A review by lisa_m
Set on You by Amy Lea

lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

There are so many misunderstandings in this book. And such weird rules & situations.
(Having a double date with your grandparents who are engaged being one of them.)


I did enjoy the discussion of body positivity, workout culture and online hate. And I do think it was handled fairly well. Most of the other aspects of the story weren't though. I just got really annoyed by both the main characters frequently. Not only do they constantly have misunderstandings, they also set weird rules for no reason.
(like saying the we can't date until 2 months - while they absolutely are dating, since they are romantically involved and exclusive? They only don't kiss or have sex. Also the whole 'no touching rule made no sense to me even after it was explained).


I started reading this book because I am looking forward to reading Exes and O's. But when I started reading I just couldn't fully get into the story and once I put the book down I really did not want to pick it up again. I did eventually and I guess I'm glad I did? Now I already know Tara & Trevor and I do like them. So I truly hope I will like that book more than this one.

One thing that absolutely bothered me was that in the beginning of the book, the love interest was rude to the main character and she got really angry about it. But then in the end they try to change the whole narrative by saying that he was instantly in love with her the moment he saw her, and he just didn't know how to talk to her. Also there were so many times where I was like 'Oh so that's why they mentioned that before...' because absolutely any little detail comes back around to mean something.

And the relationship of the grandparents felt very weird and unneccesary to me. They already knew each other before. They would have gotten to know each other anyways. They didn't have any important moments during their grandparents wedding. All it did was that Crystal started doubting her grandmothers loyalty to her own grandfather (which never got resolved btw) and also we got some hugely uncomfortable moments like her going to a strip club with her grandmother and watching her get a lap dance? Eww I did not want to read that, sorry.
Also when Scott then said he should have done that, so they could have seen a real fireman? Nooo! That was so weird!! That's your step grandma & your ?girlfriend's real grandma! Don't say that!
And I don't understand what the author is trying to accomplish with the grandma anyways. She is very religious and oldfashioned, but at the same time bubbly & quirky and goes to a strip club to get a lap dance? And she is desperately trying to get her own granddaughter and her fiancées grandson in a relationship? Idk feels like plot convenience to me.. She is whatever the story needs her to be, but not a realtistic 3-dimensional character. 

Btw I did not like Scott. I can't quite say why but he just made me so angry and I feel like Crystal was always the one to appologize and do the grand gestures even though he did wrong too and then he just adds a quick 'I'm sorry too' to her appology and all's well? Also again him being the "perfect man" (he is absolutely not perfect but they make it seem that way, as they do in a lot of rom coms unfortunately).
And I skipped all of the smut scenes because I really just wanted to finish the book quickly, so I cannot comment on that at all.

Conclusion: I felt like this book was all over the place and tried to do way to much. I didn't connect with the main characters and disliked a bunch of strange plotpoints.
I am going to read Exes and Oh's though and I hope I will like that one better.
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