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Tropical Depression: Sort of like The Tempest... But Funnier
Stand-up comedian Miranda Tempestini is on top of her game, until she experiences the crushing loss of a failed adoption. Miranda’s life seems to be on a downward spiral. But when her unsympathetic family stages an intervention, Miranda is sent against her will to her estranged uncle’s island resort.
Upon her arrival, Miranda is agog when she discovers that her eccentric Uncle Prosser runs a Neo-Pagan grief retreat. Having been shipwrecked on the island with no means of escape, Miranda finds herself stuck with her bent uncle and ethereal Aunt Ariel for at least a month - trying to navigate grief while surrounded by maypoles, fae circles, sketchy potions, and graven images of way too many gods.
More disturbing still, Miranda is expected to attend group therapy sessions with a gaggle of oddballs who are each dealing with loss of their own. (Some losses being more offbeat than others) Among them are a cocky supermodel disfigured from botched plastic surgery, and stupidly attractive Scott Ferdinand. Despite Scott being annoyingly swoony and shockingly genial, Miranda makes it clear she has zero interest in him. Like at all. The last thing she needs is to get roped into another ill-fated relationship, unable to give a man the one thing he wants… But her meddlesome uncle has other plans.
Upon her arrival, Miranda is agog when she discovers that her eccentric Uncle Prosser runs a Neo-Pagan grief retreat. Having been shipwrecked on the island with no means of escape, Miranda finds herself stuck with her bent uncle and ethereal Aunt Ariel for at least a month - trying to navigate grief while surrounded by maypoles, fae circles, sketchy potions, and graven images of way too many gods.
More disturbing still, Miranda is expected to attend group therapy sessions with a gaggle of oddballs who are each dealing with loss of their own. (Some losses being more offbeat than others) Among them are a cocky supermodel disfigured from botched plastic surgery, and stupidly attractive Scott Ferdinand. Despite Scott being annoyingly swoony and shockingly genial, Miranda makes it clear she has zero interest in him. Like at all. The last thing she needs is to get roped into another ill-fated relationship, unable to give a man the one thing he wants… But her meddlesome uncle has other plans.
422 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 11, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 12, 2024
Miranda’s life is falling apart. She desperately wants to be a mother but she has no romantic partner and IVF has failed. She finally gets her chance when she adopts a baby girl, but this opportunity is ripped from her when the birth mother requests custody back. To deal with her grief, she goes to her uncle’s grief resort at the urging of her unhinged mother.
The grief resort is filled with interesting characters, and Miranda’s even more interesting (and obsessive) uncle. Lucky for Miranda, there’s Scott Ferdinand, the only normal person on the island who is reeling from the loss of his father. But Miranda has no interest in making friends or falling for a guy at the grief resort.
Along the way, she and Scott strike up a friendship, largely due to her meddling uncle pushing the two of them together. To get him to leave them alone, they agree to fake dating, and we all know how that turns out.
This story is loosely based on The Tempest so some characters and themes was recognizable.
The beginning of the book was difficult for me and I didn’t like the way adoption or infertility was discussed. I get the author was trying to show how ridiculous the view points in the book were regarding this but I could see this being very upsetting for parents of adopted children or those suffering infertility. If I wasn’t reading this as an ARC, I would have DNR’d at the 20% mark. There were funny parts in the book, but some things fell flat for me. I also hate miscommunication tropes, which was very much present in this book. For those reasons, I have rated this book as 2.5 stars.
Content warning: infertility, adoption, mentions of miscarriage
The grief resort is filled with interesting characters, and Miranda’s even more interesting (and obsessive) uncle. Lucky for Miranda, there’s Scott Ferdinand, the only normal person on the island who is reeling from the loss of his father. But Miranda has no interest in making friends or falling for a guy at the grief resort.
Along the way, she and Scott strike up a friendship, largely due to her meddling uncle pushing the two of them together. To get him to leave them alone, they agree to fake dating, and we all know how that turns out.
This story is loosely based on The Tempest so some characters and themes was recognizable.
