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The Romance Reader's Guide to Life
As a young girl, Neave was often stuck in a world that didn’t know what to do with her. As her mother not unkindly told her, she was never going to grow up to be a great beauty. Her glamorous sister, Lilly, moved easily through the world, a parade of handsome men in pursuit. Her brother didn’t want a girl joining his group of friends. And their small town of Lynn, Massachusetts, didn’t have a place for a girl whose feelings often put her at war with the world -- often this meant her mother, her brother, and the town librarian who wanted to keep her away from the Dangerous Books she really wanted to read.
But through an unexpected friendship, Neave finds herself with a forbidden copy of The Pirate Lover, a steamy romance, and Neave discovers a world of passion, love, and betrayal. And it is to this world that as a grown up she retreats to again and again when real life becomes too much.
Neave finds herself rereading The Pirate Lover more than she ever would have expected because as she gets older, life does not follow the romances she gobbled up as a child. When Neave and Lilly are about to realize their professional dream, Lilly suddenly disappears. Neave must put her beloved books down and take center stage, something she has been running from her entire life. And she must figure out what happened to Lilly – and if she’s next.
Who Neave turns to help her makes Sharon Pywell's The Romance Reader's Guide to Life one of the most original, entertaining, exciting, and chilling novels you will read this year.
But through an unexpected friendship, Neave finds herself with a forbidden copy of The Pirate Lover, a steamy romance, and Neave discovers a world of passion, love, and betrayal. And it is to this world that as a grown up she retreats to again and again when real life becomes too much.
Neave finds herself rereading The Pirate Lover more than she ever would have expected because as she gets older, life does not follow the romances she gobbled up as a child. When Neave and Lilly are about to realize their professional dream, Lilly suddenly disappears. Neave must put her beloved books down and take center stage, something she has been running from her entire life. And she must figure out what happened to Lilly – and if she’s next.
Who Neave turns to help her makes Sharon Pywell's The Romance Reader's Guide to Life one of the most original, entertaining, exciting, and chilling novels you will read this year.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 4, 2017
48 people are currently reading
2621 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
March 8, 2017
This book turned out to be very different from my expectations. Yes it certainly is a romance and it is historical fiction but it is also a lot more than that! There is a book within a book, an interesting but dysfunctional family, some astonishingly poor marriage choices, violence and murder and a certain amount of interference from the 'other side.' I thoroughly enjoyed it!
The author writes well and her characterization is good. The most prominent character is Neave who along with her sister Lilly manages, in the aftermath of World War 2, to start up a successful business along the lines of Nutrimetics or Avon. Lilly is the one who chooses the wrong men and eventually sets the main plot in action.
I guess the book is a commentary on Romance, the people who read it and how it compares with real life. It is also great fun, very engaging and a really good read.
I read this book as an advance copy from the publisher via Net Galley.
The author writes well and her characterization is good. The most prominent character is Neave who along with her sister Lilly manages, in the aftermath of World War 2, to start up a successful business along the lines of Nutrimetics or Avon. Lilly is the one who chooses the wrong men and eventually sets the main plot in action.
I guess the book is a commentary on Romance, the people who read it and how it compares with real life. It is also great fun, very engaging and a really good read.
I read this book as an advance copy from the publisher via Net Galley.
September 26, 2018
Book Reviewed by Nia on www.whisperingstories.com
This was a very enjoyable reading experience, but I’m not sure I’d call it a romance novel – despite the title and cover. I’m not sure what I was expecting going in, but it wasn’t drama, dark mystery or a theme of violence against women…
The book comes at you from a number of directions and timelines, primarily the lives of two sisters, Neave and Lilly, from their early childhood onward.
Neave is surly and belligerent though clever and strong willed, which is kind of fun to read because she isn’t particularly likable and everyone knows it – she’s not afraid of anyone and is brutally honest in all things, which isolates her from any friendships she might make.
Lilly, however, isn’t a bit shallow but she’s a people person and manages to complement all of her sister’s weaknesses when it comes to running a successful business in post-war USA. Women have been thrown out of the jobs they filled when all the men were fighting, creating a tension between men and women that wasn’t there before.
The chapter alternates between the perspectives of both sisters, as well as including chapters from a romance novel that Neave read as a child which we can draw parallels with as their story progresses. The perspectives the author uses to narrate this book are eccentric, which does make it stand out from the competition but, though it did work for me, I can see it being difficult for many readers to enjoy. It employs some of the same tricks as Lovely Bones, which was one of the few books I’ve never managed to finish.
Personally, I loved the historical drama of how two women created a successful business enterprise in the 1930 as well as the missing person element after Lilly’s disappearance, the romance part I could take or leave given that most men and boys in this book were simply horrible.
If you take this book as a dark mystery with strong female voices, you’re in for a very strange treat.
This was a very enjoyable reading experience, but I’m not sure I’d call it a romance novel – despite the title and cover. I’m not sure what I was expecting going in, but it wasn’t drama, dark mystery or a theme of violence against women…
The book comes at you from a number of directions and timelines, primarily the lives of two sisters, Neave and Lilly, from their early childhood onward.
Neave is surly and belligerent though clever and strong willed, which is kind of fun to read because she isn’t particularly likable and everyone knows it – she’s not afraid of anyone and is brutally honest in all things, which isolates her from any friendships she might make.
Lilly, however, isn’t a bit shallow but she’s a people person and manages to complement all of her sister’s weaknesses when it comes to running a successful business in post-war USA. Women have been thrown out of the jobs they filled when all the men were fighting, creating a tension between men and women that wasn’t there before.
The chapter alternates between the perspectives of both sisters, as well as including chapters from a romance novel that Neave read as a child which we can draw parallels with as their story progresses. The perspectives the author uses to narrate this book are eccentric, which does make it stand out from the competition but, though it did work for me, I can see it being difficult for many readers to enjoy. It employs some of the same tricks as Lovely Bones, which was one of the few books I’ve never managed to finish.
Personally, I loved the historical drama of how two women created a successful business enterprise in the 1930 as well as the missing person element after Lilly’s disappearance, the romance part I could take or leave given that most men and boys in this book were simply horrible.
If you take this book as a dark mystery with strong female voices, you’re in for a very strange treat.
May 2, 2017
There is a certain inherent distrust between the writers (and readers) of romance fiction and the devotees of literary fiction. Sharon Pywell, in a closing statement to this book, states that she never read a romance until after reaching adulthood, when she picked one up off a lending library shelf out of sheer boredom and a lack of something else to read.
The problem with coming to romantic fiction as an adult, as an author who already writes literary fiction, is the instinct to over-analyse things. Romances are about escapism, and here is where I think this author has fundamentally missed the point.
In writing a literary fiction novel about a fan of romance novels, including snippets of a supposed 'real' romance novel, the author has managed to create a book that is the absolute opposite of escapist. Full of drudgery, cruelty, sadism and murder, reading it felt like trudging through quicksand.
Literary fiction fans are snobs; they wouldn't begin to comprehend why a supposedly 'intelligent woman' would read or write romance. Believe me, as a romance author I've encountered more than my fair share of this kind of snobbery in writers' forums. There's a certain attitude that I must be only in it for the money (that would be funny if I was making enough to live on, really).
