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misha_ali's review
2.0
This was a 2.5 rounded down, mostly because while I enjoy the trope, the problems I had with this book were two-fold:
1. The character motivations were confusing at best, and plot-convenient but not very realistic at worst.
- Incredibly strange that
- Also very weird that despite being alleged best friends, Marshal and Sage spend absolutely no time together and seem to have no affection or banter between them and could be mistaken for polite and considerate strangers living together.
- Additionally, the motivations of the clearly evil woman campaigning (heh) for Marshal's affections would be
I could go on, but a lot of the conflict seemed inorganic and very low stakes but not intentionally so. For example:
- He repeatedly asks her whether she wants to go through with it.
- Marshal's campaign needs a partner for him, which is easily doable if you can find any appropriately compatible person who enjoys being outgoing and having causes to work on that complement his work.
- Sage could have just pretended to be Marshal's girlfriend rather than a fiance and eventually wife, which seems to be taking things a bit too far for a political campaign.
- Jayden could have set the record straight at any point about not being the driver and retired to Alaska where she conveniently has a place to stay, her daughter already with an established life, and her former partner and current co-parent, rather than go to the home of an actively campaigning brother where the media will absolutely be following them.
- It's as if bisexuals don't exist! Sage has no reason to hide that she has a deceased wife because bi people exist and you can absolutely be in a relationship with a man after this. This would also be less awkward when suddenly meeting a formerly incarcerated person she and her wife used to know and having to suspiciously shut down any inquiries into her current partner being a man.
2. Instead of quiet moments and actual character interactions, we have emergency situation or crisis on top of crisis bringing the main characters together, which is just not convincing for me. I don't want to list the multiple crises, from health scares to actual danger, but it just felt like artificially created drama after drama to get the MCs together.
1. The character motivations were confusing at best, and plot-convenient but not very realistic at worst.
- Incredibly strange that
Spoiler
a loving twin brother is unsure about coming out as asexual to his very queer sister. I don't understand why this was even a plot point or why Marshal would not just come out shortly after his sister is living with him, or at least use the fake relationship for PR purposes as a segue into that conversation.- Also very weird that despite being alleged best friends, Marshal and Sage spend absolutely no time together and seem to have no affection or banter between them and could be mistaken for polite and considerate strangers living together.
- Additionally, the motivations of the clearly evil woman campaigning (heh) for Marshal's affections would be
Spoiler
openly threatening to out him and his fake relationship. The motivations once again seem inorganic. Surely, exposing his fake dating scheme is counterproductive to her explicit goal of dating him?I could go on, but a lot of the conflict seemed inorganic and very low stakes but not intentionally so. For example:
Spoiler
- Marshal's feelings will not be hurt if Sage wants to not go through with this.- He repeatedly asks her whether she wants to go through with it.
- Marshal's campaign needs a partner for him, which is easily doable if you can find any appropriately compatible person who enjoys being outgoing and having causes to work on that complement his work.
- Sage could have just pretended to be Marshal's girlfriend rather than a fiance and eventually wife, which seems to be taking things a bit too far for a political campaign.
- Jayden could have set the record straight at any point about not being the driver and retired to Alaska where she conveniently has a place to stay, her daughter already with an established life, and her former partner and current co-parent, rather than go to the home of an actively campaigning brother where the media will absolutely be following them.
- It's as if bisexuals don't exist! Sage has no reason to hide that she has a deceased wife because bi people exist and you can absolutely be in a relationship with a man after this. This would also be less awkward when suddenly meeting a formerly incarcerated person she and her wife used to know and having to suspiciously shut down any inquiries into her current partner being a man.
2. Instead of quiet moments and actual character interactions, we have emergency situation or crisis on top of crisis bringing the main characters together, which is just not convincing for me. I don't want to list the multiple crises, from health scares to actual danger, but it just felt like artificially created drama after drama to get the MCs together.
taslin's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
jacemchale's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
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