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A review by steph01924
Open Road Summer by Emery Lord
2.0
2.5 stars. I've seen many a mixed review on this book, but the setting kept piquing my interest, so I figured I'd give it a shot for myself.
I didn't love it and I didn't royally hate it. It got worse as it went along, probably because I got to know Reagan more and more.
Reagan is The Worst. Another reviewer mentioned how much she hated the book because Reagan was a big slut-shamer. While I obviously don't like that either, I figured that's just a big hot button for her and I wouldn't really care.
But, GEEZ is it super apparent in this book. Unless the girls were Dee's aunt Peach or Dee's tween fanbase, literally every other female Reagan encountered was sized up and instantly dismissed as a fake, pathetic, straight-haired groupie with her breasts hanging out. We'd then be treated to Reagan priding herself on being better than them. The author focused SO MUCH on this!
At first, I was inclined to give Reagan some slack. She meets many of these girls in a concert setting where the cute boy she's crushing on, Matt Finch, is performing. We know there ARE a lot of girls who lose their minds and self-respect when they're faced with Famous. These are girls who Reagan sees as competition for Matt's attention. I think it's natural to feel jealous and view 'the competition' through slightly green-colored glasses. But it just kept GOING. AND GOING. And it was SO catty.
Reagan was always quick to mention that she wasn't jealous, no, she was just being honest. I could've handled her attitude if there was some resolution; someone pointed out what a shit she was being, she felt appropriately guilty and realized not everyone wearing a low-cut shirt is a jezebel. Hell, even if she came to the realization on her own. There was one small scene where Matt says something to her that she kind of reflects on, but any introspection is pushed aside once Corrine appears.
So I couldn't handle her, and that has nothing to do with the rest of her 'bitch with a heart of gold' prickly personality. She was a crap person before AND after she 'reformed'. She doesn't deserve Matt.
I was also done with the book once the incident with Corrine went down. It was lazy and predictable and coupled with my dislike of Reagan, I couldn't care anymore and I skimmed the rest of the book.
I didn't love it and I didn't royally hate it. It got worse as it went along, probably because I got to know Reagan more and more.
Reagan is The Worst. Another reviewer mentioned how much she hated the book because Reagan was a big slut-shamer. While I obviously don't like that either, I figured that's just a big hot button for her and I wouldn't really care.
But, GEEZ is it super apparent in this book. Unless the girls were Dee's aunt Peach or Dee's tween fanbase, literally every other female Reagan encountered was sized up and instantly dismissed as a fake, pathetic, straight-haired groupie with her breasts hanging out. We'd then be treated to Reagan priding herself on being better than them. The author focused SO MUCH on this!
At first, I was inclined to give Reagan some slack. She meets many of these girls in a concert setting where the cute boy she's crushing on, Matt Finch, is performing. We know there ARE a lot of girls who lose their minds and self-respect when they're faced with Famous. These are girls who Reagan sees as competition for Matt's attention. I think it's natural to feel jealous and view 'the competition' through slightly green-colored glasses. But it just kept GOING. AND GOING. And it was SO catty.
Reagan was always quick to mention that she wasn't jealous, no, she was just being honest. I could've handled her attitude if there was some resolution; someone pointed out what a shit she was being, she felt appropriately guilty and realized not everyone wearing a low-cut shirt is a jezebel. Hell, even if she came to the realization on her own. There was one small scene where Matt says something to her that she kind of reflects on, but any introspection is pushed aside once Corrine appears.
So I couldn't handle her, and that has nothing to do with the rest of her 'bitch with a heart of gold' prickly personality. She was a crap person before AND after she 'reformed'. She doesn't deserve Matt.
I was also done with the book once the incident with Corrine went down. It was lazy and predictable and coupled with my dislike of Reagan, I couldn't care anymore and I skimmed the rest of the book.