The truth is that a romance author writes, and a romance author reads, because we love the escapism of it all, the freedom to flee from a world that is far too often full of drudgery into one full of love and happy endings all around. Worst of all, even the romance novel within the novel, The Pirate's Lover, was terrible, and certainly not something that would have seen the light of day in the publishing climate of the 1930s when it was supposedly written. It reminded me vaguely of the rape-tastic Kathleen Woodiwiss books of the early 1970s. They were dreadful then and holding a similar book up as some sort of guide for anyone to live by in any era is absolutely ghastly.
There is no shame in enjoying romance novels, but by including such a rubbish one in a literary fiction book as an integral part of the plot the author only contributes further to the (extremely misogynistic) sneering stereotypes that literary fiction authors and readers already ascribe to those who enjoy romance.
I can only suggest that the author subscribe to the Smart Bitches Trashy Books blog and start reading GOOD romance novels. Maybe then she could try writing one herself and find out what they are REALLY about. Actual plot, decent pacing, characters that draw the readers in and a happy ending for EVERYONE we've come to care about.
Any one of those things in this book might have made it a half-decent read; as it was it took me two days to wade through it when my average read time for a book of this length is about 90 minutes. Not only that but it's left me in a bad temper because of the further wedge it drives in between the literary fiction and the romance fiction community, when I started it hoping that it would do exactly the opposite - that's why I selected it to read in the first place. One star.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
The problem with coming to romantic fiction as an adult, as an author who already writes literary fiction, is the instinct to over-analyse things. Romances are about escapism, and here is where I think this author has fundamentally missed the point.
In writing a literary fiction novel about a fan of romance novels, including snippets of a supposed 'real' romance novel, the author has managed to create a book that is the absolute opposite of escapist. Full of drudgery, cruelty, sadism and murder, reading it felt like trudging through quicksand.
Literary fiction fans are snobs; they wouldn't begin to comprehend why a supposedly 'intelligent woman' would read or write romance. Believe me, as a romance author I've encountered more than my fair share of this kind of snobbery in writers' forums. There's a certain attitude that I must be only in it for the money (that would be funny if I was making enough to live on, really).
The truth is that a romance author writes, and a romance author reads, because we love the escapism of it all, the freedom to flee from a world that is far too often full of drudgery into one full of love and happy endings all around. Worst of all, even the romance novel within the novel, The Pirate's Lover, was terrible, and certainly not something that would have seen the light of day in the publishing climate of the 1930s when it was supposedly written. It reminded me vaguely of the rape-tastic Kathleen Woodiwiss books of the early 1970s. They were dreadful then and holding a similar book up as some sort of guide for anyone to live by in any era is absolutely ghastly.
There is no shame in enjoying romance novels, but by including such a rubbish one in a literary fiction book as an integral part of the plot the author only contributes further to the (extremely misogynistic) sneering stereotypes that literary fiction authors and readers already ascribe to those who enjoy romance.
I can only suggest that the author subscribe to the Smart Bitches Trashy Books blog and start reading GOOD romance novels. Maybe then she could try writing one herself and find out what they are REALLY about. Actual plot, decent pacing, characters that draw the readers in and a happy ending for EVERYONE we've come to care about.
Any one of those things in this book might have made it a half-decent read; as it was it took me two days to wade through it when my average read time for a book of this length is about 90 minutes. Not only that but it's left me in a bad temper because of the further wedge it drives in between the literary fiction and the romance fiction community, when I started it hoping that it would do exactly the opposite - that's why I selected it to read in the first place. One star.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
August 4, 2017
*big shrug*
Not really what I expected. The "real" part of the story managed to be both somewhat bleak AND somewhat wish fulfillment. Three of the four siblings have super great careers! The fourth gets a great marriage!
And the supposed connection to the book within the book didn't come through at alll. I don't get why she kept reading the book. It didn't feel like it feels when you have a book you read over and over.
Just . . . happy to move on to a different book.
Not really what I expected. The "real" part of the story managed to be both somewhat bleak AND somewhat wish fulfillment. Three of the four siblings have super great careers! The fourth gets a great marriage!
And the supposed connection to the book within the book didn't come through at alll. I don't get why she kept reading the book. It didn't feel like it feels when you have a book you read over and over.
Just . . . happy to move on to a different book.
June 7, 2017
The Romance Reader's Guide to Life is very different. Told through two narratives, this novel has romance, historical fiction, a ghost story, and suspense all rolled up into one. 3.5 ★s!
April 21, 2017
First, major kudos on the cover.
Second, the back description and the cover may lead to an impression that this is a fun and potentially light/fluffy book, but that's not the case. It's half coming-of-age for a young woman who finds the world of books to be appealing when she gets to read for an elderly woman who has a romantic spirit. Naeve becomes particularly obsessed with a romantic tomb called 'A Pirate Lover', and throughout the book - until the very last chapters - bits of the book are mixed into the storyline. She also speaks of her brothers addiction to comics, so kudos there too.
Above all though it's about a bond of two sisters and how they grow together, go into business together, flourish together, and then must part through a tragedy that is hinted at from the start. There is a weird mixing of life and death that is hard to explain without giving some details away.
The writing style is well-done and colorful; Pywell has a beautiful way with words that makes a reader stand up and take notice. The story-line holds great potential to be fascinating with how adventurous some of it is, yet my interest only stayed afloat at a 3 star line. Sometimes things were a little confusing with the POV shifts, but the story-line also wasn't in order since we had some flashbacks, future tense warning of what's to come, and present tense. There's not a huge amount of difference between the sisters - in other words, the writing style is the same no matter the viewpoint - so I would have to pause depending on which viewpoint I was reading sometimes to check the chapter heading and make sure.
I dug the style of writing, the coming of age feel, but like many books out there the beginning is where the strongest part lies. Her childhood and teenage years was the most fascinating and where I was glued the most. She was fine as an adult but this the story got..strange and I wasn't sure where it was aiming to go. It comes together at the end in a satisfying conclusion.
Honest review given after receiving from Netgalley
Second, the back description and the cover may lead to an impression that this is a fun and potentially light/fluffy book, but that's not the case. It's half coming-of-age for a young woman who finds the world of books to be appealing when she gets to read for an elderly woman who has a romantic spirit. Naeve becomes particularly obsessed with a romantic tomb called 'A Pirate Lover', and throughout the book - until the very last chapters - bits of the book are mixed into the storyline. She also speaks of her brothers addiction to comics, so kudos there too.
Above all though it's about a bond of two sisters and how they grow together, go into business together, flourish together, and then must part through a tragedy that is hinted at from the start. There is a weird mixing of life and death that is hard to explain without giving some details away.
The writing style is well-done and colorful; Pywell has a beautiful way with words that makes a reader stand up and take notice. The story-line holds great potential to be fascinating with how adventurous some of it is, yet my interest only stayed afloat at a 3 star line. Sometimes things were a little confusing with the POV shifts, but the story-line also wasn't in order since we had some flashbacks, future tense warning of what's to come, and present tense. There's not a huge amount of difference between the sisters - in other words, the writing style is the same no matter the viewpoint - so I would have to pause depending on which viewpoint I was reading sometimes to check the chapter heading and make sure.
I dug the style of writing, the coming of age feel, but like many books out there the beginning is where the strongest part lies. Her childhood and teenage years was the most fascinating and where I was glued the most. She was fine as an adult but this the story got..strange and I wasn't sure where it was aiming to go. It comes together at the end in a satisfying conclusion.
