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mothmans_mum's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
While Lola Keeley is a great writer and this is indeed well written, I just struggled to enjoy it. For one thing, while I could see why Alice liked Sara, the reverse was not discernible. Whenever Sara said things she liked about Alice, they were always informed attributes, not things I had noticed in the story, other than Sara thinking Alice was hot for being able to fly a plane, or looked good in uniform. Nothing deeper than that.
Second, whenever the characters clashed over politics, it was never resolved. Alice would send cops to Sara’s house to fend off the paparazzi, Sara would, quite rightly, point out that given she and her daughter are women of colour, cops don’t make them feel safe (quite the opposite), Alice would be all like “huh? why??” and then the paps would just magically disappear without the need for a police presence and nothing more is discussed about that. Alice is all like “I love the troops! I fought in Afghanistan! Remembrance services are important to me!” and Sara is like “my daughter and I are brown! Fuck the murdering, colonising troops and the British empire! Remembrance services honour murderers!” and then they just agree to disagree. Even at the end, Alice is pissy with Sara for being against the monarchy and not giving a shit about state events (despite now enthusiastically participating in them for Alice’s sake), and they fight about it, and nothing is resolved.
Third, it’s entirely unclear why Sara ends up going along with all this. Despite being an anti-monarchist, anti-cop, anti-military, anti colonialist socialist, and despite the fact that Alice had actually offered to sever ties with the monarchy, Sara is still fine going to state events, being surrounded by bodyguards and spooks and ex-military personnel, etc, just to be with Alice? Alice gives up nothing, while Sara has to give up her job, and move away from her best friend, who is also her daughter’s aunt? And there is absolutely no emotional journey justifying any of this?
And in the end, Sara attends a state event welcoming the Turkish head of state, and Turkish military dignitaries. We know Sara doesn’t like the British PM, but we don’t get to hear her thoughts on these men who are carrying out a genocide against the Kurds.
I’d rather watch something entirely fantastical like The Christmas Prince than read something that brings real politics into the mix but cannot resolve its own contradictions.
Plus, again, what does Sara see in the absolute McNothing that is Alice.
Second, whenever the characters clashed over politics, it was never resolved. Alice would send cops to Sara’s house to fend off the paparazzi, Sara would, quite rightly, point out that given she and her daughter are women of colour, cops don’t make them feel safe (quite the opposite), Alice would be all like “huh? why??” and then the paps would just magically disappear without the need for a police presence and nothing more is discussed about that. Alice is all like “I love the troops! I fought in Afghanistan! Remembrance services are important to me!” and Sara is like “my daughter and I are brown! Fuck the murdering, colonising troops and the British empire! Remembrance services honour murderers!” and then they just agree to disagree. Even at the end, Alice is pissy with Sara for being against the monarchy and not giving a shit about state events (despite now enthusiastically participating in them for Alice’s sake), and they fight about it, and nothing is resolved.
Third, it’s entirely unclear why Sara ends up going along with all this. Despite being an anti-monarchist, anti-cop, anti-military, anti colonialist socialist, and despite the fact that Alice had actually offered to sever ties with the monarchy, Sara is still fine going to state events, being surrounded by bodyguards and spooks and ex-military personnel, etc, just to be with Alice? Alice gives up nothing, while Sara has to give up her job, and move away from her best friend, who is also her daughter’s aunt? And there is absolutely no emotional journey justifying any of this?
And in the end, Sara attends a state event welcoming the Turkish head of state, and Turkish military dignitaries. We know Sara doesn’t like the British PM, but we don’t get to hear her thoughts on these men who are carrying out a genocide against the Kurds.
I’d rather watch something entirely fantastical like The Christmas Prince than read something that brings real politics into the mix but cannot resolve its own contradictions.
Plus, again, what does Sara see in the absolute McNothing that is Alice.
auroratr's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
lalalindlein's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
rocioaguero's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Tenia muchas ganas de que me guste, porque la premisa del libro me llamaba la atención, pero entre más leía más ganas tenía de abandonarlo porque es muy aburrido.
Nunca llegué a formar una conexión con las protagonistas, si terminaban juntas o separadas me daba igual. Tampoco sentí una conexión entre ellas, no entiendo por qué se enamoraron, ni cuando o cómo. Todas sus intenciones las sentí forzadas y raras.
A mi me encantan los fake dating, y que este sea sobre la realeza me llamaba un montón, pero se sintió todo tan falso. La autora intenta por todos sus medios dejar a la Corona Británica como los buenos, y la prota, que al principio era anti-monarquía, deja sus creencias de lado rapidísimo. No se, se me hizo todo muy poco creíble.
smellymiche's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Homophobia, Racism, War, and Injury/Injury detail
cr4nkyp4nts's review
3.0
Mostly enjoyable listen but would have enjoyed it more if I had read it with my eyes. The narrator was lovely but the voices for both MCs were so similar that I couldn't tell who was talking during some of the dialogue.
dodecashedron's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
It was very sweet. However the conflict seemed put on and not that realistic. And I realise this is a stupid comment about a book about the love life of someone of the royal family, but it was a bit too British for me.
juf's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Very, very sweet comfort read
punkgremlin's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75