Hello my loves, I'm finally back with a book review! Hurrah! I am back to being obsessed with reading and of course spending money I definitely don't have on books that I definitely don't need. With this return to literary freedom my social media has also followed suit, especially my For You page on TikTok. I have found myself well and truly a part of BookTok. More specifically the romantic, adult-fiction side of BookTok. So I thought what better way to continue to satisfy my obsession whilst also justifying countless more book purchases than creating a new series on my blog. Here it is then, my first and definitely not last BookTok review. Todays instalment is The UnHoneymooners by Christina Lauren.
This book is an unbelievably easy and enjoyable read. Had I been god damn lucky enough to go on holiday (clearly not bitter or jealous of anyone at all) then this would've been the perfect beach/pool side read. This is not me saying that the book doesn't have any real substance, but it certainly isn't going to shock you to your core. I think the best way to put it is, this book is like taking a holiday from your life. A well needed, Hawaii based holiday.
The plot is a classic enemies to lovers, a narrative that I think most of us can happily say we are enamoured with. Theres nothing like the heated arguments of two single people turning into the heated something else of two not so single people. God loves a slow burner. Not only did I love the actual narrative journey of Olive and Ethans story but also the setting was incredibly complimentary alongside it. I'd say two thirds of the book are set in Hawaii, where the two go on a honeymoon meant for someone else. The honeymoon plot line gives the story great romantic opportunities, from the shared room to snorkelling excursions. I must say there is some unrealistic events thrown in their too which could be eye-roll inducing but hey, we're all here for lighthearted fun so I'd recommend just going with the flow.
Character wise, I really loved Olive. She's a plus size woman which I appreciated, not every fictional female protagonist has to perfectly meet societies beauty standards. A characterisation which can get repetitively boring. So it was extremely refreshing to read a book from a view point of a character with relatable thoughts and feelings. Ethan was a fun character who definitely got better and more developed as the book went on. I'd say overall he was a little boring but he fit the book, story and setting well enough. The side characters were entertainingly interesting and I particularly enjoyed Olives family. There are a few stereotypes thrown into the mix but nothing problematic or too cringe-worthy.
Overall I did truly enjoy it. I read it in under three days, a timeframe which would've been significantly shorter had I not been working. I honestly could not put it down, once it was open I could've kept reading until the end. Which is probably the best sign of a good book right? The entire story was completely satisfying and upbeat, traits which I am loving in my books at the minute.
I'd say it won't change your life but it'll make it a damn lot better for a little while.
7/10. Would definitely recommend to a friend. Good job TikTok algorithm.
Em
No comments
Post a Comment