A review by aashkevr
Love Rehab: A Novel in Twelve Steps by Jo Piazza
2.0
2.5 stars
This book was a little bit of a disappointment for me.
It was funny, and it was a light, easy read. However, it did rather undermine its poignancy in the end, which kept if light. There were some funny aspects to the book - there were some vocal chuckles as I read through, but by the end I felt as though the book had attempted to make a real, researched point, and then had backpedaled in order to be adored by the undiscerning reader looking for romantic comedy.
This book is about the current climate/ culture/ conception of love leading to women becoming "addicts" to a need to be 'in love' and ending up in relationships that are damaging and degrading. Following the loss of the relationship, which cannot live up to the ideal that women are taught to expect by romantic movies, women seek out new relationships and spiral ever further into relying on others for validation of worth. With each relationship, a woman becomes a) more certain of her need for a new relationship, and b) less likely to be able to commit as a whole and undamaged partner that might be able to make a go of 'real love".
So, it's a good premise. I think it's something most women should be aware of.
The "love rehab" is about forcing women to acknowledge that love isn't like the movies. And about encouraging them to build a sense of self that isn't dependent on a particular relationship status.
But by the end of the book, there is, of course, a relationship. And the characters laugh about how sometimes love /is/ like a movie, which rather undermines the position of the book. Yes, sometimes people /do/ win the lottery, but you don't tell that to gambling addicts.
Regardless, there it is.
I understand that everyone likes a happy ending; I just wish that a woman having a sense of self-worth were a happy enough ending. I wish the "happy ending" didn't necessitate being with a man.
This book was a little bit of a disappointment for me.
It was funny, and it was a light, easy read. However, it did rather undermine its poignancy in the end, which kept if light. There were some funny aspects to the book - there were some vocal chuckles as I read through, but by the end I felt as though the book had attempted to make a real, researched point, and then had backpedaled in order to be adored by the undiscerning reader looking for romantic comedy.
This book is about the current climate/ culture/ conception of love leading to women becoming "addicts" to a need to be 'in love' and ending up in relationships that are damaging and degrading. Following the loss of the relationship, which cannot live up to the ideal that women are taught to expect by romantic movies, women seek out new relationships and spiral ever further into relying on others for validation of worth. With each relationship, a woman becomes a) more certain of her need for a new relationship, and b) less likely to be able to commit as a whole and undamaged partner that might be able to make a go of 'real love".
So, it's a good premise. I think it's something most women should be aware of.
The "love rehab" is about forcing women to acknowledge that love isn't like the movies. And about encouraging them to build a sense of self that isn't dependent on a particular relationship status.
But by the end of the book, there is, of course, a relationship. And the characters laugh about how sometimes love /is/ like a movie, which rather undermines the position of the book. Yes, sometimes people /do/ win the lottery, but you don't tell that to gambling addicts.
Regardless, there it is.
I understand that everyone likes a happy ending; I just wish that a woman having a sense of self-worth were a happy enough ending. I wish the "happy ending" didn't necessitate being with a man.