Honest review given after receiving from Netgalley
April 24, 2017
This book was AWESOME!!! I have always been a reader and this book is like it was written just for me. This book is full of everything (and more) that I love in a story. I feel sorry for the people I'm going to be raving this to because there is no holding back the love I have for The Romance Reader's Guide to Life!!! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Sharon Pywell:)
February 14, 2017
The Romance Reader’s Guide to Life by Sharon Pywell was such an unexpected delight. Provided to me by NetGalley and the publishers (both of whom I thank for the opportunity to read and review), I confess the rather unusual and slightly formal title didn’t prepare me for the marvellous and very different content.
The novel is essentially two books in one, both of which are framed by the conventions of the world’s most popular genre: romance. The main narrative centres around two sisters: Lilly and Neave Terhune, and it’s primarily their voices that tell their utterly compelling story of growing up and entering the adult world pre and post World War II in small town America. The second narrative, which interweaves Lilly and Neave’s story, is called The Pirate Lover and it uses the usual romance conventions of the stricken heroine, wealthy, dashing and dastardly hero and a terrible villain to tell its tale of love, loss, and triumph over evil.
While The Pirate Lover is a rollicking romance in the grandest sense, played out in Parisian salons and the high seas, what occurs between the characters is echoed meaningfully and with chilling consequences in the sisters’ story. Both narratives also deal with the social expectations of women; how marriage is regarded as an inevitable outcome that should socially elevate them. Independence of thought action and through being financially independent is an outrageous prospect for women yet it’s precisely this that nevertheless, Lilly and Neave embrace. In this regard, both stories, but particularly, Lilly’s and Neave’s, portray a particular slice of cultural history – including, through their brother Synder, pop culture history (and I love the way Pywell plays with the devaluation of that; how it’s discredited as meaningless froth by most) - in really evocative and accurate ways.
Lilly could not be more different to her more forthright and yet romantic sister, Neave. When Neave is still quite young, she is hired by a wealthy woman to read to her daily, and it’s the relationship between the woman and Neave and the stories and books they share (and those they don’t – Neave steals a romance novel), that provide Neave with not only imaginative foundations, but emotional ones as well – which, for better or worse, will guide her throughout life.
In the meantime, Lilly embraces life, refusing to think too deeply about people’s motives or lack thereof or enter into arguments. Lilly is there for the moment; understanding and reflection can, if it does, come later… if not too late.
Establishing a successful business together, proving that women aren’t just ornaments or objects of men’s desires, Neave and Lilly, with their bond that transcends life, use their knowledge and business acumen to empower other women towards autonomy and freedom: social, economic, romantic and sexual.
But it’s the very same ability to forge careers and be single-minded and pragmatic, that also drives them towards men who don’t have their best interests at heart. When Lilly disappears, Neave’s world – real and imagined – collide in ways she never could have foreseen. Deadly danger stalks her and the family she loves and, unless she is able to utilise the help she’s being offered from beyond, then she, and the business she and Lilly worked so hard to build, is doomed.
While the novel draws on romance conventions, it also deconstructs and plays with them, weaving elements of magical realism, fantasy, history, crime and other genres into the tale. The writing is lyrical and lovely and, even if you think you don’t “like” romance” (all books are at heart, romance, even if it’s with the reader), the parallel stories - one very literary, the other more clichéd, draw you in and have you turning the pages.
My one slight issue is I felt the last quarter of the book took the magic realism element a tad too far. While I was happy to go along for the afterlife ride, it reaches a point where it’s difficult to suspend disbelief. Without spoiling the tale, there were elements to certain characters and the focus they were given at the end, which detracted slightly from what should have been their primary purpose – a purpose we’d been led to believe was the reason they still existed (albeit on another plane) in the first place. It strained even the credibility required to accept what was happening (which had been easy up until then).
Nevertheless, this is a tiny gripe about such an original, beautifully written and lovely story with lead characters to whom you lose your heart. Recommended for readers of romance, history, and damn fine books.
The novel is essentially two books in one, both of which are framed by the conventions of the world’s most popular genre: romance. The main narrative centres around two sisters: Lilly and Neave Terhune, and it’s primarily their voices that tell their utterly compelling story of growing up and entering the adult world pre and post World War II in small town America. The second narrative, which interweaves Lilly and Neave’s story, is called The Pirate Lover and it uses the usual romance conventions of the stricken heroine, wealthy, dashing and dastardly hero and a terrible villain to tell its tale of love, loss, and triumph over evil.
While The Pirate Lover is a rollicking romance in the grandest sense, played out in Parisian salons and the high seas, what occurs between the characters is echoed meaningfully and with chilling consequences in the sisters’ story. Both narratives also deal with the social expectations of women; how marriage is regarded as an inevitable outcome that should socially elevate them. Independence of thought action and through being financially independent is an outrageous prospect for women yet it’s precisely this that nevertheless, Lilly and Neave embrace. In this regard, both stories, but particularly, Lilly’s and Neave’s, portray a particular slice of cultural history – including, through their brother Synder, pop culture history (and I love the way Pywell plays with the devaluation of that; how it’s discredited as meaningless froth by most) - in really evocative and accurate ways.
Lilly could not be more different to her more forthright and yet romantic sister, Neave. When Neave is still quite young, she is hired by a wealthy woman to read to her daily, and it’s the relationship between the woman and Neave and the stories and books they share (and those they don’t – Neave steals a romance novel), that provide Neave with not only imaginative foundations, but emotional ones as well – which, for better or worse, will guide her throughout life.
In the meantime, Lilly embraces life, refusing to think too deeply about people’s motives or lack thereof or enter into arguments. Lilly is there for the moment; understanding and reflection can, if it does, come later… if not too late.
Establishing a successful business together, proving that women aren’t just ornaments or objects of men’s desires, Neave and Lilly, with their bond that transcends life, use their knowledge and business acumen to empower other women towards autonomy and freedom: social, economic, romantic and sexual.
But it’s the very same ability to forge careers and be single-minded and pragmatic, that also drives them towards men who don’t have their best interests at heart. When Lilly disappears, Neave’s world – real and imagined – collide in ways she never could have foreseen. Deadly danger stalks her and the family she loves and, unless she is able to utilise the help she’s being offered from beyond, then she, and the business she and Lilly worked so hard to build, is doomed.
While the novel draws on romance conventions, it also deconstructs and plays with them, weaving elements of magical realism, fantasy, history, crime and other genres into the tale. The writing is lyrical and lovely and, even if you think you don’t “like” romance” (all books are at heart, romance, even if it’s with the reader), the parallel stories - one very literary, the other more clichéd, draw you in and have you turning the pages.
My one slight issue is I felt the last quarter of the book took the magic realism element a tad too far. While I was happy to go along for the afterlife ride, it reaches a point where it’s difficult to suspend disbelief. Without spoiling the tale, there were elements to certain characters and the focus they were given at the end, which detracted slightly from what should have been their primary purpose – a purpose we’d been led to believe was the reason they still existed (albeit on another plane) in the first place. It strained even the credibility required to accept what was happening (which had been easy up until then).
Nevertheless, this is a tiny gripe about such an original, beautifully written and lovely story with lead characters to whom you lose your heart. Recommended for readers of romance, history, and damn fine books.
July 19, 2022
The Romance Reader's Guide to Life surprised me - it was not what I expected.
The book starts in the 1930ies when the main character is a child. It focuses on the heroine and her sister as they come of age, start their business together and grow it, and how their romantic lives diverge. Lilly's romantic life is very eventful (which creates some problems for her), and Neave has no romantic life to speak of (which also creates some problems for her). The book is a cross between historical fiction, suspense, and romance and features multiple POVs.
