Barbara Rachel's Reviews

Happy Place by Emily Henry My rating: 1 of 5 stars Um. Nope. This book, the characters and the story all enraged 🤬 me. I wanted to love this book - I have loved everything else Emily Henry has written. Huge fan. Wish I could write like they do. I think this is the lowest stars I have given a book I have finished. I get why someone would like it, I think. I mean EH is an incredible writer and all of the basics are there. Characters, dialogue, a universe. I liked the cover…😂 I love Maine 🦞 and 🖤 the Stephen King references. I usually love a troubled-by-awful-parents and rising-from-the-ashes-of-a-dumpster-fire childhood story. And it is NOT that in the end the MC’s made the choices they did. They honestly could have made any choices by the time I was in the last 10% because I just wanted to know what happens and I just wanted the book to be over. Basically, if I wanted to listed to whining and waste my time, I would have a conversation with an over-privil...

 First of all, let me say I did receive this ARC for free; I am writing a review voluntarily. Okay, to get right to it, I really enjoyed this book! Our protagonist may have been down on her luck, but it has made her stronger than she knows and I enjoyed her wit and sarcasm, both of which are a cover for a deeply loyal person (once trust is earned).  The descriptions of transformation - shifting, heightened senses - were very well written - it was almost like being there.  I appreciate being able to visualize the scene and the characters in this way, especially the fantastical and magical aspects of the story. (#ADHDreaderandreviewer) Some of the dialogue, however, seemed clipped or rushed and I wished for some more of the eloquence put into the prose.   🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ The intimacy scenes are very spicy and had some different aspects - without giving anything away - that I found surprising. Nothing over the top, by my standards, but I will not be recommendinnng this to ...

  Let me start by saying I went into this really wanting to like these stories. I was even in the mood for some novellas rather than committing to an entire book. While there were certainly things I did enjoy, especially in the last novella, Below Zero , each story was spoiled for me by the cringy intimacy scenes. And I do not mean in an awkward way because much of life's more intimate moments can be awkward. That is just realism and that is one aspect of Ali Hazelwood's writing I do appreciate. She embraces and in some cases celebrates the weirdness. What could be cooler? It is something else about those scenes, in particular that bothered me, which I will explain.  ***spoilers ahead. I did enjoy getting to know each character. I was rooting for them all to see past their hang ups and being so introverted and to fall in love. I also really respect the concrpt of these stories: STEM career women, smart, all kinds of idiosyncrasies, trying to make a human connection or two. It ...