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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
THE ENDING. I can’t tell if that keeps it a 5 star or takes it down. Really great until then though either way.
Half-Blown Rose by Leesa Cross-Smith is one of the sexiest and most sophisticated stories I’ve read in a long time. Set mostly in Paris (say no more), it’s the story of a 40-something American wife and mother who escapes to her artist parents’ fabulous flat to decide whether her marriage is over. She meets a gorgeous young man & embarks on a torrid affair. Beautifully written with a Paper Palace-esque ending, it’s one of those books that makes you feel smarter having read it!
This book was awful. I did not like the writing style at all, the jumping from a book in a book, to a travel journal, to a screenplay, to emails, it was too all over the place. Then there's also the fact that this book didn't have a plot. Is she going to sleep with Loup, or no? Is she going to go back to her husband? Who knows! Nothing exciting or even midly interesting happens in between that 'plot' point to keep the reader engaged.
I can understand Vincent being upset with her husband because it was extremely upsetting and wrong what he did to her. But running away to Paris (for a year!) and getting together with another man when you're still unsure if you're going to leave your husband and stringing both men along and giving them both hope was what drove me insane.
The only reason I finished this book was because it was for a bookclub. I read on here that the ending was suppose to be good, however I thought it was terrible. I'll leave it at that.
I can understand Vincent being upset with her husband because it was extremely upsetting and wrong what he did to her. But running away to Paris (for a year!) and getting together with another man when you're still unsure if you're going to leave your husband and stringing both men along and giving them both hope was what drove me insane.
The only reason I finished this book was because it was for a bookclub. I read on here that the ending was suppose to be good, however I thought it was terrible. I'll leave it at that.
Cillian, Loup (24/25) & Vincent (44)
Spice = 1
Fade to Black but super hot chemistry & a lot of off page, 3rd person, read from her journal entries, Cillian reading his book, estranged husband that wrote a book about his past that Vincent knew nothing about including a 31 year old son, he loves her so much & the groveling is everywhere, 2 kids (21 & 24), biracial kids, English & French, Loup - 24 & Vincent's lover (could be considered cheating), teen pregnancy, secrets/lies, Loup records her masterbating & uses it in one of his songs, Vincent makes & sells earrings, "I am obsessed with you" - Vincent & Loup, pregnant with Loups baby, Artist, musician, dinner parties, book ends open ended with the impression that she will be with Loup after she tells him to come to the villa in Italy bought by her husband that all her family is visiting.
Spice = 1
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gonna be emotionally digesting this one for a while. Cross-Smith took me on a JOURney. I felt *everything* that Vincent did - from giddiness to anger to PMS to infatuation to love - love for Paris, love for family and friends new and old, love for travel and train rides, love for Loup and Cillian both. (Well…maybe more so Loup. Jury’s still out on Cillian.) And yes, maybe Loup was *too* perfect like he was pieced together from every woman’s fantasies. And yes, maybe her anger at Cillian over something so long in the past is drawn out a bit much. And MAYbe the ending was too open and I just want to know who she picks because even I didn’t know who I was rooting for by the end except for Vincent herself! Always root for the middle-aged woman on a journey of self-discovery. Anyway like I said……still emotionally processing. (But man oh man do I want to wander aimlessly around Paris eating pastries and ride trains across Europe!)
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for the ARC of Half-Blown Rose! All my opinions in this review are my own.
I was surprised at how much of this book focused on Vincent's affair with Loup rather than her husband's book and its aftermath. I enjoyed Half-Blown Rose but felt like a lot of the drama happened off the page. However, I loved the setting and how it was more a slice of life with Vincent trying to decide what to do.
This smart and sexy book is the perfect escape from the heaviness of the world. It's an easy read about (mostly) European travel, romance, betrayal, memories, and the wild unpredictability of life. I felt like I was experiencing the sights, smells, and sounds of London, Nice, Amsterdam, Auvers-sur-Oise, Tuscany, and especially Paris so vividly. There are several dinner, studio, and travel music playlists listed throughout the book, enhancing the reading experience, and each is a vibe!
I've now read each of [a:Leesa Cross-Smith|6569545|Leesa Cross-Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1393977141p2/6569545.jpg]'s three novels (she has two other books that I've yet to read), and she writes about complicated relationships in a deliciously unique way. [b:This Close to Okay|53916130|This Close to Okay|Leesa Cross-Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603745279l/53916130._SY75_.jpg|67891715] and [b:Whiskey & Ribbons|36139786|Whiskey & Ribbons|Leesa Cross-Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1503938935l/36139786._SY75_.jpg|57740792] also center unexpected or taboo relationships in ways that have challenged my own thinking and who I'm mentally rooting for. Each of her characters is fully developed, but never over-written. I've consistently been left wanting more after reading her books. This novel in particular feels like she had fun writing it and was a joy to read.
These are my favorite quotes from the novel:
"Everyone who says Paris is a woman is right. Paris is la vie en rose. Paris is sexy. Paris is splendor. Paris is full of light. Paris is full of life. Paris is a new beginning. Paris, mon amour. Paris is the only city in the world."
"Our memories make up who we are. And I don't say that lightly. Our hippocampus helps us to store and recollect them. Our brains contain vast wealth of memories in their storehouses. Imagine our minds, our hearts, without our memories. I believe that you'd find yourself wanting to hold on to even all of the bad ones if met with the idea of losing every memory in one swoop."
Many thanks to Leesa Cross-Smith, NetGalley, and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review before its release on 5/31/22.
I've now read each of [a:Leesa Cross-Smith|6569545|Leesa Cross-Smith|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1393977141p2/6569545.jpg]'s three novels (she has two other books that I've yet to read), and she writes about complicated relationships in a deliciously unique way. [b:This Close to Okay|53916130|This Close to Okay|Leesa Cross-Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603745279l/53916130._SY75_.jpg|67891715] and [b:Whiskey & Ribbons|36139786|Whiskey & Ribbons|Leesa Cross-Smith|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1503938935l/36139786._SY75_.jpg|57740792] also center unexpected or taboo relationships in ways that have challenged my own thinking and who I'm mentally rooting for. Each of her characters is fully developed, but never over-written. I've consistently been left wanting more after reading her books. This novel in particular feels like she had fun writing it and was a joy to read.
These are my favorite quotes from the novel:
"Everyone who says Paris is a woman is right. Paris is la vie en rose. Paris is sexy. Paris is splendor. Paris is full of light. Paris is full of life. Paris is a new beginning. Paris, mon amour. Paris is the only city in the world."
"Our memories make up who we are. And I don't say that lightly. Our hippocampus helps us to store and recollect them. Our brains contain vast wealth of memories in their storehouses. Imagine our minds, our hearts, without our memories. I believe that you'd find yourself wanting to hold on to even all of the bad ones if met with the idea of losing every memory in one swoop."
Many thanks to Leesa Cross-Smith, NetGalley, and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review before its release on 5/31/22.
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes