lauriereadsrom1's review
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
After her best friend Christine suffers a health crisis, political writer and shoe lover Reagan "Rae" Doucet realizes that it's time for her to reevaluate her own life because she's spent too much time focused on the things she thinks she should do rather than the things that actually make her happy. She comes up with a "risk list" to help get herself out of her comfort zone and start living life on her own terms, promising herself a new pair of shoes for every item she checks off. Coming up with the list proves to be easier than actually completing it, but with the help of her friends, Rae explores new career opportunities and tentatively opens her heart to love again. When her college ex-boyfriend, Jake Saunders, comes back into her life shortly after yet another romantic disappointment, will Rae be able to embrace the spirit of the "risk list" and give him the second chance he's asking for, or will she give up on love for good?
To me, the strength of this book was its exploration of Rae's journey to find career fulfillment and her friendships with Christine, Robin, Jennifer, and Rebecca. It gave the book more of a chick lit or women's fiction feel, though there were certainly romantic elements to the story. I also really enjoyed the book's setting in Washington, DC, especially the way the author included real places as parts of the story. As someone who has lived and worked in DC for going on 20 years, it felt very authentic to me. In addition, I was intrigued by the insider's view of a "liberal media" that isn't always as forward-thinking or inclusive as many would like us to believe.
I was less enthusiastic about Rae's romance with Jake, which felt like an afterthought for much of the story. Most of their interactions took place in flashbacks, and there weren't very many of those. Based on this limited information, it was tough to tell what was so good about their relationship or why Rae's friends kept trying to push her back towards Jake. Further, they didn't actually get their "second chance" until the very end of the book (95% on my Kindle). It's tough to get invested in a relationship that starts with only ten minutes left in the book. It would have been nice if there had at least been an epilogue.
Overall, I enjoyed "The Shoe Diaries" and recommend it for fans of books that feature strong female friendships. I will certainly be watching to see what the author writes next.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
To me, the strength of this book was its exploration of Rae's journey to find career fulfillment and her friendships with Christine, Robin, Jennifer, and Rebecca. It gave the book more of a chick lit or women's fiction feel, though there were certainly romantic elements to the story. I also really enjoyed the book's setting in Washington, DC, especially the way the author included real places as parts of the story. As someone who has lived and worked in DC for going on 20 years, it felt very authentic to me. In addition, I was intrigued by the insider's view of a "liberal media" that isn't always as forward-thinking or inclusive as many would like us to believe.
I was less enthusiastic about Rae's romance with Jake, which felt like an afterthought for much of the story. Most of their interactions took place in flashbacks, and there weren't very many of those. Based on this limited information, it was tough to tell what was so good about their relationship or why Rae's friends kept trying to push her back towards Jake. Further, they didn't actually get their "second chance" until the very end of the book (95% on my Kindle). It's tough to get invested in a relationship that starts with only ten minutes left in the book. It would have been nice if there had at least been an epilogue.
Overall, I enjoyed "The Shoe Diaries" and recommend it for fans of books that feature strong female friendships. I will certainly be watching to see what the author writes next.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
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