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elaine_angello's review against another edition
3.0
Slow start but I have to say this did draw me in.
I liked, didn't love it.
I liked, didn't love it.
aidyndowling's review against another edition
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
cdubiel's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked this book - for the voice mostly, but also for the character arcs. It isn't as much a thriller as a good psychological intrigue. Not for Gone Girl readers who expect breathless twists - this is for the introspective reader.
ashleykoz's review against another edition
5.0
Every time you think you have something figured out, you're proven to be utterly wrong. A real outside-in look at how we treat other people that we know and especially that we don't know.
beckylej's review against another edition
3.0
Dawn and her husband are frequent users of Getaway.com. For Dawn, staying in someone's home, rather than a hotel, allows her to imagine this is her life. It allows her to fully immerse herself in the trip and enjoy all her own getaway has to offer. Until the vacation is over, that is. But her experience in Miranda's Santa Monica home was less than stellar. So when she receives a snide email from Miranda, stating that due to a rather large stain left on the bedsheets, Dawn will be losing half of her deposit, Dawn is immediately offended.
For Miranda, the Santa Monica home is more than just a little extra income. She is, after all, the wife of a doctor. No one would expect that she'd need money on the side. But Miranda has been funneling the money into an effort to care for her son - in secret. So when Dawn's anger pushes her to leave a three star review, Miranda begins to worry it'll drop her reservations. But every attempt to convince Dawn to take the review down is met with increasing anger and as the situation spirals out of control, Miranda is forced to consider extreme measures.
I love the premise of This is Not Over. The prevalence of short term rentals as an alternative to hotels has undoubtedly become hugely popular. And yes, it does allow for a certain amount of homeyness that a hotel doesn't. But you know, those drab cookie cutter hotels do have regulations, and managers, and places you can take your complaint should something like being charged an exorbitant amount for a set of replacement sheets should happen...
I have to say I really did not like Dawn or Miranda. These are two women who, if met in real life, would drive me out of my mind! And watching them go to war was less of the thriller I'd expected and more annoyed amusement - honestly (and I kind of hate to admit it) waiting for each of them to get what they deserved for spending so much time bullying one another was part of the best anticipation of the read.
In both cases, their story starts out simple. Dawn is married to a patient and supportive man who encourages her to go back to college. They rent, he works for the family business, and Dawn is allowed to focus all of her efforts on school. So their trips are real treats for themselves. And Dawn does take offense to what she believes is a stab at her quality of person and life when Miranda implies they've ruined a set of sheets in her rental.
Miranda, a respectable doctor's wife and volunteer, has taken sole responsibility for her parents' old home in the wake of her father's death and her mother's need for assisted living. And because of a strained relationship between her son and her husband, it does allow her the freedom to lend the boy a hand every now and again. Plus, she really couldn't see herself selling the abode - it meant so much to her parents. With so many glowing recommendations for her rental, though, Dawn's review stings more than just a little.
Of course as the story continues we get to know these characters more fully. Neither is a pillar of their community - they each have flaws and quirks in their own right. And they each nag at one another, making the situation much worse than it needs to be. And then things around each of them, beyond their own picking at one another, begin to crumble.
I did quite enjoy the build of this tale. Brown, a marriage and family therapist, adds to each character in layers, revealing their secrets and their proclivities more fully in each chapter. There is no good guy here. Nor is there really a bad guy. Just two sides of an argument spun madly and wildly out of control. And they both seemingly realize it, considering they keep much of what's happening to themselves, adding to the mess.
So the moral of the story, kids, is this: focusing all of your effort and attention on ruining someone else's life is bad for you!
For Miranda, the Santa Monica home is more than just a little extra income. She is, after all, the wife of a doctor. No one would expect that she'd need money on the side. But Miranda has been funneling the money into an effort to care for her son - in secret. So when Dawn's anger pushes her to leave a three star review, Miranda begins to worry it'll drop her reservations. But every attempt to convince Dawn to take the review down is met with increasing anger and as the situation spirals out of control, Miranda is forced to consider extreme measures.
I love the premise of This is Not Over. The prevalence of short term rentals as an alternative to hotels has undoubtedly become hugely popular. And yes, it does allow for a certain amount of homeyness that a hotel doesn't. But you know, those drab cookie cutter hotels do have regulations, and managers, and places you can take your complaint should something like being charged an exorbitant amount for a set of replacement sheets should happen...
