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A review by laurenmitchell
Can I Steal You for a Second? by Jodi McAlister
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
There are (currently) only two palatable-to-me portrayals of COVID-19 in fiction: Glass Onion: a Knives Out mystery, and Jodi McAlister's Can I Steal You For A Second? and Here for the Right Reasons. The pandemic's touch on the world here is notable and it is real and it brought back memories of the endless Melbourne lockdowns. I felt the pandemic's presence throughout the book.
And I still devoured it in 80 minutes flat, because the amazing relationship dynamics, colourful characters, drama and squabbling, the sense of the reality show still having so much weight in the characters' lives in addition to what was going on in the outside world, the dialogue and pacing and just everything is such a treat. I don't watch a lot of reality TV, but I knew the general gist of the kind of show the book was representing, and so I can say even if you don't watch dating shows you can enjoy this romantic comedy.
I also read Here for the Right Reasons in one sitting prior to this, which was such a good feeling because since the pandemic began I've struggled to read for pleasure, where it used to be something I did daily. I had that familiarity with the characters going in, and it was genuinely so much fun to see the story again through another character's eyes, and then when I read 'I hope you're ready for some more shenanigans' at the end of the Acknowledgements I squealed, almost dropped the book in the bath, and tweeted 'LILY BOOK LILY BOOK LILY BOOK' at the author.
And I still devoured it in 80 minutes flat, because the amazing relationship dynamics, colourful characters, drama and squabbling, the sense of the reality show still having so much weight in the characters' lives in addition to what was going on in the outside world, the dialogue and pacing and just everything is such a treat. I don't watch a lot of reality TV, but I knew the general gist of the kind of show the book was representing, and so I can say even if you don't watch dating shows you can enjoy this romantic comedy.
I also read Here for the Right Reasons in one sitting prior to this, which was such a good feeling because since the pandemic began I've struggled to read for pleasure, where it used to be something I did daily. I had that familiarity with the characters going in, and it was genuinely so much fun to see the story again through another character's eyes, and then when I read 'I hope you're ready for some more shenanigans' at the end of the Acknowledgements I squealed, almost dropped the book in the bath, and tweeted 'LILY BOOK LILY BOOK LILY BOOK' at the author.