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A review by endemictoearth
Lessons in Timing by Sylvia Barry
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
So there are a few things that made me pause/slightly worried before starting this book. Chief amongst them:
Four POVs.
Four FIRST PERSON POVs.
However, I am willing to admit my fears were mostly unfounded. The book did take several chapters to find its feet/rhythm, but once it did (around 15% just after I was like, I don't know if I like this Armand guy), I got really invested and the rest of the book pretty well flew by. (And the four POVs work really well, with distinct voices for each character. I suspect that is helped by the fact that is a writing duo, not just one author.)
This isn't a traditional romance, it's more like four characters weaving themselves together as their stories continue to intertwine until we get . . . an elaborate friendship bracelet? Huh, not the worst analogy for this book.
The other, tinier, hurdle is that we know from the blurb that Armand and Lucas don't meet for most of the book, despite sharing an apartment. I read (and enjoyed) The Flatshare, but I was a bit skeptical. The book mostly pulls it off, largely by giving itself up to the absurdity of the world, and it's almost like these are anti-coincidences that balance out how weirdly connected they are in lots of other ways.
The Robin/Skylar relationship/storyline is a bit messier (but the whole book is proudly messy, really), but they're both so young that I can forgive Robin for being a nervous wreck (he IS being stalked by a creepy high school bully, after all) and I also think that Skylar's desperate bid to keep a connection to Robin won't be taken advantage of . . . but even if there are hurt feelings and confusion later, well . . . that's life.
I think this is a book I'll return to and get more out of on a second reading, but I want to sit with the first read through for a while first. I highlighted a bunch, and was delighted to find multiple Red Dwarf references (though the show title is never actually mentioned.) Shout out to 90's nerds!
I do recommend this book, but ALSO recommend readers recalibrate their expectations. This isn't a straight up romance, though it does CONTAIN romance.
Many thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the advanced copy.
Four POVs.
Four FIRST PERSON POVs.
However, I am willing to admit my fears were mostly unfounded. The book did take several chapters to find its feet/rhythm, but once it did (around 15% just after I was like, I don't know if I like this Armand guy), I got really invested and the rest of the book pretty well flew by. (And the four POVs work really well, with distinct voices for each character. I suspect that is helped by the fact that is a writing duo, not just one author.)
This isn't a traditional romance, it's more like four characters weaving themselves together as their stories continue to intertwine until we get . . . an elaborate friendship bracelet? Huh, not the worst analogy for this book.
The other, tinier, hurdle is that we know from the blurb that Armand and Lucas don't meet for most of the book, despite sharing an apartment. I read (and enjoyed) The Flatshare, but I was a bit skeptical. The book mostly pulls it off, largely by giving itself up to the absurdity of the world, and it's almost like these are anti-coincidences that balance out how weirdly connected they are in lots of other ways.
The Robin/Skylar relationship/storyline is a bit messier (but the whole book is proudly messy, really), but they're both so young that I can forgive Robin for being a nervous wreck (he IS being stalked by a creepy high school bully, after all) and I also think that Skylar's desperate bid to keep a connection to Robin won't be taken advantage of . . . but even if there are hurt feelings and confusion later, well . . . that's life.
I think this is a book I'll return to and get more out of on a second reading, but I want to sit with the first read through for a while first. I highlighted a bunch, and was delighted to find multiple Red Dwarf references (though the show title is never actually mentioned.) Shout out to 90's nerds!
I do recommend this book, but ALSO recommend readers recalibrate their expectations. This isn't a straight up romance, though it does CONTAIN romance.
Many thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the advanced copy.