Lovesome by Sally SeltmannMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'm not really one for half-star ratings, but this was better than the 3s I've read this year but not quite up to a 4. So 3.5 stars I guess? I'm rounding it up, though, because I'm sure others won't be as picky as me!
This is an adorable story. At first I was a bit put off by Joni, and her arrogance and judgmental attitude, but I think the way her thoughts flit around was a very real way of portraying the character, even if that character was one I didn't like. Her opinions and perceptions are constantly changing, and I think that's something most readers should be able to relate to. It's likely some of the characters will be familiar, and it's nothing out of the box in terms of storyline, but it's written in quite a unique style so that made me appreciate it a lot more.
I love the French restaurant setting (Harland) and particularly the little community that is built there within this story. It sounds like a wonderful place to spend the evening, and I enjoyed the dynamic between the characters.
Annabelle was a bit of a surprise to me, because I was expecting her to be far more self-centred than she actually was. Again, her relationship with Joni seemed very realistic, even if some of the occurrences were a bit cliche.
My main criticisms:
-Joni. Did not like her at all. Half the time she's acting like a child, and the other half she's a judgmental asshole.
-The blurb was misleading. **THIS REVIEW IS FOR AN UNCORRECTED PROOF COPY** but I was under the impression there would be all this tension as Annabelle and Joni go after the same guy. That tension lasted like two pages. This is really just a cute piece of fluff about Joni's quest for love.
-The actual 'lovesome' angle. Joni is pathetically obsessed with finding a boyfriend. I wanted more out of this, but what I got was pretty watery. (view spoiler) I don't think it's a bad thing to be obsessed with love, and wanting love, but I think it was too narrow a focus, and there really should have been more on the positives of a life with no significant other. There was the potential for depth, but it stayed fluffy.
-Some of the language was off. Joni acts like a child, and so her thoughts speak like one. Eg. I've never heard a fellow Australian refer to their sleepwear as 'jammies'. It's incredible how much this one word got under my skin.
-Too many insignificant details instead of story. I really don't need to know every single outfit, nor every single song. Would much rather a little more meat in the plot.
Overall it was a pleasant little diversion into someone else's love life, and a quick, easy read. There are some memorable characters, and the French isn't overdone which was a blessing. It's not a brilliant piece of literature, but it's enjoyable enough wit a unique storytelling angle and worth a read for lovers of the chick-lit genre.
Many thanks to Allen & Unwin for my ARC copy
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