A review by serendipitysbooks
Better Luck Next Time by Julia Claiborne Johnson

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

3.5

 Better Luck Next Time is told by Ward, a now elderly man looking back at the time he spent in the 1930s working as a ranch hand at the Flying Leap, one of Reno's divorce ranches, and the relationship that developed between him and two of the guests, roommates Nina, an independent aviator on her third visit, and shy sheltered Emily, unsure if leaving her husband was the right thing to do. Nina and Emily felt like archetypes, developed for their contrasting personalities and backstories, rather than fully rounded characters in their own right. Additionally, I really wanted to hear from the women directly rather than indirectly via a man. There's nothing wrong with the perspective of a male ranch hand. It just wasn't what I wanted. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings