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viviundworte's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Death
Minor: Animal death, Toxic relationship, and Car accident
drealovesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Toxic relationship
nicolesreadingbooks's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
I feel like Sarah Hogle just really enjoys putting her main characters in a secluded derelict house and I am HERE FOR IT HAHA!! Wesley is literally my dream man like the whole time I was just thinking he could not possibly get better BUT HE DOES?!? And seeing Maybell stand up for herself in her own way and fulfill her dreams by working hard with what she has, showing that bravery does not always have to come in loud actions but in taking steps towards a better future even when one is afraid. I also really appreciated the attention given to social anxiety and could really relate to some of Wesley's troubles with public settings and how its effects can trickle down in other areas such as with personal relationships. (also victor and violet's relationship was so heartwarming i can't- )
Overall, this is definitely a comfort read and I can foresee myself rereading this when life goes bad. In fact, I read this after a bad interview and omg some of the lines in this book had me cACKLING and laughing even as I fell asleep!!
Overall, this is definitely a comfort read and I can foresee myself rereading this when life goes bad. In fact, I read this after a bad interview and omg some of the lines in this book had me cACKLING and laughing even as I fell asleep!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Racism
readundancies's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Initially, and we're talking like within the first 50ish pages, I was a lot more into this than I thought I was going to be. This thought did not age well by the end of it all though.
Hear me out. This was just not the right vibe for me. Maybell was too whimsical for me to take seriously at times and I had to suspend my belief in reality a little too often for it to be comfortable. Because unfortunately, in reality, I can’t see myself enjoying a cafe like Maybell’s Coffee Shop AU. It was her fantasy, not mine. And that’s fine, it’s her story. But I wasn’t all that into it.
Let me be clear, it was not the whimsy that was the problem. It was the fact that whimsy coupled with all the real life moments didn’t mesh well for me. It was confusing to have to figure out what was real and what was make-believe at times and I was not having a great time with it all.
With respect to characterization, I wasn't impressed, but I don't think it was horrid. Irritation at how her name was spelled aside, Maybell was straight up cuckoo clockin at times and it did verge on too much more than not. She was incredibly relatable at times though, and honest to boot which was admirable. So in short, she was alright. Annoying at times, but still had her redeeming moments. Wesley was a bit of a turd at times. I know there were reasons, but it still needed to be said. I was kinda into the gentle giant's assholery though, which is not surprising but a bit disappointing at the same time. I get the appeal is what I’m saying. Together, they worked well even though it was incredibly serendipitous in how it all went down. I never actively wanted them to be apart. I just wish the journey was different.their romance was sweet. Too sweet for me and the Type 2 diabetes that plagues my family’s genes, but that’s life.
When we're looking at plot, The Catfishing Caper of Maybell’s trust at the beginning was abhorrent. And it made Gemma a litany of inappropriate language that I don't care to type out at the moment, but definitely said aloud while I was reading. And I won’t apologize for any of it because it was all true. But I did think the story was just too short. The pacing was so unbelievably quick for a 300 page romance novel and a lot of people that read this might not take issue to that but as someone who lives for a slow burn, everything was happening much too fast for my emotionally stunted heart to find anything to grab onto and really sink my teeth in.
The ending was especially frustrating. I was waiting for some sort conflict between our leads to come to a head and it did. But with like 20 pages left to go. And then clearing it all up within that time frame so nonchalantly? I was feeling really uninspired at the rushed and halfhearted attempt at tying things off in a neat bow.
Because the heart of the matter is this book could’ve delved so much deeper than it did and I wanted it to. Instead it took a much more whimsically blind approach which is still valid, but not what I really wanted, you know? I wanted Maybell and her mother to come to a loggerhead and for their relationship to be more fully explored. I wanted Ruth to not drop off the face of the earth after the first half because she clearly was important to Violet so what’s her deal? I wanted to know! I could’ve gone for more Koehler family members showing up in the flesh instead of being mentioned and then conveniently disposed of once their introduction paragraph had concluded. I just wanted more from the whimsy than the confusing daydreams-turned-reality episodes than we got.
