In The Love Wager by Lynn Painter, heroine Hallie Piper and hero Jack Marshall meet cute at the wedding of Jack's sister, get very drunk, and have incredibly hot sex. Hallie sneaks out because she's embarrassed. She and Jack bump into each other again on a dating site. Even though they already know that they are fully sexually compatible, and they quickly realize that they really like each other, they decide not to date each other because . . . otherwise there wouldn't be a book? No good reason is ever given for this. (My daughter suggested a back story where they found out their mothers had dated each other in high school so there's some weirdness there. That would have worked.) As a result the entire book is a complete snoozefest. It was a chore to turn the pages. Oh, Jack's in love with Hallie but isn't telling her. Oh, Hallie's in love with Jack, but isn't telling him. Oh, they're hooking up but both are pretending they're not in a relationship with each other.
This generic non-story naturally exists in a generic world. About halfway through the book the city where it is set was mentioned. Topeka, maybe? It doesn't matter; all we learn is that it's a place where with just a little effort Hallie can afford a nice apartment. Hallie and Jack both have pretty high powered careers, but no mention is ever made of the long hours they must put in or the ambition that must drive them.
Give this one a pass.
Sounds like a super generic romcom. Where did you pick it up? The Dollar Tree?
ReplyDeleteLOL. I got the book at the library. It's doing pretty well on the bestseller list (currently 859 for women's contemporary fiction on Amazon, which is pretty good for a book that's a year old). Some people find lack of conflict relaxing, I guess.
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