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cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
4.0
Recommended by Connie.
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Shank%20and%20chloe%20mapson__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Shank%20and%20chloe%20mapson__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold
sharonfalduto's review against another edition
2.0
This is sort of a hen lit story, I guess, about a poverty-hardened horse-lovin' woman and the junior college professor who falls in love with her. They've both been around the block a few times. They've both got scars. They try to work together, and pull apart--you couldn't quite tell where the story would end up, which made it an enjoyable ride.
Also, a surprising amount of sex. Kind of made me wonder where the line gets drawn between "paperback romance novel" and "hardback serious literature." This was a hardback but...yeah. Sex!
Also, a surprising amount of sex. Kind of made me wonder where the line gets drawn between "paperback romance novel" and "hardback serious literature." This was a hardback but...yeah. Sex!
rdoose's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
I have a lot of thoughts about this random book that I picked up because some library person on the internet said it was one of their favorites.
Based on the title and cover, I went into this thinking it was a romance, and I think that kept me from really liking it for a while, because it did not meet my expectations. It is really general fiction that is centered, somewhat, around a relationship. However, this was not a relationship we see in Romance; it was two flawed people (and not in the trope-like flaws found in romance), and the characters were far more fleshed out than in a typical romance. The writing was also more literary, and a large portion of the book took place when the characters weren't physically in the same place.
But the men in this book are pretty unlikable. I think the author was probably trying to give a realistic representation of men, but it made them pretty hard to read sometimes. Any time two men were together, it seemed like women were the topic of conversation, and usually in a gross way. The main female character was also constantly being hit on, and I get that it's part of the Western, working-class characterization, but it got old. There were some really interesting conversations about consent in the relationship that I appreciated, though, and the author didn't shy from the ugly parts of the relationship.
I generally have a weird liking for books written in the 80's and 90's, but this one showed it's age in a way that wasn't charming. Besides the treatment of women, there was a lot of fat shaming. There is an overweight character, and the way her weight is viewed is very indicative of the early-90's. Her weight and eating habits are described in a judgmental way. Her being overweight served no purpose in the story other than as an example of her "improving herself" by losing weight in the end, and of course being much happier as a result. This played a big part in me not giving the full 4 stars.
Despite my many conflicted thoughts about the book, I did generally enjoy it. The writing was good, and I liked the western setting. The relationship was flawed in a real way that is typically seen more in literary fiction. I think I will read the second one, with hopes that it focuses more on the relationship and less on tertiary male characters that just wanted to get in the main female character's pants.
I have a lot of thoughts about this random book that I picked up because some library person on the internet said it was one of their favorites.
Based on the title and cover, I went into this thinking it was a romance, and I think that kept me from really liking it for a while, because it did not meet my expectations. It is really general fiction that is centered, somewhat, around a relationship. However, this was not a relationship we see in Romance; it was two flawed people (and not in the trope-like flaws found in romance), and the characters were far more fleshed out than in a typical romance. The writing was also more literary, and a large portion of the book took place when the characters weren't physically in the same place.
But the men in this book are pretty unlikable. I think the author was probably trying to give a realistic representation of men, but it made them pretty hard to read sometimes. Any time two men were together, it seemed like women were the topic of conversation, and usually in a gross way. The main female character was also constantly being hit on, and I get that it's part of the Western, working-class characterization, but it got old. There were some really interesting conversations about consent in the relationship that I appreciated, though, and the author didn't shy from the ugly parts of the relationship.
I generally have a weird liking for books written in the 80's and 90's, but this one showed it's age in a way that wasn't charming. Besides the treatment of women, there was a lot of fat shaming. There is an overweight character, and the way her weight is viewed is very indicative of the early-90's. Her weight and eating habits are described in a judgmental way. Her being overweight served no purpose in the story other than as an example of her "improving herself" by losing weight in the end, and of course being much happier as a result. This played a big part in me not giving the full 4 stars.
Despite my many conflicted thoughts about the book, I did generally enjoy it. The writing was good, and I liked the western setting. The relationship was flawed in a real way that is typically seen more in literary fiction. I think I will read the second one, with hopes that it focuses more on the relationship and less on tertiary male characters that just wanted to get in the main female character's pants.
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