A review by rachelle_reads
A Brighter Flame: A Novel by Christine Nolfi

emotional medium-paced

3.0

I’m usually willing to follow an author where they want to take me. I can generally develop empathy for unlikeable characters, for example, or forgive plot holes or cheesy dialogue, as long as the book as a whole comes together. 

This one didn’t come together. 

I didn’t really like any of the characters. They all manipulated each other in weird ways.

(Making up medical tests, Grandma? Really?)

The baseball husband and pharmacist boyfriend were too saintly and the parents were too awful. The dialogue was cheesy and horribly unrealistic at some points. 

And then the pacing was just weird. You get about 85% of the way through the book and then realize, wait - all this happened in a month? 

I gave this three stars because I did want to finish it, and it was an easy, quick read.