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A review by cluckieduck
Soft Flannel Hank by Eliza MacArthur
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was...ok, I guess, but I found myself getting easily annoyed by the decisions made by the characters in this one. If you find the miscommunication trope grating - I beg you to turn around right now and run the other way, because this is chock-a-block with miscommunications around every corner and it gets old real, real fast, and all the build-up to the climax was such a let down in the end.
I must admit, I was drawn to this one by the cover and title in the hopes that there was some deeper meaning. There's not. Other than the fact that Hank is, indeed, quite soft emotionally. I appreciated reading about a broken MMC trying to put the pieces back together, and doing so quite messily. Reading other reviews that mention the Twilight dad fanfic parallels - I didn't grasp that while reading (thankfully), so it didn't influence my enjoyment. Esther was not as fully fleshed out, and I don't believe she experienced any character growth outside of her very stubborn, do-it-herself-without-trusting-her-witchy-instincts, which is unfortunate.
The best thing about this one is the chemistry between Hank & Esther, but how dare she tease us with one of the most combustible intimate scenes so early on and then let the slow-burn burn hard!
The world-building itself could have used some greater development as well. It felt like she just threw PNR stuff in a blender rather than creating a polished, fleshed-out setting. The side characters were intriguing, but some of the written-out accents were jarring to read. Just tell me they're Irish or Scottish, I don't need a dinnae or ken or verra thrown in to remind me of their background.
All in all, entertaining but underwhelming.
I must admit, I was drawn to this one by the cover and title in the hopes that there was some deeper meaning. There's not. Other than the fact that Hank is, indeed, quite soft emotionally. I appreciated reading about a broken MMC trying to put the pieces back together, and doing so quite messily. Reading other reviews that mention the Twilight dad fanfic parallels - I didn't grasp that while reading (thankfully), so it didn't influence my enjoyment. Esther was not as fully fleshed out, and I don't believe she experienced any character growth outside of her very stubborn, do-it-herself-without-trusting-her-witchy-instincts, which is unfortunate.
The best thing about this one is the chemistry between Hank & Esther, but how dare she tease us with one of the most combustible intimate scenes so early on and then let the slow-burn burn hard!
The world-building itself could have used some greater development as well. It felt like she just threw PNR stuff in a blender rather than creating a polished, fleshed-out setting. The side characters were intriguing, but some of the written-out accents were jarring to read. Just tell me they're Irish or Scottish, I don't need a dinnae or ken or verra thrown in to remind me of their background.
All in all, entertaining but underwhelming.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Grief, Violence, and Stalking
Minor: Police brutality, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship