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azirareads 's review for:
I Believe in a Thing Called Love
by Maurene Goo
After some reflection, I have decided to lower my rating from a 3* to a 2*.
Unfortunately this book was entirely the wrong fit for me. I feel like I would've gelled with this better had I read this in my early teens; but unfortunately it just wasn't the right fit for me at this time. I liked the sound of the premise, but unfortunately the way it was executed just didn't hold up to my expectations. Whilst it was written well and, at times, was very charming it just didn't hold my attention well enough and the characters held a massive amount of juvenile mannerisms which knocked the story down a peg (or three) for me.
This story, however, does earn a lot of brownie points for having an immensely diverse cast of characters. I also loved the cultural exploration weaved throughout the plot. It also has an impeccable family relationship (particularly father/daughter) and it is utterly charming and lovely to read. The family relationships were what I loved the most about this story and what urged me to continue reading because I was desperate for further doses of the characters that I had warmed up to so rapidly.
Unfortunately the romance wasn't for me. There were a lot of issues throughout and it just made me uncomfortable a few times; particularly when Desi went to a party with another guy to make her 'target' envious. It just made me squirm and I had to flick through a few pages. Maybe that's the British person in me and my distaste for secondhand embarrassment! Ha! But I didn't really like the way the romance was pursued and the other relationships in this book really do overtake the romance which definitely was a plus for me.
The book was written well even though it was a little tedious to get through in places. It was well crafted and the majority of the characters were a joy to read about. My favourite character being Desi's father, of course, who I absolutely adored. I loved seeing a male k-drama fan and how happy they made him; it was a fabulous twist on females constantly being the focus of fandom etc., and it was brilliant to see the positive effect that k-dramas have on people and how amazing they can be. I definitely think it's important to highlight the positives behind alternative media and normalise the idea that people find comfort in things that are seen as less conventional. I thought it was a fabulous angle for the story to take and it was fun, amusing and fascinating to read about and it was without a doubt my favourite element of the story.
This book does tangle with a few more serious topics, but they aren't overbearing and don't bring the mood of the book down. Overall the book is funny (thanks to Desi's Dad), charming and a fun read. Really disappointed that I couldn't enjoy it as much as I wanted/expected to! But I would still recommend if the premise appeals to you.
Unfortunately this book was entirely the wrong fit for me. I feel like I would've gelled with this better had I read this in my early teens; but unfortunately it just wasn't the right fit for me at this time. I liked the sound of the premise, but unfortunately the way it was executed just didn't hold up to my expectations. Whilst it was written well and, at times, was very charming it just didn't hold my attention well enough and the characters held a massive amount of juvenile mannerisms which knocked the story down a peg (or three) for me.
This story, however, does earn a lot of brownie points for having an immensely diverse cast of characters. I also loved the cultural exploration weaved throughout the plot. It also has an impeccable family relationship (particularly father/daughter) and it is utterly charming and lovely to read. The family relationships were what I loved the most about this story and what urged me to continue reading because I was desperate for further doses of the characters that I had warmed up to so rapidly.
Unfortunately the romance wasn't for me. There were a lot of issues throughout and it just made me uncomfortable a few times; particularly when Desi went to a party with another guy to make her 'target' envious. It just made me squirm and I had to flick through a few pages. Maybe that's the British person in me and my distaste for secondhand embarrassment! Ha! But I didn't really like the way the romance was pursued and the other relationships in this book really do overtake the romance which definitely was a plus for me.
The book was written well even though it was a little tedious to get through in places. It was well crafted and the majority of the characters were a joy to read about. My favourite character being Desi's father, of course, who I absolutely adored. I loved seeing a male k-drama fan and how happy they made him; it was a fabulous twist on females constantly being the focus of fandom etc., and it was brilliant to see the positive effect that k-dramas have on people and how amazing they can be. I definitely think it's important to highlight the positives behind alternative media and normalise the idea that people find comfort in things that are seen as less conventional. I thought it was a fabulous angle for the story to take and it was fun, amusing and fascinating to read about and it was without a doubt my favourite element of the story.
This book does tangle with a few more serious topics, but they aren't overbearing and don't bring the mood of the book down. Overall the book is funny (thanks to Desi's Dad), charming and a fun read. Really disappointed that I couldn't enjoy it as much as I wanted/expected to! But I would still recommend if the premise appeals to you.