So yeah, despite not really having any expectations going into this one, I was still disappointed. But don't let that deter you if you've got your heart set on this one. It just wasn't for me.
Hear me out. This was just not the right vibe for me. Maybell was too whimsical for me to take seriously at times and I had to suspend my belief in reality a little too often for it to be comfortable. Because unfortunately, in reality, I can’t see myself enjoying a cafe like Maybell’s Coffee Shop AU. It was her fantasy, not mine. And that’s fine, it’s her story. But I wasn’t all that into it.
Let me be clear, it was not the whimsy that was the problem. It was the fact that whimsy coupled with all the real life moments didn’t mesh well for me. It was confusing to have to figure out what was real and what was make-believe at times and I was not having a great time with it all.
With respect to characterization, I wasn't impressed, but I don't think it was horrid. Irritation at how her name was spelled aside, Maybell was straight up cuckoo clockin at times and it did verge on too much more than not. She was incredibly relatable at times though, and honest to boot which was admirable. So in short, she was alright. Annoying at times, but still had her redeeming moments. Wesley was a bit of a turd at times. I know there were reasons, but it still needed to be said. I was kinda into the gentle giant's assholery though, which is not surprising but a bit disappointing at the same time. I get the appeal is what I’m saying. Together, they worked well even though it was incredibly serendipitous in how it all went down. I never actively wanted them to be apart. I just wish the journey was different.their romance was sweet. Too sweet for me and the Type 2 diabetes that plagues my family’s genes, but that’s life.
When we're looking at plot, The Catfishing Caper of Maybell’s trust at the beginning was abhorrent. And it made Gemma a litany of inappropriate language that I don't care to type out at the moment, but definitely said aloud while I was reading. And I won’t apologize for any of it because it was all true. But I did think the story was just too short. The pacing was so unbelievably quick for a 300 page romance novel and a lot of people that read this might not take issue to that but as someone who lives for a slow burn, everything was happening much too fast for my emotionally stunted heart to find anything to grab onto and really sink my teeth in.
The ending was especially frustrating. I was waiting for some sort conflict between our leads to come to a head and it did. But with like 20 pages left to go. And then clearing it all up within that time frame so nonchalantly? I was feeling really uninspired at the rushed and halfhearted attempt at tying things off in a neat bow.
Because the heart of the matter is this book could’ve delved so much deeper than it did and I wanted it to. Instead it took a much more whimsically blind approach which is still valid, but not what I really wanted, you know? I wanted Maybell and her mother to come to a loggerhead and for their relationship to be more fully explored. I wanted Ruth to not drop off the face of the earth after the first half because she clearly was important to Violet so what’s her deal? I wanted to know! I could’ve gone for more Koehler family members showing up in the flesh instead of being mentioned and then conveniently disposed of once their introduction paragraph had concluded. I just wanted more from the whimsy than the confusing daydreams-turned-reality episodes than we got.
So yeah, despite not really having any expectations going into this one, I was still disappointed. But don't let that deter you if you've got your heart set on this one. It just wasn't for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship
megj23's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Sexual content and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death
megloveswords12's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Toxic relationship
decklededgess's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
4.5
trigger warnings: anxiety and panic attacks, cat fishing, emotionally abusive and toxic friend, gaslighting, loss of family, narcissistic parent, abusive and negligent parent, sexual content, disassociation during trauma (edit: this might be maladaptive daydreaming but i’m not sure), domestic abuse mention,
this book started out so sad that i was not going to stand for anything less than a tooth rottingly wholesome man for the main character. i think i might need dentures because wesley was so sweet all my teeth have fallen out.
this book started out so sad that i was not going to stand for anything less than a tooth rottingly wholesome man for the main character. i think i might need dentures because wesley was so sweet all my teeth have fallen out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, and Racism
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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