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A review by adammm
Where Have All the Boys Gone? by Jenny Colgan
2.0
There were aspects of this that were good, but there were even more that were bad. A few of my biggest complaints:
1. Almost none of the characters were likable. I mean, it's realistic - nobody is 100% likable. But it's difficult to read about people who are likable, then do something appalling, then likable again, then appalling...
2. The unprofessionalism was FAR too much. If anyone acted like these characters did in the real world, they'd be fired within a day.
3. This is a little nitpicky, and a bit (a lot?) controversial, but I think it's worth critiquing: a good portion of the romantic tension arose because the protagonist expected her love interest to call her. Meanwhile, she... did absolutely nothing to indicate her interest. I realize this book is a bit old, and I try to make allowances for older romance novels (feminism has made a LOT of gains over the last few decades, and nowhere is that more evident than in romances) - but girl, take some initiative! This book really leaned into the "lack of communication is the root of all romantic problems" trope, but how about instead of placing all the blame on your love interest you admit that you played a role, too?
This book is a solid 2.5 stars, but I'll give it 2 because I'm cranky.
1. Almost none of the characters were likable. I mean, it's realistic - nobody is 100% likable. But it's difficult to read about people who are likable, then do something appalling, then likable again, then appalling...
2. The unprofessionalism was FAR too much. If anyone acted like these characters did in the real world, they'd be fired within a day.
3. This is a little nitpicky, and a bit (a lot?) controversial, but I think it's worth critiquing: a good portion of the romantic tension arose because the protagonist expected her love interest to call her. Meanwhile, she... did absolutely nothing to indicate her interest. I realize this book is a bit old, and I try to make allowances for older romance novels (feminism has made a LOT of gains over the last few decades, and nowhere is that more evident than in romances) - but girl, take some initiative! This book really leaned into the "lack of communication is the root of all romantic problems" trope, but how about instead of placing all the blame on your love interest you admit that you played a role, too?
This book is a solid 2.5 stars, but I'll give it 2 because I'm cranky.