karenkaas 's review for:

Ruby Spencer's Whisky Year by Rochelle Bilow

2.0

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There were some things about this one that irked me, despite being a cute story…

The way Ruby was so instantly loyal to the mayor as her “friend” in the first 3/4 is so bizarre to me. It felt like they had drinks twice and suddenly are best friends with as much loyalty as she feels toward her friend/landlord/visa sponsor and her now boyfriend that she sees, works with and interacts with basically every day.

Also, why were we at first not supporting that he doesn’t want the pub, which is embedded in his family history, to become this chain restaurant and acting like he was wrong thinking she would speak with him at the initial town meeting? She never indicated anything otherwise about her thoughts and loyalties there, so it isn’t strange that he thought she’d be with him on it. Though, sure, he didn’t need to put her on the spot publicly. 

I also didn’t love the ‘he is being stubborn and rekindling a relationship with his dad should happen’ idea that Ruby kept pushing. Just because someone is your blood relative, doesn’t mean you are required to let them in your life after they hurt you. It should be on your terms if that happens at all. Ruby (and even Grace) saying that the chain restaurant buying up the old pub might be the dad’s way of trying to reconcile…whaaa? I know it worked out, but still.