Then, just as she’s finding her feet—not to mention a possible new romance—the worst happens. Demeter fires Katie. Shattered but determined to stay positive, Katie retreats to her family’s farm in Somerset to help them set up a vacation business. London has never seemed so far away—until Demeter unexpectedly turns up as a guest. Secrets are spilled and relationships rejiggered, and as the stakes for Katie’s future get higher, she must question her own assumptions about what makes for a truly meaningful life. (Pub Date: Feb 7, 2017)
Review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. I want to also thank the publisher for giving me this opportunity.
This was a story with a good conclusion to take from it, 'no one's life is perfect, so just be yourself'. I feel I got Kinsella's point but I hope I missed something that will spice up this book above average.
Katie struggles everyday to keep her dream life in London but it's too expensive and she can't even afford to breathe, much less have one of those expensive coffees she pretends to have on her Instagram account. She had no idea her boss-from-hell could make her life even less perfect than it already was.
This book started well, it's so easy to relate to Katie, trying to simply live while pretending it's all fine. But the story never really got me. It was a slow development, so I feel anything I say here will be a reveal.
In any case, the focus was ultimately to realize her boss's life was just not-so-perfect as her own. And this fell flat for me because for one the boss is far from charismatic or relatable—and this was on purpose. So any of her problems sounded like first-world problems to me. Especially because they were supposed to balance with Katie's, which, as I have mentioned, sounded like my very own. I won't say I hated the boss, I really didn't. I've had bosses like her before, so it was easy to find something to appreciate in her. It doesn't mean I found it in me to cheer for her well being, and this killed the book for me.
I find it commendable that Kinsella manages to write stories featuring romances and still not bet it all in the romance. However, the only way I see that I would have enjoyed this was if Katie and her boss were the main couple. Only blind love could really make you actively help such person.
Back to Katie, I liked her at first, as I said, but she didn't develop well. I mean, a part of her development was basically a cliché that if you are yourself you can win the world. She is hardworking so she deserves the best but this wasn't so believable to me. On the other hand, I do forgive it, it's good to get away to a world where this actually happens. But Katie was also just too immature at times, and that's the point that killed my love for her.
I'm glad to announce to those who like me enjoy romances that we do have a romantic interest. He doesn't appear much during the first half, so you'll have to hang in there. And he's not really bad. But he is definitely missing that swooning effect Kinsella's men have on me.
As you can see, this is a not-so-perfect story but it is a solid three-star. You won't hear me recommending it to anyone but I won't really tell anyone against reading it. It was a nice story with a nice flow. Except for the second third, I found it to be a fast read. It was actually good to read some nice chick-lit, I love those.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
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