A review by ris
Birds of California by Katie Cotugno

sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

I very rarely write reviews unless I feel strongly about a book, but this book's marketing was a false advertisement. Peddled on TikTok as a book "just like that one Canadian show with the two actors playing step siblings who had just OODLES of sexual tension" (Life with Derek), this had none of that, but rather two boring, selfish MCs actively working to convince me this book was worth my time. It wasn't bad, per se. It just wasn't good. Touted as a romance set in "post #metoo Hollywood", I expected to actually see the issue of sexual assault addressed and handled...instead it was a page at the VERY end of the book with maybe a total of five paragraphs dedicated to the problem. No resolution either. No accountability for the man who groomed the MC. Not even a HINT of any harassment unless you're scouring the book line-by-line with a fine tooth comb, or somehow can read the author's intentions that are clearly NOT written on the page. False advertisement, sub-par writing. Characters said "like", like, a lot. And the romance was...whatever. I'd seen the same sub-par plot done a thousand times. MC was pretty damn rude and used the excuse of sexual harassment/assault as the reason for being so mean to everyone she meets. Overall? Save your money and just read any stepbrother/stepsister p*rn, you'll find a better plot there.