by Ashley Henning Blake
rating: ☆☆☆ 1/2
published: 2nd May 2017
spoilers? a little
Goodreads
Galley provided by publisher
This book is a good example of how to write a book about LGBT+ characters that isn't about coming out. The fact that the main character is bisexual and falls in love with a girl is incidental to the story (that is, there are no Oh my God I'm in love with a girl moments, no "gay panic" and no coming out).
It took a little while for me to get into this book, but then I met Eva, the love interest, and suddenly I couldn't stop reading. Eva, although this may be a bit of a harsh assessment, carried the book along for me. Before she showed up, I was getting a little bored by it all. So I guess it's good that she turned up early.
The one, kind of big, problem I had was with the dickhead ex-boyfriend. Who the main character is having to live with, on account of her mother getting together with his father. When Grace, the main character, broke up with Jay, the dickhead ex, he posted all of her sexts online - which, besides, was it really a necessary plot point?. Because he's an arsehole. So, understandably, Grace isn't too happy with this arrangement.
And then there's the fact that he genuinely doesn't see what's the problem with his actions. And sure, it's there in the narrative, because we get everything from Grace's point of view, but she never tells him (though she shouldn't have to, but as I said before, he's an arsehole).
He also has this scene where he tries to force himself on Grace, pulling her towards him by the belt. In the bathroom of the house. Which makes what happened next all the more annoying for me, and is the reason I'm reluctant to round up for this rating.
About halfway through the book, he changes and becomes a not-a-dickhead ex, after Grace becomes nicer to him. Bearing in mind, he is still the arsehole who did what he did to her. They get friendlier with each other, but he never apologises for what he did. He's not sorry for it, we still don't even know if he recognises what's wrong with that. And that's what's frustrating to me. I wouldn't mind this whole "redemption" kind of thing, if he genuinely recognised what a dick he'd been and was sorry for it, but none of that happens. Granted, I don't think Grace forgives him, per se, but she's definitely less angry with him for it by the end.
So overall, it's a cute book. And I liked that Grace described herself as bisexual. There aren't enough books that do that. But the whole plotline with the ex-boyfriend made me like it a little less.
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