Scan barcode
A review by katies_bookshelf
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I really wanted to like this book. I'm a sucker for a cute fake-relationship romance.
And the first half of the book was enjoyable! It was funny and pretty cute. I loved that in the first half of the novel any conflict or misunderstanding was cleared up basically within the same chapter. Look at that healthy communication! However, then it all when to hell in a handbasket. The Dane-cheating-on-Ami fiasco was definitely NOT cleared up within a chapter. And all that healthy, adult communication? Poof! Gone. Not only did Ethan AND Ami not believe Olive the *multiple* times she tried to tell them that Dane was awful and unfaithful, but they actively tried to gaslight her about it! Especially Ethan, he refused to believe that his brother was anything but perfect and chooses to disregard Olive when she tells him Dane tried to hit on her. You know, clearly she's lying or completely mistaken. And Ami! You would think that with how close they were described as being, Ami would know that her sister wouldn't lie about something like this.
I was fine with how Olive's relationship was repaired with Ami once it came out that Olive was, in fact, *right*. But Ethan??? After being denied the first several times he comes crawling back to apologize, that man child decides that the best way to win Olive back is to ambush her with a restaurant full of her extended family (and the man who fired her from the job she had been so happy to get??). Downright manipulative. And Olive takes him back! After very little deliberation, I might add. Girl, that man does not deserve your forgiveness. The amount of gaslighting ALONE.
And don't even get me started on the epilogue - Ethan's childish reaction to Olive accidentally ruining his proposal to her (you'd think after a year(?) of dating he'd know her well enough that she'd be sarcastic about the cliche of it all. Like do you pay attention to her at all??).
You know what, looking back, I am not a fan of Ethan at any point in the book. He's a man-child with bad vibes.
And the first half of the book was enjoyable! It was funny and pretty cute. I loved that in the first half of the novel any conflict or misunderstanding was cleared up basically within the same chapter. Look at that healthy communication! However, then it all when to hell in a handbasket.
I was fine with how Olive's relationship was repaired with Ami once it came out that Olive was, in fact, *right*. But Ethan??? After being denied the first several times he comes crawling back to apologize, that man child decides that the best way to win Olive back is to ambush her with a restaurant full of her extended family (and the man who fired her from the job she had been so happy to get??). Downright manipulative. And Olive takes him back! After very little deliberation, I might add. Girl, that man does not deserve your forgiveness. The amount of gaslighting ALONE.
And don't even get me started on the epilogue - Ethan's childish reaction to Olive accidentally ruining his proposal to her (you'd think after a year(?) of dating he'd know her well enough that she'd be sarcastic about the cliche of it all. Like do you pay attention to her at all??).
You know what, looking back, I am not a fan of Ethan at any point in the book. He's a man-child with bad vibes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting and Infidelity