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A review by missmarisolnyc
Half-Blown Rose by Leesa Cross-Smith
4.0
Two things can be true at once. For instance, I enjoyed the time I spent with this book, but I am also really disappointed with how it ended.
Leesa Cross-Smith's prose is gorgeous. I fell in love with Paris and I was enchanted by how Vincent got to spend her days. Who wouldn't to live in a beautiful apartment and go for walks and create art and have fabulous dinner parties and hot sex with a young, sexy man? It's ideal in every way. I love the playlists. I love the creative writing prompts. I love that there is a black female protagonist with an incredible, successful and well-off family and they all love and support each other in their respective artistic endeavors.
Her husband's betrayal is unacceptable. Keeping that kind of a secret for that long and then releasing a book about it without talking to her? Unfathomable. However, it seems that their relationship otherwise is extremely healthy. They communicate well. The love is deep and abiding. I understand her reaction to flee the country and create emotional and physical distance. But as Cillian says, he can't be punished forever.
I don't think every story needs to have a neatly tied bow conclusion, but this ending fell flat compared to the first three-quarters of the novel. Instead of providing us something that honored her journey, I was left feeling like Vincent was an indecisive narcissist who would spend the rest of her life navel-gazing. I feel like every character deserved better in the end.
Leesa Cross-Smith's prose is gorgeous. I fell in love with Paris and I was enchanted by how Vincent got to spend her days. Who wouldn't to live in a beautiful apartment and go for walks and create art and have fabulous dinner parties and hot sex with a young, sexy man? It's ideal in every way. I love the playlists. I love the creative writing prompts. I love that there is a black female protagonist with an incredible, successful and well-off family and they all love and support each other in their respective artistic endeavors.
Her husband's betrayal is unacceptable. Keeping that kind of a secret for that long and then releasing a book about it without talking to her? Unfathomable. However, it seems that their relationship otherwise is extremely healthy. They communicate well. The love is deep and abiding. I understand her reaction to flee the country and create emotional and physical distance. But as Cillian says, he can't be punished forever.
I don't think every story needs to have a neatly tied bow conclusion, but this ending fell flat compared to the first three-quarters of the novel. Instead of providing us something that honored her journey, I was left feeling like Vincent was an indecisive narcissist who would spend the rest of her life navel-gazing. I feel like every character deserved better in the end.