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A review by jackiehorne
Always a Bridesmaid by Lizzie Shane
3.0
Been checking out some of the RITA nominated books that I haven't yet read. Chose this one for its Indian-American protagonist, Parvati Jai, who is the only one in her family of sisters who hasn't married young. A fact Parv used to take pride in, but now that her beloved niece, at only 18, is preparing to tie the knot, Parv is worried that the love/marriage/babies that she's always wanted is going to be beyond her reach. Especially when old friend Max, upon whom she's had a crush since her teen years, starts to barge in and offer Parv advice about her failing coffee shop business. And after Parv, at the end of a stressful day, tells Max about said crush...
Can you write a feminist story about a woman who longs for a mate and fears she'll never find one? Especially when your female protagonist shows her love through her "acts of service" to others? And who thinks "I know it's anti-feminist to want someone to take care of me, but I do"? And when your male protagonist is a guy with a savior complex and a decided lack of previous long-term relationships?
From Parv's interactions with her female friends (who starred in previous books by the author), it seems that Shane does value feminist, sex-positive ideals. They take a backseat here in Parv's romance, but come through in Parv's relationship with her best friend, Max's sister, who, now that she's in a relationship herself, seems to have abandoned Parv. More of the emotional mojo comes from the stresses in that relationship than from the on-again/off-again back and forthing of Parv's and Max's.
Parv finally does get tired of being "Miss Nice Girl" and chooses to "go after what she wants." I only wished she had learned this lesson earlier (before the ugliness of her relationship with another "nice guy," a guy who turns out only to be nice when Parv agrees to everything he wants. Yuck!)
Can you write a feminist story about a woman who longs for a mate and fears she'll never find one? Especially when your female protagonist shows her love through her "acts of service" to others? And who thinks "I know it's anti-feminist to want someone to take care of me, but I do"? And when your male protagonist is a guy with a savior complex and a decided lack of previous long-term relationships?
From Parv's interactions with her female friends (who starred in previous books by the author), it seems that Shane does value feminist, sex-positive ideals. They take a backseat here in Parv's romance, but come through in Parv's relationship with her best friend, Max's sister, who, now that she's in a relationship herself, seems to have abandoned Parv. More of the emotional mojo comes from the stresses in that relationship than from the on-again/off-again back and forthing of Parv's and Max's.
Parv finally does get tired of being "Miss Nice Girl" and chooses to "go after what she wants." I only wished she had learned this lesson earlier (before the ugliness of her relationship with another "nice guy," a guy who turns out only to be nice when Parv agrees to everything he wants. Yuck!)