katekate_reads_'s review against another edition
2.0
I had really been enjoying this series so far but this book was a total miss for me. I really really didn't like it at all.
First - the positive. I enjoyed that Penny is a curvy heroine and while still dealing with some of her insecurities, is really working to take a healthy attitude toward food and exercise. I also love the ways she dove into finding friends in a new place - getting involved in activities that she loves. And...that's about it.
I really didn't like Penny and Caleb's relationship AT ALL. It felt like we just spent most of the book listening to how hot Penny thinks Caleb is. I GET IT. He's hot. Even after he said he's tired of only being recognized for being good looking...that's still pretty much all we get. When she lists the other qualities she likes - he makes good coffee? However - we can't really totally fault Penny for this - because Caleb gives us NOTHING else to like him for.
I hate when characters don't communicate well and not only does Caleb not communicate well, he barely communicates at all. He's a total Jess (from Gilmore Girls) and that is NOT a compliment. Being silent, sulky and moody doesn't make you deep or intelligent. It just makes you boring. What a snooze. And instead of fun banter that I love in a romcom - all Caleb's got is putting a heart in her latte art? Snooze.
In reaction - Penny basically becomes overly pushy and annoying in order to pry any little bit of information out of him. I hate when she basically forced him to take her to his house even when he made it clear he didn't want to. And then while there, she just stumbles across his tuition letter and reads it - no. Not okay. They've been casually dating for a couple of weeks. Also - one of the things I love about this series is that the female characters have careers and it matters to them. Other than Penny once saying that she has to work until 5 because even though she works from home she has to get stuff done - that's about all we saw of her work being important to her.
AND THEN - I also hated how it resolved. Caleb's leaving for med school across the country. Penny is all torn up and feeling bad and trying to make the most of their last few days together. But then he says oh, I decided last week I'm not going. What?? Why didn't you tell her? BECAUSE YOU WANTED HER TO ASK YOU TO STAY???? NO! She wasn't going to do that because for once she's being an actual human and understood that she shouldn't ask you to change your ENTIRE LIFE PLAN for someone you've been casually dating for a few weeks!!!
I will probably give the 4th book a try because I loved the 2nd book in this series so much. I wish I had skipped this one though.
First - the positive. I enjoyed that Penny is a curvy heroine and while still dealing with some of her insecurities, is really working to take a healthy attitude toward food and exercise. I also love the ways she dove into finding friends in a new place - getting involved in activities that she loves. And...that's about it.
I really didn't like Penny and Caleb's relationship AT ALL. It felt like we just spent most of the book listening to how hot Penny thinks Caleb is. I GET IT. He's hot. Even after he said he's tired of only being recognized for being good looking...that's still pretty much all we get. When she lists the other qualities she likes - he makes good coffee? However - we can't really totally fault Penny for this - because Caleb gives us NOTHING else to like him for.
I hate when characters don't communicate well and not only does Caleb not communicate well, he barely communicates at all. He's a total Jess (from Gilmore Girls) and that is NOT a compliment. Being silent, sulky and moody doesn't make you deep or intelligent. It just makes you boring. What a snooze. And instead of fun banter that I love in a romcom - all Caleb's got is putting a heart in her latte art? Snooze.
In reaction - Penny basically becomes overly pushy and annoying in order to pry any little bit of information out of him. I hate when she basically forced him to take her to his house even when he made it clear he didn't want to. And then while there, she just stumbles across his tuition letter and reads it - no. Not okay. They've been casually dating for a couple of weeks. Also - one of the things I love about this series is that the female characters have careers and it matters to them. Other than Penny once saying that she has to work until 5 because even though she works from home she has to get stuff done - that's about all we saw of her work being important to her.
AND THEN - I also hated how it resolved. Caleb's leaving for med school across the country. Penny is all torn up and feeling bad and trying to make the most of their last few days together. But then he says oh, I decided last week I'm not going. What?? Why didn't you tell her? BECAUSE YOU WANTED HER TO ASK YOU TO STAY???? NO! She wasn't going to do that because for once she's being an actual human and understood that she shouldn't ask you to change your ENTIRE LIFE PLAN for someone you've been casually dating for a few weeks!!!
I will probably give the 4th book a try because I loved the 2nd book in this series so much. I wish I had skipped this one though.
kyraliagal's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
litloulou's review against another edition
4.0
This was my favorite of this series so far. I did feel like there could have been more going on though. More to show us why they liked each other so much. I also don’t like love at first sight unless it is strongly followed up with later love of personality and it could have been a bit stronger there.
mediocre_white_reads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-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
4.0
sappleton12's review against another edition
emotional
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
3.0
poetribooks'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
transportedlfl's review against another edition
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? No
3.75
bamando's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-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
4.0
crystal_bookworm's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I loved the idea of the plot and characters. It took me a while to work out why I didn't like it. That is because all the characters faults are highlighted a lot throughout.
melanna's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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? It's complicated
3.0
Okay if this was just a cute little rom-com I picked up I would probably give it 4 stars. I liked the characters. However, there wasn’t enough “smart girl“ stuff in it for the series it’s part of. And though I appreciate that it had a fat lead. I really hate that she was so insecure about it. And we had to keep being reminded that she was fat and insecure about it. She’s so confident in every other part of her life I just can’t see this being SUCH a thing. It reeked of fat-phobia on the authors part that she was trying to hide while writing this character who eats really well, works out all the time and her body is just a size 16. Which she has supposedly accepted. Except she has such paranoia about sugar and has all these strict rules about food. Blah. I’m over it.
So if I could remove that part, they were may favourite characters in this series.
So if I could remove that part, they were may favourite characters in this series.