Alphabet Weekend
By: Elizabeth Noble
By: Elizabeth Noble
My pile of birthday books still is not completed. Catcher in the Rye sits unfinished among my props for the show I ended weeks ago. But I hadn't picked up a book since I finished reading about those former Queens of England, and last Friday I realized why. I was in the mood for something light and easy, a romantic comedy of fiction. The next two books that I had are further historical fiction, not counting the handful of classics still waiting for me to give them a go. My brain needed a break, and my heartstrings needed a little bit of a tugging.
Well, with Alphabet Weekend, my brain certainly got a bit of a break. The characters were under developed, leaving me with an apathetic feeling toward our romantic lead. I spent the majority of the book wondering why I was supposed to root for these two, other than the fact that every other character said that they belonged together. Also, a personal pet peeve of mine, the other male in the potential triangle was so horrid, that there was no way any reader could expect them to end up together. Many of the secondary characters also blurred together, not quite having distinct personalities of their own. There were subplots, involving two other relationships. One, which was the parents of our heroine was pushed to the back burner, despite being potentially very interesting. The other, which featured our romantic interest's brother and his wife, did hold my interest, though it wasn't explored nearly as much as I would have liked.
And I wonder, is it the darkness of those two subplots that appeals to me? In one, the wife is diagnosed with depression and later the husband has severe health issues. In the other, the husband loses his job and shuts out his wife, who in turn is suffering from extreme attraction to a close friend's husband. Has this project taken away my not-so guilty pleasure of romantic comedy books?
I hope not, that would make me very sad. I have one more, purchased at the same time, by an author I quite enjoy.
In the meantime, if you're looking to read a fun, flighty romantic comedy (I believe the current term is beach reading) contact me for a thorough listing of books I've enjoyed over the years, before picking up this weak story.
Well, with Alphabet Weekend, my brain certainly got a bit of a break. The characters were under developed, leaving me with an apathetic feeling toward our romantic lead. I spent the majority of the book wondering why I was supposed to root for these two, other than the fact that every other character said that they belonged together. Also, a personal pet peeve of mine, the other male in the potential triangle was so horrid, that there was no way any reader could expect them to end up together. Many of the secondary characters also blurred together, not quite having distinct personalities of their own. There were subplots, involving two other relationships. One, which was the parents of our heroine was pushed to the back burner, despite being potentially very interesting. The other, which featured our romantic interest's brother and his wife, did hold my interest, though it wasn't explored nearly as much as I would have liked.
And I wonder, is it the darkness of those two subplots that appeals to me? In one, the wife is diagnosed with depression and later the husband has severe health issues. In the other, the husband loses his job and shuts out his wife, who in turn is suffering from extreme attraction to a close friend's husband. Has this project taken away my not-so guilty pleasure of romantic comedy books?
I hope not, that would make me very sad. I have one more, purchased at the same time, by an author I quite enjoy.
In the meantime, if you're looking to read a fun, flighty romantic comedy (I believe the current term is beach reading) contact me for a thorough listing of books I've enjoyed over the years, before picking up this weak story.
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