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A review by hgoravec
Here for the Right Reasons by Jodi McAlister
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
So this seemed to get a ton of rave reviews, but it was only available in Australia, but THEN it was on sale, so I bought the lot. It came up again on the SBTB website recently, so figured it was a good time to give it a go.
I am glad I read that review, even though there were some spoilers, but I think it helped going into the book to know the three stories overlap on the same season, not just continuations of a franchise. The book is relatively short, and it does feel like Cece and Dylan’s story is left unfinished.
The book definitely captures that 2020 pandemic feel - so much uncertainty, and situations that would never have happened otherwise. At the same time, because it’s a bottle episode, it can also ignore the pandemic in broad strokes.
I’ve never been a huge reality show fan, and I honestly don’t think I’ve ever watched a full episode of the Bachelor or similar, but I do enjoy these more “behind the scenes” versions. But one of the drawbacks is that our couple never really spends that much time together, and especially since all the other women hate Cece, you get a lot of imagined conversations in her head, and not a lot of interactions. Even at the end, it seemed like Dylan was more her idea of him, than actually him. We don’t get his POV, and I’m sorry but he led Cece on for too long. There’s dramatic tension, and then there’s being an overly cautious dick with anxiety.
The book does a decent job at showcasing Dylan’s anxiety without centering it, and Cece’s background in foster care comes through very strongly.
I get the sense that the other two books are better and help to round out the overall story, so I will definitely be reading them.
I am glad I read that review, even though there were some spoilers, but I think it helped going into the book to know the three stories overlap on the same season, not just continuations of a franchise. The book is relatively short, and it does feel like Cece and Dylan’s story is left unfinished.
The book definitely captures that 2020 pandemic feel - so much uncertainty, and situations that would never have happened otherwise. At the same time, because it’s a bottle episode, it can also ignore the pandemic in broad strokes.
I’ve never been a huge reality show fan, and I honestly don’t think I’ve ever watched a full episode of the Bachelor or similar, but I do enjoy these more “behind the scenes” versions. But one of the drawbacks is that our couple never really spends that much time together, and especially since all the other women hate Cece, you get a lot of imagined conversations in her head, and not a lot of interactions. Even at the end, it seemed like Dylan was more her idea of him, than actually him. We don’t get his POV, and I’m sorry but he led Cece on for too long. There’s dramatic tension, and then there’s being an overly cautious dick with anxiety.
The book does a decent job at showcasing Dylan’s anxiety without centering it, and Cece’s background in foster care comes through very strongly.
I get the sense that the other two books are better and help to round out the overall story, so I will definitely be reading them.