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A review by ladybreww_reads
Finding Gene Kelly by Torie Jean
3.0
This was a cute and easy read. People who have experienced chronic pain or illness (especially womens health issues) will enjoy this book. I did not connect with the main character and felt that she was a little too stuck on her “hatred” of Liam - it felt a bit drawn out without any new events to keep it going. Since I cannot relate to the endometriosis portion of the story, I will not comment on its accuracy or relatability. I personally did not love the caregiver trope, but it was written in a way that seemed genuine and natural.
The love interest, Liam, was doting, sexy, and likeable. There wasn’t a single moment where he annoyed me or felt disingenuous.
I wish there was more focus on the mystery postcards containing humorous recounts of “what’s going on back home” because they were witty, cute, and could have enhanced the plot.
There were some things that I really loved about this book and there were a few things I just didn’t connect with. Overall it was a very cute, feel-good contemporary romance with funny dialogue and a very realistic main character. The author tells you how you’re supposed to be feeling, which made for a very easy read.
What I loved:
•Main character’s honest internal dialogue and humorous habits
•Very relatable toxic mother-daughter dynamic
•First “fake” kiss scene was amazing
What I didn’t love:
•Caregiver trope
•Characters seemed to go from enemies to lovers without a natural transition. It felt a bit abrupt.
•The “enemies” part was entirely one-sided, which made the main character seem slightly juvenile
Tropes/Themes:
•Enemies to lovers
•Brother’s best friend
•Toxic mother
•Caregiver
•Fake Dating
Triggers:
•Endometriosis
•Discussion of infertility
•Toxic mother
Synopsis:
Evie, a quirky aspiring pastry chef in Paris feels like everything in her life has gone wrong - her mother is disappointed in her, her business dreams are on hold, and her work visa is about to expire, and she is constantly in pain from her endometriosis. Not to mention - her brother is getting married in a few weeks back in the states, which means Evie must face her mother’s dismay and disapproval. Oh- and Evie’s childhood nemesis, Liam.
Evie’s best friend Eli devised a plan to trick Evie into meeting him at a quaint Parisian restaurant to catch up. Unbeknownst to Evie, her worst nightmare would be there too.
After a cacophony of clumsy mishaps, Evie is forced to confront the boy who broke her heart ten years ago when he stood her up at homecoming. Despite this apparent mutual disdain, they need each other. Evie needs to prove to her mother that she won’t be alone forever and that she is not a failure, and Liam needs… well what does Liam need?
Either way, the pair agrees to attend Evie’s brother’s wedding as a couple. In the coming weeks they “practice” what it’s like to be in love. Although, things aren’t always what they seem, Evie must sort through over 20 years of feelings to discover what she wants, and who she truly is.
The love interest, Liam, was doting, sexy, and likeable. There wasn’t a single moment where he annoyed me or felt disingenuous.
I wish there was more focus on the mystery postcards containing humorous recounts of “what’s going on back home” because they were witty, cute, and could have enhanced the plot.
There were some things that I really loved about this book and there were a few things I just didn’t connect with. Overall it was a very cute, feel-good contemporary romance with funny dialogue and a very realistic main character. The author tells you how you’re supposed to be feeling, which made for a very easy read.
What I loved:
•Main character’s honest internal dialogue and humorous habits
•Very relatable toxic mother-daughter dynamic
•First “fake” kiss scene was amazing
What I didn’t love:
•Caregiver trope
•Characters seemed to go from enemies to lovers without a natural transition. It felt a bit abrupt.
•The “enemies” part was entirely one-sided, which made the main character seem slightly juvenile
Tropes/Themes:
•Enemies to lovers
•Brother’s best friend
•Toxic mother
•Caregiver
•Fake Dating
Triggers:
•Endometriosis
•Discussion of infertility
•Toxic mother
Synopsis:
Evie, a quirky aspiring pastry chef in Paris feels like everything in her life has gone wrong - her mother is disappointed in her, her business dreams are on hold, and her work visa is about to expire, and she is constantly in pain from her endometriosis. Not to mention - her brother is getting married in a few weeks back in the states, which means Evie must face her mother’s dismay and disapproval. Oh- and Evie’s childhood nemesis, Liam.
Evie’s best friend Eli devised a plan to trick Evie into meeting him at a quaint Parisian restaurant to catch up. Unbeknownst to Evie, her worst nightmare would be there too.
After a cacophony of clumsy mishaps, Evie is forced to confront the boy who broke her heart ten years ago when he stood her up at homecoming. Despite this apparent mutual disdain, they need each other. Evie needs to prove to her mother that she won’t be alone forever and that she is not a failure, and Liam needs… well what does Liam need?
Either way, the pair agrees to attend Evie’s brother’s wedding as a couple. In the coming weeks they “practice” what it’s like to be in love. Although, things aren’t always what they seem, Evie must sort through over 20 years of feelings to discover what she wants, and who she truly is.