A review by jay_da_bookworm
Staging Love by Lynette McCornan

lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.25

I don’t have a lot of thoughts about this book. Overall, it felt flat and lacked most of the elements that make fake dating such a fun trope to read. The stakes didn’t feel very high—Camilla would’ve still been involved in her father’s company whether she was married or not, so the premise didn’t carry much weight. And Camilla’s realization that she had romantic feelings for Jade? It was about as surprising as realizing the sky is blue or that water is wet. I’m not saying it needed to be some life-shattering epiphany, but for someone who’s supposedly never been in love, I needed more than “Huh, I guess I’m in love and a lesbian…cool. No big deal.” Where was the internal conflict? The emotional depth? 

 

I won’t lie—this book could’ve been the cute Christmas love story I was looking for, but the development just wasn’t there. If everything had been fleshed out more, I could’ve easily rated it higher. But I couldn’t get invested. And in a romance book, if I, as the reader, can’t immerse myself in the relationship, can’t feel those warm, cozy feelings of falling in love, then honestly—what’s the point?