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A review by the_novel_approach
How the Other Half Lives by Clare London
4.0
Clare London is always a great go-to author when you’re looking for a little humor with a healthy dose of romance. How the Other Half Lives is an “Odd Couple” story, an attraction of opposites in the fastidious and fussy Martin Harrison, and the scattershot and rather slobby Russ McNeely, and I loved the way London brought these two men together in spite of themselves and their differences.
In a short sixty-five pages, How the Other Half Lives treats its readers to the buildup of a relationship that begins before Martin and Russ ever even set eyes on each other, and the way they begin by subtly intruding in each other’s lives is such a welcome detour from the usual romantic tropes. As flat-sitters for each other when Martin and Russ have to travel on business, they both mean well when they enter each other’s private spaces and then start making small but noticeable changes—Martin attempting to give order to the chaos of Russ’s apartment, and Russ attempting to add a little life and hominess to Martin’s living space. It’s sweet as they each begin to accept those little breaks in their norms—the subtle placement of things here and there, a new recipe waiting for Martin when he gets home—and finally, as they confront each other and realize that the disruptions in their routines haven’t been all bad. And, that, surprisingly, they’ve grown comfortable in each other’s spaces.
One of my favorite parts of this novella may have been the little title asides at the start of each chapter that add, in their own way, to the narrative and also give us a little insight into the characters too. I found it such a fun and clever way of telling without it feeling like I was being told what was happening, if that make sense. It will when you read the story, trust me.
I liked How the Other Half Lives a lot. It’s short and sweet, the perfect sort of book to turn to when you’re looking for a quick fix of happy and romantic.
Reviewed by Lisa for The Novel Approach Reviews
In a short sixty-five pages, How the Other Half Lives treats its readers to the buildup of a relationship that begins before Martin and Russ ever even set eyes on each other, and the way they begin by subtly intruding in each other’s lives is such a welcome detour from the usual romantic tropes. As flat-sitters for each other when Martin and Russ have to travel on business, they both mean well when they enter each other’s private spaces and then start making small but noticeable changes—Martin attempting to give order to the chaos of Russ’s apartment, and Russ attempting to add a little life and hominess to Martin’s living space. It’s sweet as they each begin to accept those little breaks in their norms—the subtle placement of things here and there, a new recipe waiting for Martin when he gets home—and finally, as they confront each other and realize that the disruptions in their routines haven’t been all bad. And, that, surprisingly, they’ve grown comfortable in each other’s spaces.
One of my favorite parts of this novella may have been the little title asides at the start of each chapter that add, in their own way, to the narrative and also give us a little insight into the characters too. I found it such a fun and clever way of telling without it feeling like I was being told what was happening, if that make sense. It will when you read the story, trust me.
I liked How the Other Half Lives a lot. It’s short and sweet, the perfect sort of book to turn to when you’re looking for a quick fix of happy and romantic.
Reviewed by Lisa for The Novel Approach Reviews