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A review by thirstkirst
Accidentally in Love by Belinda Missen
2.0
Specially thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
If you are into cheesy, clean, happily ever after Hallmark movies, this might be for you. I think the ideal audience for this novel is anyone who likes things to be wrapped up (very) quickly and perfectly.
Nothing is wrong with any of those things. I actually really enjoy a cheesy, cute novel now and then, but this one just didn't do it for me.
The beginning is strong. We meet Katharine at work as an art curator for a big gallery in London, and she up and quits because she has been passed over for a big promotion (for the THIRD time), while a man less qualified than her gets the job. I loved the feel of the initial chapter and the next few.
The one thing I truly did enjoy about this book is Katharine's work. I love how it started, watching the work she put into opening her own gallery, dealing with how terrifying it is to start over, etc.
Once you meet the love interest, though, is where I feel this book started to lose me. It seems as if it's trying to be an enemies-to-lovers type novel, but I just ended up thinking that Christopher was an immature asshole. These characters are in their mid-30's btw.
There is a way to write an enemies-to-lovers story (I've read so many good ones), but this just didn't have the character development required for it to really impress me or make me feel like these characters have any type of sexual tension between them. Their bickering actually had the opposite effect on me. I found myself not liking either of them.
Another problem I had is the predictability. I was able to guess just about every single thing that happened in this novel. As soon as we met Christopher, I knew exactly what is issue was going to be. I knew exactly how Katharine and Christopher would end up bonding and liking each other. I knew exactly what her and her best friend were going to go through.
What I didn't expect was how fast everything went down. The ending felt so rushed after such a drawn out book. So much time was spent on details of her shopping trips and we repeatedly get summaries of conversations/events that we've already heard about, yet the last 10% contains almost all of the conflict (which was pretty ridiculous) and all of the resolution (which was also ridiculous).
I completely intended for this book to be 3 stars at about halfway through, but the way Christopher acts toward the end upset me so much. It was unbelievably immature and quite dumb. Also, they've only been dating for about a week or two at this point? For the end of this novel to feel real to me, this timeline has to change. I get why he may be a little more ready than most men due to his situation, but... no. Just no. The fight they had and their reactions, plus the way they make up.. all of it is too soon for any relationship.
Something that might make this novel better is an epilogue. I need an epilogue to justify that abrupt and absurd ending.
Although a disappointment for me, I hope this book finds its rightful audience, and I have faith that it will.
Happy reading!
If you are into cheesy, clean, happily ever after Hallmark movies, this might be for you. I think the ideal audience for this novel is anyone who likes things to be wrapped up (very) quickly and perfectly.
Nothing is wrong with any of those things. I actually really enjoy a cheesy, cute novel now and then, but this one just didn't do it for me.
The beginning is strong. We meet Katharine at work as an art curator for a big gallery in London, and she up and quits because she has been passed over for a big promotion (for the THIRD time), while a man less qualified than her gets the job. I loved the feel of the initial chapter and the next few.
The one thing I truly did enjoy about this book is Katharine's work. I love how it started, watching the work she put into opening her own gallery, dealing with how terrifying it is to start over, etc.
Once you meet the love interest, though, is where I feel this book started to lose me. It seems as if it's trying to be an enemies-to-lovers type novel, but I just ended up thinking that Christopher was an immature asshole. These characters are in their mid-30's btw.
There is a way to write an enemies-to-lovers story (I've read so many good ones), but this just didn't have the character development required for it to really impress me or make me feel like these characters have any type of sexual tension between them. Their bickering actually had the opposite effect on me. I found myself not liking either of them.
Another problem I had is the predictability. I was able to guess just about every single thing that happened in this novel. As soon as we met Christopher, I knew exactly what is issue was going to be. I knew exactly how Katharine and Christopher would end up bonding and liking each other. I knew exactly what her and her best friend were going to go through.
What I didn't expect was how fast everything went down. The ending felt so rushed after such a drawn out book. So much time was spent on details of her shopping trips and we repeatedly get summaries of conversations/events that we've already heard about, yet the last 10% contains almost all of the conflict (which was pretty ridiculous) and all of the resolution (which was also ridiculous).
I completely intended for this book to be 3 stars at about halfway through, but the way Christopher acts toward the end upset me so much. It was unbelievably immature and quite dumb. Also, they've only been dating for about a week or two at this point? For the end of this novel to feel real to me, this timeline has to change. I get why he may be a little more ready than most men due to his situation, but... no. Just no. The fight they had and their reactions, plus the way they make up.. all of it is too soon for any relationship.
Something that might make this novel better is an epilogue. I need an epilogue to justify that abrupt and absurd ending.
Although a disappointment for me, I hope this book finds its rightful audience, and I have faith that it will.
Happy reading!