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A review by xvicesx
The Stopover by TL Swan
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
It's way too long for what it is.
I'm nearly 70% in, but my goose is cooked. The premise had started rather interesting, but good gods, it's unbearable. The fights between these two are downright toxic, and if they were people I knew, I'd either tell them to get therapy or dump the both of them.
I think the author wanted to go for a heroine that doesn't care about money, but the way she came across is downright unrealistic. She apparently prefers going grocery shopping, and prefers making a meal for her hard working partner after a long day at work. Riiight. Because when you're brain dead from a super intense job, chores are absolutely what you want to do next.
Let's not forget she is totally self respecting but she was in a committed relationship for a year with a twerp who had no self respect, much less any for their relationship. So many of her outbursts come across like the pipe dream of someone who's dreaming of meeting a millionaire and then dragging them down to "real person level". It's hard to describe, really, but it oozes between the lines and it gets sickly real quick.
The hero of the story isn't much of a hero either, because he has so many red flags he could probably start a business supplying China for theirs. He's vicious when slighted, has no capacity for constructive conversations, doesn't open up, and during the camping trip came across as a spotty 13 year old, not a 37 year old adult who can cope with a shit situation that their partner is interested in.
I just got to a point where I couldn't take more of the bullshit. I have too long a to-read list to spend more time on this.
I'm nearly 70% in, but my goose is cooked. The premise had started rather interesting, but good gods, it's unbearable. The fights between these two are downright toxic, and if they were people I knew, I'd either tell them to get therapy or dump the both of them.
I think the author wanted to go for a heroine that doesn't care about money, but the way she came across is downright unrealistic. She apparently prefers going grocery shopping, and prefers making a meal for her hard working partner after a long day at work. Riiight. Because when you're brain dead from a super intense job, chores are absolutely what you want to do next.
Let's not forget she is totally self respecting but she was in a committed relationship for a year with a twerp who had no self respect, much less any for their relationship. So many of her outbursts come across like the pipe dream of someone who's dreaming of meeting a millionaire and then dragging them down to "real person level". It's hard to describe, really, but it oozes between the lines and it gets sickly real quick.
The hero of the story isn't much of a hero either, because he has so many red flags he could probably start a business supplying China for theirs. He's vicious when slighted, has no capacity for constructive conversations, doesn't open up, and during the camping trip came across as a spotty 13 year old, not a 37 year old adult who can cope with a shit situation that their partner is interested in.
I just got to a point where I couldn't take more of the bullshit. I have too long a to-read list to spend more time on this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship