Holiday Read - Taylor Cole

I was given an advanced copy of Holiday Read by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.. so here goes.

I didn't love it, but I also didn't hate it.

The challenge with romance is that it's a very common and intensely saturated genre. Writers have to stand out to make them feel different to all the others. And whilst I can see what Cole tried to do - it rarely missed the mark.

I made the mistake of reading reviews whilst I was reading the book. I got about a third of the way in and, getting quite frustrated with the story in a "Surely not?" kind of way - I took a look at the reviews (something I NEVER normally do). The guilt absolutely took me over so I finished it instead of DNF'ing it.

And I'm glad I did because thankfully, it set itself back on a relatively good course.

In an attempt to set themselves out from other romance writers - there were some seriously unnecessary facts throughout the dialogue which turned elements into a lesson. There were social issues highlighted and discussed purely for the sake of featuring them in the story/book.

There were one or two subplots that were completely unnecessary - trying to tie up the ends just left the final chapters rushed and with no depth or value.

The desire to highlight and include so much of Cornwalls rich and beautiful scenery and history was clear, but it fell short of the mark because it just didn't DETAIL it all. It was spread too thin.

The main romance story - awesome, I love it. The motivating plot behind it, worked. The doubt I felt when I thought it was going to go one way was well done and I'm glad it DIDN'T go there. And had the the writer chosen to strengthen instead of adding in the above mentioned snippets - it probably would have ended up being a relatively decent read.

And I have to say it - the title is misleading. I'm keen to see what the others will say on release.

Comments

The English Fuhrer - Rory Clements

There's something about an alternative Second World War or a "What If?" that intrigues me. After my somewhat disappointing experience with The Man In The High Castle a few weeks ago - I was hesitant that this would also miss the mark slightly but thankfully - it hit all the right spots. A few months after the end of the War, Tom Wilde is back from his OSS placement and is settling back into academia at Cambridge. But a visit to a sick friend lands him in the midst of a biological attack on British Soil and he's called up on by his previous colleague to investigate. I really enjoyed this story. I didn't realise that it was part of a series of novels based on the central character, Tom Wilde but that didn't stop my grasp of what was going on. The departments and fractions of military were easy to pick up though there are a likely a few backstories that would have been useful to piece things together quicker. My only criticism is that Clements' writing s...

Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie

Started: Saturday 2nd July 2022 Finished: Saturday 2nd July 2022 Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ On Saturday I travelled up to London to see Beauty and The Beast at the London Palladium and with a four hours on a train, I wanted something I could really get stuck into. I need a book small enough to fit in my bang, fast paced enough to lose myself in and lighthearted enough not to impact my mood and Murder On The Orient Express was perfect. My second delve into the Agatha Christie catalogue, I’ve already labelled her books as “filler” books - perfect for one sitting and clever enough to keep me guessing without the dreaded Book Hangover. Murder On The Orient Express sees the infamous Monsieur Hercule Poirot have an urgent recall to England, cutting his leisure time short. But oddly, the sleeper train is full, a strange and unexplained circumstance given the time of year. Through his years of connections, a temporary cabin is found to be shared with McQueen - the travel companion for Ratchett; and ...

My Killer Vacation - Tessa Bailey

I think I've found my new favourite Tessa Bailey. I really enjoyed It Happened One Summer and Hook Like and Sinker so when this one was on offer - I ust had to add it to my basket. But I definitely didn't expect to love it! Taylor is taking her brother on vacation - they've gone all out on a beach house in Cape Cod but when they turn up, they made a gruesome discovery. A Bounty Hunter-come-Private Detective rocks up on his motorbike and the fun starts. I won't lie - I think Myles is the reason I enjoyed this one so much. Long hair, tattoos and 2 wheels? Sign me up. Fox and Brendan were hot, but they didn't quite push the right buttons for me. And what I enjoyed most is that the murder mystery element of the story was just as good as the rest of it. I was definitely a little hesitant because, it takes a different type of skill, but Bailey aced it.

The Little Library Project

Search This Blog