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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
I honestly don't know how I finished this. The premise of this book is literally all my dreams come true, but the writing was so bad. I actually had to go back at one point because I was so confused. Plot holes everywhere. Hated all the main characters.
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:
Yes
Ruby's disillusioned with New York City. Her career as a food writer has lived up to expectations, but the dating pool hasn't, and the simple fact of the matter is that she's burned out. On a wild hair, she resigns from her job and moves out of her apartment in favor of renting a rustic cottage in Scotland. She's finally going to write the cookbook she always meant to. With a single POV, this romance is largely about this turning point in Ruby's life. She (literally) gets her hands dirty and slows down, just as she intended.
The love story comes in when nearly every villager alerts Ruby to the presence of a dark, brooding hottie in town who's her exact age. The matchmakers may not be wily, but that doesn't make them unsuccessful. Brochan lives up to the hype, and Ruby ogles his beard while he helps her set up a vegetable garden. It seems Brochan's biggest selling point is his ability to hold down an actual conversation. And anyone who's dated straight men can likely understand why Ruby's impressed, even if it's not exactly the height of romance. In some ways, this initial observation could also go for the overall arc. The romance is mostly just ok without a great spark or wit behind it, but it also manages to be squarely non-toxic, a great and appreciated feat. While not exactly a slow burn in terms of tension, there is a bit of a waiting period upfront. For readers who like spice, don't let the first fade-to-black moment alarm you. The door gets flung open later on (I'm not sure I've seen this approach before, so I was a bit surprised). And when it comes to final act breakup drama, we all know I have some real issues with secret keeping as the cause, though this one at least offers us a vast, comfy gray area. My problem is more that a destructive secret creates the perfect gap for worry about when the other shoe will drop leading up to said final act. Secrets don't stay that way, no matter what characters may wish.
The book does include a greater, non-romantic plot. Not only is Ruby working to find a fulfilling life trajectory, but also her new home is in trouble financially, leading us to a "save the small town and its businesses" plot. I enjoyed that Ruby has these other concerns on her mind that play into her larger growth. Also, the side characters can have true depth and meaning because the story leaves space for them.
My only major problem is that I got bored. The humor is cutesy in a way that works for it but not so much for me. I got tired of waiting around for the inevitable romantic blowup and then found the willful miscommunication frustrating. Ruby's slowed-down life became a bit, well, slow. And the solution to the town's ailments was ignored until the bitter end in favor of entrenched mistrust. Here's the thing: if you need a bit of fantasy in your life in the form of a woman hying off to Scotland to find true, spicy love and a vegetable garden, please proceed. If you want to read about delicious meals and whisky notes with a strong man deemed complicated for having a single feeling about a single thing, come on. Just don't expect the most dynamic, swoony romance, too. Thanks to Berkley for my copy to read and review!
The love story comes in when nearly every villager alerts Ruby to the presence of a dark, brooding hottie in town who's her exact age. The matchmakers may not be wily, but that doesn't make them unsuccessful. Brochan lives up to the hype, and Ruby ogles his beard while he helps her set up a vegetable garden. It seems Brochan's biggest selling point is his ability to hold down an actual conversation. And anyone who's dated straight men can likely understand why Ruby's impressed, even if it's not exactly the height of romance. In some ways, this initial observation could also go for the overall arc. The romance is mostly just ok without a great spark or wit behind it, but it also manages to be squarely non-toxic, a great and appreciated feat. While not exactly a slow burn in terms of tension, there is a bit of a waiting period upfront. For readers who like spice, don't let the first fade-to-black moment alarm you. The door gets flung open later on (I'm not sure I've seen this approach before, so I was a bit surprised). And when it comes to final act breakup drama, we all know I have some real issues with secret keeping as the cause, though this one at least offers us a vast, comfy gray area. My problem is more that a destructive secret creates the perfect gap for worry about when the other shoe will drop leading up to said final act. Secrets don't stay that way, no matter what characters may wish.
The book does include a greater, non-romantic plot. Not only is Ruby working to find a fulfilling life trajectory, but also her new home is in trouble financially, leading us to a "save the small town and its businesses" plot. I enjoyed that Ruby has these other concerns on her mind that play into her larger growth. Also, the side characters can have true depth and meaning because the story leaves space for them.
My only major problem is that I got bored. The humor is cutesy in a way that works for it but not so much for me. I got tired of waiting around for the inevitable romantic blowup and then found the willful miscommunication frustrating. Ruby's slowed-down life became a bit, well, slow. And the solution to the town's ailments was ignored until the bitter end in favor of entrenched mistrust. Here's the thing: if you need a bit of fantasy in your life in the form of a woman hying off to Scotland to find true, spicy love and a vegetable garden, please proceed. If you want to read about delicious meals and whisky notes with a strong man deemed complicated for having a single feeling about a single thing, come on. Just don't expect the most dynamic, swoony romance, too. Thanks to Berkley for my copy to read and review!
I’m so disappointed in this book. The premise was perfect, and the first half was so good (I could look past the lack of serious spice). But the third act breakup I saw from miles away?? The fact that he didn’t tell her that his ex-fiancée was the mayor??? The miscommunication trope was just ridiculous.
emotional
medium-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
slow-paced
Cute but predictable, there were things I was irritated about but overall I think Rochelle Bilow is a compulsively readable author.
I'm not a lawyer but I think a pinky promise with an adult who is practically a stranger is not legally binding!
I'm not a lawyer but I think a pinky promise with an adult who is practically a stranger is not legally binding!
I really am trying to be less judgemental of books but this one... So many things.
1) Ruby had never been to Scotland before...ever and yet you want me to believe she understands everyone in town with their thick north Scottish accents and their local dialect with no problem at all? One of my friends is from northern Scotland, we've been friends for over a decade now and we talk at least once a week and I still don't understand half the things he says.
2)... She moves to Scotland to write a cookbook... absolutely fantastic but ummm she doesn't really seem focused on that at all. It is a very very minor subplot to a plot where really nothing is going on.
3) she and Anne have 2 very short conversations and suddenly they are besties and ruby feels more loyal to her than to Brochan or Grace? Seriously? Ruby is a terrible friend and person.
4) You can tell this was written by an American author. she uses the word "blether" every other page and then some wild out there Scottish phrase but otherwise the Scottish locals all sound very American.
5) You want me to believe that a small Scottish town abandoned their local pub for a fancy hotel restaurant? The pub is the town social center this is not a realistic story line at all.
Okay I think that is all...for now.
1) Ruby had never been to Scotland before...ever and yet you want me to believe she understands everyone in town with their thick north Scottish accents and their local dialect with no problem at all? One of my friends is from northern Scotland, we've been friends for over a decade now and we talk at least once a week and I still don't understand half the things he says.
2)... She moves to Scotland to write a cookbook... absolutely fantastic but ummm she doesn't really seem focused on that at all. It is a very very minor subplot to a plot where really nothing is going on.
3) she and Anne have 2 very short conversations and suddenly they are besties and ruby feels more loyal to her than to Brochan or Grace? Seriously? Ruby is a terrible friend and person.
4) You can tell this was written by an American author. she uses the word "blether" every other page and then some wild out there Scottish phrase but otherwise the Scottish locals all sound very American.
5) You want me to believe that a small Scottish town abandoned their local pub for a fancy hotel restaurant? The pub is the town social center this is not a realistic story line at all.
Okay I think that is all...for now.
emotional
lighthearted
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
