Reviews

Grown-Up Pose by Sonya Lalli

katemc's review

emotional funny hopeful 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? Yes

3.75

I think my favorite contemporary romance subgenre is the one where the main plot is the lead just figuring her life out. The two Lallis I’ve read so far are great examples!! I love a story about a woman trying to figure out who she is, how to balance all the competing forces we’re meant to deal with, and how be a good friend/mother/daughter. 

Anusha was a really lovely person to spend time with and even though a lot happened in book (a bit scattered!) I enjoyed seeing her come into herself as an adult and as an individual. The characters and their dynamics were definitely the strongest part of the book for me.

It is a second chance romance and so reminded me of You Deserve Each Other a bit in Anusha being caught up in her own shit and resentment so pushing Neil away. But I think where this one fell short for me in the reconciliation was addressing the problems Anusha had with Neil as a partner. While it was wonderful that they remembered why they loved each other and what good people both of them are at heart, I was disappointed he never apologized for the role he played in making her life miserable. I definitely got the whole “she took things for granted” thing/implication it might not have been as bad as she thought (and appreciated her growth in recognizing her role) but I wanted more in terms of him realizing he needed to be a better partner to her as well. 

mmehra606's review

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

bookobsessedmommy's review against another edition

funny lighthearted 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? Yes

3.75

I'm a bit torn on this one. While I enjoyed the storytelling immensely, I constantly was baffled by her reasoning (or lack thereof). She so wishy washy and sure then unsure of herself. I totally identify with certain aspects of the story, but other parts seem completely asinine. And the fact that she lashes out whenever someone points this out is so frustrating. And while I'm a big fan of happy endings, I felt like this story left too much on the table. What's the deal with Jenny? How does Anu 'complete' the list? Where is all this money from that she suddenly has to buy a yoga studio, fly last minute to and from England, and support regular life on a PART TIME nursing salary? Maybe I'm being nit picky, but this stuff bothered me. 

mxgancxtherine's review

2.0

if nothing else this is a study into how I absolutely do not understand straight women

mick's review

Mild spoilers. This had some structural issues but I appreciated that it had characters that got together with someone very young and had some growing up to do. They definitely made some choices that were way too out there, but I enjoyed that they needed to do that exploring. I also appreciated the clap back about cultural appreciation and yoga.

hadjer_mosbah's review

3.0

It’s really hard to go through life, especially with all the stuff around pushing us to do this or that or to be something or someone... Being a grown-up isn't always an easy process... I can relate to it!!
It was trying to spear a msg but it was a bit long!!
I would like to give it 3 stars out of 5.

lilbroccoli's review

3.0

I enjoyed the book, although it really should be clarified that this is women’s fiction rather than romance. Anusha’s personal growth is the story; the novel does not center on a couple. I loved Anu and was rooting for her the whole time as she tried to find herself outside the labels of wife and mother. The ending was just too abrupt and therefore not believable.

It made me really uncomfortable that the (what appeared to be) attempted suicide of another character was used as a big realization moment for Anu.

lesbianlis's review

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

perfectly mediocre in my opinion. there were parts i really like but also parts i really hated. 

kaetzchen's review against another edition

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

aedgeworth27's review

2.0

Audiobook listen.

This wasn't a good one for me. I really loved the Indian family dynamics, that seems to be something I'm interested in reading more about. I love how important family is in Indian culture, and of course--the food. I also liked how this book featured a lot of women owned businesses. The main character was willing to take responsibility for her own actions that had hurt those around her and I appreciated that. That's about where it ended. I couldn't stand basically every single character. They were all whiny and wishy-washy. And the main character made HORRIBLE decisions. The basis of the book was how the MC feels unfulfilled, likes she's just coasting through life and how she wants to take more control of her life. So she does this by leaving her husband, immediately dating someone different, having a one night stand, drinking, partying, doing drugs, fighting with everyone around her. Is this really what she thought would help her?

Fine story, OK ending.