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A review by penningtales
Finally Yours by Claire Raye
2.0
The story follows Lauren and Jack, childhood frenemies who met during the summer holidays while his father installed a grape crusher for her family’s vineyard. They lost contact when he and his father returned home to Australia. Now almost fifteen years later, that same crusher has broken down, bringing Lauren and Jack face-to-face once more.
Let me start off by saying I hate giving low ratings and negative reviews to books because I understand the effort and love authors put into their work. But, having said that, I cannot rate this book any higher. That would be unfair and untrue to my opinions.
I had several problems with this book.
My main grip was that the characters acted so juvenile, I had a tough time buying they were almost thirty years old adults. I found the heroine was the main offender of this and I quickly grew to dislike her.
Since this has the haters-to-lovers trope, Jack and Lauren start off by hating each other. But it’s more of a I-hate-you-because-I-like-you thing. At least, it read as such from the hero’s point of view. The initial chapters from heroine’s point of view stressed such an intense dislike, it made no sense at all when she brushed it aside later on, going as far as to admit how much she missed him when he left.
Once they do get into a relationship, she becomes very selfish and clingy, wanting him to abandon his life, work, family, and friends in Australia to stay with her on her vineyard. We get hints here and there that her backstory is the cause for this behaviour, but we never learn more. I wish we did because I wanted to understand and connect with her, but I couldn’t.
I wish I could say I at least fall for the hero, but alas no. Even after the heroine made it quite clear more than once that she wanted him to call her Lauren, not Lu or Lulu, he disregards her wishes and continues doing what he wants. If this was a one-off thing, I could’ve overlooked it. But this was something I noticed he continued doing throughout the novel. He’d continuously ignores her verbal no’s until he convinces her it’s what’s she wants too, and then he asks for her consent.
After about the 50% mark, all Lauren and Jack do together is have sex. And it‘s so very boring to read. There is no chemistry, no character development between them to keep the readers engaged.
The author also relies heavily on telling and not showing. The readers are constantly told how they feel about each other, why their previous relationships didn’t or don’t work, what their initial hatred meant.
Aside from the lacklustre romance, the whole buildup with their exes was a huge letdown too. They both came off as plot devices instead of characters in their own right. Nate, Lauren’s ex-fiancé actions make no sense at all. After Lauren tells him again and again to leave her alone, he continues showing up and acting like everything is normal. The narrative insists he’s jealous, but nowhere does he act like it. If anything, he acts like think she’s playing hard to get. And Mel, I had such high hopes for Mel. We’re constantly reminded of her existence, without ever learning who she is or what happened between her and Jack. Then she shows up at the end of the novel, having crossed the ocean to see him, only to cause misunderstandings and all but disappear again.
The crisis was basically a misunderstanding that could’ve been easily resolved with a conversation. And it was, quite quickly.
All in all, this had an interesting premise, but was poorly executed.
Please note: I received an advance digital copy of this book through NetGalley from Claire Raye in exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my opinions in any way.
Let me start off by saying I hate giving low ratings and negative reviews to books because I understand the effort and love authors put into their work. But, having said that, I cannot rate this book any higher. That would be unfair and untrue to my opinions.
I had several problems with this book.
My main grip was that the characters acted so juvenile, I had a tough time buying they were almost thirty years old adults. I found the heroine was the main offender of this and I quickly grew to dislike her.
Spoiler
I kid you not, there’s a point where she’s avoiding her ex-fiancé in the grocery store and instead of quietly walking away unnoticed (like her sister suggests) she decides to ran, makes sharp turns with her cart, smashes into a chip stand and sends them flying, only to drive over the set of chips! And when that’s done, hide around the corner. Of course he was going to notice her!Since this has the haters-to-lovers trope, Jack and Lauren start off by hating each other. But it’s more of a I-hate-you-because-I-like-you thing. At least, it read as such from the hero’s point of view. The initial chapters from heroine’s point of view stressed such an intense dislike, it made no sense at all when she brushed it aside later on, going as far as to admit how much she missed him when he left.
Once they do get into a relationship, she becomes very selfish and clingy, wanting him to abandon his life, work, family, and friends in Australia to stay with her on her vineyard. We get hints here and there that her backstory is the cause for this behaviour, but we never learn more. I wish we did because I wanted to understand and connect with her, but I couldn’t.
I wish I could say I at least fall for the hero, but alas no. Even after the heroine made it quite clear more than once that she wanted him to call her Lauren, not Lu or Lulu, he disregards her wishes and continues doing what he wants. If this was a one-off thing, I could’ve overlooked it. But this was something I noticed he continued doing throughout the novel. He’d continuously ignores her verbal no’s until he convinces her it’s what’s she wants too, and then he asks for her consent.
Spoiler
This was cringeworthy to read when they get intimate for the first time. Like yikes.After about the 50% mark, all Lauren and Jack do together is have sex. And it‘s so very boring to read. There is no chemistry, no character development between them to keep the readers engaged.
The author also relies heavily on telling and not showing. The readers are constantly told how they feel about each other, why their previous relationships didn’t or don’t work, what their initial hatred meant.
Aside from the lacklustre romance, the whole buildup with their exes was a huge letdown too. They both came off as plot devices instead of characters in their own right. Nate, Lauren’s ex-fiancé actions make no sense at all. After Lauren tells him again and again to leave her alone, he continues showing up and acting like everything is normal. The narrative insists he’s jealous, but nowhere does he act like it. If anything, he acts like think she’s playing hard to get. And Mel, I had such high hopes for Mel. We’re constantly reminded of her existence, without ever learning who she is or what happened between her and Jack. Then she shows up at the end of the novel, having crossed the ocean to see him, only to cause misunderstandings and all but disappear again.
The crisis was basically a misunderstanding that could’ve been easily resolved with a conversation. And it was, quite quickly.
All in all, this had an interesting premise, but was poorly executed.
Please note: I received an advance digital copy of this book through NetGalley from Claire Raye in exchange for a honest review. This does not influence my opinions in any way.