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A review by phillyhufflepunk
Four to Score by Janet Evanovich
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Four To Score marks the point in the series when Stephanie's relationships are starting to hit their strides. She's grown much closer to Morelli. (We love a troubled bad boy with feelings too intense for the wall he's built around himself. He doesn't discuss it. That's just how I see him.) Stephanie's friendships with Ranger and Lula have also evolved, but it's clear that they're not really friends yet by the small things like when Stephanie says to Lula "You're not a hooker anymore. You don't have to worry about the police." Lula answers "One of them traumatic emotional things." If they were closer, Stephanie would be more knowledgeable about Lula's experiences with police as a black woman and an ex sex worker.
The case Stephanie is working on this time has an interesting end but isn't really the point of the book. The fourth installment of the series is carried entirely by the flirtationship with Morelli and I AM SO HERE FOR IT. The book also has gems like "That's what happens when you have breasts. People insult them. Get used to it."
The case Stephanie is working on this time has an interesting end but isn't really the point of the book. The fourth installment of the series is carried entirely by the flirtationship with Morelli and I AM SO HERE FOR IT. The book also has gems like "That's what happens when you have breasts. People insult them. Get used to it."
Moderate: Violence, Death, Sexual content, Stalking, Alcohol, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Car accident, Cursing, Gun violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Kidnapping, Racism, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, Domestic abuse, and Torture
NOTES:
1) After the turmoil and change of the 1970s , "cross-dresser" was an acceptable term used to differentiate between transgender people and straight people who dressed contrary to their gender norms. At the time of the novel's writing in the 90s, transvestite had been mostly phased out of use in the trans community. Mainstream media didn't include lgbt individuals very often and the internet as we know it was in its infancy so the natural evolution of language did not make it into mainstream culture.
Therefore the main character using both "cross-dresser" and "transvestite" is merely historically accurate and not maliciously ignorant as it could be today.
2)
For those who didn't read the first books of the series, on page 64 when Morelli jokes "You've wanted me for years. You've never gotten over having me touch you when you were six." He is NOT referring to a molesting situation here. He was also a child. And according to most child sexual behavior statistics, this instance of "playing doctor" would be considered common or less common but still normal behavior. He's just an antagonistic ass with no sensitivity training.