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sheridanling's review
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I loved this book! Such a great find! My only criticisms are that I think Archer agreeing to non-monagamy feels too "happily ever after" compared to what the book is trying to promote. I think it would have been more realistic and more in line with the book for Archer to stay true to his desire for monogamy, and for Cleo to accept this and be happy without him like she was before they ended up together. I also think Jude's character could have been explored a bit more in depth, with some form of resolution for her ongoing workaholic tendencies and insecurities
melaniie's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
samvanzweden's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
life_asabooklover's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
essjay1's review
2.0
I guess it’s ironic to claim a rom com is unrealistic but the key to this genre, for me, is treading that fine line between fantasy & plausibility that keeps things interesting.
emmarach's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
A sweet and warm read that feels the heart - and is done so craftfully. The writing is joyful not silly, and you just cannot help but smile and cheer Cleo on. Perfect summer beach read.
bianca89279's review
3.0
Somewhat spoilerish review
I clicked to download the library audiobook due to its cover and hoped it would be the lighter good read I was after.
It was nice to discover it was an Australian romance.
Thirty-something-year-old Cleo is a single mother of two under five-year-olds. She's a florist, owns her own business but she's struggling. Her ex is an alcoholic with many issues. As it seems to be a genetic component of all women, Cleo feels guilt about everything, about divorcing, about not having seen the red flags regarding her relationship with her ex, for giving in too often etc. Many of the single motherhood aspects and the character's qualms and struggles felt very realistic.
Pushed by her best friend and housemate and her employee, Cleo decides to go on Tinder. She's planned to have 20 dates.
There are a few bad dates, but also a couple of promising ones. Cleo is determined to take it easy and just have fun. Lots of sexual encounters occur, some of them, multi-orgasmic. I was, you go, girl, good for you, but also, I didn't want all the sex details - that's on me, I'll admit it.
Lo and behold, Cleo doesn't just find one decent man, there are two in the fold. And they say there are slim pickings out there... ;-) Gabe, a British expat, is a librarian, but not into monogamous relationships. I rolled my eyes.
Archer is a tradie (what we call tradesmen in Australia), he fixed her shop's window and did other repairs. He's hot, kind and quite in touch with his feelings and knows what he wants - incredibly enough, he says he wants a woman who's honest and knows what she wants. Ha! I laughed at that. I also told myself off for take it so seriously, after all, it's a romance, it's not supposed to be realistic, it's aspirational etc.
Both Gabe and Archer are pretty decent men, not to mention so in touch with their feelings and respectful and also very good at sex. Lucky Cleo. It's truth universally known that men are keen on single mothers who aren't in their twenties anymore :-). Sorry, I can't help myself.
I may have been dubious/jealous of Cleo's energy, as a full-time, business owner, and mother of two who's also able to have all-night sex with different men, on different nights.
Anyway, those were some of my grumbles as a curmudgeonly, middle-aged, sceptic woman.
If you're willing to go with the flow, you'll enjoy this as it's a competently written novel, about a woman's empowerment and self-discovery, a novel that tried to break the mould by turning some common scenarios on their head - which I'll have to commend the author for doing so.
I clicked to download the library audiobook due to its cover and hoped it would be the lighter good read I was after.
It was nice to discover it was an Australian romance.
Thirty-something-year-old Cleo is a single mother of two under five-year-olds. She's a florist, owns her own business but she's struggling. Her ex is an alcoholic with many issues. As it seems to be a genetic component of all women, Cleo feels guilt about everything, about divorcing, about not having seen the red flags regarding her relationship with her ex, for giving in too often etc. Many of the single motherhood aspects and the character's qualms and struggles felt very realistic.
Pushed by her best friend and housemate and her employee, Cleo decides to go on Tinder. She's planned to have 20 dates.
There are a few bad dates, but also a couple of promising ones. Cleo is determined to take it easy and just have fun. Lots of sexual encounters occur, some of them, multi-orgasmic. I was, you go, girl, good for you, but also, I didn't want all the sex details - that's on me, I'll admit it.
Lo and behold, Cleo doesn't just find one decent man, there are two in the fold. And they say there are slim pickings out there... ;-) Gabe, a British expat, is a librarian, but not into monogamous relationships. I rolled my eyes.
Archer is a tradie (what we call tradesmen in Australia), he fixed her shop's window and did other repairs. He's hot, kind and quite in touch with his feelings and knows what he wants - incredibly enough, he says he wants a woman who's honest and knows what she wants. Ha! I laughed at that. I also told myself off for take it so seriously, after all, it's a romance, it's not supposed to be realistic, it's aspirational etc.
Both Gabe and Archer are pretty decent men, not to mention so in touch with their feelings and respectful and also very good at sex. Lucky Cleo. It's truth universally known that men are keen on single mothers who aren't in their twenties anymore :-). Sorry, I can't help myself.
