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A review by hayley_noble
Highland Hearts Holiday Bookshop by Tricia O'Malley
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
I'm not sure how to rate this one....I listened to it in 2 days because it was short and easy.
I wanted something light, cozy, Christmasy, and it was set in Scotland - so bonus. But I'm wondering if straight-forward romance is for me. Without some other plat device, I was kind of bored with the story. Woman inherits bookstore in Scotland and falls in love - what's not to like? Well, quite a bit actually.
I think part of my issue is that I wasn't a fan of the narrator for Rosie's POV. She felt whiny and annoyingly stupid for someone who's supposed to be intelligent. She spends the entire first two thirds of the book in the bookstore, not adjusting to the fact that she just moved to Scotland or exploring her new town. She miraculously makes new friends without problem even though she's an introvert and newcomer. The story also really moved. Rosie and Alexander fell in love, in like a week. It was so fast.
The conflict felt added because that's how narrative structure works and not because it was necessary for the plot. Similarly, the magic match-making felt unnecessary and almost like an afterthought. The magic was so mundane too - maybe a haunting and an enchanted magnifying glass - that's it.
I rolled my eyes so many times and really noticed the repetitious phrases the author liked: "new/big adventure," "lips that begged to be kissed," "hair that I could run my hands through." UGH. And so so cheesy. And Rosie kept touching her arms/shoulder and was so awkward.
The puffin rescue, book bitches, window competition, and Alexander were fine. I also liked that Rosie wasn't 18 and super thin. She was curvier and I like more of the representation. Overall, just ok.
I wanted something light, cozy, Christmasy, and it was set in Scotland - so bonus. But I'm wondering if straight-forward romance is for me. Without some other plat device, I was kind of bored with the story. Woman inherits bookstore in Scotland and falls in love - what's not to like? Well, quite a bit actually.
I think part of my issue is that I wasn't a fan of the narrator for Rosie's POV. She felt whiny and annoyingly stupid for someone who's supposed to be intelligent. She spends the entire first two thirds of the book in the bookstore, not adjusting to the fact that she just moved to Scotland or exploring her new town. She miraculously makes new friends without problem even though she's an introvert and newcomer. The story also really moved. Rosie and Alexander fell in love, in like a week. It was so fast.
The conflict felt added because that's how narrative structure works and not because it was necessary for the plot. Similarly, the magic match-making felt unnecessary and almost like an afterthought. The magic was so mundane too - maybe a haunting and an enchanted magnifying glass - that's it.
I rolled my eyes so many times and really noticed the repetitious phrases the author liked: "new/big adventure," "lips that begged to be kissed," "hair that I could run my hands through." UGH. And so so cheesy. And Rosie kept touching her arms/shoulder and was so awkward.
The puffin rescue, book bitches, window competition, and Alexander were fine. I also liked that Rosie wasn't 18 and super thin. She was curvier and I like more of the representation. Overall, just ok.