I've been on a bit of a historical fiction kick lately, so I was looking forward to reading something set a little closer to today than what I had been reading. Unfortunately, this book just didn't do it for me. Overall, it's ploddingly slow. I've been known to watch golf on TV and I still found this akin to watching grass grow.
While I don't have to like/love the characters of the books I read, I do have to be able to connect with them on some level. However, I was never able to get that with either Scott or Desirée. Scott is a bit of a tool and Desirée just comes across as vapid and somewhat manipulative. Frankly, neither really had any redeeming characteristics that made me want to get to know them, or their story.
The writing itself is not horrible, but it's all "tell" and almost no "show". Some of the dialogue is a bit too "back and forth" without any additional descriptive text that would help color the scene. On the other hand, I felt the author spent way too much time focusing on irrelevant details, such as what was ordered for dinner (is the fact that the brook trout was steamed with lemon butter sauce and served with steamed potatoes - excuse me “pommes vapeur” - really necessary?). Every time the characters got ready to sit down to a meal (which they did A LOT), I steeled myself for another veritable menu reading in my future. Unless the book is specifically about or centered around food/dining, there is no need for that much detail. Finally, there was no discernible character growth or development for either of the main characters. At the end of the book, I was frankly left wondering why we were told their story at all.
While I don't have to like/love the characters of the books I read, I do have to be able to connect with them on some level. However, I was never able to get that with either Scott or Desirée. Scott is a bit of a tool and Desirée just comes across as vapid and somewhat manipulative. Frankly, neither really had any redeeming characteristics that made me want to get to know them, or their story.
The writing itself is not horrible, but it's all "tell" and almost no "show". Some of the dialogue is a bit too "back and forth" without any additional descriptive text that would help color the scene. On the other hand, I felt the author spent way too much time focusing on irrelevant details, such as what was ordered for dinner (is the fact that the brook trout was steamed with lemon butter sauce and served with steamed potatoes - excuse me “pommes vapeur” - really necessary?). Every time the characters got ready to sit down to a meal (which they did A LOT), I steeled myself for another veritable menu reading in my future. Unless the book is specifically about or centered around food/dining, there is no need for that much detail. Finally, there was no discernible character growth or development for either of the main characters. At the end of the book, I was frankly left wondering why we were told their story at all.