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A review by madmax2742
The Second You're Single by Cara Tanamachi
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Thank you St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to access an advanced copy of this title.
I wasn’t sold from the beginning, so it was hard for me to actually follow the narrative and the characters and try to follow on their narratives. Mainly, I think the book was just too fast paced, and not enough detail. We don’t wallow with Sora on her struggles, and neither do we with Jack. We meet them, get to know their struggles, and just start resolving them. The conflict also felt a bit juvenile, from the perspective of the adults in their late 20s, early 30s. It just didn’t capture me how I thought it would. I tried to root for Jack and Nora, but the premise for their relationship working being that they know each other from grade school is just... weak. Did not bind me to the characters and show me that they actually have a strong foundation for a relationship because they were literal children. It happened before puberty, and they didn’t even date or keep in touch throughout the years. Since the “discovery” part of the book is brushed through, it’s hard to get attached and see how their relationship can work.
The one thing that made me keep going was the writing. I think the author took the serious moments seriously, but managed to keep an air of levity in the narrative still. This silly style, combined with the deeper moments, added to the narrative and the characters.
Overall, I think this was a good middle-of-the-road book. If you don’t know what you want to read next or just want a short read to pass the time, this is a book for you.
I wasn’t sold from the beginning, so it was hard for me to actually follow the narrative and the characters and try to follow on their narratives. Mainly, I think the book was just too fast paced, and not enough detail. We don’t wallow with Sora on her struggles, and neither do we with Jack. We meet them, get to know their struggles, and just start resolving them. The conflict also felt a bit juvenile, from the perspective of the adults in their late 20s, early 30s. It just didn’t capture me how I thought it would. I tried to root for Jack and Nora, but the premise for their relationship working being that they know each other from grade school is just... weak. Did not bind me to the characters and show me that they actually have a strong foundation for a relationship because they were literal children. It happened before puberty, and they didn’t even date or keep in touch throughout the years. Since the “discovery” part of the book is brushed through, it’s hard to get attached and see how their relationship can work.
The one thing that made me keep going was the writing. I think the author took the serious moments seriously, but managed to keep an air of levity in the narrative still. This silly style, combined with the deeper moments, added to the narrative and the characters.
Overall, I think this was a good middle-of-the-road book. If you don’t know what you want to read next or just want a short read to pass the time, this is a book for you.