I may have been dubious/jealous of Cleo's energy, as a full-time, business owner, and mother of two who's also able to have all-night sex with different men, on different nights.
Anyway, those were some of my grumbles as a curmudgeonly, middle-aged, sceptic woman.
If you're willing to go with the flow, you'll enjoy this as it's a competently written novel, about a woman's empowerment and self-discovery, a novel that tried to break the mould by turning some common scenarios on their head - which I'll have to commend the author for doing so.
nina_reads_books's review
3.0
I would describe West Side Honey as an empowering modern rom com with a kick arse feminist focus. Cleo is in her late thirties with two young kids, a dodgy ex-husband and a great share house set up with her best friend and her son. But her florist business is not going as well as it could and Cleo and her ex have just started a new week on week off custody arrangement which is freaking Cleo out. But it does mean she suddenly has free time to fill. This leads to Cleo focusing on herself and her needs more than she ever has before. While she joins a dance class and puts more effort into her business it also involves going on a serious amount of dates.
She ends up seeing several people and while I enjoyed how she gets to know them and how the relationships develop there is also lots of openness around casual relationships and potential non-monogamy which I found a bit hard to relate to as someone very much out of the dating scene. This is probably also why I found it a bit difficult to connect to the way many of the characters talked to each. Do people really speak so plainly and with suxh clear boundaries and a deep understanding of their emotions?? Everyone was so self-aware I felt a bit stunted emotionally in comparison! I definitely felt out of the loop with the way the characters interacted (I’m probably just too old!) but it was actually a refreshing story that didn't feel full of the standard tropes. Is that a contradictory comment??
Hmm anyway let me also emphasise that there is a LOT of sexy times in West Side Honey which may be your thing but was probably not quite mine this time round.
Thank you @text_publishing for my #gifted copy. Pick it up if you are keen to read a modern rom com with a cast of diverse and interesting characters with quite a bit of getting jiggy with it.
She ends up seeing several people and while I enjoyed how she gets to know them and how the relationships develop there is also lots of openness around casual relationships and potential non-monogamy which I found a bit hard to relate to as someone very much out of the dating scene. This is probably also why I found it a bit difficult to connect to the way many of the characters talked to each. Do people really speak so plainly and with suxh clear boundaries and a deep understanding of their emotions?? Everyone was so self-aware I felt a bit stunted emotionally in comparison! I definitely felt out of the loop with the way the characters interacted (I’m probably just too old!) but it was actually a refreshing story that didn't feel full of the standard tropes. Is that a contradictory comment??
Hmm anyway let me also emphasise that there is a LOT of sexy times in West Side Honey which may be your thing but was probably not quite mine this time round.
Thank you @text_publishing for my #gifted copy. Pick it up if you are keen to read a modern rom com with a cast of diverse and interesting characters with quite a bit of getting jiggy with it.
becsbookshelf's review
5.0
Cleo’s world has changed dramatically over the years. Her priorities being her kids and her business and she’s supported by her best friend and roomie and her child. Navigating co parenting with her ex husband and just trying to live.
Her new custody schedule flips her world and the week on week off arrangement gives her time to focus on herself for a brief moment. Dance classes are the first step, fixing the shop is next and last on the list is putting herself back out there in the dating world.
Cleo’s quickly finds its a lot and leaves her questioning the traditional norms and navigating though finding her happiness. There’s lows and highs, triumphs and heartbreak and a number of solid relationships that build the foundations of this book.
I can’t fault Claire’s writing, Cleo and Jude’s friendship is something close to my heart, navigating sharing a child and dating are challenging and putting ones needs first fall to the wayside. Claire does an incredible job of portraying that fine line between swimming and sinking, the people supporting being a continual life line for the moments when you just need someone in your corner. West Side Honey challenges the social norms and empowers you to believe that you deserve nothing but the best.
Her new custody schedule flips her world and the week on week off arrangement gives her time to focus on herself for a brief moment. Dance classes are the first step, fixing the shop is next and last on the list is putting herself back out there in the dating world.
Cleo’s quickly finds its a lot and leaves her questioning the traditional norms and navigating though finding her happiness. There’s lows and highs, triumphs and heartbreak and a number of solid relationships that build the foundations of this book.
I can’t fault Claire’s writing, Cleo and Jude’s friendship is something close to my heart, navigating sharing a child and dating are challenging and putting ones needs first fall to the wayside. Claire does an incredible job of portraying that fine line between swimming and sinking, the people supporting being a continual life line for the moments when you just need someone in your corner. West Side Honey challenges the social norms and empowers you to believe that you deserve nothing but the best.
mel_thereadingaffair's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0