Before reading Love, Rosie, I watched the 2014 movie staring Lily Collins and Sam Claflin. It was cute if not a little predictable but I didn’t expect the poor reviews from critics. Many referenced that the movie diverted drastically from the book. And they were right. Hollywood simplified and glamorized most of Love, Rosie. Brian was eliminated for Greg. Sally cheated on Alex (these are all inaccurate so not spoilers). Alex had no children with other women.
And yet, I finished the book deeply unsatisfied. Maybe it’s my age (28) but it felt like Alex and Rosie wasted lifetimes telling each other how they felt. They went from one bad relationship to the next. It was painful how many trials Ahern put them through. There were also so many moments early on where feelings could have been revealed. Such as the first flight to Boston airport when Alex and Rosie first separate. Both are unattached. Lives are changing. Great moment to reveal feelings and the kiss that happened when Rosie was 16, don’t you think!?
Also while I appreciate the unique way the story is told (letters, texts, chats) not everything had to be a letter. Exhibit b, when Alex saw how miserable Greg was making Rosie, he wrote a letter saying she deserved better. She deserved him. Said letter was stolen by the evil Greg. One - she deserved to hear that in person. Two - some may argue that it wasn’t the right time. She was giving her marriage a chance and it would be selfish. But I don’t understand how? She kissed him years earlier. He had a better than average chance and frankly, we know how it ended with Greg.
I know the ending is supposed to be unusual and sweet but to me Bethany is the winner in this story. This fact alone makes my blood boil. The rich princess won Alex at 17 when he was too scared to tell Rosie how he felt. She won him at 29. She won the picture-perfect house with the secure family life and no monetary issues. Rosie struggled from 18 on and the only reason she succeeds is her mother and sister take pity on her and reward her with the house that becomes her inn! This is after her finishing her education and interning at a run-down hotel. Ahern must really hate teen moms because Rosie does not catch a break until 50.
I’m sure this is an unpopular opinion but if Rosie was on birth control her life would have been quite different. Which is why abstinence, taught in primarily catholic schools, drives me mad. I’m not advocating that she should have aborted but she gave up her life and doesn’t catch a break. Sure, Katie was an amazing child but the struggle, hours at dead end jobs, dingy apts, dead-beat boyfriends and more seem like a punishment. As a result, I viewed her story as a cautionary tale not a happy romance. She gave up her dreams because of one night with a boy she didn’t even like! Her BnB is a cute consolation prize late in life.
Anyway, this book left me deeply unsatisfied. I spent hours trying to dissect it and my conclusion is that while Hollywood was inaccurate at least it saved us from the real horrors of teen pregnancy.
So this week has been pretty chaotic. We move out of our office in 2 weeks and I’ve been helping coordinate that and with the other departments on my floor leaving at the same time (our building is being renovated) it’s a mishmash of meetings, packing, chatting with coworkers about how weird it is to have our departments separated for the next year. Anyhoo, because of all this, I haven’t been…
Where did March even go? This has been a bit half-assed because of time constraints, but idk, read this when you’re bored at work? This edition is a wee bit late; I wanted to wait out the weekend because I went to an excellent art show and I wanted to share pictures. Unfortunately, the Starbucks I had right before that made the rest of the night not great, but I did eat a very tasty cake and the…
This month was a productive month for buying books. With the library sell and all the amazing new releases, my bank account has taken a bit hit this month. Totally worth it. The bolded are books I have finished reading, and the italics are books I have started reading. If you would like for me to discuss a book I have finished, just let me know
A Royal Affair by Nora Roberts How To Tame A Beast In Seven Days by Kerrelyn Sparks Defender by Diana Palmer The Girl With The Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas The Heartbreakers by Ali Novak The Boy Next Door by Ella James When The Marquess Falls by Lorraine Heath The Scarletti Curse by Christine Feehan Lair Of The Lion by Christine Feehan Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern The Red Heart of Jade by Marjorie M. Liu Beneath The Thirteen Moons by Kathryne Kennedy A Hunger LIke No Other by Kresley Cole One Red Rose by Julie Garwood ( The Clayborne Brides ) One Pink Rose by Julie Garwood ( The Clayborne Brides ) Dark Symphony by Christine Feehan ( A Carpathian Novel ) Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella My Life with the Walter Boys by Ali Novak Beguiled by Arnette Lamb Heart Duel by Robin D. Owens Dark Demon by Christine Feehan ( A Carpathian Novel ) Crown of Crystal Flame by C.L. Wilson ( Tairen Souls ) Crystal Kingdom by Amanda Hocking ( The Kanin Chronicles ) The Forever Song by Julie Kagawa ( Blood of Eden ) The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater Underworld by Meg Cabot ( An Abandon Novel ) Insatiable by Meg Cabot Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl ( Beautiful Creatures ) Trickster’s Choice by Tamora Pierce Trickster’s Queen by Tamora Pierce Nightspell by Leah Cypess Hoodwinked by Diana Palmer Donavan by Diana Palmer Storm Over the Lake by Diana Palmer Nora by Diana Palmer Secret Fire by Johanna LIndsey His At Night by Sherry Thomas Guardian Angel by Julie Garwood Vision in White by Nora Roberts ( The Bride Quartet ) Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts ( The Bride Quartet ) Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts ( The Bride Quartet ) Born In Fire by Nora Roberts ( The Irish Born Trilogy ) Born In Ice by Nora Roberts ( The Irish Born Trilogy ) Born In Shame by Nora Roberts ( The Irish Born Trilogy ) Stars of Fortune by Nora Roberts ( The Guardians Trilogy ) Bay of Sighs by Nora Roberts ( The Guardians Trilogy ) Island of Glass by Nora Roberts ( The Guardians Trilogy )