In parallel, there's a 'book within a book' element: Neave reads 'The Pirate Lover', a steamy romance where the heroine, Electra, escapes being married off to a monster and ends up on a boat with a viscount pirate.
At first, I wasn't into the book: I don't enjoy reading about childhoods, the POVs seemed weird, and the parallel 'Pirate Lover' plot was too ridiculous to care about. But as the book progressed, around halfway through, I started to really enjoy it:
- It was cool to see a historical fiction book whose timeline overlaps with WWII but isn't centered around it. We do see the effects of it: e.g., the heroines struggle to find jobs because everyone prioritizes hiring the returned war veterans, even with no qualifications. So they are forced to start their own business, which turns out to be a good thing.
- It became clear that the author has things to say besides the plot itself. She looks at love as the balance of giving in and holding back, as shifting dominance between the two partners. She examines the polar opposite attitudes to love and sex: giving into it completely, to the point of becoming addicted to it, putting yourself and others in danger vs. holding back from it out of fear, to the point of being frustrated and alone. Pywell does so by contrasting the lives of Neave and Lilly, their romantic interests, and through Electra's journey and the lover she runs from and the one she runs towards.
I think it was a very cool and interesting idea. Though I think the execution was subpar - I think with some more editing, the central idea could have shone more strongly. But overall, it was a good reading experience!
The book starts in the 1930ies when the main character is a child. It focuses on the heroine and her sister as they come of age, start their business together and grow it, and how their romantic lives diverge. Lilly's romantic life is very eventful (which creates some problems for her), and Neave has no romantic life to speak of (which also creates some problems for her). The book is a cross between historical fiction, suspense, and romance and features multiple POVs.
In parallel, there's a 'book within a book' element: Neave reads 'The Pirate Lover', a steamy romance where the heroine, Electra, escapes being married off to a monster and ends up on a boat with a viscount pirate.
At first, I wasn't into the book: I don't enjoy reading about childhoods, the POVs seemed weird, and the parallel 'Pirate Lover' plot was too ridiculous to care about. But as the book progressed, around halfway through, I started to really enjoy it:
- It was cool to see a historical fiction book whose timeline overlaps with WWII but isn't centered around it. We do see the effects of it: e.g., the heroines struggle to find jobs because everyone prioritizes hiring the returned war veterans, even with no qualifications. So they are forced to start their own business, which turns out to be a good thing.
- It became clear that the author has things to say besides the plot itself. She looks at love as the balance of giving in and holding back, as shifting dominance between the two partners. She examines the polar opposite attitudes to love and sex: giving into it completely, to the point of becoming addicted to it, putting yourself and others in danger vs. holding back from it out of fear, to the point of being frustrated and alone. Pywell does so by contrasting the lives of Neave and Lilly, their romantic interests, and through Electra's journey and the lover she runs from and the one she runs towards.
I think it was a very cool and interesting idea. Though I think the execution was subpar - I think with some more editing, the central idea could have shone more strongly. But overall, it was a good reading experience!
attempted-not-for-me
April 22, 2017This is an example of a book I could have finished - it wasn't that it was badly written - but just didn't have the motivation to spend the time when I wasn't connecting with the story. Since it was completely disjointed.
July 17, 2018
I alway wish you could do half stars. I would give this book a 3.5. This was a very fascinating book. It is a blend of genres including primarily historical fiction, but also romance and magical realism. The narration of Lilly and Boppit from the after life was an interesting addition to the story. It reminded me of the Lovely Bones; where Lilly is trying to protect Neave and prevent her same fate. You know she is dead and trying to stop whoever killed her from killing Neave. The plot focuses on romance and how people interpret romance in many different ways. Mainly it explored how ambition and naivety affects romance. Neave had too high of standards for love, while Lilly's were too low. In the end it got them both in trouble. I could see how the plot line of the Pirate Lover paralleled Neave's decisions and life in the story. Overall an interesting read about the closeness of sisters with of course a happy ending.
August 13, 2017
The Romance Reader’s Guide to Life by Sharon Pywell was a total impulse read. I was at the library perusing the new arrivals shelf and the title and the beautiful cover lured me in. The book follows two sisters, Lilly and Neave, and their drive to build a Mary Kay type cosmetic empire. Neave is the “romance reader” and chapters of Neave and Lilly’s lives are interspersed with chapters from a romance novel that is her inspiration, The Pirate Lover. Lilly is murdered and is spending her time in the afterlife, as a ghost with the family dog’s ghost as a companion, trying to help Neave. There are other siblings as well, a child of Lilly’s, an immigrant chemist, and a couple of love interests to round out the cast.
All of the characters are done very well and this is a lovely read in the family relationship pieces and an intriguing read in the murder mystery sections with a dashes of humor expertly placed. The novel highlights the plight of women in the 30s through to some time in the 70s, the lack of prosecution for domestic violence, lack of job opportunities, and cultural expectations. The novel does not fit easily into a genre, rather it straddles lines intersecting mystery, romance, general fiction, paranormal and historical. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
All of the characters are done very well and this is a lovely read in the family relationship pieces and an intriguing read in the murder mystery sections with a dashes of humor expertly placed. The novel highlights the plight of women in the 30s through to some time in the 70s, the lack of prosecution for domestic violence, lack of job opportunities, and cultural expectations. The novel does not fit easily into a genre, rather it straddles lines intersecting mystery, romance, general fiction, paranormal and historical. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
May 31, 2017
There's a book within a book here which at first I liked and then because the main story was so good, I started skipping those parts of the book. I loved the story of the siblings and of her dog in the afterlife. This book was sometimes funny, sometimes sad, sometimes scary and sometimes romantic. Very good book.
November 28, 2017
Funny, poignant, hugely enjoyable. Loved it.
March 9, 2017
This thoroughly enjoyable novel has something for everyone. It's part coming-of-age, part historical fiction, with elements of mystery and the paranormal. It's a story of love in its many forms - familial, romantic, for books and stories, for life itself. There is desire for men but also passion for independence and success on the sisters' own terms. Oh, and don't forget the pirates!
* I received an ARC through a giveaway on Goodreads. *
* I received an ARC through a giveaway on Goodreads. *
March 10, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this. The talking dog in heels and the dead sister aspect was a little left field but I truly enjoyed the way the story was told. It's wonderful tale of two sisters that both flirt with the edge of desire and danger and one goes overboard. Femininity isn't shameful to either of them but they both embrace it in different ways. And the pirate lover parts were very fun too.
August 10, 2019
This was such a surprise and a wonderful read. It was more than your stereotypical romance novel. Do yourself a favor and read it. You won't regret it.
December 7, 2023
Overall I liked this one a lot but it took a little while for the plot to really get rolling and once it did I wish there had been more of it before the book ended
May 23, 2017
Thank you Sharon Pywell and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book confused me for the first 100 pages and continued to niggle at me to the very end. Written in two voices and to have a romance novel inserted throughout the story, it took me a while to understand where I was being led. Then I read the reasoning from Sharon on why she wrote this story in the way she did. Romanceland vs the real world of love and evil. It then all made sense to me. I wish that her letter to the reader was at the very beginning and I may have enjoyed it more.
All up it was an enjoyable story but I struggled for most of it with WHY?
