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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I really enjoyed my time with Like a House on Fire even though I don’t think it is likely to stay with me. I thought the depiction of Merit, a woman who has lost herself to the realities of being a stay-at-home mother, and her joy at finding parts of herself when she returned to work were very relatable. The dynamics of Merit and Cory’s marriage was cleverly captured through the banal everyday details. It felt all too real and relatable. The peek inside the working life of an architect concerned with the preservation of historic buildings was a bonus. I enjoy seeing competent career women in action. I also enjoy older women being featured in romance storylines, so this book gets two ticks in that regard. The infidelity trope didn’t bother me, although I know many readers would rather avoid it. My main issue with this book was the big jump between the final chapter and the epilogue. Lots of interesting, messy stuff obviously occurred and I feel a little cheated that it was all off page, not so much for the drama but for exploration of issues which could have resulted.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is a pretty good read, but I felt like the ending was sort of a cop-out. There's an interesting story between the last chapter and the epilogue which the reader doesn't get to see.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Trigger Warnings: Sex, cursing, alcohol, past death of a sibling, AIDS, cheating, cancer scare, miscarriage, church, internalized homophobia, drugs, cheating, affair, masturbation, past death of a parent, breast cancer, heart attack, death of a parent, funeral, grief
Representation: Gay, Lesbian
Like a House on Fire is the story of housewife and mother, Merit, who returns to her career despite not working for several years while taking care of her children. Her new boss, Jane, is an attractive older woman who means business and is confident in herself. The two work together and become friends, but soon they are not sure where the line of friendship ends.
This eARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story is so beautiful! I loved every moment of it! The storyline was slow and sweet, it really made you cherish and rood for these characters. Jane is a woman of the World and “not gay,” while Merit is very straight and in love with her husband. I loved these women so much! I’ve never been either Woman’s shoes, but it was so nice to see older sapphic women being successful and happy in life! We get a more in depth development for Merit because she narrates the story. Her journey through love and loss is inspiring and I am a sucker for a happy ending! My only wish would be for the final chapter to be a more evolved epilogue and more chapters for more happiness! Oh and I have to add that Merit’s college roommate, Cat, appears on like one page and yet I’m still in love with her! She was hilarious!!
Representation: Gay, Lesbian
Like a House on Fire is the story of housewife and mother, Merit, who returns to her career despite not working for several years while taking care of her children. Her new boss, Jane, is an attractive older woman who means business and is confident in herself. The two work together and become friends, but soon they are not sure where the line of friendship ends.
This eARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story is so beautiful! I loved every moment of it! The storyline was slow and sweet, it really made you cherish and rood for these characters. Jane is a woman of the World and “not gay,” while Merit is very straight and in love with her husband. I loved these women so much! I’ve never been either Woman’s shoes, but it was so nice to see older sapphic women being successful and happy in life! We get a more in depth development for Merit because she narrates the story. Her journey through love and loss is inspiring and I am a sucker for a happy ending! My only wish would be for the final chapter to be a more evolved epilogue and more chapters for more happiness! Oh and I have to add that Merit’s college roommate, Cat, appears on like one page and yet I’m still in love with her! She was hilarious!!
emotional
reflective
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
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I love when books surprise me. I picked this up on a whim after barely reading the synopsis and was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. A book on infidelity that felt refreshingly devoid of played-out drama - not in a boring way but in a way that felt nuanced. The ending felt a little bit rushed and was a little disappointing given how I loved the chapter before it. It would have been nice to see exactly how the end came to be. Overall though, a really great read.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Putnam for the digital galley of this book.
Merit’s husband is thrilled she wants to return to work after being a stay at home mom and artist with her two sons. And after a failed gallery show, Merit is glad to get an architecture job working for Jane, a bold, no nonsense (and beautiful) wan who Merit admires. The two quickly become friends and then best friends. Maybe even something more? Surely not. Surely preferring Jane’s company to every other person is normal for a friendship. Sure she’s attractive, but is Merit attracted to her? If she explores that question, it may send both of their lives spiraling out of the control of expected trajectories.
I loved this book. The characterization is phenomenal. I loved both Merit and Jane so much and I just wanted to spend time with them. Friends, lovers, whatever their relationship, I’m here for it. I loved the complexities and layers of the characters and their lives. Everything is intertwined as we build out lives as adults, and it’s not always about us or the things we really want. It’s not fair. It’s hard. And it’s so human.
This book is a romance, but it’s more of a Literary/Contemporary fiction piece than a genre book. It’s about two women and their lives, motivations, relationships, and the unfairness of the expectations of motherhood. I couldn’t put it down.
It’s out now wherever you get your print, digital, or audiobooks.
Like a House on Fire follows Merit, a woman who believed she had her ideal life as she takes a new position working for Jane at an architectural firm due to Merits husband's encouragement for her to return to work. This story was powerful, moving, and sad, with twists and surprises along the way. The book felt so real as you go along Merit's journey to find herself, making it more beautiful. The whole book delved deeply into themes of identity and the expectations we place on ourselves which even though the characters came across as extremely privileged at times or frustrating it made me still want to continue reading. The writing in this book was phenomenal! This book being Lauren McBrayer's debut novel makes me excited to see what she writes next!
Thank you to Lauren McBrayer, G.P. Putnam and Sons, and NetGalley for an ARC for exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Lauren McBrayer, G.P. Putnam and Sons, and NetGalley for an ARC for exchange for an honest review.