R.R.B.

No to this hero (and this reader)

Revisado: 01-05-22

I'm so tired of opposites-attract stories (like this one) in which the advertised grouchy/haughty/surly hero hardly demonstrates any actual pain-in-the-ass behavior — you just have to take the heroine's word that he is indeed a jerk. It's lazy writing and, in this case, it robs the novel of the very elements that should make the trope so delicious.

The reader's voice is also a little grumbly. (I don't really know how else to describe it.) Between these two issues, I could barely finish the book. Really frustrating.

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esto le resultó útil a 6 personas

Good tension, but slow drag of a story

Revisado: 07-31-21

The story is a bit too sprawling, with plot lines and perspectives that can sometimes feel relentlessly maudlin. You'll find synopses and versions of cover art that imply it's a rom-com. It's not. On the contrary, it's more a series of quietly disheartening turns. Even now — the fact that I'm struggling to explain what actually *happens* seems like a sign of its listlessness, something akin to sleepwalking. I can remember the central events, but I can't remember the connective tissue that binds them together.

That said, this is one of very few audiobooks I've come across with a male/female reader switch-off composed of two equally engaging voices. I think the strength of these performances allowed me to treasure the too-few moments in which Laurie and Jack are alone together, exploring a plaintive but intense attraction. This is likely why I don't regret the time (or the money) spent giving this one a listen.

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A lasting favorite, by far preferred to Jane Eyre

Revisado: 07-31-21

I adore this book — the evocative settings; the characters' playfully affectionate give-and-take; the bursts of un-compromised, un-translated French dialogue of which I only get the gist (both adding color and emphasizing the protagonist's lingering sense of isolation and otherness); the delightfully spirited performance of its reader.

As in "Jane Eyre", we're following the first-person narrative of a young woman alone in the world, an outsider arriving at a strange place, intent on building a life for herself by taking on her only available living: educating and shaping privileged girls who are held at arm's length from their parents. The story also establishes a familiar bond between the protagonist and an impassioned, sometimes volatile male superior — one that's again cause for worry and disapproval among those who know more of the man's history than we do. And, in turn, there's a similar examination of societal beliefs about the meeting of God, marriage, and self-respect.

Yet, despite its few shadows and secrets and the tease of another terrifying woman in the attic, "Villette" is far less gothic, far more animated, with a feeling, witty heroine rarely afraid to bite back. The story occasionally seems downright Austenian, in part because, unlike Jane Eyre, Lucy Snowe has the chance to regularly engage with the people of her small but vibrant community. What brings it back to Brontë's wheelhouse is the fact that these opportunities aren't enough to stave off loneliness — a feeling that, at one point in the novel, becomes debilitating.

Needless to say, "Villette" has a lot going for it, and I can — and do — listen again and again.

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Firth is absolutely captivating

Revisado: 07-31-21

I've always been impressed by Greene's work. Like much of what he writes, this piece is a kind of personal noir, driven by a protagonist whose hurt has given way to obsession. It would be a good book in the hands of any reader. Ultimately, though, Firth is what makes it absolutely captivating. I'd eat my desk lamp to hear him read just one more novel.

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Peters out post-rivalry

Revisado: 07-31-21

This one might have registered as more comedic or breezy with a different reader, but Ezzo's performance leans into the novel's wistfulness. Clayborn's writing is earnest and bittersweet, which makes that narration a smart match.

The story's premise shares some fringe territory with 1998's "You've Got Mail" (which, itself, was adapted from 1940's "The Shop Around the Corner"). One of the bigger differences, however, comes from the feeling that Nora's efforts to untidy Will's plans are disproportionate to what's really at stake. Still, the ways in which those plans stir and cause pain eventually do resonate, do draw some attention to how stubborn-but-vulnerable people imbue places and things with immense meaning that the rest of the world cannot always apprehend (and, in turn, cannot always honor).

Sadly, like many of this genre, the book lost a great deal of momentum as the urgency of its central conflict dulled. But it was worth a shot.

