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kestrel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Sarah Hogle just gets me. She checks all the boxes (again) for me:
I laughed ✓
I swooned ✓
I cried ✓
I laughed ✓
I swooned ✓
I cried ✓
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Racism
jeaven's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’m crying!
I’m crying because it’s over and I’m crying because it was so sweet and cute. I loved both Wesley and Maybell and now I’m going to be depressed because I can’t read more.
If you need me I’ll be re-reading this book 10 more times.
I’m crying because it’s over and I’m crying because it was so sweet and cute. I loved both Wesley and Maybell and now I’m going to be depressed because I can’t read more.
If you need me I’ll be re-reading this book 10 more times.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
vicky's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
lmarsh's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
Was able to read this book through my work, and I absolutely loved it. The main character, Maybell, loses her job at the start of the book, but she then inherits a rotting manor on a sprawling estate from her eccentric great-aunt. When she arrives, she is shocked to recognize the groundskeeper's face (I won't explain why--read and find out!), and for some reason he also seems to be going out of his way to avoid her. Not-really-spoiler: It's because he's extremely shy.
The two eventually start communicating via notes and begin opening up to each other despite their mutual anxiety. Eventually they start on a collaborative story, with Maybell leaving written passages and Wesley, the groundskeeper, illustrating what happens next. It was at this point that I started swooning and couldn't stop. How tender and wholesome is that?!?!? I could not stop babbling about this book to my friends.
I loved so many parts of this book. The writing is fresh and funny, and Maybell's (very unreliable) narration is highly relatable (at least to me, a twentysomething). The book also shamelessly leans into romance tropes and somehow manages to pull it off without becoming unbearably cheesy. And, as a nerd myself, I enjoyed the various nerdy references Maybell makes. To top it all off, Maybell also learns about and grows into herself over the arc of the story.
My one qualm was with Wesley's particular brand of shyness, which is actually specific to women. This just rubbed me the wrong way, although Wesley himself is delightful and not at all misogynistic, just...very afraid of women. And (minor spoilers for arc of Wesley's family/backstory)his family has basically cut him off and taunted him for not being in a relationship, and then as soon as he mentions that he is in a relationship, they are all right as rain and engage in some wholesome family activity. . I just wish the development here had been a little more nuanced.
Overall, this is a hilarious, tender, slow-burn love story that I highly recommend and could not stop talking about for days. Read it!
The two eventually start communicating via notes and begin opening up to each other despite their mutual anxiety. Eventually they start on a collaborative story, with Maybell leaving written passages and Wesley, the groundskeeper, illustrating what happens next. It was at this point that I started swooning and couldn't stop. How tender and wholesome is that?!?!? I could not stop babbling about this book to my friends.
I loved so many parts of this book. The writing is fresh and funny, and Maybell's (very unreliable) narration is highly relatable (at least to me, a twentysomething). The book also shamelessly leans into romance tropes and somehow manages to pull it off without becoming unbearably cheesy. And, as a nerd myself, I enjoyed the various nerdy references Maybell makes. To top it all off, Maybell also learns about and grows into herself over the arc of the story.
My one qualm was with Wesley's particular brand of shyness, which is actually specific to women. This just rubbed me the wrong way, although Wesley himself is delightful and not at all misogynistic, just...very afraid of women. And (minor spoilers for arc of Wesley's family/backstory)
Overall, this is a hilarious, tender, slow-burn love story that I highly recommend and could not stop talking about for days. Read it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
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