4.5*
This is a really solid, character-driven story, reminiscent of Daisy Jones and the Six, except that the many people who influenced Annie/Cass/Cate’s life tell their own story for a multi-narrated “memoir” rather than being interviewed. In this case, Cate is an author who uses her writing to make amends, process her feelings about the women she’s loved, and finally realize what will ultimately fill the black hole that is her life. In the process, the story serves as an exposé of Hollywood and how both writers’ and actors’ managers hold immense control over the celebrities they handle, sometimes using it for good, but often for self-serving reasons. Cate is a sympathetic character who made a desperately bad decision, but created something memorable from her catharsis. The secondary characters are fully-realized, perhaps because we get to see them from more than one perspective.
My only slight criticism is that the ending seemed abrupt, but that’s more because I like stories tied up in pretty little bows and that’s not how life works. Although there is a sapphic romance element, it’s not the book’s primary focus which is ultimately about ambition, guilt, loneliness, love in various iterations, the power and pitfalls of celebrity, hiding in plain sight, forgiveness, and redemption. A solid work of women’s fiction I highly recommend.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Atria Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
Alternate reality romance with a “what if “scenario which poses the question of whether or not true love transcends space and time.
Can a moment in time (or a missed opportunity) profoundly change your life’s trajectory? If you had the chance to live your life in two different dimensions but had to sacrifice one or more loving relationships, which life would you choose? Equipped with this knowledge, would you be able to make the necessary changes and take the risk of rejection to have an epic love in either dimension? These are the questions Olivia Dusk faces when she suddenly finds herself in an alternate reality. In her Real Life, she’s a recently furloughed middle school drama teacher in Los Angeles, busy planning her best friend Masha’s wedding, hosting a fledging podcast with her mother, and dreading the arrival of best man Jake Glasswell, former high school crush and nemesis who wouldn’t kiss her at prom, but went on to New York City for college and a very successful career as a talk show host. In high school, they competed in sports, on stage, and in the classroom, both being voted Most Likely to Succeed, However, when Olivia’s father died right after prom, she gave up her dreams of attending Juilliard and becoming a successful actress to support her grieving mother. When Jake arrives for the wedding, their sniping picks up right where they left off 10 years before, but there’s a fine line between love and hate. When Olivia finds herself in the other dimension (her High Life), she experiences the life she would have had if the prom kiss had actually happened. With no memory of the intervening years, however, she can’t live genuinely and honestly, nor can she repair the relationships she damaged along the way.
This is the first book I’ve read of Lauren Kate’s, but it definitely won’t be the last. I really enjoyed this fantastical romance reminiscent of the movie 13 Going on 30. Whatever dimension, the chemistry between Jake and Olivia is palpable and the love they have for each other in the High Life is relationship goals! The friendship between Liv and Masha and her relationship with her mother in her Real Life are a wonderful depiction of female empowerment. Living in LA, it was also fun for me to read about places I enjoy just like the characters. If you’re looking for a fun summer read, check this one out. Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from G.P. Putnam’s Sons through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
I can’t believe I waited so long to read this wonderful book. Rowley strikes the perfect balance between drowning in grief and finding the joy, laughter, and will to live by connecting with family and friends (old and new).
When Patrick’s best friend and sister-in-law Sara dies of cancer, his younger brother Greg asks him to take care of their two children (Maisie, 9, and Grant, 6) for the summer while he checks into a nearby rehab center to overcome his pill addiction. He feels ill-equipped to take care of two grieving children as a 40-something, childless gay man who is mourning both her loss and his unaddressed grief over the death of his boyfriend Joe almost a decade prior. However, Patrick accepts the responsibility and treats his niece and nephew like two little adults, not altering his extensive vocabulary of big words, his frequent references to pop culture from earlier times, his “colorful” language, or his penchant for bright caftans and comforting cocktails.
Whether it’s celebrating Christmas in July (complete with a towering pink tree), visiting kitschy Palm Springs tourist attractions, sharing useless facts (“distraction bombs”) and silly selfies, doling out “Guncle rules.” or just lounging in the backyard pool, he learns that he has an innate understanding of what these kids need to cope with the grief of losing their mother, making mistakes along the way, but also finding a way out of his self-imposed isolation and back to the world of acting he walked away from four years back. His methods may be unorthodox, but they’re also very thoughtful and effective.
I love how naturally funny Patrick is and how Rowley portrays his journey and re-awakening, so to speak. I also appreciate the insight into how hurtful it was for Patrick, with his platonic love for Sara, when she chose his own brother to spend the 2nd half of her life with after Patrick moved across the country to follow Joe and pursue his acting career. One of the reasons he is able to connect so well with Maisie and Grant is because she lives on through them. Rowley also raises the curtain on the struggles Patrick has endured as a gay man, especially when he lost Joe before same-sex marriage was legalized. Not gonna lie…that brought tears to my eyes! Rowley elicits a range of emotions, but I couldn’t help but think of my own life’s mantra borrowed from late comedienne Erma Bombeck: “If you can laugh about it, you can live with it.” And Patrick O’Hara really knows how to live. I can’t wait to read the upcoming sequel, The Guncle Abroad. Highly recommended!!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from G.P. Putnam's Sons through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
Another ambiguous ending? This is the second book of Serle’s that I’ve read (the first being In Five Years), and I feel like it’s a cop-out. Please, make a decision and don’t make your readers draw their own conclusions. Yes, I’m going to believe that Daphne is getting the happy ending I want for her, but it would have been better to read it on the page.
The premise was interesting, but by Chapter Five, I was already thinking that, if Daphne knows the expiration date on a relationship, why doesn’t she end it sooner if she knows it won’t work out or if she knows her heart will be broken when she starts to catch feelings? I was also frustrated because, to me, it was obvious that she should be with Hugo who she’d had only a three month romantic relationship with but who she still remained close friends with five years later, not wanting to imagine her life without him. Isn’t that what love is all about, someone knowing all of your secrets and flaws, but still wanting to be in your life? Why does she let a little slip of paper decide for her?
As for her relationship with Jake, it’s all so boring. Where’s the passion, the not being able to imagine a life without him in it? Jake’s a great guy, but he deserves better than someone who just wants a safety net because she doesn’t think she deserves anything more. Her parents love Hugo, her best friend thinks there’s still something there, and even Jake, after meeting Hugo for the first time, acknowledges that Hugo is in love with her. Yet, she lets a damn piece of paper determine her fate.
I don’t actually think Serle is a romance writer based on the two books I’ve read, if your definition of romance is a clear happily-ever-after. I won’t be reading anymore because they leave me very dissatisfied. In Expiration Dates, there’s also way too much of Daphne’s introspective monologue obscuring the dialogue, and it annoys me that Daphne isn’t forthcoming with the men in her life (except Hugo).
I chose this book to fulfill the prompt “Quick Read” in a book challenge I’m doing and, despite the fact that it’s only 272 pages and I’m generally a fast reader, it took me too many hours to slog through it. It’s not that she’s a terrible writer, by any means, but I just don’t like ambiguity in my romances.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Atria Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
