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A review by virgo_reader
Love in the City by Jen Morris
1.0
I was super disappointed by this book, maybe because I’ve seen raves about it so I had high expectations / hopes?
From the beginning, I could not stand Alex. I don’t mind an imperfect heroine, but the things that bugged me about her were never fleshed out or given meaning. For example, she gets so drunk she blacks out and completely changes the course of her life - the night before the first page she quits her job, books a plane ticket, and reserves an apartment in New York City. Later in the book she again gets so drunk she blacks out. Over and over again, she’s just an irresponsible person. And it’s never talked about, it’s never discussed, it’s never remedied. In other times, she’s shockingly coherent. So why at these key moments is she such a mess? For the sake of the story? Eh.
I don’t drink and haven’t since 2019 (and before then, since probably… 2014?) so maybe my reaction to binge drinking is harsher but I just thought it wasn’t the cute funny silly moment it was supposed to me.
I feel like anyone with half a braincell will do a Google search before moving to New York. “How much money do you need to move to New York” perhaps. And while Alex was blackout drunk when she made the decision, maybe she could have checked the next day. Or like… any day before leaving. Every part of this story set up was painfully privileged. I understand Alex didn’t have a lot of money but she had enough to get to New York and put that apartment payment down. It kind of felt like she was a romance book version of Axel Webber - that kid on TIkTok who went to New York to live in purposeful poverty. (I hate him, so maybe the resemblance to him made me hate her more.)
This is a single point of view story and I think it’s needed because of the “twist” BUT it really suffers from a lack of emotions. I felt nothing for Alex except disdain, but I don’t think we got to know Michael either. He wrote a book about the Appalachian trail… he wants to be a historical fiction writer… he’s a New York native… he’s divorced… he has a son. Oh, and he’s a total dick sometimes but it’s okay, he’s a lovable grump.
Also, a reason I love single parent romances so much is that we get to see a devoted parent and their partner who learns to fit into their family. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case here. Michael was never shown to be a GOOD dad. Maybe some of the time he was with his mom but every time they were on page together or Henry was mentioned, it was crap. Henry being sent with Michael’s brother to trick or treat. Henry being home early and alone without dinner (wasn’t he a kid?? like under 10? and he’s alone outside a locked apartment??). Michael realizing he has never taken Henry the places he took Alex.
I’ve only been to New York once so I’m not going to pretend to be an expert, and I love a “love letter to New York” story as much as the next person, but this was ridiculous. She fell into a living arrangement with a friend of a friend, who her friend from New Zealand only met once? Fell into a tight group of friends in 3 months? A good job, and a dream job? A romance? AND wrote a book? (AND got it … I don’t think so.
From the beginning, I could not stand Alex. I don’t mind an imperfect heroine, but the things that bugged me about her were never fleshed out or given meaning. For example, she gets so drunk she blacks out and completely changes the course of her life - the night before the first page she quits her job, books a plane ticket, and reserves an apartment in New York City. Later in the book she again gets so drunk she blacks out. Over and over again, she’s just an irresponsible person. And it’s never talked about, it’s never discussed, it’s never remedied. In other times, she’s shockingly coherent. So why at these key moments is she such a mess? For the sake of the story? Eh.
I don’t drink and haven’t since 2019 (and before then, since probably… 2014?) so maybe my reaction to binge drinking is harsher but I just thought it wasn’t the cute funny silly moment it was supposed to me.
I feel like anyone with half a braincell will do a Google search before moving to New York. “How much money do you need to move to New York” perhaps. And while Alex was blackout drunk when she made the decision, maybe she could have checked the next day. Or like… any day before leaving. Every part of this story set up was painfully privileged. I understand Alex didn’t have a lot of money but she had enough to get to New York and put that apartment payment down. It kind of felt like she was a romance book version of Axel Webber - that kid on TIkTok who went to New York to live in purposeful poverty. (I hate him, so maybe the resemblance to him made me hate her more.)
This is a single point of view story and I think it’s needed because of the “twist” BUT it really suffers from a lack of emotions. I felt nothing for Alex except disdain, but I don’t think we got to know Michael either. He wrote a book about the Appalachian trail… he wants to be a historical fiction writer… he’s a New York native… he’s divorced… he has a son. Oh, and he’s a total dick sometimes but it’s okay, he’s a lovable grump.
Also, a reason I love single parent romances so much is that we get to see a devoted parent and their partner who learns to fit into their family. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case here. Michael was never shown to be a GOOD dad. Maybe some of the time he was with his mom but every time they were on page together or Henry was mentioned, it was crap. Henry being sent with Michael’s brother to trick or treat. Henry being home early and alone without dinner (wasn’t he a kid?? like under 10? and he’s alone outside a locked apartment??). Michael realizing he has never taken Henry the places he took Alex.
I’ve only been to New York once so I’m not going to pretend to be an expert, and I love a “love letter to New York” story as much as the next person, but this was ridiculous. She fell into a living arrangement with a friend of a friend, who her friend from New Zealand only met once? Fell into a tight group of friends in 3 months? A good job, and a dream job? A romance? AND wrote a book? (AND got it