The beginning of the book was difficult for me and I didn’t like the way adoption or infertility was discussed. I get the author was trying to show how ridiculous the view points in the book were regarding this but I could see this being very upsetting for parents of adopted children or those suffering infertility. If I wasn’t reading this as an ARC, I would have DNR’d at the 20% mark. There were funny parts in the book, but some things fell flat for me. I also hate miscommunication tropes, which was very much present in this book. For those reasons, I have rated this book as 2.5 stars.
Content warning: infertility, adoption, mentions of miscarriage
April 9, 2024
Tropical Depression begins when protagonist, Miranda, goes through a failed adoption. We follow her as she battles crippling depression from this event, and we travel with her to a remote island, owned by her uncle, to see if she will ever pull through.
Tropical Depression had me sucked in from the first page! This book has a very conversational and modern tone, which made it VERY unique!
I laughed, and I ugly cried during this book...
I don't know what I was expecting out of this book, but Tropical Depression by Allison McWood certainly was beyond any of my expectations!
A MUST READ!
Tropical Depression had me sucked in from the first page! This book has a very conversational and modern tone, which made it VERY unique!
I laughed, and I ugly cried during this book...
I don't know what I was expecting out of this book, but Tropical Depression by Allison McWood certainly was beyond any of my expectations!
A MUST READ!
April 4, 2024
I switched gears and happily read this new rom-com from Allison McWood, Tropical Depression: Sort of Like the Tempest…but Better! I throughly enjoyed the book from start to finish! The writing was fun and imaginative, and the characters were unique and entertaining! Miranda’s journey was one of self discovery filled with laughter, sadness, anger and love!One of my favorite authors is Christopher Moore and this very much gave me vibes of reading one of his books! I consider that to be a huge compliment for Allison McWood and her writing! I will definitely be adding more of her books to my tbr! If you want to have a good laugh while enjoying a great story this is the book for you!!
April 10, 2024
Miranda, a comedian living in Toronto, has just lost the baby she adopted a month earlier. After months of grieving, her family stages an intervention and sends her off to her exiled uncle’s island grief resort. On the way there, the boat she’s on gets shipwrecked, and she arrives at an extremely kooky neo-Pagan circus!
And once she arrives mayhem ensues. Between the colorful grieving attendees in her cohort, her eccentric and meddling wizard of an uncle, her ethereal aunt, and the resort's enthusiastic staff, Miranda would rather be anywhere but there.
This book is first and foremost a comedy and should be read as such. The characters are exaggerated cartoonish versions of what they may otherwise be. And if you go into the book expecting anything else, you will be disappointed, and you will not have given the book its fair chance.
But that’s not to say that the book doesn’t deal with hard-hitting and heavy topics, in the best way possible.
The book starts with us seeing Miranda lose the baby that she had adopted 30 days earlier because the birth mother changed her mind. The book showcases the horrors of the Canadian adoption system, which are mind-bogglingly ridiculous.
We also learn about Miranda’s struggle with IVF and lost pregnancy, although this topic isn’t discussed in detail.
Being set in a grief resort, we have people dealing with their own losses. Miranda’s cohort is dealing with all kinds of grief, like the loss of a parent, excommunication from a family, living with the aftermath of a botched plastic surgery, and teen pregnancy.
And each of these grieving people is comedic in their own right, while also presenting a real view of loss. Being a comedy did nothing to make the discussion of these topics any less serious.
This whole farce is run by Miranda’s uncle, who is a legitimate wizard, and her auntie, who is eccentric in the most hippy ethereal way. And these two love nothing more than meddling, with the best possible intentions. And her uncle’s main target is setting up Miranda and the very hunky New York chef, Scott.
I was very skeptical of Miranda’s and Scott’s relationship at first. She was very clear that she had no interest in him, and it felt like he was still trying to befriend her, with no instinct of self-preservation. But things clicked for me when they decided to fake dating to get her uncle off their backs. And as we all know, fake dating always leads to true love!
And once she arrives mayhem ensues. Between the colorful grieving attendees in her cohort, her eccentric and meddling wizard of an uncle, her ethereal aunt, and the resort's enthusiastic staff, Miranda would rather be anywhere but there.
