layawaydragon
Written on Jul 13, 2012
Predictable and standard. The series has a formula and sticking to it. Abby has learned nothing, no character progression at all.Other characters are pointing out things she needs to work on, and Abby claims to be working on it...but we all know how her promise not to meddle worked out.
It seems like their is never any character progression in these kinds of books and that really kills it. Oh, people like this so let's keep it going. Really? Do you know what happened to Stephanie Plum and her now 18 book long series where things never change? What universe are these books set in? Pleasantville? For a florist they really are lacking in color in this setting. There are pretty obvious ways to grow and change for these characters but it remains to be seen if the author has the courage to go forward or cling to present state of things.
I did enjoy learning about the other characters more. (Annoying tidbit, after learning more about Grace, Abby jumps to wondering if Graceland is named after her friend. *eyeroll*)
I do love the voice of Abby's narration but her biases are grating. She's shallow. Not the uber rich country club type shallow. She's the middle class shallow. Everyone below her is too poor and stupid (except her dear struggling friends of course), everyone higher is too stuck up and pretentious. She was surprised a man just out of prison knew the word persecuting. Sarcasm or not, it shows her biases, assumptions and naivete. Everyone that is poor is stupid, lewd, and tasteless or just so pitiful and sad. Can she at least realize this and work on it? Show some character progression perhaps?
Oh, conveniently Abby claims that Jillian picked The Garden of Eden Banquet Center for Jillian's wedding due to the view of the fireworks show but that's not how it happened in the last book. Abby had to suggest it to Jillian after the original place kicked her from the date for the President's event and every other place was already booked.
I also don't buy that Don, the insecure husband, would be okay when finding out the young buck he thought was hitting on his wife was actually found naked and sweating with his daughter alone in her room. It'd be a progression move, all things considered, but I'm sure there was more turmoil at that house due to this than the author showed.
Totally knew the woman around Marco wasn't a romantic interest and couldn't possibly be one simply because that's the formula. That's how it always happens in these kinds of books.
Basically, same old same old. A basic cozy mystery. It's okay for what it is but it could be a lot better. Followed the same path as the last book. No surprised or anything that you couldn't see from a mile away. Abby still has a wonderful narrating voice but her biases, stupidity and naivete is getting more grating. Cops are still blind and stupid, ignoring leads to follow (of course they'd be easier to follow if Abby was forthcoming) and Abby solves the case. Or more like she sticks her nose into everything claiming to be helping (and being a know-it-all) stumbling and bumbling until finally the killer(s) decide to off her bothersome ass. Cue Marco & Co (mostly cops) to save her in the nick of time. Cue the romantic kiss, the romantic set-up which is squashed to get rolling on the next thing for Abby. Abby isn't the strong lead I'm looking for. Sure, spunky with comebacks. Sure, independent if you want to define that as living on your own and rebelling against cautious advice by doing dangerous shit anyways. But this is a damsel in distress and she's always in distress. She couldn't handle the simplest things without Marco and her friends.
Learned more about other characters, which was the best part, and it was a short (second best part of the book), easy-breasy enjoyable book. For the most part anyway, if you don't think about it much it's a better read. I've at least enjoyed getting from point A to point B in a timely matter with things all nicely wrapped with a bow at the end. There's still potential for the series since usually you need build up to get into the good stuff and the author could get the ball rolling on making changes now. Let's hope that's the case here. Otherwise, it's going the way of Stephanie Plum just in shorter timing.
*crosses fingers*