This book confused me for the first 100 pages and continued to niggle at me to the very end. Written in two voices and to have a romance novel inserted throughout the story, it took me a while to understand where I was being led. Then I read the reasoning from Sharon on why she wrote this story in the way she did. Romanceland vs the real world of love and evil. It then all made sense to me. I wish that her letter to the reader was at the very beginning and I may have enjoyed it more.
All up it was an enjoyable story but I struggled for most of it with WHY?
March 20, 2017
I received a free copy from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review.
If I had to describe this story in one word that word would be interesting. It did take me a long time to get invested I was probably well over half way in before I actually really cared about what was happening with Neave. That is not to say it took that long to be drawn into the story just that it took me that long to warm up to Neave who while interesting (yes that word again) is not particularly likable or sympathetic. In fact the only genuinely likable character was Jane. BUT despite not liking the majority of the characters I was still interested in their story. Neave grew on me as the story progressed and I did enjoy her matter of fact honesty.
I found the constant interruptions to the narrative by the large chunks of Neave’s favourite romance “The Pirate Lover’ quite irritating. I also never understood why Lily was so obsessed with her vile abuser or why Mr Boppit was a cross dressing sailor in the afterlife. This was very odd.
If I had to describe this story in one word that word would be interesting. It did take me a long time to get invested I was probably well over half way in before I actually really cared about what was happening with Neave. That is not to say it took that long to be drawn into the story just that it took me that long to warm up to Neave who while interesting (yes that word again) is not particularly likable or sympathetic. In fact the only genuinely likable character was Jane. BUT despite not liking the majority of the characters I was still interested in their story. Neave grew on me as the story progressed and I did enjoy her matter of fact honesty.
I found the constant interruptions to the narrative by the large chunks of Neave’s favourite romance “The Pirate Lover’ quite irritating. I also never understood why Lily was so obsessed with her vile abuser or why Mr Boppit was a cross dressing sailor in the afterlife. This was very odd.
May 27, 2017
2.5 stars
‘They think that women who read romances are idiots. I assure you, they are not.” “No?”
“No. They are people who trust that love exists and that it is more powerful than bad logic or bad writing.’
This book turned out to be very different from what I was expecting. It is a romance and it is historical fiction, but it’s a lot more complicated than that! The concept is quite clever, but I have to admit to being confused and not engaged by unlikeable characters. It’s not a straightforward story with two narrators and inserted throughout, a historical romance. Confused? I was. Throw into that mix some ‘left of centre’ aspects such as a talking cross-dressing dog and this was not really the book for me.
The book alternates between the sisters - Lilly from "where she is now" with Mr. Boppit (above mentioned dog) and Neave, to portray what their lives had been like. Although presented from a unique perspective, it’s surrealism stretches credibility. The pirate romance, that is interspersed with the main story, is most definitely a separate story until the parallels come together towards the end.
This book was meant as a commentary on romance, with regards to those who read it compared to real life. It is most definitely original and well written. So if you are up for a dark read, that incorporates a little of everything from historical fiction to paranormal, then this quirky little ready is for you.
‘She’s not ugly but she’s bookish, which is not a real enchanting characteristic in the world I lived in.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release
‘They think that women who read romances are idiots. I assure you, they are not.” “No?”
“No. They are people who trust that love exists and that it is more powerful than bad logic or bad writing.’
This book turned out to be very different from what I was expecting. It is a romance and it is historical fiction, but it’s a lot more complicated than that! The concept is quite clever, but I have to admit to being confused and not engaged by unlikeable characters. It’s not a straightforward story with two narrators and inserted throughout, a historical romance. Confused? I was. Throw into that mix some ‘left of centre’ aspects such as a talking cross-dressing dog and this was not really the book for me.
The book alternates between the sisters - Lilly from "where she is now" with Mr. Boppit (above mentioned dog) and Neave, to portray what their lives had been like. Although presented from a unique perspective, it’s surrealism stretches credibility. The pirate romance, that is interspersed with the main story, is most definitely a separate story until the parallels come together towards the end.
This book was meant as a commentary on romance, with regards to those who read it compared to real life. It is most definitely original and well written. So if you are up for a dark read, that incorporates a little of everything from historical fiction to paranormal, then this quirky little ready is for you.
‘She’s not ugly but she’s bookish, which is not a real enchanting characteristic in the world I lived in.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release
May 12, 2017
I wanted to fall in love with this book, but I didn't. I read to find characters I want to follow, and I finally figured out that I didn't care much about anyone in the book.
There's a main story with Naeve, smart but unappealing, who reads a romance about a woman and her pirate lover over and over again. In real life Naeve is uncomfortable dealing with people. She's a good person at heart, but meets with the world with coldness and bluntness.
Naeve's sister, Lilly, is lovely and charming, but a butterfly that gets squished--as you know from the beginning of the story. The rest of Naeve's family --a brother, sister, and parents--are not people you want to spend time with.
You get to read the pirate romance as a short story with sections interspersed within the novel, but we don't spend enough time with those characters to be very invested in them, either.
The two male villains (one in the novel, one in the pirate story) are so horrid that I didn't like reading about them.
The concept for the book is quite clever, but the book lost me after Naeve's childhood was over. I kept putting it down and picking it up because I wanted to see what happened, but I got more disturbed the more I read.
As a long-time romance reader, I felt like there was more evil than good, more violence than romance.
There's a main story with Naeve, smart but unappealing, who reads a romance about a woman and her pirate lover over and over again. In real life Naeve is uncomfortable dealing with people. She's a good person at heart, but meets with the world with coldness and bluntness.
Naeve's sister, Lilly, is lovely and charming, but a butterfly that gets squished--as you know from the beginning of the story. The rest of Naeve's family --a brother, sister, and parents--are not people you want to spend time with.
You get to read the pirate romance as a short story with sections interspersed within the novel, but we don't spend enough time with those characters to be very invested in them, either.
The two male villains (one in the novel, one in the pirate story) are so horrid that I didn't like reading about them.
The concept for the book is quite clever, but the book lost me after Naeve's childhood was over. I kept putting it down and picking it up because I wanted to see what happened, but I got more disturbed the more I read.
As a long-time romance reader, I felt like there was more evil than good, more violence than romance.
October 25, 2016
Full of surprises. It began as suspense (a missing person), slipped with surprising credibility into the afterlife, and included the entire text of an erotic pirate romance. Dark and yet funny. Quite a tour de force
April 20, 2020
"Come una storia d'amore" di Sharon Pywell
Pagine 372
"Cresciute all'ombra della Seconda guerra mondiale, nel Massachusetts, Lilly e Neave non potrebbero essere più diverse. Lilly è bellissima, sicura di sé e non fa che infrangere cuori, mentre Neave vive in un mondo tutto suo e preferisce trascorrere il tempo persa nelle pagine di un libro piuttosto che mettersi in gioco nella vita reale. Comincia così a frequentare la biblioteca cittadina, ma ha accesso solo alla Sezione ragazzi, e "quel piccolo deserto di lieti fini e legami felici con animali parlanti" a lei di certo non interessa più. Un giorno, però, incontra Mrs Daniels, un'anziana signora e avida lettrice che cerca qualcuno con la vista ancora buona che possa leggere per lei. Neave accetta la proposta e inizia a passare i pomeriggi in compagnia di Hemingway e Omero, fino a quando riesce finalmente a mettere le mani sugli scaffali "proibiti"; da qui ruba un romanzo erotico, L'amore pirata, una inebriante e avventurosa storia d'amore che la proietta in un universo tutto nuovo, fatto di passioni e tradimenti, matrimoni combinati e fughe romantiche. E sarà a questo mondo che lei continuerà a tornare una volta cresciuta, quando la vita si farà inaspettatamente dura.
