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A review by cat_theodore
Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle
4.0
3.75* Okay so I guess me hating the beginning and then actually enjoying the endings is going to be a recurrent thing with Sarah Hogle's books because the exact same thing happened with You Deserve Each Other.
I didn't like the tone Twice Shy started with, and once Maybell and Wesley met, I had a hard time connecting with him. Perhaps my struggling in the first 20-30% was due to the lack of communication, since Wesley wasn't the easiest person to be around, so for that — for the reader to understand what was going inside his head (which was something that really frustrated me) — I believe his POVs would have helped. Can you believe it took the hero to climb a tree and hide from the heroine for me to FINALLY start enjoying the story???? Figures.
"I think it's safe now to admit that I low-key, secretly, sort of care what he thinks. I think maybe he cares what I think about him, too. And isn't that something?"
I liked Maybell as a main character, and I found her daydreaming super relatable. I, too, daydream to burn time at work until it's time to go home, but while she pictures owning a cafe, baking donuts all day and getting the boy, I get the boy whilst being a famous streamer who overshares way too much jakfkljd anyway. The initial catfishing situation and how her workplace handled it made me uncomfortable. I'm glad that, in the end, she got to call Gemma out on her bullshit, finally pursuing her dreams and doing something she loves. I just wish she'd gotten some closure when it came to Violet. She seemed well-resolved with it, but I wanted she and Wesley to have a serious conversation about it, since at first he accused her of being after the money. I also wish she'd solved her issues with her mom, since it was visible that she still held a grudge.
I also got to love Wesley. HE WAS SO PURE!!!! He didn't like to swear in front of ladies and kept apologizing when he accidentally did!!!! Then there was that one time he'd annoyed Maybell about setting up the Christmas tree in May but then started playing Christmas music and then HANDMADE A FREAKING STAR and PUT IT ON THE TREE BECAUSE HE KNEW SHE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO REACH THE TOP HERSELF. I liked that he'd listen to her daydreams and supported her no matter what. And don't even get me started on how passionate he was about the possible existence of aliens and the Loch Ness monster. ("I have never had reason to hope the Loch Ness Monster exists, and now I'm 100 percent invested. I need Nessie to be real, for Wesley." GIRL SAME) The trip to Scotland was a mess, just like their final conflict, but I'm proud of him for slowly overcoming his fears and insecurities.
The ending was wholesome, but I'd still like to point out some things that brought me joy: I loved their shenanigans involving the mural. I loved the treasure hunt, the tent scene and the SEXUAL TENSION HELLO. I loved how understanding he was with the Gemma-situation. THEIR DINNER DATE!!!!!! And that one "MY Maybell"??? Yap yap. I was totally fine.I also looooved Violet and Victor's love story, and adding some of their love letters was a great touch!! (I think I read in the acknowledgments that it was inspired by one of the author's nan's real life stories??? Which??? HOW SWEET!!!)
If you're willing to put up with the initial meeeeeehh-ness of it, I'm sure you won't regret giving this book a try!
I didn't like the tone Twice Shy started with, and once Maybell and Wesley met, I had a hard time connecting with him. Perhaps my struggling in the first 20-30% was due to the lack of communication, since Wesley wasn't the easiest person to be around, so for that — for the reader to understand what was going inside his head (which was something that really frustrated me) — I believe his POVs would have helped. Can you believe it took the hero to climb a tree and hide from the heroine for me to FINALLY start enjoying the story???? Figures.
"I think it's safe now to admit that I low-key, secretly, sort of care what he thinks. I think maybe he cares what I think about him, too. And isn't that something?"
I liked Maybell as a main character, and I found her daydreaming super relatable. I, too, daydream to burn time at work until it's time to go home, but while she pictures owning a cafe, baking donuts all day and getting the boy, I get the boy whilst being a famous streamer who overshares way too much jakfkljd anyway. The initial catfishing situation and how her workplace handled it made me uncomfortable. I'm glad that, in the end, she got to call Gemma out on her bullshit, finally pursuing her dreams and doing something she loves. I just wish she'd gotten some closure when it came to Violet. She seemed well-resolved with it, but I wanted she and Wesley to have a serious conversation about it, since at first he accused her of being after the money. I also wish she'd solved her issues with her mom, since it was visible that she still held a grudge.
I also got to love Wesley. HE WAS SO PURE!!!! He didn't like to swear in front of ladies and kept apologizing when he accidentally did!!!! Then there was that one time he'd annoyed Maybell about setting up the Christmas tree in May but then started playing Christmas music and then HANDMADE A FREAKING STAR and PUT IT ON THE TREE BECAUSE HE KNEW SHE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO REACH THE TOP HERSELF. I liked that he'd listen to her daydreams and supported her no matter what. And don't even get me started on how passionate he was about the possible existence of aliens and the Loch Ness monster. ("I have never had reason to hope the Loch Ness Monster exists, and now I'm 100 percent invested. I need Nessie to be real, for Wesley." GIRL SAME) The trip to Scotland was a mess, just like their final conflict, but I'm proud of him for slowly overcoming his fears and insecurities.
The ending was wholesome, but I'd still like to point out some things that brought me joy: I loved their shenanigans involving the mural. I loved the treasure hunt, the tent scene and the SEXUAL TENSION HELLO. I loved how understanding he was with the Gemma-situation. THEIR DINNER DATE!!!!!! And that one "MY Maybell"??? Yap yap. I was totally fine.I also looooved Violet and Victor's love story, and adding some of their love letters was a great touch!! (I think I read in the acknowledgments that it was inspired by one of the author's nan's real life stories??? Which??? HOW SWEET!!!)
If you're willing to put up with the initial meeeeeehh-ness of it, I'm sure you won't regret giving this book a try!