A review by dianapiskor
A Love Catastrophe by Helena Hunting

adventurous emotional reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I truly wanted to love this story badly, especially because I am such a cat lady, but this is not one of my favorite reads. 

The premise is cute, with Kitty, our FMC, being a social media influencer with a business called the Kitty Whisperer and Miles, the MMC, is a client due to his mom's cat needing care. I thought the side characters were great, I loved the names of the animals (I mean a Sphinx cat named Prince Francis? YES), and I did think the characters were wonderful as well, but not with the storyline and how heavy this book is, which I was not expecting.

The book deals with heavy topics, such as early onset dementia, parent loss, and loss of a sibling. This is one of the main ways the main characters relate to one another and grow a deeper bond. But they talk about these issues repeatedly, and in depth, for many pages. As a result, I felt it really impacted their chemistry because it was if they were helping each other through their grief and they found someone they could relate to and decided to try a relationship. I just didn't buy their relationship and wasn't invested. And, as a romance, that is one of the main things I am looking for in this genre.

Additionally, I found some of the situations that the main characters found themselves in to be a bit over the top. Kitty is meant to be quirky and awkward, and that's how the author prefers to write her characters. However, there are so many situations where the "quirkiness" is a plot device. While I am fine with this if done sparingly, this is one of the only ways the author pushes the plot, and, as a result, it becomes repetitive. There are only so many awkward situations one can find themselves in before it becomes overdone.

I will say that all the things I found difficult for me could  be positive for some. Those who are looking for more internal connections based on heavy communication in their romance would enjoy this book. Those that want heavier topics in their books would be another group. They could also really enjoy books with characters who are not perfect or who are not as socially aware, preferring a more realistic main character. I believe those are the people who would really find this book entertaining and enjoyable.

Overall, this was not the book for me, However, if you like quirky FMC and deeper romances, this is the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
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