lov2laf's Reviews > The Brutal Truth

Something about this didn't click for me. Yes, it's competently written and there are good parts to it but the rhythm was all over the place.

There's a getting to know you phase, estrangement, a move across the world, more estrangement, a more severe estrangement, a platonic wooing, estrangement again, one sided romantic interest conveyed, another move across the world, then both romantically interested but separated, another move across the world, and finally a coming together with very little time of the couple being in a relationship romantically. :-|

The two leads were okay and, of the two, I preferred Maddie but I found the most interesting characters to actually be the supporting cast, especially the fashionista mother and daughter duo. Felicity was a close runner up. Maddie and Elena weren't bad characters by any means but I didn't buy the dual chemistry. Yes, I got Maddie's side of it but Elena wasn't even ice-queen so much as stiff.

I was really looking forward to this read but found myself disappointed because the romance never really got off the ground. I think all of that estrangement and pretending not to care just threw the romance and chemistry for me. It took forever for Elena to 1) show blatant interest or 2) for Maddie to pick up on Elena's subtle interest which, in truth, she couldn't really help because it wasn't written, either. Elena's romantic interest in Maddie occurred off the page, out of sight from the reader. And then the acknowledged mutual romantic interest didn't last long because the book ended shortly after they get together.

That said, the book is entertaining enough. Lee Winter has a journalism background and I think, like her other books, it helped keep the story line accurate and interesting. I particularly liked all of the scenes with Natalii. The sexual harassment sub plot was a topical element that happens to coincide with the #metoo movement going on right now. Thankfully, it's a slow burn instead of an insta-love romance (though it veered too far on the slow burn side, I think). And, in general, there's a feel good tone to the book. For whatever drama that occurs, nothing is too dark or heavy.

Competency-wise, I put this book in the 4 star range and do think others may it enjoy it more than I did. But, for me, liking-it-wise I give it a 3.5.