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A review by meezcarrie
Wallflower Blooming by Amy Rivers
2.0
I wanted to like this book. The cover is cute, the blurb seems like a setup for a good story, and I was assured when I agreed to review it that it was a “clean, sweet romance”. Well, the cover is still cute but the story (at least the execution of it) is problematic and the romance is less clean than I was given to believe.
While the basic bones of the story and the writing structure are good, the characters are rather one-dimensional and the progression of events feels like it’s missing chunks or just doesn’t work. Especially the developing romance between Val and John. Despite the fact that there is just no chemistry/emotion that I could sense between them, their early relationship is a bit stalkerish to be honest. The day after their first encounter (which amounted to noting that his tie matched her purse … and a BRIEF conversation that doesn’t go beyond surface level comments), John shows up at her office building as she’s leaving. We find out shortly thereafter that he last-minute scheduled a meeting with his attorney (whose office is in the same building) just so he could see her again. In another encounter, Val doesn’t see John anywhere at a party – even though she knows he was just there – but later she gets a text from him that says “I couldn’t take my eyes off you.” Ummm… creepy much?
And maybe these elements in a different book with different characters would have been ok, but here in this book with these characters … it didn’t work for me. I didn’t sense any emotion/chemistry between them or from them. We don’t get inside their heads or feel what they’re feeling, and the entire book just moves along without much emotion at all.
Bottom Line: The general premise of Wallflower Blooming has merit, but the way it comes together is underdeveloped on several levels. The characters need more dimension, the romance needs more emotion, and the plot needs more definition. If the story were tightened up a bit and the characters developed more deeply, this could be very enjoyable.
Reviewer’s Note: There is some mild sexual content. Readers should also be aware that there is quite a lot of foul language as well.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)
See my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower
While the basic bones of the story and the writing structure are good, the characters are rather one-dimensional and the progression of events feels like it’s missing chunks or just doesn’t work. Especially the developing romance between Val and John. Despite the fact that there is just no chemistry/emotion that I could sense between them, their early relationship is a bit stalkerish to be honest. The day after their first encounter (which amounted to noting that his tie matched her purse … and a BRIEF conversation that doesn’t go beyond surface level comments), John shows up at her office building as she’s leaving. We find out shortly thereafter that he last-minute scheduled a meeting with his attorney (whose office is in the same building) just so he could see her again. In another encounter, Val doesn’t see John anywhere at a party – even though she knows he was just there – but later she gets a text from him that says “I couldn’t take my eyes off you.” Ummm… creepy much?
And maybe these elements in a different book with different characters would have been ok, but here in this book with these characters … it didn’t work for me. I didn’t sense any emotion/chemistry between them or from them. We don’t get inside their heads or feel what they’re feeling, and the entire book just moves along without much emotion at all.
Bottom Line: The general premise of Wallflower Blooming has merit, but the way it comes together is underdeveloped on several levels. The characters need more dimension, the romance needs more emotion, and the plot needs more definition. If the story were tightened up a bit and the characters developed more deeply, this could be very enjoyable.
Reviewer’s Note: There is some mild sexual content. Readers should also be aware that there is quite a lot of foul language as well.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)
See my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower