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A review by dhee_reads
His Grumpy Childhood Friend by Jackie Lau
5.0
Bit of a love guru situation x going home for the holidays vibe. What really sticks in memory for me is the messaging. Lau stands by her characters and has strong message about acceptance. This comes in two main forms-Charlotte as introvert and Mike's estrangement from his parents. Throughout the bk, Charlotte's friends and Mike do not try to change Charlotte. They give her space and accept her boundaries. Hell they even intervene in casual manner if she needs backup. Same goes for Mike --his decision comes with shame, fear, and isolation. He lets people know when he's ready. He also relishes friends who don’t pry into his family life and is genuinely grateful for having lightness. And he leans on Charlotte when he needs to. I love the way Lau handles these two situations.
Special mention: This is my opinion. More so than usual.
On introversion: Charlotte is horrified by an ex who proposes publicly. This reflects to her that he doesn't know her likes and dislikes. But it also signals he might willing to forgo her feelings for what he might think of as her betterment. Introversion is often treated as a nuisance. A quirk that needs to be corrected. It gives the impression that a person is not good as is. It's a rejection on some level. It's easy to fall in line when it's thought of as help. That's why Charlotte shuts down people who try to change her.
On family dynamics: I love any book that shows characters who might not necessarily be close to siblings or parents. There is heavy dose of media and pop culture where these bonds are always so much larger than life. It's hard to admit you don’t have that and might not ever. Lau does great job with Charlotte and Julie. They're not close. They're not estranged. There is no need for either to feel guilt. It just is.
I loved it. It's complex and a fun romance.
Special mention: This is my opinion. More so than usual.
On introversion: Charlotte is horrified by an ex who proposes publicly. This reflects to her that he doesn't know her likes and dislikes. But it also signals he might willing to forgo her feelings for what he might think of as her betterment. Introversion is often treated as a nuisance. A quirk that needs to be corrected. It gives the impression that a person is not good as is. It's a rejection on some level. It's easy to fall in line when it's thought of as help. That's why Charlotte shuts down people who try to change her.
On family dynamics: I love any book that shows characters who might not necessarily be close to siblings or parents. There is heavy dose of media and pop culture where these bonds are always so much larger than life. It's hard to admit you don’t have that and might not ever. Lau does great job with Charlotte and Julie. They're not close. They're not estranged. There is no need for either to feel guilt. It just is.
I loved it. It's complex and a fun romance.