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A review by sunfishcakes
Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London
3.0
I feel a bit bad because I really love her other novel. In fact, it's my favorite romance novel of all time, but I think what really sold me on One to Watch was the narrative suspense inherent to having an ensemble for a dating reality show premise. That not only left the endgame love interest a mystery until longer towards the end, but also supplied a multiple, differing mini relationship arcs that gave the story more texture than in many other romance novels. Fang Fiction is much more conventionally structured, and thus is somewhat less exciting.
I will say though, I had some other issues as well. I think the primary "get together" moment for the main couple was fumbled. I got the emotional logic at play, but it felt rushed and sort of scrambled? I wish Tess got to spend more time with not only Callum but the other vampires. I think it would've been interesting to see her forced build a new friendship network outside of her comfort zone (and even with actual danger involved), but also one where she isn't trapped by the expectations of her old life (or being a coworker).The Felix stuff also feels kind of undercooked and too quick. He's charming but it doesn't feel like a proper setup for the betrayal to mean anything.
I think ultimately the pacing and buildup problems are significantly because it's juggling two romances and not just one and rather than two good romances, you get two "kind of okay" ones, especially since the side romance is well....a side romance.I would've preferred Joni and Octavia get their own midquel novella or even the romance being off-page but given a sequel (given that the novel ends with their relationship being more dramatically up and down, a sequel about their relationship wouldn't be off the table narratively).
I do quite like the writing though. It's fun and I love the epistolary parts (also some of my favorite parts of One to Watch). I think Tess is a decent main character to follow. I'm also not a vampire romance person, or a romantasy person in general, so this book was always going to be a bit of a harder sell for me, but I didn't have a bad time.
This book did remind me though that I'm somewhat ambivalent on contemporary romance novels handling real life, systemic issues of oppression. To be clear, having a main character who's a survivor of sexual assault and processing her trauma is good, and Tess's issues were handled with sensitivity and respect.The wish fulfillment aspect of not just the romance but attaining some justice and institutional support for what happened to her is what makes me pause. Not that I think it was bad for the plot, it can just feel strange to package alongside the indulgence of romance. Maybe it's the cynic in me but it's always going to strike me as a bit jarring when I remember how much more worse the world is in that respect.
I will say though, I had some other issues as well. I think the primary "get together" moment for the main couple was fumbled. I got the emotional logic at play, but it felt rushed and sort of scrambled? I wish Tess got to spend more time with not only Callum but the other vampires. I think it would've been interesting to see her forced build a new friendship network outside of her comfort zone (and even with actual danger involved), but also one where she isn't trapped by the expectations of her old life (or being a coworker).
I think ultimately the pacing and buildup problems are significantly because it's juggling two romances and not just one and rather than two good romances, you get two "kind of okay" ones, especially since the side romance is well....a side romance.
I do quite like the writing though. It's fun and I love the epistolary parts (also some of my favorite parts of One to Watch). I think Tess is a decent main character to follow. I'm also not a vampire romance person, or a romantasy person in general, so this book was always going to be a bit of a harder sell for me, but I didn't have a bad time.
This book did remind me though that I'm somewhat ambivalent on contemporary romance novels handling real life, systemic issues of oppression. To be clear, having a main character who's a survivor of sexual assault and processing her trauma is good, and Tess's issues were handled with sensitivity and respect.