ashwednesday

DNF at 15% 

I can tolerate insta-lust.
I can tolerate cardboard dialogue.
I can tolerate overplayed tropes.

But I just can't tolerate a heroine whose sole reason for existence is to get married. Katy is heartbroken that her boyfriend of five years does not propose to her on the night of her 30th birthday. She's already tired of looking at their married friends and gorgeous babies with frustrated longing, so she gives him an ultimatum that she will leave him unless he marries her.

He lets her leave.



Ha! Good on you, hipster Daniel with your Mighty Mouse tattoo and skinny jeans! 
Run! Run free and wild from the crazy, emotional blackmailer!

I'm quite unclear how these two managed to be in a 5-year relationship when all Katy wants is to get married while Daniel has commitment issues having witnessed his parents go through a painful divorce. I mean, what were they doing in all those five years? Do they even talk? Adding insult to the injury is Katy's unhealthy obsession to get engaged to someone when she's pretty much jobless (she's a freelance writer). I'm sorry but I can't fathom a person who lets herself be defined by her marital status, personal fulfilment be damned. And it must be romantic for some people to see someone like Daniel sacrifice his own happiness to save her... eggs but the pragmatist in me can't help but be offended on his behalf.

So Katy is given the opportunity to live a life so different form what she's used to, writing an article about surfing in Costa Rica. She continually references her failed relationship with Daniel at ever opportunity she can. Which is actually familiar territory to anyone who has tried to recover from a bad breakup. Then she meets the cute surfing instructor and immediately dreams and imagines white lace and promises with the unsuspecting guy. 



Perhaps that's what the book is supposed to be about, how this heroine evolves and finds her own worth instead of finding herself a groom. But the way this was written held no reassurances that it will be headed towards that direction. Much as I hate not finishing books this early, I hate a pathetic heroine even more. I'm trying to save what little sanity I have for books that won't give me the urge to punch the next random person I come across at work.

ARC provided by BellBridge Books thru Netgalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.