A review by befsk
Pretending by Holly Bourne

2.0

I was genuinely unimpressed with the book beginning with a rant about hating men, which was then followed by a short "oh never mind, he messaged back". It felt very trite and would've worked better if the rant hadn't been so long and all encompassing. It's never good to start reading a book with a bad taste in your mouth straight away from the first page.

At 50% in the attitude of the book was still really awful towards men. It was acting as if rage and being angry in the long term is healthy in any way, when it isn't. The main character was just unlikable. She lied to a homeless man that she doesn't have any change but felt good about herself because she didn't outright ignore him. Bizarre.

The book never really lifts despite finally throwing in the opinion that maybe rage and hatred of all men is not totally normal or healthy.

Spoiler

But then the main character never learns her lesson about that in any real way - she goes to one therapy session and realises it's maybe more about her rather than all men and still manages to keep her boyfriend despite all the lies she told him.

It was, as always from this author, well written, but the book just thoroughly depressed me. It just did. No other words. That anyone would think this way about half the population, no matter what trauma they personally have been through. I just could not relate.

I received this ARC through Netgalley.