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More of an 'ensemble' story

Revisado: 07-30-21

Were you to compare this one to a '90s Richard Curtis rom-com, it would be more like "Four Weddings and a Funeral" than "Notting Hill" — there's a lot of attention paid to the characters that orbit this couple, which makes sense given the crammed car/road trip setting. This is made all the more relevant if you take the advice of some other reviewers (which I ultimately did) and skip over the "Then" sections.

Unlike "Four Weddings ...", this story doesn't boast terribly interesting romantic leads. As such, you'll be most rewarded if you keep your eyes fixed on the rest of the ensemble. The supporting characters are all unique, expertly performed, and truly funny. I appreciated those comedic moments most, and could likely do without the drama dragged in by flashbacks and remembrances, or the male reader (who sounds a bit too boyish for my tastes).

Didn't sate my desire for a gratifying love story, but I'm relatively happy with what I got.

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Fine writing, overstuffed story, cringe-worthy end

Revisado: 07-29-21

I can see why other folks might like this one — it's got some Bridget Jones elements (similar friends, similar boy problems, some slight quirks). The writing is solid with a few inventive touches, and the reader's performance does justice to distinctive secondary characters. But the story feels overstuffed — chapters and chapters of family drama that make for a real slog; an unnecessary subplot following the protagonist's fixation on a restaurant from which she was sacked; a slapdash addition of dead-wife backstory. This, for me, was what made the experience less than stellar.

If you want to be fussy, there's much more to pick at, including the feeling that the protagonist's love interest might not be very compelling were he not also Irish; a harrowing (and movingly written) climactic twist pulled out of absolutely nowhere, vaguely connected to an idea that the protagonist has insecurities never really *demonstrated* in the book; and a final grand, out-of-character romantic gesture that would — in reality — absolutely mortify anyone on its receiving end. All of these issues, however, are pretty typical of the genre, so I'm less inclined to argue that they sink the story.

Everything taken together, though — it didn't feel like something I'd want to sit through again, which tends to be my litmus test for whether I've truly appreciated a book. This one just helped me pass the time.

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esto le resultó útil a 5 personas

Light, charming (first two-thirds)

Revisado: 07-28-21

I have a history of getting impatient with romance novels that spend a lot of time away from the central love story, but I enjoyed watching this faire evolve into something transportive and unifying. I also appreciated how DeLuca made use of the setting's more intriguing narrative opportunities, allowing her main characters to entertain fantasy and interact with one another quite differently in and out of costumed roles.

Otherwise, you know ... it's fine. It'll do.

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Unremarkable

Revisado: 07-25-21

This story isn't terribly gripping. The challenges to the relationship seem banal; the attraction between the central characters doesn't have any teeth — their spark's hardly fleshed out — and neither of them seem particularly unique or memorable people (unless baking wonderful pies for the needy counts as personality).

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Surprised by how much I loved it

Revisado: 07-24-21

The fact that this one feels so special is a triumph. Yes, the book's very premise is unabashed rom-com boilerplate. (The title still makes me wince.) But it also has a story that is truly sexy, light, and, above all, consistent. I often find that when the romance between two main characters seems a sure thing — consummated or, at least, on the other side of will they/won't they — I get bored. Not this time, though. Thorne is incredibly adept at stretching anticipation, all the way through to the final chapters. I was and am hooked, despite these legit issues:

1. Some tendencies toward the notion that obsessiveness and possessiveness are hot. There's also a pivotal scene in which a character is "seductively" trapped and advanced upon by someone whose intentions she mistakenly believes are violent. These moments are part and parcel of many traditional romance novels, and I confess that they *can* be thrilling. Still, I can also see why some would view these choices as problematic (if not outright irresponsible).

2. There's some fat-shaming and similar offhand associations made between unlikable people and "ugly" facial features early in the novel.

3. On the flip-side of lookism — there must be an average of 4 minutes of every chapter devoted to Lucy going on and on about Josh's hot body, with nothing new to add. (I get it, I've gotten it. Abs. Biceps. Pecs. Abs. Biceps. Pecs. Abs, abs, abs. Let's move it along now.)

It's not as original as a blockbuster like "The Kiss Quotient" and not quite as steamy, but I actually prefer this one. Which, given that first "legit issue", might mean I need to revisit my women's and gender studies textbooks.

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