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A review by talknerdybookblog
Sidecar Crush by Claire Kingsley, Lucy Score
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
No strong representation of diverse characters or minority identities.
Re-reading Sidecar Crush for the second time reminded me why the novel was such a miss the first time around. Obviously, I still enjoyed it, hence the 3-star rating (which I understand as an 'OK' read). However, I had quite a few issues:
(1) Why was the Heroine engaged to her fiancé? There was no love between them, and it was apparent they were using each other to further their careers (which I'm not judging since it was mutual). It felt like lazy writing; the author needed a barrier to stop the MCs from getting together, but there was no need to make the Heroine's fiancé a stereotypical horrible Hollywood person.
(2) The central drama comes from the Heroine's fake reality TV show airing, which made her the season's villain through post-production editing. The show insinuates the Heroine had an affair with a married heartthrob, so she becomes "the most hated woman in America." Throughout the book, the Hero says once and insinuates multiple times that he knows it's fake – the Heroine confirms this by being "relieved" and saying thanks. After the couple attends the Heroine's wrap party in LA, the Hero gets so judgemental and starts thinking – because she smiles insincerely at the media at the party – maybe the Heroine did have an affair with her married co-star.
This made no sense! He's been dating the Heroine for months, and they've exchanged "I love yous." Instead of accusing her of having an affair – which honestly, if it did happen, it occurred before him, so he can't be pissed (even though it didn't happen) – why didn't he ask her why she hasn't publically denounce the accusations? Note: she couldn't because the TV Network would've sued her into the stratosphere.
The Hero honestly came across as slut-shaming and super judgemental of the Heroine's acting and modelling career, insinuating she's superficial and fake. This brings me to #3.
(3) Throughout the book, the Hero is making his next sculpture. The final piece is an angel in a cage, with an external hand breaking the cage to save the angel. Low-and-behold, the angel was inspired by the Heroine, and the Hero is represented by the hand saving her. The Heroine acts all, this is so sweet. HOW IS THIS SWEET? The sculpture represents the Hero's judgement; he saw the Heroine as caged in her profession and could only be "saved" by him. In reality, the Heroine achieved her childhood dream of becoming a model, took an acting detour, decided it wasn't for her, and decided – on her own – to move back to her childhood home to be with her father and boyfriend... Oh! And, she starts her own business! The Heroine didn't need to be saved! And, even if she did, she saved herself!
*rant over*
You might be wondering, considering a significant portion of the plot annoyed me, why the book still gets 3-stars? Well, I'm a sucker for a sweet romance, and the shy and uber polite Hero is rare these days; Sidecar Crush provides a hit when I'm in the mood for these tropes.
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions
• No cheating
• No OW drama
• Does have OM drama
– The Heroine is engaged to OM for the first quarter of the novel
• Does have the Hero pushing the Heroine away
• No separation
Possible Triggers: Yes
• Sexism
– Heroine is slut-shamed
• Subplot debating whether a local girl – who went missing at 16 – was murdered by the Hero's father
Ending:HEA
[2020 Feb 27]
Overall: 3.5/5 stars
Re-reading Sidecar Crush for the second time reminded me why the novel was such a miss the first time around. Obviously, I still enjoyed it, hence the 3-star rating (which I understand as an 'OK' read). However, I had quite a few issues:
(1) Why was the Heroine engaged to her fiancé? There was no love between them, and it was apparent they were using each other to further their careers (which I'm not judging since it was mutual). It felt like lazy writing; the author needed a barrier to stop the MCs from getting together, but there was no need to make the Heroine's fiancé a stereotypical horrible Hollywood person.
(2) The central drama comes from the Heroine's fake reality TV show airing, which made her the season's villain through post-production editing. The show insinuates the Heroine had an affair with a married heartthrob, so she becomes "the most hated woman in America." Throughout the book, the Hero says once and insinuates multiple times that he knows it's fake – the Heroine confirms this by being "relieved" and saying thanks. After the couple attends the Heroine's wrap party in LA, the Hero gets so judgemental and starts thinking – because she smiles insincerely at the media at the party – maybe the Heroine did have an affair with her married co-star.
This made no sense! He's been dating the Heroine for months, and they've exchanged "I love yous." Instead of accusing her of having an affair – which honestly, if it did happen, it occurred before him, so he can't be pissed (even though it didn't happen) – why didn't he ask her why she hasn't publically denounce the accusations? Note: she couldn't because the TV Network would've sued her into the stratosphere.
The Hero honestly came across as slut-shaming and super judgemental of the Heroine's acting and modelling career, insinuating she's superficial and fake. This brings me to #3.
(3) Throughout the book, the Hero is making his next sculpture. The final piece is an angel in a cage, with an external hand breaking the cage to save the angel. Low-and-behold, the angel was inspired by the Heroine, and the Hero is represented by the hand saving her. The Heroine acts all, this is so sweet. HOW IS THIS SWEET? The sculpture represents the Hero's judgement; he saw the Heroine as caged in her profession and could only be "saved" by him. In reality, the Heroine achieved her childhood dream of becoming a model, took an acting detour, decided it wasn't for her, and decided – on her own – to move back to her childhood home to be with her father and boyfriend... Oh! And, she starts her own business! The Heroine didn't need to be saved! And, even if she did, she saved herself!
*rant over*
You might be wondering, considering a significant portion of the plot annoyed me, why the book still gets 3-stars? Well, I'm a sucker for a sweet romance, and the shy and uber polite Hero is rare these days; Sidecar Crush provides a hit when I'm in the mood for these tropes.
Safety Rating: Safe with Exceptions
• No cheating
• No OW drama
• Does have OM drama
– The Heroine is engaged to OM for the first quarter of the novel
• Does have the Hero pushing the Heroine away
• No separation
Possible Triggers: Yes
• Sexism
– Heroine is slut-shamed
• Subplot debating whether a local girl – who went missing at 16 – was murdered by the Hero's father
Ending:
[2020 Feb 27]
Overall: 3.5/5 stars