Gli anni passano, gli uomini ritornano dalla guerra, in famiglia tutti si aspettano che Neave e Lilly si sposino presto, mentre le due sorelle sono fiere di essere indipendenti e decidono di realizzare il loro sogno professionale lanciando un rivoluzionario marchio di cosmesi, "Bella Più Che Mai". Ma proprio quando gli affari vanno a gonfie vele, Lilly scompare improvvisamente… Sconvolta, Neave dovrà farsi forza e reagire, e per la prima volta sarà costretta ad abbandonare il rassicurante mondo dei libri e diventare finalmente l'unica e vera protagonista della propria storia."
ATTENZIONE LA RECENSIONE CONTIENE SPOILER.
Per la recensione di questo libro ho deciso di fare una cosa che non ho mai fatto prima: copiare la trama da Internet.
Perché?
Perché non c'è niente di peggio di questa trama che dice tutto e niente di questo libro.
Prima di partire con la vera e propria recensione voglio dire ancora una cosa: questo libro non mi è piaciuto e non lo consiglierei assolutamente quindi, se non vi piace l'idea di leggere una recensione totalmente negativa non proseguite oltre.
Nella prima riga della trama si fa menzione della seconda guerra mondiale.
Bene, il mio primo pensiero parte proprio da lì. Durante la lettura mi sono chiesta a più riprese: in un mondo fatto di razionamenti sul cibo, in un mondo dove la guerra è sovrana, in questo mondo, come fanno due ragazze (tra l'altro ancora molto giovani e praticamente senza esperienza) ad aprire un'attività commerciale incentrata sulla vendita dei cosmetici? A maggior ragione, questa domanda risulta essere lecita poiché provengono da una famiglia povera e non hanno molti risparmi dalla loro parte.
Eppure... Beh, le nostre due protagoniste ci riescono benissimo senza incontrare alcun tipo di difficoltà.
Cosa che mi ha fatto storcere non poco il naso, visto che non può essere reale.
Il secondo punto va ad abbattersi sull'idea della lettura e, più in generale dei libri, all'interno del libro stesso.
Mi piaceva l'idea di avere una protagonista lettrice, mi piaceva l'idea di una ragazzina che scopre il mondo proprio attraverso un libro.
Peccato che fosse un'idea sbagliata.
Salvando qualche citazione tratta dall'Odissea o da Jane Eyre, tutto il resto è molto frivolo.
Anche l'idea di scrivere un libro all'interno del libro è stata strutturata male.
Da quanto ho potuto capire, infatti, il romanzo "L'amore pirata" non esiste realmente ed è frutto della mente dell'autrice ed è anche quanto di più bello questo libro abbia.
Peccato solamente che le due storie viaggiano su una retta parallela senza mai incontrarsi, se non nel loro finale molto simile, e quindi avrebbero avuto più senso e più risalto separate.
La storia in sé è piatta, non succede assolutamente nulla. Fin dalla prima pagina sappiamo che fine ha fatto Lilly, per la scelta dell'autrice di scrivere il libro a pov alterni, e quindi addio anche al mistero della sorella scomparsa da svelare.
Almeno i personaggi hanno un carattere ben definito anche se non c'è nessuna crescita dalla prima pagina all'ultima.
È difficile perfino inserirlo in un genere specifico.. direi che sia una narrativa macchiata di romance.
L'autrice ha voluto buttare nel romanzo il tema della violenza sulle donne.
Dico "buttare" perché in realtà non l'ha sviluppato. Ha fatto fare la sua comparsa al marito killer, all'uomo violento che tutti temono, alle minacce e alle ritorsioni ma giusto a grandi linee a margine.
Linee che non servono assolutamente a nulla ma solo per dare quel po' di movimento al tutto.
Se c'è una cosa di bello in tutto questo libro, una cosa che riesce ad attirare l'attenzione, si tratta sicuramente della copertina!
🌟🌟/5
Pagine 372
"Cresciute all'ombra della Seconda guerra mondiale, nel Massachusetts, Lilly e Neave non potrebbero essere più diverse. Lilly è bellissima, sicura di sé e non fa che infrangere cuori, mentre Neave vive in un mondo tutto suo e preferisce trascorrere il tempo persa nelle pagine di un libro piuttosto che mettersi in gioco nella vita reale. Comincia così a frequentare la biblioteca cittadina, ma ha accesso solo alla Sezione ragazzi, e "quel piccolo deserto di lieti fini e legami felici con animali parlanti" a lei di certo non interessa più. Un giorno, però, incontra Mrs Daniels, un'anziana signora e avida lettrice che cerca qualcuno con la vista ancora buona che possa leggere per lei. Neave accetta la proposta e inizia a passare i pomeriggi in compagnia di Hemingway e Omero, fino a quando riesce finalmente a mettere le mani sugli scaffali "proibiti"; da qui ruba un romanzo erotico, L'amore pirata, una inebriante e avventurosa storia d'amore che la proietta in un universo tutto nuovo, fatto di passioni e tradimenti, matrimoni combinati e fughe romantiche. E sarà a questo mondo che lei continuerà a tornare una volta cresciuta, quando la vita si farà inaspettatamente dura.
Gli anni passano, gli uomini ritornano dalla guerra, in famiglia tutti si aspettano che Neave e Lilly si sposino presto, mentre le due sorelle sono fiere di essere indipendenti e decidono di realizzare il loro sogno professionale lanciando un rivoluzionario marchio di cosmesi, "Bella Più Che Mai". Ma proprio quando gli affari vanno a gonfie vele, Lilly scompare improvvisamente… Sconvolta, Neave dovrà farsi forza e reagire, e per la prima volta sarà costretta ad abbandonare il rassicurante mondo dei libri e diventare finalmente l'unica e vera protagonista della propria storia."
ATTENZIONE LA RECENSIONE CONTIENE SPOILER.
Per la recensione di questo libro ho deciso di fare una cosa che non ho mai fatto prima: copiare la trama da Internet.
Perché?
Perché non c'è niente di peggio di questa trama che dice tutto e niente di questo libro.
Prima di partire con la vera e propria recensione voglio dire ancora una cosa: questo libro non mi è piaciuto e non lo consiglierei assolutamente quindi, se non vi piace l'idea di leggere una recensione totalmente negativa non proseguite oltre.
Nella prima riga della trama si fa menzione della seconda guerra mondiale.
Bene, il mio primo pensiero parte proprio da lì. Durante la lettura mi sono chiesta a più riprese: in un mondo fatto di razionamenti sul cibo, in un mondo dove la guerra è sovrana, in questo mondo, come fanno due ragazze (tra l'altro ancora molto giovani e praticamente senza esperienza) ad aprire un'attività commerciale incentrata sulla vendita dei cosmetici? A maggior ragione, questa domanda risulta essere lecita poiché provengono da una famiglia povera e non hanno molti risparmi dalla loro parte.
Eppure... Beh, le nostre due protagoniste ci riescono benissimo senza incontrare alcun tipo di difficoltà.
Cosa che mi ha fatto storcere non poco il naso, visto che non può essere reale.
Il secondo punto va ad abbattersi sull'idea della lettura e, più in generale dei libri, all'interno del libro stesso.
Mi piaceva l'idea di avere una protagonista lettrice, mi piaceva l'idea di una ragazzina che scopre il mondo proprio attraverso un libro.
