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A review by janina_reads
Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
3.0
You would think that Bittersweet is the perfect book to be read while lying in bed sick, right? Well, I certainly thought so. Cupcakes, winter setting, the promise of a cute and tingle-inducing romance.
For some reason, despite not being all-enamoured with Ockler’s debut, Twenty Boy Summer, her books really entice me – I want to like them, I expect them to be great reads – something better and more memorable than a mere “I liked it” (but it’ll be forgotten soon). Now I am wondering if I just build them up in my head … and if I should decide that her style isn’t for me and kick her stuff of my list for good.
Just as with Twenty Boy Summer, the romance in Bittersweet (and don’t get me wrong, I am certainly not all about romance, but when a book promises me romance, I want romance!) didn’t move me. It was lukewarm at best, certainly not even close to tingle-inducing, and what about that whole kinda-sorta love triangle? Was that really necessary?
On the other hand, I loved Hudson’s relationship with her little brother, the atmosphere at her mom’s diner – even if they were struggling – and, of course, the cupcake business. The family problems – absent father, financially struggling mother, daughter having to take on responsibility early – were portrayed realistically, but I was a little disappointed that the issues concerning Hudson’s dad faded into the background towards the end. All in all, though, that was the plot line that had me most invested.
In contrast to that, the figure skating part of the story felt a bit flimsy. In order to get ice time to practice for an important competition, Hudson agrees to training her school’s hockey team: those sessions are sometimes described in detail, but her actually practicing her routine often happens off screen. Also, when does she select the music, when does she think up the choreography? The reader never takes part in this. Additionally, I just cannot believe that after three years off the ice, you can just come back like that, without a professional trainer, without hours on the ice each day and be able to perform any routine in under three months time.
But on a whole, it simply comes down to this: A lot, if not all, of the problems presented in this book could have been sorted out by the characters talking to each other. T-A-L-K-I-N-G, people. Well, Hudson, I get that you do not want to hurt your mother, but have you ever thought of the fact that she might be more hurt by your trying to suppress who you really are than by your taking up figure skating again - even though it was always a thing between you and your dad? Has it ever occurred to you to ask somebody (it doesn’t have to be your crush, but maybe one of his friends?) about that girl he’s always on the phone with instead of writing him off and making out with some other guy you don’t even like that much? Also, Dani, your best friend is behaving like an absolute egomaniac. Ever thought of calling her out on it like you always do instead of just slowly fading into the background, hurt and annoyed?
All things considered, I am now wondering why I even gave this three stars. Ah, well, who am I kidding? It’s the cupcakes!
For some reason, despite not being all-enamoured with Ockler’s debut, Twenty Boy Summer, her books really entice me – I want to like them, I expect them to be great reads – something better and more memorable than a mere “I liked it” (but it’ll be forgotten soon). Now I am wondering if I just build them up in my head … and if I should decide that her style isn’t for me and kick her stuff of my list for good.
Just as with Twenty Boy Summer, the romance in Bittersweet (and don’t get me wrong, I am certainly not all about romance, but when a book promises me romance, I want romance!) didn’t move me. It was lukewarm at best, certainly not even close to tingle-inducing, and what about that whole kinda-sorta love triangle? Was that really necessary?
On the other hand, I loved Hudson’s relationship with her little brother, the atmosphere at her mom’s diner – even if they were struggling – and, of course, the cupcake business. The family problems – absent father, financially struggling mother, daughter having to take on responsibility early – were portrayed realistically, but I was a little disappointed that the issues concerning Hudson’s dad faded into the background towards the end. All in all, though, that was the plot line that had me most invested.
In contrast to that, the figure skating part of the story felt a bit flimsy. In order to get ice time to practice for an important competition, Hudson agrees to training her school’s hockey team: those sessions are sometimes described in detail, but her actually practicing her routine often happens off screen. Also, when does she select the music, when does she think up the choreography? The reader never takes part in this. Additionally, I just cannot believe that after three years off the ice, you can just come back like that, without a professional trainer, without hours on the ice each day and be able to perform any routine in under three months time.
But on a whole, it simply comes down to this: A lot, if not all, of the problems presented in this book could have been sorted out by the characters talking to each other. T-A-L-K-I-N-G, people. Well, Hudson, I get that you do not want to hurt your mother, but have you ever thought of the fact that she might be more hurt by your trying to suppress who you really are than by your taking up figure skating again - even though it was always a thing between you and your dad? Has it ever occurred to you to ask somebody (it doesn’t have to be your crush, but maybe one of his friends?) about that girl he’s always on the phone with instead of writing him off and making out with some other guy you don’t even like that much? Also, Dani, your best friend is behaving like an absolute egomaniac. Ever thought of calling her out on it like you always do instead of just slowly fading into the background, hurt and annoyed?
All things considered, I am now wondering why I even gave this three stars. Ah, well, who am I kidding? It’s the cupcakes!