A review by basha
The Idea of You, by Robinne Lee

3.0

This book has a lot of the same pitfalls as most in the romance genre: A lot of compulsory heterosexuality peppered in that could have been left out a lot of trite aphorisms and clichés in the language that are corny enough to take you out of the narrative and wonder why an editor didn’t cross it out and keep moving. and in this book, although the age difference between the characters is a significant part of the plot, I would have been more comfortable if it was a year or two smaller… At times I felt like the reader was a teenager being coerced to think that statutory rape is fine if the relationship between the two lovers is passionate enough, or has some kind of other element such as fame to balance the power in the couple. Like so many TV shows made for teenagers, we are conditioned by your consumption to think these relationships are appropriate, and if the mail interest have been just 22 I would have been much less uncomfortable. But I see why people of this book, the plot picks up quickly. Like so many romance novels, you know from the start, who the two love interests will be, but unlike many romance novels, in this one, the future is not so foretold, that you already know how the plot will unfold between them. it is almost told with the tone of a darker drama, despite being squarely romance. And while the male lead has a bit more personality than the female protagonist, I generally found these characters to be believable, and their interest in each other to make sense. The chemistry between the two felt real, and the pacing of their dates was spot on - there is a lazy comfort paired with a fierce urgency in their attraction that I have not often seen another author nail. So, despite my reservations stated above, i see the appeal.