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jojodoug55's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this book.
My Rating: 2.75/5
"Room and Board" is a domestic fiction novel that tells the story of a New York City publicist who is ousted from the industry due to scandal. As a result, she is forced to move back to her hometown in California and find a new job. She settles on being the high school dorm mom of the boarding school that she attended when she was a teenager. Doing so, she travels down a path of nostalgia as she redefines her life and future.
I found the idea behind this book quite appealing when I first happened upon it. It immediately caught my attention. As I began reading it, I realized that it covers many interesting themes such as change, identity, career, friendship, love, trauma, nostalgia, generational disparity, class, corruption, and more. The plot, though prominently featuring a romance, is generally void of clichés, which is something that I definitely appreciate. It makes it original. More unique. Additionally, there are some likeable characters, one of which I believe could serve as the protagonist of a sequel. However, I do not believe that there should be a sequel if the main character of this novel remains the protagonist of a subsequent one.
Regarding negative aspects of the book, I found there to be a general lacking of sufficient exploration of the themes that I mentioned. It is unclear as to what the scandal actually is that drives the main character to her hometown to start over. It is also unclear as to how a certain boy from her past betrayed her. These are important aspects of the story, and they are under-developed. Due to this, most characters in the novel come across as one-dimensional; their stories are not adequately explored and, therefore, seem incomplete and inconsequential to the story. Their reactions also often seem weak, especially in situations that would normally merit a strong response in reality. Though this is largely due to what they say in dialogue, it is the narration within the dialogue that is disappointing. Almost every character speaks with the simple and repetitive description of "said." There is not much variety, colour, or emotion present in the characters' conversations, at least when it comes to their narration. As such, this presents a dismissive quality in the story line of the book. It does not drive the story forward with intrigue, but rather stagnates it upon each repeated and predictable usage of "said" and halts the reader's interest in the characters and the book's plot points. The book also has a nice open ending, but that is found at the end of chapter 22, so the subsequent chapter and epilogue seem unnecessary, especially since they appear to negate the journey of re-self-discovery of the protagonist, which seems to be the purpose of the story: re-self-discovery. As a result, I was left confused and wondering what the point of the book was. Its message was more or less clear throughout the read, but with chapter 23 and the epilogue it was blurred, and not in a good-twist-like way.
Overall, the idea behind the story is good, but unfortunately it was not executed as well as I expected it to be. The book is not bad, as I did find myself enjoying it, relaxing my mind in its simplicity. It attempts to explore a variety of interesting themes such as change, identity, career, corruption, class, generational disparity, friendship, and love. However, its delivery on these discussions lack elaboration and general sufficient exploration. Due to this, I would neither re-read this novel, nor be likely to recommend it. But I had a decent time reading it.
My Rating: 2.75/5
"Room and Board" is a domestic fiction novel that tells the story of a New York City publicist who is ousted from the industry due to scandal. As a result, she is forced to move back to her hometown in California and find a new job. She settles on being the high school dorm mom of the boarding school that she attended when she was a teenager. Doing so, she travels down a path of nostalgia as she redefines her life and future.
I found the idea behind this book quite appealing when I first happened upon it. It immediately caught my attention. As I began reading it, I realized that it covers many interesting themes such as change, identity, career, friendship, love, trauma, nostalgia, generational disparity, class, corruption, and more. The plot, though prominently featuring a romance, is generally void of clichés, which is something that I definitely appreciate. It makes it original. More unique. Additionally, there are some likeable characters, one of which I believe could serve as the protagonist of a sequel. However, I do not believe that there should be a sequel if the main character of this novel remains the protagonist of a subsequent one.
