I received Archie of Outlandish for Beach Blanket Book Club, a summer event hosted by Girls Life Magazine. I’d never heard of the book prior to pulling my slightly damaged copy out of the box, but was intrigued by the unique, whimsical, romantic premise and the promised emphasis on mental health. Unfortunately, this story didn’t live up to my expectations.

I had four main issues. First, the story read as if intended for a young audience, despite featuring a newly 20-year-old protagonist and a 21-year-old love interest. The writing was very simple, and while that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, in this case, it negated the story’s charm. The dialogue was often cheesy and felt forced, and from time to time switched to something still modern, but inexplicably formal. This made most conversations cringeworthy.

Secondly, all of the characters were rather plain. While each significant character had a personality and some sort of backstory, they felt shallow. No one truly had flaws or made mistakes. The drama felt impersonal, as did most other elements.

Third, the story as a whole was quite fast-paced. Though the two main characters did keep in touch for a short period of time after their initial meeting, the brunt of their relationship occurred after they were reunited, in a single week. Their separation after the fact led to some angst, largely due to ridiculous miscommunication. Instead of talking it out, they tiptoed around the problem, not wanting to hurt or offend the other person. A lot of eye rolling occurred on my end. Once they did make up, the romance continued to escalate, skipping leisurely or even moderate development and going straight to the next big step. And no, I don’t mean sex.

Similarly, in the second half of the story, Archie writes a children’s book and pursues publication. I admit, I know next to nothing about the publishing process. However, this part of the plot seemed to happen rather quickly. Not only does Archie’s agent come to his house to look at his work, but he’s signed, gets a deal, and has the book published, all in the same year. Not even a full year. Am I clueless, or is this idealistic?

Lastly, I never got attached to any character or invested in any part of the story. Sure, the combination of large text, short chapters, and interspersed illustrations made the book super quick and easy to read. I read the last 180 pages in a single afternoon. But I never picked this book up because I truly wanted to know what happened. I picked it up because I convinced myself not to turn on The Sims 4 or rewatch the new Aladdin as soon as the credits rolled. I picked it up just to be reading, and finished it sooner rather than later.

Another fairly crucial element, particularly in the second half of the book, was faith. Archie consistently prayed to God for guidance, and there was a decent amount of discussion about how God had a plan for everyone. I have nothing against Kraft for including this in her story, or anyone in real life who has these beliefs. The inclusion of faith isn’t a negative element; however, religion in non-fantasy books isn’t usually my cup of tea.

One bright spot among everything questionable was Outlandish itself. It was a quirky, quaint coastal town and summer tourist hotspot. With a family of magicians, fine dining, and unique architecture and landmarks, it was an undeniably fun setting to picture as the story unfolded. There’s even a map in the front of the book.

I wish I had more positive things to say about Archie of Outlandish, but unfortunately, this book simply didn’t work for me. I’d recommend it to those looking for a quick, lighthearted read, though if I’m being quite honest, it wouldn’t be at the top of my recommendations list.

CW: parental death (regarding the love interest), grief