Happy book review day!
At the end of summer, I decided on something light and fun. Ultimate chick lit. Somewhere on my TBR list (which is just insane), I knew I had the perfect candidate. Not only featuring writing, and fashion, and relationships, but also British!
The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance follows Jessica Beam, a twenty-something girl who loves to party. Ever since the death of her mother, Jess' life revolves around one work: fun. But things kind of fall apart for her, and so she seeks out her long-lost maternal grandmother, thinking she'll borrow some money and take off to continue her fun and free-wheeling lifestyle.
But things aren't going great for Matilda Beam either. She had a series of very successful books in the 1950s: "The Good Woman" books, that instructed proper young ladies how to properly ensnare - and then keep - an eligible young man.
The two team up. Matilda makes over Jess, convinced that if she can get Jess of all people to be proper enough to attract someone truly eligible, then that will prove the "Good Woman" books still work and still are relevant to the modern woman. That equals a book deal.
But of course, things don't go totally smoothly.
This book is fun. Are the characters likeable? Really, really no. Not a one, actually. But they are quite sympathetic. I can understand each one's motivations. And the premise is fun: modern meets vintage. As a gal somewhere between those things myself, I really like the concept. How can a modern woman and vintage ideas get along?
Beware though: it's not all giggles and corsets and champagne. There are some pretty serious issues touched on in this book. I liked that.
As it is, I'm pretty torn on how to rate this one.
I enjoyed it. For sure. It was fun. (Even the cover was fun!)
Is it a fabulous, life-changing read? No. But it doesn't promise to be. It promises to be exactly what it delivers. Vintage stuff. Modern stuff. Mushed together.
But it also delivers more. It looks at relationships, identity, and the different roles women have played - for better or worse. Some parts of the book I did have an issue with. But overall, I liked it, and, if you like a solid chick lit read (and are not easily offended by the crude, rude, lewd Jess), then I recommend it to you. Otherwise, well... why would you consider it?
This book is kind of a "guilty pleasure" read; what is your guilty pleasure book? What makes a good one?
I'm actually posting some thoughts on guilty pleasure books soon, so I'd love your feedback!
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