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arley_starkreadingmad 's review for:
Space for More
by Emily Antoinette
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the third book I have read from this author, and this is the second installment in the series. I overall enjoyed the first book in this series Space for Love with Fina and Maerlon. Space for More centers Mezli, Fina’s alien best friend, and her not so rejected fated mate, Phelix, and Eden, a human doctor.
One of the things I liked the most of Space for Love was the pacing. It didn’t feel rushed or dragged out. But unfortunately with Space for More taking place over the course of less than a month, this one felt rushed. While adding a whole extra main character you get less time with each main character making it feel even more rushed. This added with having to provide context with Mezli and Phelix and how they met/separated, and then also adding the context that Eden and Phelix had a previous online relationship and this is the first time they have met?
All of the main characters have pretty atrocious self worth/self esteem. Phelix’s is rooted in his mother mistreating him. Mezli is rooted in these standards and ideals a “Princess” should be, along with the reason she ran away from Phelix upon meeting him as her mate. Eden’s is rooted in being to sheltered and body issues, and the fact that fated mates are apparently only pairs, so she sees herself as a tool to bring a pair together and then she’s off to live her “lonely boring life” after she leaves.
Each of these main characters having their own issues and trauma, helped them be a more rounded character, but with the length of the book it didn’t leave a lot of time for them to be resolved OUTSIDE of the relationship.
I ended Space for Love, enjoying Mezli’s character, BUT hating the fact that she is interested in pursuing Paul, her best friend, Fina’s ex-boyfriend. Unfortunately, Mezli is still continuing this endeavor at the beginning of Space for More, and I still hate this. I don’t care how much he has changed or whatever, he broke your best friend’s heart AND YOU HEARD IT ALL FIRST HAND FROM THAT BEST FRIEND WHAT HE DID TO HER and you’re still interested in sleeping with him? I also don’t care if Fina has said its okay and she’s fine with it til she’s blue in the face, friends don’t go there, and best friends don’t even consider it. If it wasn’t for the circumstances that revolve around Space for More’s plot that prevented her from doing so, she would have gone through with her persecution of her best friend’s ex.
For what this book is at its surface, an FFM/FMF alien romance, it does it well. But my qualms are rooted in the characterization and development of the characters. I wish it would have gone further. There are a few things said in this story to love interests that I wish had a more specific apology, rather than just a blanket apology. And one of these things that were spoken, is obviously something that has been festering for a while, and had a chain reaction to what their lives look like now. I felt like while one party apologized to the other about the circumstances of what was said, the other forgave too quickly for something that was being held a grudge on for years. The other thing that was spoken was, in my opinion, bordering on unforgivable, and yet, there’s another blanket apology that is immediately accepted. WHERE IS THE GROVELING?
If you’ve gotten this far and you’re confused on my opinions on this book, don’t worry, no one is more confused than me. 2.5 stars, and tbh I have no clue if I’m rounding up or down.