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eibookish 's review for:
The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos
by Melissa de la Cruz
I'm conflicted between hating this book and actually enjoying it. As an Asian myself, I'm well aware of the courting culture, but the way the author presented it here is quite ‘shallow’ and lacks understanding of why certain things matter. The author just nonchalantly explains it.
I imagine readers who have no idea about the concept of courting might think that Dalisay and her family are selfish and self-centered, as it was portrayed that way. In reality, it should be a two-sided effort of gaining respect and blessings. The writing is definitely the problem here.
The conflicts that caused Dalisay and Evan to break up felt like they were thrown in just for the sake of creating conflict for the ending. It could have been good if the author had explored why cultural clash is a problem in their relationship more deeply. The second courting and the lead-up to the ending felt rushed, and it all went downhill from there. It's a shame that the concept and little sprinkles of cuteness can't compensate for the lack of a good storyline and execution.
As for the narrator, I'm sorry to say the accent did not bring the story to life. I just felt annoyed the entire time, thinking, "Is this how other people think we speak? Are they making fun of us?" Not cute in the slightest.
I will not recommend this book to those who actually want to learn about courting culture, but I will recommend it to those who just want a cute, almost one-sided effort romance book.
*Thanks NetGalley and RBmedia for the ARC
I imagine readers who have no idea about the concept of courting might think that Dalisay and her family are selfish and self-centered, as it was portrayed that way. In reality, it should be a two-sided effort of gaining respect and blessings. The writing is definitely the problem here.
The conflicts that caused Dalisay and Evan to break up felt like they were thrown in just for the sake of creating conflict for the ending. It could have been good if the author had explored why cultural clash is a problem in their relationship more deeply. The second courting and the lead-up to the ending felt rushed, and it all went downhill from there. It's a shame that the concept and little sprinkles of cuteness can't compensate for the lack of a good storyline and execution.
As for the narrator, I'm sorry to say the accent did not bring the story to life. I just felt annoyed the entire time, thinking, "Is this how other people think we speak? Are they making fun of us?" Not cute in the slightest.
I will not recommend this book to those who actually want to learn about courting culture, but I will recommend it to those who just want a cute, almost one-sided effort romance book.
*Thanks NetGalley and RBmedia for the ARC