sam_is_reading 's review for:

Hopelessly Teavoted: A Novel by Audrey Goldberg Ruoff

2.5

emotional funny lighthearted slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I really loved the main story here! I loved the Addams Family vibes - but how the author was able to make Azrael and Vickie seem like wholly unique characters. The central mystery they're trying to solve was interesting although it was incredibly easy to guess who the big bad was. The magic system was a little confusing, particularly around Vickie's deal, but we didn't really need to get bogged down in devil contract law so not a big problem.

My chief issue with this book is how repetitive it is - we get multiple long internal dialogues about how in love Az & Vickie are. And it's overbearingly repetitive! Like WE GET IT. It actively pulled me out of the story multiple times. I get that the author was trying to create a balance between plot and characters but we spent so much time hearing their "I'm in love with him/her" that the story falls by the wayside. The plot feels thin.

Overall it was cute but I think it could've used a better balance between character and story to make it really stand out.

Thank you to NetGalley, Audrey Goldberg Ruoff, and Atria Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.