This book is first and foremost a comedy and should be read as such. The characters are exaggerated cartoonish versions of what they may otherwise be. And if you go into the book expecting anything else, you will be disappointed, and you will not have given the book its fair chance.
But that’s not to say that the book doesn’t deal with hard-hitting and heavy topics, in the best way possible.
The book starts with us seeing Miranda lose the baby that she had adopted 30 days earlier because the birth mother changed her mind. The book showcases the horrors of the Canadian adoption system, which are mind-bogglingly ridiculous.
We also learn about Miranda’s struggle with IVF and lost pregnancy, although this topic isn’t discussed in detail.
Being set in a grief resort, we have people dealing with their own losses. Miranda’s cohort is dealing with all kinds of grief, like the loss of a parent, excommunication from a family, living with the aftermath of a botched plastic surgery, and teen pregnancy.
And each of these grieving people is comedic in their own right, while also presenting a real view of loss. Being a comedy did nothing to make the discussion of these topics any less serious.
This whole farce is run by Miranda’s uncle, who is a legitimate wizard, and her auntie, who is eccentric in the most hippy ethereal way. And these two love nothing more than meddling, with the best possible intentions. And her uncle’s main target is setting up Miranda and the very hunky New York chef, Scott.
I was very skeptical of Miranda’s and Scott’s relationship at first. She was very clear that she had no interest in him, and it felt like he was still trying to befriend her, with no instinct of self-preservation. But things clicked for me when they decided to fake dating to get her uncle off their backs. And as we all know, fake dating always leads to true love!
April 8, 2024
Today's review is of Tropical Depression by Allison Mcwood. At the start, this book had me realising feelings for Mirinidna after the failed adoption. I mean, it's heartbreaking to want to be a parent and have that opportunity then taken out of your hands. After this, Mirinda has been unable to make her public appearances at her usual haunt, so her critical family has sent her on a tropical retreat to her Uncle's Prosser Wellness resort to help her heal.
This report is full of various characters, and we are essentially forced to stop with Mirinda after a storm stops her exactly, and then we are thrown into the chaos of this unique wellness retreat. Mind you, all these characters are unique in their own way. It took me a little bit to get into the writing style but after time, i really enjoyed the flow of the story
Dive into the world of "Tropical Depression" and witness the intricate web of emotions and experiences that shape Mirinda's journey towards healing and self-discovery. #BookReview #AllisonMcwood #EmotionalJourney #HealingProcess #CharacterDevelopment #IntriguingPlot #LiteraryEscapade #MustRead #BookWorm #ReadingCommunity
This report is full of various characters, and we are essentially forced to stop with Mirinda after a storm stops her exactly, and then we are thrown into the chaos of this unique wellness retreat. Mind you, all these characters are unique in their own way. It took me a little bit to get into the writing style but after time, i really enjoyed the flow of the story
Dive into the world of "Tropical Depression" and witness the intricate web of emotions and experiences that shape Mirinda's journey towards healing and self-discovery. #BookReview #AllisonMcwood #EmotionalJourney #HealingProcess #CharacterDevelopment #IntriguingPlot #LiteraryEscapade #MustRead #BookWorm #ReadingCommunity
April 12, 2024
I have been reading a lot of fantasy books lately and needed a change of pace. I was delighted to pick up this book. Although the book isn't light and fluffy, it provided the diversion I was seeking.
The FMC Miranda is a single woman whose profession is a stand up comedian. She is popular and loves her job. What she loves even more is her soon to be adopted infant daughter. On the very last day before she can finalize the adoption, the birth mother decides to take back the baby. I was absolutely disgusted at the social worker assigned to her case. What an abhorrent woman!! I was equally unimpressed by Miranda's mother and sister, both of which were not only unsupportive, but incredibly insensitive. Yet, when they stage an "intervention" after they feel Miranda has "wallowed" long enough, Miranda reluctantly agrees to go to her estranged uncle's island resort, which is a "healing paradise".
There she meets Scott, aka Scooter, a chef who is dealing with the loss of his father. The two hit it off and sparks are flying everywhere, but what will happen to their budding romance once the retreat is over?