Regarding negative aspects of the book, I found there to be a general lacking of sufficient exploration of the themes that I mentioned. It is unclear as to what the scandal actually is that drives the main character to her hometown to start over. It is also unclear as to how a certain boy from her past betrayed her. These are important aspects of the story, and they are under-developed. Due to this, most characters in the novel come across as one-dimensional; their stories are not adequately explored and, therefore, seem incomplete and inconsequential to the story. Their reactions also often seem weak, especially in situations that would normally merit a strong response in reality. Though this is largely due to what they say in dialogue, it is the narration within the dialogue that is disappointing. Almost every character speaks with the simple and repetitive description of "said." There is not much variety, colour, or emotion present in the characters' conversations, at least when it comes to their narration. As such, this presents a dismissive quality in the story line of the book. It does not drive the story forward with intrigue, but rather stagnates it upon each repeated and predictable usage of "said" and halts the reader's interest in the characters and the book's plot points. The book also has a nice open ending, but that is found at the end of chapter 22, so the subsequent chapter and epilogue seem unnecessary, especially since they appear to negate the journey of re-self-discovery of the protagonist, which seems to be the purpose of the story: re-self-discovery. As a result, I was left confused and wondering what the point of the book was. Its message was more or less clear throughout the read, but with chapter 23 and the epilogue it was blurred, and not in a good-twist-like way.
Overall, the idea behind the story is good, but unfortunately it was not executed as well as I expected it to be. The book is not bad, as I did find myself enjoying it, relaxing my mind in its simplicity. It attempts to explore a variety of interesting themes such as change, identity, career, corruption, class, generational disparity, friendship, and love. However, its delivery on these discussions lack elaboration and general sufficient exploration. Due to this, I would neither re-read this novel, nor be likely to recommend it. But I had a decent time reading it.
theavidreaderandbibliophile's review against another edition
2.0
Room and Board by Miriam Parker is the perfect cure for insomnia. I struggled to finish this book. The disgraced publicist becomes a dorm mom at the boarding school she attended for high school. We are left to wonder how she got this this job for which she is not qualified. The other dorm moms must do double duty by teaching and chaperoning a building full of students. Gillian neglects her job from the beginning. The first night she is too tired to check on her charges and is just shocked when she discovers evidence of partying in the building the next day including the requisite sick teenager from overindulging in alcohol. This will not be the last time Gillian neglects her duties (dating before duties seems to be Gillian’s motto). I was surprised when a pampered princess named Bunny (a senior) befriends Gillian. Bunny and her clique frequently hang out in Gillian’s suite. The students just love Gillian, and they trust her from the beginning (is anyone buying this). Gillian pays more attention to her love life than the students she is responsible for. Gillian’s crush from high school is now the father of Rainbow who happens to live in Gillian’s dorm (what a coincidence). Here is Gillian’s chance for the man she has been unable to get out of her thoughts for twenty years. She is willing to overlook what he did back in high school. The students are your stereotypical pampered rich kids who expect the best and enjoy torturing the scholarship students. I believe the author has spent too much time watching Gossip Girl (both versions) and Gilmore Girls. I can see details from both shows in the book. I had to roll my eyes at some of the scenes in the book. When you put out a sign stating that you can ask me anything, what do you expect. People are going to ask you some ridiculous questions. Gillian gets annoyed when a child shows up at her door asking for help. This means taking time away from getting ready for a date or stalking her crush on social media. The author is detail oriented. I really did not need to know what Gillian wore down to her shoes or that she spends an hour doing her face care routine. There are many contradictions in the book. If the headmaster’s assistant does the accounting for the school, why is there a finance department? Gillian tells the girls that accepting freebies will make you beholden to others, but readers are told in great detail how the majority of Gillian’s wardrobe is from freebies (clients and from companies). The dialogue is awkward and unrealistic (the author should have spent some time talking to teenagers). There were some plot points started in the book that were never revisited while others were left unresolved. I found the ending to be unrealistic. Room and Board is one of those books that left me feeling like I had just wasted a few hours of my time.
glencoco's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.0
kim_momreadsbooksinbtwn's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The concept of this story was cute, a young woman loses everything due to a workplace scandal and then ends up becoming a dorm mother at her previous boarding school. I think this book was probably more character-driven than plot-driven. The storyline seemed somewhat slow for me, I had a hard time staying interested. Although the exotic nature of a private boarding school in Sonoma, California was unique. A boarding school full of rich kids behaving badly, that were dumped there by their rich parents while gallivanting the world.
