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A review by analenegrace
Love at First by Kate Clayborn
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I've become a fan of Clayborn over the last few months, and while I loved this one, it wasn't my favorite of hers so far. The MCs are well-fleshed out, and the side characters are fun and quirky in a way that feels real, especially Gerald and Sally! Clayborn has a gift for writing her Men MCs; she seemingly puts more effort into them, and they end up being the character I'm rooting for rather than the women.
Plotwise, I was really rooting for a more complete anti-gentrification plot, and the fact that the book ended with them having an STR rental again was just not what I was hoping for, although I appreciated that he did longer-term STRs, but still, as someone from a city dealing with gentrification and having an Airbnb Crisis, I was really hoping for a different solution. I loved the little tricks Nora and the other residents played on Will in the first half because it brought a lot of life to the book that was silly and fun.
The romance between Will and Nora was great, and I loved his grand gesture that was a throwback to that first almost meeting when they were teenagers, but I wish we would have gotten them both to have emotional resolutions with their parents, at least personally, rather than them just getting over their commitment issues and living happily.
I do think that while I was reading this book I really enjoyed it, but the ending, especially with the STR plot, felt really unsatisfying for me, but I look forward to reading the rest of her books this year.
Plotwise, I was really rooting for a more complete anti-gentrification plot, and the fact that the book ended with them having an STR rental again was just not what I was hoping for, although I appreciated that he did longer-term STRs, but still, as someone from a city dealing with gentrification and having an Airbnb Crisis, I was really hoping for a different solution. I loved the little tricks Nora and the other residents played on Will in the first half because it brought a lot of life to the book that was silly and fun.
The romance between Will and Nora was great, and I loved his grand gesture that was a throwback to that first almost meeting when they were teenagers, but I wish we would have gotten them both to have emotional resolutions with their parents, at least personally, rather than them just getting over their commitment issues and living happily.
I do think that while I was reading this book I really enjoyed it, but the ending, especially with the STR plot, felt really unsatisfying for me, but I look forward to reading the rest of her books this year.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Medical content and Abandonment