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A review by sumomcgrath
The Map That Leads to You by J.P. Monninger
4.0
I received a copy of The Map That Leads to You by J.P. Monninger from the publisher (St. Martin’s Press) in exchange for an honest review.
This is a contemporary story following a recent college graduate on a backpacking trip through Europe before she settles down into corporate New York. Heather is traveling with two friends on a well-planned tour of the continent. Unsurprisingly, things do not go according to plan. One friend loses her wallet and passport and heads back to the U.S. The second friend meets the Australian love of her life and heads off with him. Heather meets her own love, Jack.
The story follows Heather and Jack through Europe and into their lives after the trip. Without spoilers, obstacles get in the way of their relationship, which they must find a way to work through.
I struggled a bit to get into this story. My trouble was with the main character, Heather. She is fresh out of college and set to start a demanding (and well-paying) job in New York in a few months. She is living a very privileged life, and seems completely unaware of how lucky and blessed she is. This is not an issue, in itself, as there are a lot of people who do live privileged lives and don’t realize it is a gift. It did make it difficult for me to connect with Heather, however, as it was not my life experience. Heather was also given moments in Europe to recognize her privilege and grow. I was a bit disappointed that she did not.
The other reason I struggled to fall into the story was the introduction of Jack as a character. Jack meets Heather on a train from Paris to Amsterdam. They obviously find each other attractive. Their initial conversation, however, consists of what is intended to be banter. Something about this sequence felt off to me. The tone of the conversation was a little too harsh for flirty banter. The characters crossed the line into insulting each other. The conversation went so far that Heather even thought that she wanted to punch Jack, and had to restrain herself. It made it difficult for me to envision these two as a couple. I didn’t buy that their attraction was enough to overcome what seemed to be blatant hatred of what they each represent.
As the novel progressed, Heather and Jack moved through some of their initial comments to (and about) each other into a more believable relationship. The major obstacle their relationship faces is supposed to be a surprise to the reader. I saw it coming way too early, however, and it made me a bit disappointed in the choices the characters made from that point forward. It was especially difficult to buy that Heather, who is presented as an intelligent, capable woman, couldn’t find her way to and through the issue.
Overall, this was a story of true love, heartbreak, and friendship. There were a lot of great moments, but I struggled a bit with the overall arc of the story and main character.
This is a contemporary story following a recent college graduate on a backpacking trip through Europe before she settles down into corporate New York. Heather is traveling with two friends on a well-planned tour of the continent. Unsurprisingly, things do not go according to plan. One friend loses her wallet and passport and heads back to the U.S. The second friend meets the Australian love of her life and heads off with him. Heather meets her own love, Jack.
The story follows Heather and Jack through Europe and into their lives after the trip. Without spoilers, obstacles get in the way of their relationship, which they must find a way to work through.
I struggled a bit to get into this story. My trouble was with the main character, Heather. She is fresh out of college and set to start a demanding (and well-paying) job in New York in a few months. She is living a very privileged life, and seems completely unaware of how lucky and blessed she is. This is not an issue, in itself, as there are a lot of people who do live privileged lives and don’t realize it is a gift. It did make it difficult for me to connect with Heather, however, as it was not my life experience. Heather was also given moments in Europe to recognize her privilege and grow. I was a bit disappointed that she did not.
The other reason I struggled to fall into the story was the introduction of Jack as a character. Jack meets Heather on a train from Paris to Amsterdam. They obviously find each other attractive. Their initial conversation, however, consists of what is intended to be banter. Something about this sequence felt off to me. The tone of the conversation was a little too harsh for flirty banter. The characters crossed the line into insulting each other. The conversation went so far that Heather even thought that she wanted to punch Jack, and had to restrain herself. It made it difficult for me to envision these two as a couple. I didn’t buy that their attraction was enough to overcome what seemed to be blatant hatred of what they each represent.
As the novel progressed, Heather and Jack moved through some of their initial comments to (and about) each other into a more believable relationship. The major obstacle their relationship faces is supposed to be a surprise to the reader. I saw it coming way too early, however, and it made me a bit disappointed in the choices the characters made from that point forward. It was especially difficult to buy that Heather, who is presented as an intelligent, capable woman, couldn’t find her way to and through the issue.
Overall, this was a story of true love, heartbreak, and friendship. There were a lot of great moments, but I struggled a bit with the overall arc of the story and main character.