At first, I felt bad for Gillian, because of the workplace scandal with a client, she had to close her publicity company. While her personal and professional life was imploding, she had an opportunity to escape back to her boarding school in California and take time to remake herself and her future. This part of the story kept me intrigued, about what was going to happen and how was she going to turn things around. Only to find out that when she was a senior at Glen Ellen Academy, she was also part of a school scandal. I kept waiting to find out the details of the scandal and how salacious was it, let’s just say I was disappointed. Once it was revealed, I said to myself “That’s all it was?”
Most of the story revolves around Gillian rekindling her relationship with Aiden Lloyd, the boy who was the source of her high school scandal. Come to find out that Gillian is his daughter’s, Rainbow, dorm mother. So this was another interesting twist to the story, but her continued angst about her previous friendship with Aiden and Miranda (her high school best friend and Aiden’s high school girlfriend), became a bit annoying. I wanted her to snap out of it and grow up! She had her own publicity company in New York and went to Yale.
I am curious to know who was the target audience for this book, it seemed to be more of a YA novel than romance. Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. The good thing is that it is a pretty short read, at only 291 pages.
sofia_the_scholar's review against another edition
4.0
Gillian Brodie: a renowned but failed publicist is offered a job as a dorm mother to her old boarding school. But what happens when a certain activity is bound to slowly destroy the safe place of the school?
It was such an entertaing book. It was so easy to read and it definitely made me feel nostalgic, especially reading the flashbacks of Gillian's time in school. Adolescence is such a difficult time period, and we definitely see this with Freddy and Farrah and Bunny buy on a different perspective. The lovely siblings just want to be themselves without having everyone telling them who they have to be, and Bunny, even though I think she tried really hard to be shallow, but in reality she was just a kid who wanted to be given attention. I'm still puzzled about Aiden's character, I still don't like him and I think Lila was right about him. Finally, I hope there's a spin-off some day about Miranda's life or how she's turned out to be, it would certainly be interesting!
The narration was attention-catching, dialogues certainly contributed to the progress of the story, especially the talk between Gloria and Gillian. I would have liked to be a student in Gem Academy having either one of those two as a dorm mother. It was such a brilliant setting with a good story!
It was such an entertaing book. It was so easy to read and it definitely made me feel nostalgic, especially reading the flashbacks of Gillian's time in school. Adolescence is such a difficult time period, and we definitely see this with Freddy and Farrah and Bunny buy on a different perspective. The lovely siblings just want to be themselves without having everyone telling them who they have to be, and Bunny, even though I think she tried really hard to be shallow, but in reality she was just a kid who wanted to be given attention. I'm still puzzled about Aiden's character, I still don't like him and I think Lila was right about him. Finally, I hope there's a spin-off some day about Miranda's life or how she's turned out to be, it would certainly be interesting!
The narration was attention-catching, dialogues certainly contributed to the progress of the story, especially the talk between Gloria and Gillian. I would have liked to be a student in Gem Academy having either one of those two as a dorm mother. It was such a brilliant setting with a good story!
madydoodle53's review against another edition
The story just didn’t catch my attention and the character for boardering 40 seems rather immature. For being a house mother she’s far too self absorbed and somehow people still like her to their own fault? Also overall the writing style was lazy just calling out brands instead of describing it and the dialog felt jilted and unimportant. I really wanted to like it but I just couldn’t get past page 70.
kemcnicholas's review against another edition
1.0
I don't know how to review this without sounding like a complete asshole. It felt hallow. Gillian is insufferable and unreliable. The plot makes very little sense and the dialogue is cringey, no matter who is speaking. Very disappointed -- I read this so y'all don't have to...
camilleisreading24's review against another edition
I just couldn't get into this book. I liked the narrative voice and usually I enjoy boarding school novels. Somehow, though, I didn't feel compelled by the plot enough to keep reading. My attention wandered to other books on my TBR and I never felt drawn back to find out what happened in this one. Maybe it was the right book at the wrong time. I may try again in the future.
