet in their own ways and I love them both so much. The mutual pining? The absolute YEARNING especially from Gabriel? Also I’m forever obsessed with how India Holton writes neurodivergent characters and I especially love how Gabriel’s clear autism was treated with so much kindness in this book. The fact that he was described as tender and sensitive IN A GOOD WAY, and the way that Elodie apologised to him for making him uncomfortable and outright admired him for still putting himself into a world that was too rough and bright and loud for him because he had such a passion for his field I’m—
Gabriel Tarrant you make me feel so seen and Elodie Tarrant you make me feel like I also deserve to be loved the way you love Gabriel.
In short: this book was an absolute delight and had me giggling and kicking my feet at regular intervals.
Gabriel Tarrant you make me feel so seen and Elodie Tarrant you make me feel like I also deserve to be loved the way you love Gabriel.
In short: this book was an absolute delight and had me giggling and kicking my feet at regular intervals.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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:
No
India Holton is brilliantly funny, and this book was top tier.
Sunny Elodie and Grumpy Gabriel were a perfect match, and there were tropes (one bed at the inn, a marriage of convenience) that in another author’s hands could read as overused and cliché, but with Holton’s masterful humor and self-awareness brought nothing but anticipation and joy.
As always, can’t wait for the next in the series!
Sunny Elodie and Grumpy Gabriel were a perfect match, and there were tropes (one bed at the inn, a marriage of convenience) that in another author’s hands could read as overused and cliché, but with Holton’s masterful humor and self-awareness brought nothing but anticipation and joy.
As always, can’t wait for the next in the series!
There's a lot of telling rather than showing. It resulted in two glaring issues:
- I didn't find the romance compelling. The reader is just told that the MCs have been in love since before the story started, but I didn't feel like I was ever shown why. It made it impossible for me to get invested.
- The author tells us that the MCs are intelligent and quick on their feet and experts in their field, but the MCs actions tell me that they're absent-minded idiots, at least when in the presence of each other. They both seem like they're really bad at their jobs. They're constantly making rookie mistakes (and explicitly stating that they're stupid mistakes to make) and thinking things like, "If the other professors saw what I just did, they'd wonder how I managed to get my degree in the first place." I was wondering how they managed to get their degrees. Elodie especially continually does things that she knows could injure or kill her, and Gabriel is always annoyed but also somehow enamored with this?
I wanted to like this book, which is why I kept reading for as long as I did. The writing is very witty (possibly too witty? Like accidentally oversalting your food) and seemed like it was going for a Terry Practchett-esque vibe. I love Terry Pratchett, so I was excited. I liked that the author was leaning so hard into the tropes that it was almost breaking the fourth wall. I just needed to be shown why the MCs love each other and for their characterization to be more consistent with what we're told about them.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated