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blewballoon 's review for:

3.5
emotional reflective slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

"The stakes have never been lower" is not something I usually have a problem with, because I like it when lower stakes leave room for more focus on the minutiae of the human experience and getting every detail of an emotionally charged interaction between characters. In this case I didn't feel like I really got any of the above. Billie and George never grew on me much. Billie is too much of a blatant "not like other girls" trope. That phrase is used literally in the text to describe her. George is your typical uptight heir who starts to think about his family friend Billie differently without much reason for why. The grounds for them being "enemies" is nonexistent and the animosity poofs away almost immediately. I don't think that was the right starting point for the relationship to grow from, because it didn't add any meaningful conflict or angst. Ultimately nothing really happens, and without an interesting emotional journey the book just kind of plods along slowly until a single mildly spicy scene at the end and a happily ever after.

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