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A review by kalira
A July Bride by Beth Wiseman
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Wow, if I'd thought the June Bride lacked agency . . . well.
Alyssa is heartbroken when her fiance leaves her at the altar - and he promptly begins huge over-the-top gestures (filling her house with flowers, gifting her a kitten with a note You make my heart purr, banner pulled by low-flying plane) to try to win her back. From two days after the wedding-that-wasn't on for two months, until he finds her out on a date with someone else.
('Someone else' seemed to suddenly develop several red flags rapidly, perhaps as though the author belatedly remembered he was not supposed to be the HEA and had to make him less appealing. It worked very well - for the reader, at least. Especially as he repeatedly made implications his ex-girlfriend was less than human or didn't have feelings for such things as 'not crying at sad movies'. Which the discussion questions suggestedmight justify his cheating on her??? )
Alyssa begged Brendan to stop (understandable), then . . . regretted it and wanted him to sweep her back. Begged God for a sign! Was delighted when she thought she had one! Only to be dashed when she interpreted it towards Dalton and not Brendan. . .
(Girl, that is a sign, right there. . .)
The number of times she had thoughts that seemed to boil down to being unhappy or unsure, but- but- well, it's God's Plan for her to be with Dalton, she knows, and she can't stray from that. Maybe consider your choices? (And not just wish forBrendan to change your life; you're an adult woman! make choices for yourself! )
Plus. . . The storyline in the background with Brendan's (alcoholic, abusive) parents, his mother's cancer, and the magical improvement . . . it put me off perhaps even more than Alyssa's dearth of sense or Dalton's incredible self-centredness and excuses.
Alyssagetting left at the altar again by Dalton as well, I. . . Wow.
Alyssa is heartbroken when her fiance leaves her at the altar - and he promptly begins huge over-the-top gestures (filling her house with flowers, gifting her a kitten with a note You make my heart purr, banner pulled by low-flying plane) to try to win her back. From two days after the wedding-that-wasn't on for two months, until he finds her out on a date with someone else.
('Someone else' seemed to suddenly develop several red flags rapidly, perhaps as though the author belatedly remembered he was not supposed to be the HEA and had to make him less appealing. It worked very well - for the reader, at least. Especially as he repeatedly made implications his ex-girlfriend was less than human or didn't have feelings for such things as 'not crying at sad movies'. Which the discussion questions suggested
Alyssa begged Brendan to stop (understandable), then . . . regretted it and wanted him to sweep her back. Begged God for a sign! Was delighted when she thought she had one! Only to be dashed when she interpreted it towards Dalton and not Brendan. . .
(Girl, that is a sign, right there. . .)
The number of times she had thoughts that seemed to boil down to being unhappy or unsure, but- but- well, it's God's Plan for her to be with Dalton, she knows, and she can't stray from that. Maybe consider your choices? (And not just wish for
Plus. . . The storyline in the background with Brendan's (alcoholic, abusive) parents, his mother's cancer, and the magical improvement . . . it put me off perhaps even more than Alyssa's dearth of sense or Dalton's incredible self-centredness and excuses.
Alyssa
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Infidelity, and Pregnancy
Minor: Sexism and Car accident