The FMC Miranda is a single woman whose profession is a stand up comedian. She is popular and loves her job. What she loves even more is her soon to be adopted infant daughter. On the very last day before she can finalize the adoption, the birth mother decides to take back the baby. I was absolutely disgusted at the social worker assigned to her case. What an abhorrent woman!! I was equally unimpressed by Miranda's mother and sister, both of which were not only unsupportive, but incredibly insensitive. Yet, when they stage an "intervention" after they feel Miranda has "wallowed" long enough, Miranda reluctantly agrees to go to her estranged uncle's island resort, which is a "healing paradise".
There she meets Scott, aka Scooter, a chef who is dealing with the loss of his father. The two hit it off and sparks are flying everywhere, but what will happen to their budding romance once the retreat is over?
March 29, 2024
The title of this book caught my eye and I was drawn in by the characters. This book pulled so much emotion from me right from the start up until the last chapter. I wanted to cry, laugh and rage at times but I fell in love. This story starts with a failed adoption (birth mother changed their mind) and the trauma and depression that follows that loss. But we also get to heal and open up in magical group therapy. I don't want to spoil too much but there's an animal sidekick, my fav, called Roadie. So definitely think about adding this your tbr.
April 12, 2024
Allison McWood's modern retelling of "The Tempest" took me on a true emotional journey! From the deep feelings of loss and grief with Miranda's failed adoption, to rolling on the floor laughing at the wild scheming antics of her eccentric uncle, and through a healing journey with Scott who is also experiencing his own grief and loss.
This is the best book I've read all year! I highly recommend experiencing Allison's quick, witty, captivating writing style and spending some time with her compelling characters!
This is the best book I've read all year! I highly recommend experiencing Allison's quick, witty, captivating writing style and spending some time with her compelling characters!
December 18, 2024
A witty RomCom that hits you right in the “Feels”. This story follows Miranda who is a stranger up comedian at the top of her game who comedic styles hide a painful truth. Miranda's life gets turned on its axis when the adoption she was waiting for did not turn in her favor. The pain and depression over losing something you were so close to having sends Allison spiraling. As a result Miranda's insensitive family forms an intervention and send her away to a healing retreat owned and operated by her eccentric uncle and aunt.
This story takes you on a journey through Miranda's ups and downs. Her sadness, pain, depression, laughter and should we dare hope……love. This story makes you think about the devastation one could go through in Miranda's situation. Luckily she has an uncle with a Retreat with magical healing properties. Through it all, Miranda may receive more than healing but an overall sense of wholeness once this adventure is over.
This story takes you on a journey through Miranda's ups and downs. Her sadness, pain, depression, laughter and should we dare hope……love. This story makes you think about the devastation one could go through in Miranda's situation. Luckily she has an uncle with a Retreat with magical healing properties. Through it all, Miranda may receive more than healing but an overall sense of wholeness once this adventure is over.
December 31, 2024
So first thing with the title of this book, yes the book name has subtitles like - Sort of like The Tempest...But funnier here 'The Shakespeare' is introduced at the beginning of the book and that made me laugh without any reason. So yes this book is funny.
The book story has this funny, witty charm but it does have an emotional side as well which can actually make someone feel depressed.
The way the author has subtly explained grief is something different from a regular read. I would like to categorize this book as rom-com but it does have the essence of motherhood.
I feel the beginning of the book was a little slow because the spiral of events was just too much to handle at that moment but once the story got the male lead entry, the story went fast.
Somewhere it can feel too much or annoying personalities are emerging but in the end, you will enjoy and understand the story.
The book story has this funny, witty charm but it does have an emotional side as well which can actually make someone feel depressed.
The way the author has subtly explained grief is something different from a regular read. I would like to categorize this book as rom-com but it does have the essence of motherhood.
I feel the beginning of the book was a little slow because the spiral of events was just too much to handle at that moment but once the story got the male lead entry, the story went fast.
Somewhere it can feel too much or annoying personalities are emerging but in the end, you will enjoy and understand the story.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews