This is certainly not the worst book I read this year and it isn’t my least favorite book by Kate Canterbary, but it is down there. I feel badly about that because the author has made several comments about Audrey and Jude’s story being one she has had in mind for a long time. I feel a little extra guilty about not loving the book she’s wanted to write for so long. It’s one of the downsides of arcs.
Audrey is one of the teachers at the school Lauren and Will build in Underneath it All and part of Shea and Emme’s friend group. Jude is new to us, her high school boyfriend. Audrey’s social climbing parents hated him and separated them from each other. Now, at their high school reunion, Jude is back and he needs a huge favor from Audrey – to pretend to be his fiancé so his mother can throw them a party. She agrees, they go on a disaster riddled road trip and reconnect along the way. There were some really lovely moments between Audrey and Jude, and I enjoyed the scenes with Audrey, Jamie, and Ruth. (I would have been fine with the three of them starting a little polycule of their own.)
So what was my problem? There was a lot of drama and not enough grounding for me. The book started with an emotionally intense scene and repeatedly went for that intensity, but I wasn’t invested enough in Jude to be ready for that. For the first half of the book at least, I felt like Jude was still having a relationship with the Audrey he knew in high school and not the woman she had become. He was so certain that he knew her and all I could think was – why? I guess I would have liked more discovery. Jude never came together for me as a character.
Even though this wasn’t the one for me, I got to the end and wanted to know more about what’s happening with Jamie and with Ruth.
I received this as an advance reader copy from the author. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.
