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cupidities's review
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
*review copy provided by Netgalley, but all opinions are mine
Overall, this was fun - it stayed relatively light, the plot moved quickly, and it was a pretty fast read. That said, it felt like the plot kept building up to dramatic events to build tension and allude to future drama, but then nothing really ever came of the build-up. It felt like something bad was constantly looming, and yet it never came, which led to a weird sense of being let down when the plot kept resolving itself relatively neatly.
I also didn't entirely buy the romance plot between Maddie and Harrison. As I was reading, I never got the sense that Maddie was actually falling in love with Harrison--they have a strong sexual connection after he returns from Paris, and they've had years of platonic love, but I never felt like Maddie actually pivoted to romantic love, or anything other lust for Harrison. He also never seemed to actually respect her as a partner, and continued to orchestrate their lives to get what he wanted.Although Maddie calls him on it, I didn't think he actually demonstrated at the end that he was ready to change. He was all too ready to leave for me to trust him as a good partner for Maddie.
Also, there's a small cheating plot. It didn't last for long, but it left a bad taste in my mouth, personally.
Overall, this was fun - it stayed relatively light, the plot moved quickly, and it was a pretty fast read. That said, it felt like the plot kept building up to dramatic events to build tension and allude to future drama, but then nothing really ever came of the build-up. It felt like something bad was constantly looming, and yet it never came, which led to a weird sense of being let down when the plot kept resolving itself relatively neatly.
I also didn't entirely buy the romance plot between Maddie and Harrison. As I was reading, I never got the sense that Maddie was actually falling in love with Harrison--they have a strong sexual connection after he returns from Paris, and they've had years of platonic love, but I never felt like Maddie actually pivoted to romantic love, or anything other lust for Harrison. He also never seemed to actually respect her as a partner, and continued to orchestrate their lives to get what he wanted.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Cursing
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Alcoholism
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