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The Anti-Boyfriend |
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Penelope Ward |
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August 31st 2020 |
| At first, my neighbor Deacon frustrated me.
Sure, he was great-looking and friendly. But our walls were thin, and on occasion, he’d bring women to his place and keep me awake while he “entertained” them. As a single mother to an infant, I didn’t appreciate it. So, finally it was my turn. When my daughter wouldn’t stop wailing one night, Mr. Manwhore came knocking on my door. Miraculously, at the sound of his voice, Sunny stopped crying. And when he held her…she eventually fell asleep in his arms. Deacon was rough on the exterior, but apparently on the inside? Mr. Single-and-Ready-to-Mingle was a baby whisperer. After that night, we became friends. He’d go for coffee runs. Come over to chat. Normal friend stuff. But over time, our conversations ran deeper. We got closer. Until one night we crossed the line. Our friendship turned into a complicated mess. I’d gone and fallen for a guy who’d sworn off commitment and kids. I knew Deacon was starting to care for me too, even though Sunny and I didn’t fit into any plan he’d ever imagined for himself. He was wrong for me—so wrong that I’d dubbed him the “anti-boyfriend.” Then why did I wish more than anything that I could be the one woman to change him? |
| When you find yourself sitting at your computer … humming “you win again” …. it is a sure sign that you read Penelope Wards newest Book “The Anti-Boyfriend” – and I am sure you know better than to ask me now for the reasons. Let’s just say – you will understand them … of that I am pretty sure – after you read the book Well my thoughts on the book …. it feels different than others from this author as I feel there are more personal thoughts about certain subjects in this book than in previous ones and I think we learn more from both leading characters thoughts than in other books. Also the male lead is different – softer in a way … and more approachable in another. Not sure how to explain that feeling…. He is simply very different. I really liked this book being different from other books by this author – but I have to be honest because this is what reviews are about – so I also have to say that the final spark was missing for me to make it a 5 star read. The 5ths star for me is all about how I felt during reading and in this one area I was missing things – yeah I know I am being vague but I simply could not attach my feelings to the characters they were just … how do I express that … they were smooth – I was missing edges – Even the one guy you were supposed to hate was actually likeable (hahaha – but that would have been a genius move IF the others had been less perfect) I was into the book don’t misunderstand me but I did not experience any gutwrenching or laughing out loud or any other emotion I could not stop while I read it. To give 5 stars I do not have to love the characters – I even gave them to an author for making me actual hate a fictional character …. and I know that Ms Ward writes the kind of characters I like because I very very fondly remember some pieces of underwear that disappeared and the smile I still have on my face remembering these chapters- this book NEVER left my mind – together with the fact that I am one of these types of readers that actully takes a kindle everywhere – even to a Party …. (frequent readers of this author know the book and others will not know what I am spoilering here until they read it – so I am safe) … anyway…. I know she has these type of characters “in her pen” so I hope I am forgiven when I say I was missing that spark here. Somehow I think that Ms. Ward’s focus in this book was a very personal one – and I believe she really did a great job bringing that message across. So it might be that the charcters are so different because of this message – they suit it better and I am pretty sure that they will get her a whole new group of readers – the ones that like more smooth characters. So if you are one of these and were unsure so far if you would like the books by this author – this might be your book to start. |
