A painful humiliation becomes the driving force for a new life for Annie Wiig. After being ditched by her fiancé on the day of their wedding, Annie heads to Australia on their honeymoon taking old friend Patrick who she has recently reunited with.
I found it difficult to get into the book to begin with. It is a very slow burn and I found the characters quite irritating, with the exception of Freddie. I loved her relationship with Annie although she definitely reads as younger than 13 for most of the book. I also liked the relationship Annie had with her friends as their relationships were empowering and honest. Their lives were very different and all had their own issues but they supported each other regardless.
I liked Patrick as the love interest although I was somewhat skeptical to begin with. When his story was revealed, it did explain both his passion for life and the way he almost held back with Annie.
After the story picked up, there were some fantastic laugh out loud moments; the miss sent text, “willy-gate” and I warmed to the characters more. I really liked the positive way that Annie spoke about her body both before the holiday, when talking about exercising for strength and power rather than weight loss, and whilst on holiday, when talking about looking healthier for having gained some weight. I feel that this is something that we should see more of in books.
This is a cute book but ultimately it just didn’t work for me. It felt a little too predictable and I just wanted more from the characters.
If you’re after escapism and light romance then you will enjoy this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CW: death of a loved one, difficult family relationships, controlling partner
Only If I Can Bring A Book 