I have to say I really did not like Dawn or Miranda. These are two women who, if met in real life, would drive me out of my mind! And watching them go to war was less of the thriller I'd expected and more annoyed amusement - honestly (and I kind of hate to admit it) waiting for each of them to get what they deserved for spending so much time bullying one another was part of the best anticipation of the read.
In both cases, their story starts out simple. Dawn is married to a patient and supportive man who encourages her to go back to college. They rent, he works for the family business, and Dawn is allowed to focus all of her efforts on school. So their trips are real treats for themselves. And Dawn does take offense to what she believes is a stab at her quality of person and life when Miranda implies they've ruined a set of sheets in her rental.
Miranda, a respectable doctor's wife and volunteer, has taken sole responsibility for her parents' old home in the wake of her father's death and her mother's need for assisted living. And because of a strained relationship between her son and her husband, it does allow her the freedom to lend the boy a hand every now and again. Plus, she really couldn't see herself selling the abode - it meant so much to her parents. With so many glowing recommendations for her rental, though, Dawn's review stings more than just a little.
Of course as the story continues we get to know these characters more fully. Neither is a pillar of their community - they each have flaws and quirks in their own right. And they each nag at one another, making the situation much worse than it needs to be. And then things around each of them, beyond their own picking at one another, begin to crumble.
I did quite enjoy the build of this tale. Brown, a marriage and family therapist, adds to each character in layers, revealing their secrets and their proclivities more fully in each chapter. There is no good guy here. Nor is there really a bad guy. Just two sides of an argument spun madly and wildly out of control. And they both seemingly realize it, considering they keep much of what's happening to themselves, adding to the mess.
So the moral of the story, kids, is this: focusing all of your effort and attention on ruining someone else's life is bad for you!
ljohnson130's review against another edition
3.0
Miranda is a middle-aged, wealthy woman who owns a condo in Santa Monica, California that she rents out and Dawn is a soon-to-be college grad who rents the $600 a night condo with her husband. Both women think that the other has the perfect life, but are definitely mistaken. Each has secrets that eventually come out when the women disagree over alleged damage in the condo and the security deposit. A bitter feud ensues, which leaves both women hating the other and eager to expose their secrets and ruin their perfect life. At first, the book seems very trivial, since they are two grown women arguing about a $200 security deposit. However, the more the book goes on, the more we get to see the secrets that make each of the women the way that they are.
deliajmoore's review against another edition
4.0
A great read. It had a different kind of plot that I enjoyed.
ljamos's review against another edition
1.0
I finished the whole book, even though I'm not sure why. The story revolves around two paranoid, delusional women waging war on each other over a $200 security deposit. Other than the ridiculousness of the plot, every single character is completely unlikeable, and the supporting characters are all one-dimensional. There's a slutty friend, co-dependent loser mom, junkie son, one steely husband and one that's too good to be true, etc. The "twist" at the end is telegraphed from the beginning of the book, and the ending is trite. Completely disappointing.
skruetny's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly, this book took so long for me to finish. Like, FOUR MONTHS long. I kept picking it up and putting it back down until I decided to push through it this evening. The beginning drags and to put it simply, is boring. Fortunately, things do begin to spice up towards the end of the book. The characters were far from lovable. At certain points, I frankly disliked them. The writing was simple to follow and understand. Overall, a pretty good book, but I‘m not crazy about it.
ljbentley27's review against another edition
2.0
I’m not a huge fan of psychological thrillers. I’ll read them but it takes something really special to capture my attention. Sadly This is Not Over was not a book to grab my attention.
The story is of a bad review on a holiday website and the back and forth between two women who refuse to admit either one is wrong. As the animosity between them grows their civility diminishes. I think my problem with the book was that I just didn’t care. Both protagonists were annoying. They didn’t garner my sympathy and the threads of the storyline just seemed feeble and too coincidental at best.
This is Not Over was not the book for me.
This is Not Over by Holly Brown is available now.
For more information regarding William Morrow Paperbacks (@Morrow_PB) please visit www.harpercollins.com.
The story is of a bad review on a holiday website and the back and forth between two women who refuse to admit either one is wrong. As the animosity between them grows their civility diminishes. I think my problem with the book was that I just didn’t care. Both protagonists were annoying. They didn’t garner my sympathy and the threads of the storyline just seemed feeble and too coincidental at best.
This is Not Over was not the book for me.
This is Not Over by Holly Brown is available now.
For more information regarding William Morrow Paperbacks (@Morrow_PB) please visit www.harpercollins.com.