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A review by graff_fuller
The Girl in Times Square by Paullina Simons
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was NOTHING like I thought it would be. I thought that this book would be a light romance with a mystery involved. Well, i was wrong. Really, really, really wrong.
This book was DEEP. The concepts of addiction, mortality, enabling, suffering, love, respect, determination, hopelessness, hopefulness, hatred, narcissism, philanthropy...I could go on.
I was chasing the murderer, the how, the why, the when and still did not get it right. Oh, I think we pretty well knew who did it, but knowing is not proving.
The struggles that these people went through were hard to take at moments, but then when I look at my life...I know people who are struggling with more.
I really didn't like Lily at first. BUT, it took Spencer for me to start to see who she was. I think it took Spencer for Lily to find out who she was, too.
That is why I think the readers could follow their "romance", because we were struggling with it...just like they were. How to define it, how to encourage it. There were moments where this was PURE Romance book...Harlequin Romance book, but I could forgive it...for there was suffering before and a LOT of suffering after. They deserved their passionate love that they had for each other...without reservation.
Lily's mother was a tough character to read about, but so was her father.
Lily's siblings were the "hangers oners" that come out of the woodwork...when people win/earn money.
The steadfastness of Spenceer through Lily's outrages against him, the Internal Affairs intrusions into EVERY aspect of his life was brutal, the cavity that he sunk into with his own demons, but the resoursefulness of a functioning alcoholic was apparent.
This is a complicated story...and I liked the way it ended. It could have ended differently, and I would have been sad, but also resigned to that end, too.
I cannot say that I enjoyed this book, for it was tough to read at times...for when people hate each other and spew forth vindictiveness, it isn't easy to read...even though you know "it is just a story", it still weadles its way into your soul.
The human spirit was celebrated in this story, in all its complexities. Life found a way...even through death...which we all knew was what happened. Sometimes knowing the truth, doesn't make it easier, but it does make the rest of the fantasy, stop.
Okay. I'm done. Phew.
This book was DEEP. The concepts of addiction, mortality, enabling, suffering, love, respect, determination, hopelessness, hopefulness, hatred, narcissism, philanthropy...I could go on.
I was chasing the murderer, the how, the why, the when and still did not get it right. Oh, I think we pretty well knew who did it, but knowing is not proving.
The struggles that these people went through were hard to take at moments, but then when I look at my life...I know people who are struggling with more.
I really didn't like Lily at first. BUT, it took Spencer for me to start to see who she was. I think it took Spencer for Lily to find out who she was, too.
That is why I think the readers could follow their "romance", because we were struggling with it...just like they were. How to define it, how to encourage it. There were moments where this was PURE Romance book...Harlequin Romance book, but I could forgive it...for there was suffering before and a LOT of suffering after. They deserved their passionate love that they had for each other...without reservation.
Lily's mother was a tough character to read about, but so was her father.
Lily's siblings were the "hangers oners" that come out of the woodwork...when people win/earn money.
The steadfastness of Spenceer through Lily's outrages against him, the Internal Affairs intrusions into EVERY aspect of his life was brutal, the cavity that he sunk into with his own demons, but the resoursefulness of a functioning alcoholic was apparent.
This is a complicated story...and I liked the way it ended. It could have ended differently, and I would have been sad, but also resigned to that end, too.
I cannot say that I enjoyed this book, for it was tough to read at times...for when people hate each other and spew forth vindictiveness, it isn't easy to read...even though you know "it is just a story", it still weadles its way into your soul.
The human spirit was celebrated in this story, in all its complexities. Life found a way...even through death...which we all knew was what happened. Sometimes knowing the truth, doesn't make it easier, but it does make the rest of the fantasy, stop.
Okay. I'm done. Phew.