Peccato che fosse un'idea sbagliata.
Salvando qualche citazione tratta dall'Odissea o da Jane Eyre, tutto il resto è molto frivolo.
Anche l'idea di scrivere un libro all'interno del libro è stata strutturata male.
Da quanto ho potuto capire, infatti, il romanzo "L'amore pirata" non esiste realmente ed è frutto della mente dell'autrice ed è anche quanto di più bello questo libro abbia.
Peccato solamente che le due storie viaggiano su una retta parallela senza mai incontrarsi, se non nel loro finale molto simile, e quindi avrebbero avuto più senso e più risalto separate.
La storia in sé è piatta, non succede assolutamente nulla. Fin dalla prima pagina sappiamo che fine ha fatto Lilly, per la scelta dell'autrice di scrivere il libro a pov alterni, e quindi addio anche al mistero della sorella scomparsa da svelare.
Almeno i personaggi hanno un carattere ben definito anche se non c'è nessuna crescita dalla prima pagina all'ultima.
È difficile perfino inserirlo in un genere specifico.. direi che sia una narrativa macchiata di romance.
L'autrice ha voluto buttare nel romanzo il tema della violenza sulle donne.
Dico "buttare" perché in realtà non l'ha sviluppato. Ha fatto fare la sua comparsa al marito killer, all'uomo violento che tutti temono, alle minacce e alle ritorsioni ma giusto a grandi linee a margine.
Linee che non servono assolutamente a nulla ma solo per dare quel po' di movimento al tutto.
Se c'è una cosa di bello in tutto questo libro, una cosa che riesce ad attirare l'attenzione, si tratta sicuramente della copertina!
🌟🌟/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2018
“Come una storia d’amore” di Sharon Pywell (Mondadori) è un libro originale e molto ben scritto. Spero che arrivino nelle nostre librerie altri romanzi di questa autrice.
Il mio romanzo è una storia d’amore sulle storie d’amore”, scrive Sharon Pywell alla fine, nel suo “Perché ho scritto questo libro”. Io credo che in realtà sia molto più di questo e ci tengo a sottolinearlo perché molto spesso i “romanzi d’amore” non godono di particolare stima. Il più delle volte sono giudicati “superficiali”, ma questo è l’ultimo aggettivo che userei per definire “Come una storia d’amore”.
Per prima cosa, in “Come una storia d’amore” c’è la descrizione di una società che ha vissuto la guerra. In scenari del genere, quando quello che resta sono solo macerie, non si può dire cosa sarebbe stato meglio, o meno peggio. Se durante il conflitto sei un bambino vivi delle privazioni che saranno niente in confronto a quello che ti verrà sottratto dopo; se sei in età per combattere, in caso di sopravvivenza nulla sarà mai come prima; se risulti non idoneo il rischio è di sentirti così per il resto della vita.
A Lilly e Neave la guerra presenterà il conto quando sarà finita perché entrambe perderanno il loro posto di lavoro: deve essere lasciato ai soldati che fanno ritorno in patria. Le donne, poi, mica devono lavorare. Devono solo cercarsi un marito, magari un ex soldato che non fa che bere, e preparare la gelatina di ciliegie come dolce. Di quegli anni abbiamo letto e visto tanti film, ma mi risulta ancora distante e inconcepibile il modo in cui le donne venivano considerate. Nel romanzo lo scopriamo attraverso le rubriche nelle riviste, quelle in cui venivano dispensati consigli su come essere la moglie e la madre perfetta. Poco importa se di una cosa chiamata felicità non ce ne fosse traccia.
Nonostante tutto, Lilly e Neave sapranno sfruttare il loro essere così diverse dal modello che impone la società di quegli anni; sfideranno i pregiudizi e gli insegnamenti della chiesa, o meglio, le storture di chi crede di essere nel giusto con le proprie convinzioni, e diventeranno imprenditrici di successo.
Per la recensione completa qui: http://www.silenziostoleggendo.com/20...
Il mio romanzo è una storia d’amore sulle storie d’amore”, scrive Sharon Pywell alla fine, nel suo “Perché ho scritto questo libro”. Io credo che in realtà sia molto più di questo e ci tengo a sottolinearlo perché molto spesso i “romanzi d’amore” non godono di particolare stima. Il più delle volte sono giudicati “superficiali”, ma questo è l’ultimo aggettivo che userei per definire “Come una storia d’amore”.
Per prima cosa, in “Come una storia d’amore” c’è la descrizione di una società che ha vissuto la guerra. In scenari del genere, quando quello che resta sono solo macerie, non si può dire cosa sarebbe stato meglio, o meno peggio. Se durante il conflitto sei un bambino vivi delle privazioni che saranno niente in confronto a quello che ti verrà sottratto dopo; se sei in età per combattere, in caso di sopravvivenza nulla sarà mai come prima; se risulti non idoneo il rischio è di sentirti così per il resto della vita.
A Lilly e Neave la guerra presenterà il conto quando sarà finita perché entrambe perderanno il loro posto di lavoro: deve essere lasciato ai soldati che fanno ritorno in patria. Le donne, poi, mica devono lavorare. Devono solo cercarsi un marito, magari un ex soldato che non fa che bere, e preparare la gelatina di ciliegie come dolce. Di quegli anni abbiamo letto e visto tanti film, ma mi risulta ancora distante e inconcepibile il modo in cui le donne venivano considerate. Nel romanzo lo scopriamo attraverso le rubriche nelle riviste, quelle in cui venivano dispensati consigli su come essere la moglie e la madre perfetta. Poco importa se di una cosa chiamata felicità non ce ne fosse traccia.
Nonostante tutto, Lilly e Neave sapranno sfruttare il loro essere così diverse dal modello che impone la società di quegli anni; sfideranno i pregiudizi e gli insegnamenti della chiesa, o meglio, le storture di chi crede di essere nel giusto con le proprie convinzioni, e diventeranno imprenditrici di successo.
Per la recensione completa qui: http://www.silenziostoleggendo.com/20...
Read
January 30, 2018Um? I really don't know what to say. This is so much weirder and darker than I thought it would be. But it was great.
The narrative is split between three stories: Neave's life as it happends; Lilly's POV from Where She is Now; and also a story-within-the-story called The Pirate Lover, a book that is special to Neave and whose story somewhat parallels Neave's own journey.
There's so much going on throughout the entire novel that it's almost too much- too weird- but it all worked. At first I liked the bits with The Pirate Lover better than what was going on with Neave, and Lilly's chapters were just plain stupid, but then as the overall story progressed, I ended up being more invested in what was going on with Neave and Lilly so that the sections with The Pirate Lover started to annoy me.
There is some seriously intense shit going down in this book. Seriously. Dark. Shit. But it's portrayed in such a way that it's not really in your face even though it's woven into the story beginning to end. It's more of a lurking, under-the-rug type. Ignored. Even in the moments where there is clearly something wrong and evil going on, everyone except Neave either doesn't see it or doesn't want to see it. There were parts that really just made me sick with how casually everything was just happening.
I really can't put into words what exactly I'm feeling or thinking when it comes to trying to rate this book. I don't know.
Then there was Mr. Boppit. He was great.
The narrative is split between three stories: Neave's life as it happends; Lilly's POV from Where She is Now; and also a story-within-the-story called The Pirate Lover, a book that is special to Neave and whose story somewhat parallels Neave's own journey.