My thanks to NetGalley and Dutton Books for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
My thanks to NetGalley and Dutton Books for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
marbooks88's review against another edition
4.0
Gillian's life has imploded after she trusted the wrong person . Now she is back at the boarding school she attended as a scholarship student, this time as a dorm mother. She figures it gives her room and board and time to figure out her next steps. What she doesn't expect is that one of the girls in her dorm is the daughter of her high school friend and crush, Aidan, who broke her heart in high school. The girls are not what she expected and neither is reconnecting with Aidan. Can she find a life and happiness or will she continue to repeat the same mistakes.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc for my honest review.
purrfectpages's review against another edition
2.0
I was initially drawn to Room and Board because of its premise. There aren’t really a lot of novels that are steeped in the world of boarding schools from an adult perspective. In addition, back to school has always been bittersweet for me, first as a student, now as a teacher.
Room and Board is centered around Gillian, a publicist who is fleeing the industry after a career related faux pas. Then she receives an unexpected (and unearned) offer to work as a dorm mom at her high school alma mater, Glen Ellen Academy. Journeying back to her high school roots unearths unresolved feelings of the friendships she lost and the love that was unrequited. As she works through her complicated feelings from the past, she helps navigate a group of high school girls in the present. Reuniting with her old flame, as well as dealing with the fallout of multiple PR related scandals, leaves Gillian wondering if she finally found where she belongs after all.
Folks, I can’t sugarcoat this. This book was a hot mess. Everything but the kitchen sink was thrown into this one, with no real traction gaining in any one storyline. The pining Gillian was still grieving from years before felt childish and typical of high school drama. Simply put, at 38 years old presently, get over it. Reuniting with “the one that got away” felt hollow as well. Why was I supposed to root for these two? Or better yet, was I?
I would have liked the teenagers to be more fleshed out, too. The impact of social media is touched upon, as well as the pressure to fit in, but all of the student stories felt randomly placed in contrast to Gillian’s self discovery. As if all of this wasn’t haphazard enough, the author throws in a school related scandal a little more than halfway through the book. I guess all of these events are placed to help Gillian become the person she was meant to be, I’m just not so sure I like the person she becomes.
I know authors work very hard and books are like their babies. I don’t want to take away from the effort the author undoubtedly put into this book. I just wish this had more of a focus instead of feeling like three unconnected books in one. As a result, Room and Board just left me feeling bored.
Room and Board is centered around Gillian, a publicist who is fleeing the industry after a career related faux pas. Then she receives an unexpected (and unearned) offer to work as a dorm mom at her high school alma mater, Glen Ellen Academy. Journeying back to her high school roots unearths unresolved feelings of the friendships she lost and the love that was unrequited. As she works through her complicated feelings from the past, she helps navigate a group of high school girls in the present. Reuniting with her old flame, as well as dealing with the fallout of multiple PR related scandals, leaves Gillian wondering if she finally found where she belongs after all.
Folks, I can’t sugarcoat this. This book was a hot mess. Everything but the kitchen sink was thrown into this one, with no real traction gaining in any one storyline. The pining Gillian was still grieving from years before felt childish and typical of high school drama. Simply put, at 38 years old presently, get over it. Reuniting with “the one that got away” felt hollow as well. Why was I supposed to root for these two? Or better yet, was I?
I would have liked the teenagers to be more fleshed out, too. The impact of social media is touched upon, as well as the pressure to fit in, but all of the student stories felt randomly placed in contrast to Gillian’s self discovery. As if all of this wasn’t haphazard enough, the author throws in a school related scandal a little more than halfway through the book. I guess all of these events are placed to help Gillian become the person she was meant to be, I’m just not so sure I like the person she becomes.
I know authors work very hard and books are like their babies. I don’t want to take away from the effort the author undoubtedly put into this book. I just wish this had more of a focus instead of feeling like three unconnected books in one. As a result, Room and Board just left me feeling bored.