My First Rainbow Rowell

I generally avoid romantic comedies as a genre, but there are some that I will watch every time they’re on TV, despite the plot holes etc.; this book felt like those.  It had a good pace and lots of charm, I liked the variety of characters, I loved the depiction of female friendship.

Sort of spoilers ahead: My main problem was that Lincoln, although well written, and although I was rooting for him, just didn’t seem all that interesting.  I wasn’t sure what Beth saw in him, although I believed that they were meant for each other, because Rowell is good at making you identify with the characters’ internal lives.  But I wanted him to get a hobby, to go to the library, learn how to cook, whatever.  I did enjoy the part where he fixes up his new place and starts going out, etc, and I get that it was a lesson in self-improvement and

So that made me drop a star or two, but I want to add a star for my favorite parts: how Rowell so deftly describes emotions.  The numb frustration of fighting for a relationship you won’t admit is only mediocre, the feeling that your partner is hearing your words but not your heart, and the surprise of oh this is how love is supposed to work..what on earth was I doing before this?!  For those snippets alone I’ll probably pick up another one of her books.  I also loved how she created two distinct personalities and voices for Beth and Jennifer, relayed solely through e-mail.  That was really well done, and I wanted more of it, even though it took up a lot of the book already.  personal growth before the romance could blossom, but in general I felt disappointed that there wasn’t more there there.  I was of course rooting for him to get the girl, but I wasn’t sure why, besides the fact that he was the main character.

So: 3.5 stars, although I could probably be convinced to add another .5 for charm.