This is another book that I read while on my famous-guy-paired-with-an-ordinary-girl phase. Perhaps I expected a lot more from this, but all in all, I was rather disappointed by this book.The writing style itself falls a little flat for me. I sense that the author was trying to perhaps bring to life some quick, witty banter or she was trying too hard to create characters that were cool in their live-in-the-moment, I-don't-care-what-others-think attitude, but the end result is that it felt too forced, too much like the author was trying too hard, and wasn't interesting. Rather, it was more confusing and disorienting than it was anything else.Novels, especially ones like these, should never be realistic. But this book was just too unrealistic. Max, for instance, is just too perfect. Too, too perfect. But then he has his issues, such as his mother and his older sister. The author tries to create in Bronte, a neutral party who sees everything through new eyes and will heal all the family breaches, but that's just such a used up story plot that it just felt lame in this story. On top of that, Bronte doesn't really heal any breaches. It's just a hint of what's to come. On top of that, Bronte really has no place trying to heal family breaches when you consider her own major issues.Opposite of Max, Bronte is just a mess. I have no other words to describe this woman, supposedly rather book brilliant, who never grew up. She even saw therapists because she recognizes that she has issues, but she's too "smart" or too proud to allow the therapy to do her any good. She also blows hot and cold and makes decisions that I don't understand. After a rather strange relationship between Bronte and Max, the book just ends. Just like that. And it would be one thing if Bronte's issues are worked out and the reader can see or sense that her issues have been worked out, but that's not the case here.See, I'm still not certain what Bronte's problem is. She grew up with a father who had terrible mood swings and didn't know how to show he cared for her. So she grew up calling and referring to him by name because he was not a father to her. After that, she has problems with trusting men in general. So her entire relationship with Max is her lying to herself that it's temporary. Insert 1-year break up period. Then she and Max run into each other after a year, and they are back together. During this entire time, Max makes it clear that he's in love with her and sees a future for them. But Bronte still blows hot and cold--Max is great; things are moving too fast; but Max is great; things are moving too fast; repeat. So at the book's end, Bronte supposedly has some sort of epiphany, but I don't see what her epiphany is. She's still immature and insecure and has major issues. She knows she's that way so I can't see a happily ever after for Bronte and Max. It's like Max said, "like father, like son." Max, for some reason, is completely attracted to and in love with Bronte. And Bronte, well, I don't see her as ever becoming a good mother or a good wife. Because good mothers and wives know how to see outside oneself. All Bronte really sees is her own needs and her own insecurities. I see Max also dying early of a heart attack, like his father, because he will always be the one to bear all the burdens. This was a very fun read for the most part, with a fantasy dreamboat hero and a feisty, intelligent and confident heroine. The last third of the story, the heroine became whiny and unreasonable, with too much of a potty mouth, although that was supposedly part of her charm. Books need to come with ratings on profanity: this had too much of the non-pixellated f*** word. I've got to go wash my eyes with another book immediately.
What do You think about Prinsheerlijk (2012)?
Unconditional love, too perfect hero. Cloying daddy subplot. Still amusing.
—soumyasekharray
I love it when books show up in my mailbox for no reason.
—cindyboney2