There's so much going on throughout the entire novel that it's almost too much- too weird- but it all worked. At first I liked the bits with The Pirate Lover better than what was going on with Neave, and Lilly's chapters were just plain stupid, but then as the overall story progressed, I ended up being more invested in what was going on with Neave and Lilly so that the sections with The Pirate Lover started to annoy me.
There is some seriously intense shit going down in this book. Seriously. Dark. Shit. But it's portrayed in such a way that it's not really in your face even though it's woven into the story beginning to end. It's more of a lurking, under-the-rug type. Ignored. Even in the moments where there is clearly something wrong and evil going on, everyone except Neave either doesn't see it or doesn't want to see it. There were parts that really just made me sick with how casually everything was just happening.
I really can't put into words what exactly I'm feeling or thinking when it comes to trying to rate this book. I don't know.
Then there was Mr. Boppit. He was great.
June 23, 2019
Another book I picked up because of the title. Not what I thought it be. It has this weird thing going where it's kind of like 3 stories in one. The main one is neave, where we start with her childhood and go to the present. The present being the early 50s...I think. I know her childhood was the 30s. The second was her dead sister Lilly in the after life or as a ghost or something like that. And the last was what people think of when they think romance novel, the Pirate lover.
Overall I cant tell if this book is for romance novels or thinks it better than them. If it that latter, it's a little funny because this kinda is one. Even the parts that aren't the Pirate lover. I think the idea was to mirror romance novel love and 'real' love but it's still kinda silly. This book is over all hard to put in a box. That's not a bad thing but its historical fiction, women's lit, romance, suspense a ghost story kinda.....this isnt what I thought it would be. I did enjoy it. I wish a few more characters got fleshed out a bit more. But I dont regret reading it
Overall I cant tell if this book is for romance novels or thinks it better than them. If it that latter, it's a little funny because this kinda is one. Even the parts that aren't the Pirate lover. I think the idea was to mirror romance novel love and 'real' love but it's still kinda silly. This book is over all hard to put in a box. That's not a bad thing but its historical fiction, women's lit, romance, suspense a ghost story kinda.....this isnt what I thought it would be. I did enjoy it. I wish a few more characters got fleshed out a bit more. But I dont regret reading it
February 18, 2022
A book inside a book. That's what I can say about this book. The Romance Reader's Guide to Life is not what I expected at all.
From the synopsis, I thought this book was all about Neave's journey in finding her missing sister, Lilly. That's not really the case at all. The part where she searched her missing sister had only a short section in this book. Other than that, the story is mainly from Neave's point of view (and sometimes Lilly) from their childhood to the adolescent where they started their cosmetic business together.
Besides that, in between the moments of the plots, the writer included the story from the book Neave was reading called The Pirate Lover. That's why I said that there's another book inside this book. The story was okay for me.
I cannot say that I truly enjoyed this book, but I cannot say that I hate it either. There were parts that I found interesting but there's also parts that I found boring. Maybe so-so? Or maybe I can say that I 50% enjoyed this book and 50% not really enjoying it. I don't know.
From the synopsis, I thought this book was all about Neave's journey in finding her missing sister, Lilly. That's not really the case at all. The part where she searched her missing sister had only a short section in this book. Other than that, the story is mainly from Neave's point of view (and sometimes Lilly) from their childhood to the adolescent where they started their cosmetic business together.
Besides that, in between the moments of the plots, the writer included the story from the book Neave was reading called The Pirate Lover. That's why I said that there's another book inside this book. The story was okay for me.
I cannot say that I truly enjoyed this book, but I cannot say that I hate it either. There were parts that I found interesting but there's also parts that I found boring. Maybe so-so? Or maybe I can say that I 50% enjoyed this book and 50% not really enjoying it. I don't know.
September 16, 2017
This is a book unlike anything I've ever read. It is women's fiction in that it tells the story of a romance novel-reading, reserved young woman's quest to discover her place in the world, and it focuses a lot on her relationship with her risk-taking sister. There's a cheesy, but fun, romance novel within the novel, too. The book also includes--oddly, but again fun--a cross-dressing, talking dog and deceased characters who talk and appear to the protagonist. Violence and sadism are present, and these were somewhat disturbing, but these elements are downplayed and not detailed. So, this book crosses wide genre boundaries. It's thought-provoking and definitely worth a read, if the reader approaches it with a spirit of adventure and open-mindedness.
July 12, 2017
http://www.jerasjamboree.co.uk/2017/0...
The Romance Reader’s Guide to Life is narrated by alternating perspectives of twins Neave and Lilly. From Neave’s narration we get to experience many things – an American childhood leading up to WWII and Pearl Harbour; how she used books as a tool to understand the world (for instance, in the Pirate Lover novel Neave is reading the heroine’s mother tells her that to lie is a skill and the older lady Neave reads to, Mrs Daniels, repeats this to Neave questioning Odysseus lying); the cosmetics company, Lilly’s relationship with Ricky and her quest to find the reckless Lilly. Lilly’s narrative shares information about Neave’s character, she hints about what happened and a surreal and otherworldly perspective on what is happening now.
I have to be honest and share that I couldn’t connect with the characters for a while. I was enjoying the story, but didn’t feel that emotional pull I need to feel … that is until about three quarters through. Two things happened! I suddenly realised the connection of the Pirate Lover to the story (I know, took me a while didn’t it!) and when things became tense and more personal to Neave then suddenly that connection was there. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. The climax was awesome.
This isn’t your usual romance read. Neave and Lilly are strong and independent women determined to make their way in the world at a time when everything a woman owned belonged to her husband and women had very little rights. There is passion, love and lust. The story also holds fear and terror and highlights mental health. That’s not all. There’s also a paranormal thread that is surreal and I’m going to be honest, at times bizarre. However if you love stretching your imagination and beliefs it’s not out of the realm of possibilities …
The Romance Reader’s Guide to Life will certainly get you out of any comfort reading rut you’ve fallen into and one I recommend.
The Romance Reader’s Guide to Life is narrated by alternating perspectives of twins Neave and Lilly. From Neave’s narration we get to experience many things – an American childhood leading up to WWII and Pearl Harbour; how she used books as a tool to understand the world (for instance, in the Pirate Lover novel Neave is reading the heroine’s mother tells her that to lie is a skill and the older lady Neave reads to, Mrs Daniels, repeats this to Neave questioning Odysseus lying); the cosmetics company, Lilly’s relationship with Ricky and her quest to find the reckless Lilly. Lilly’s narrative shares information about Neave’s character, she hints about what happened and a surreal and otherworldly perspective on what is happening now.
I have to be honest and share that I couldn’t connect with the characters for a while. I was enjoying the story, but didn’t feel that emotional pull I need to feel … that is until about three quarters through. Two things happened! I suddenly realised the connection of the Pirate Lover to the story (I know, took me a while didn’t it!) and when things became tense and more personal to Neave then suddenly that connection was there. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. The climax was awesome.
This isn’t your usual romance read. Neave and Lilly are strong and independent women determined to make their way in the world at a time when everything a woman owned belonged to her husband and women had very little rights. There is passion, love and lust. The story also holds fear and terror and highlights mental health. That’s not all. There’s also a paranormal thread that is surreal and I’m going to be honest, at times bizarre. However if you love stretching your imagination and beliefs it’s not out of the realm of possibilities …
The Romance Reader’s Guide to Life will certainly get you out of any comfort reading rut you’ve fallen into and one I recommend.
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