A review by drlou
Make or Break by Catherine Bennetto

funny slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

I’m all for a good romantic comedy and this one started well. I liked the quirkiness of the main female character. However, her quirkiness quickly became draining and I wanted to tell her to be quiet. 

my main reason for the poor review is the serious gaslighting by the parents in the novel. I can’t stand that the father’s actions, while described as being dishonest, are virtually seen as acceptable because, well, he loved everyone. So lying to everyone in your life is acceptable because well, you just love too much. Puh…lease. Jimmy’s estrangement from his father because of his initial disdain for Jimmy’s brother’s homosexuality is not the same thing as Jess’ disputation with her dad when he has deliberately and consciously lied to two families for over 30 years. The sense of identity that would be questioned, the problems it would cause after his death with funeral arrangements and finances would all be crap those families would be left to deal with. There’s nothing cute and funny about any of that. It is just a seriously sad plot line developed to try and come up with a new spin on rom com and instead oversimplifies a horrific situation of long-term gaslighting. I’m totally unimpressed.
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