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teereadspraysandcrochets 's review for:
Pugs and Kisses
by Farrah Rochon
challenging
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While the title was captivating (and I absolutely love it!), the book's romance didn't quite make my tail wag. This wasn't for lack of development, as the characters' romantic connection seemed to intertwine with their efforts to save the animal shelter. However, it felt like this overarching goal outshone the romantic progression.
My attention was more consistently drawn to the characters' individual journeys. For her, a major hurdle was the fallout from her broken engagement, necessitating a redefinition of her future, alongside her issues with her mother and asserting her desires. For him, the struggle was deeply rooted in feelings of inadequacy especially compared to her ex—his former lab partner—a comparison that visibly plagued his decisions.
Perhaps a key reason the romance felt less impactful for me was that the characters were already somewhat in love from the start. Her primary conflict wasn't about developing feelings for him, but rather the challenging timing of their connection post-breakup, which intertwined with her personal growth. While he certainly had work to do to mend their relationship, he didn't truly have to "win her over," and I believe this lessened the romantic tension and the feeling of a blossoming love story. It was a cute premise with compelling individual and plot-driven arcs, but something about the central romance didn't fully ignite for me.
The narration was pretty good and honestly helped me through some of the slower sections that I might have otherwise found a bit flat.
Thank you to Hachette Audio, Farrah Rochon, and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. This is my honest review.
My attention was more consistently drawn to the characters' individual journeys. For her, a major hurdle was the fallout from her broken engagement, necessitating a redefinition of her future, alongside her issues with her mother and asserting her desires. For him, the struggle was deeply rooted in feelings of inadequacy especially compared to her ex—his former lab partner—a comparison that visibly plagued his decisions.
Perhaps a key reason the romance felt less impactful for me was that the characters were already somewhat in love from the start. Her primary conflict wasn't about developing feelings for him, but rather the challenging timing of their connection post-breakup, which intertwined with her personal growth. While he certainly had work to do to mend their relationship, he didn't truly have to "win her over," and I believe this lessened the romantic tension and the feeling of a blossoming love story. It was a cute premise with compelling individual and plot-driven arcs, but something about the central romance didn't fully ignite for me.
The narration was pretty good and honestly helped me through some of the slower sections that I might have otherwise found a bit flat.
Thank you to Hachette Audio, Farrah Rochon, and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. This is my honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Infidelity