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A review by egbella
Meant to Bee by Storm Shultz
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Cute, unique and vivid setting, and characters I could root for. Full review to come!
FULL REVIEW:
**minor spoilers ahead**
4 stars! This type of story/genre is not my cup of tea at all, and I knew that going into it. I don't read many romance novels, and barely any contemporary - much less a combination of both. But even though it wasn't quite my thing, I can still appreciate that it was well-written!
This story has such a cute setting, first of all. I love England and books set there, and she described the quaint, charming little town there so well that I just wanted to visit and explore. It was cozy to read about, and I think that word describes this book well. Cozy. I never thought I'd enjoy reading a book that goes so in-depth into beekeeping, but it was fascinating and very neat to learn about!
Between the bees (which we never do find out where they came from...). the shop in her home, the gardening, the adorable goat, and the handmade products, I just wanted to spend a day there. It reignited my dreams of opening a little store with things I've made and grown <33 Also the part about fixing up an old, charming in its own way house.
As far as characters go, the cast was fun and diverse! I liked Ronan a lot. He was a good guy, and I appreciated how he just took Cordy and Poppy under his wing right away. Cordy frustrated me sometimes, but in all, I really respect everything that she did to make sure Poppy knew she loved her, and to give her a good life. I can't imagine the kind of strength it takes to do what she did.
The rest of the characters were all memorable and unique, with lives and personalities that felt real. I liked how they all had such different personalities and thoughts, but in the end, were able to group together and help Cordy in so many ways. She needed them, and they came through.
The plot was on a very small-scale, and there was always just enough disaster ebbing and flowing to keep my interest. It never got very dark - except for maybe a few scenes near the climax with her ex - but I definitely wondered how Cordy would get out of some situations. There were also frequent doses of humor. And the character changes woven through the events were satisfying.
The romance was a bit on the nose sometimes, and I did groan a bit when Ronan was wondering whether Cordy was single, fantasizing how beautiful she was (and vice versa) seconds after meeting for the first time. But their love felt a lot more genuine by the end, and again, that might just be me not used to the contemporary romance genre and its tropes.
I also LOVED the emphasis on Poppy/babies in general being blessings, and being good no matter what the circumstance. I did want to see a little more delving into some of the spiritual topics that were brought up, and I couldn't really tell what the protagonists believed at any point. Ronan seemed more of a Christian than Cordy, but not much was ever discussed or really shown.
All in all, this book felt like a Hallmark movie. Cozy, warm, quaint, and cute - with a sweet and well-described setting, fun characters, and some heartfelt themes. If that sounds like your kind of story, you're going to love this one!
FULL REVIEW:
**minor spoilers ahead**
4 stars! This type of story/genre is not my cup of tea at all, and I knew that going into it. I don't read many romance novels, and barely any contemporary - much less a combination of both. But even though it wasn't quite my thing, I can still appreciate that it was well-written!
This story has such a cute setting, first of all. I love England and books set there, and she described the quaint, charming little town there so well that I just wanted to visit and explore. It was cozy to read about, and I think that word describes this book well. Cozy. I never thought I'd enjoy reading a book that goes so in-depth into beekeeping, but it was fascinating and very neat to learn about!
Between the bees (which we never do find out where they came from...). the shop in her home, the gardening, the adorable goat, and the handmade products, I just wanted to spend a day there. It reignited my dreams of opening a little store with things I've made and grown <33 Also the part about fixing up an old, charming in its own way house.
As far as characters go, the cast was fun and diverse! I liked Ronan a lot. He was a good guy, and I appreciated how he just took Cordy and Poppy under his wing right away. Cordy frustrated me sometimes, but in all, I really respect everything that she did to make sure Poppy knew she loved her, and to give her a good life. I can't imagine the kind of strength it takes to do what she did.
The rest of the characters were all memorable and unique, with lives and personalities that felt real. I liked how they all had such different personalities and thoughts, but in the end, were able to group together and help Cordy in so many ways. She needed them, and they came through.
The plot was on a very small-scale, and there was always just enough disaster ebbing and flowing to keep my interest. It never got very dark - except for maybe a few scenes near the climax with her ex - but I definitely wondered how Cordy would get out of some situations. There were also frequent doses of humor. And the character changes woven through the events were satisfying.
The romance was a bit on the nose sometimes, and I did groan a bit when Ronan was wondering whether Cordy was single, fantasizing how beautiful she was (and vice versa) seconds after meeting for the first time. But their love felt a lot more genuine by the end, and again, that might just be me not used to the contemporary romance genre and its tropes.
I also LOVED the emphasis on Poppy/babies in general being blessings, and being good no matter what the circumstance. I did want to see a little more delving into some of the spiritual topics that were brought up, and I couldn't really tell what the protagonists believed at any point. Ronan seemed more of a Christian than Cordy, but not much was ever discussed or really shown.
All in all, this book felt like a Hallmark movie. Cozy, warm, quaint, and cute - with a sweet and well-described setting, fun characters, and some heartfelt themes. If that sounds like your kind of story, you're going to love this one!