Checking You Out

d'Ann Whynot (2022) - SmartyPants Romance

Résumé : Lois Washington is at the end of her rope. Struggling as a single mother in an apartment the size of a closet is not the New York City adventure she dreamed of in her starry-eyed youth. When her job goes on the chopping block, she is ready for a major life change. Joining her best friend in Tennessee to become the newest employee at the Green Valley Public Library isn't exactly where she thought life would take her, but she feels up for the challenge. Only this relocation comes with more than she bargained for.

Norman Grant has had a string of online dating disasters back in Florida. Dealing with chronic pain, he's concluded that finding a woman who is understanding about his war wounds just isn't in the cards. That is, until he becomes quite taken with the single mother who's also a new arrival in Green Valley. The catch? Things are not quite what they seem.

When the past and present collide, Norman and Lois must face painful reminders from their youth. Now, at twenty-seven, Norman's about to find out just how deeply the wounds he left behind cut.


De tous les livres du lot de cette année, je crois que c'est celui qui m'a le moins emballé et que j'ai trouvé un poil ennuyeux et convenu -_- (Désolée Ann !). Aussi, je comprend pas trop pourquoi ce livre et le précédent font partie d'une série intitulé "Green Valley Librairy", alors certes le job des héroïnes est à la bibliothèque, mais bon à part, y'a pas vraiment de place spéciale réservée à cette bibliothèque. Ces deux livres auraient pu constituer une série unique autour du point commun entre tous les personnages : le jeu de MMRPG Magecraft où ils se sont tous rencontrés et qui tient une place de choix dans l'intrigue... bref.

Cette romance a zéro suspense : on part quand même sur une intrigue qui aurait pu durer un peu plus longtemps, à savoir que Lois et Norman se connaissent virtuellement depuis leur adolescence, ils avaient prévu de se voir après le lycée et commencer leurs études supérieur ensemble mais Norman a brisé le coeur de Lois au dernier moment en ne venant pas, ils se retrouvent 10 ans plus tard dans la vraie vie cette fois, Lois le reconnait, mais Norman non (faut dire qu'elle a bien changé de look depuis ses 16 ans). On aurait pu avoir une espèce de tension autour de Norman découvrant la vérité, mais ce détail est balayé dès les premiers chapitres, bon bah ça, c'est fait xD

L'intrigue est donc autour d'une seconde chance pour Norman de gagner le coeur de Lois (spoiler alert : ça sera pas super difficile), et pour Lois d'avoir confiance que Norman ne l'abandonnera pas une 2e fois, surtout qu'elle n'est plus toute seule dans cette affaire : elle a une fille de 6 ans nommé Elsa.

J'ai eu l'impression que l'auteur, sachant son histoire un peu moyenne, nous a rajouté un problème de garde d'enfant avec le père biologique d'Elsa, problème résolu aussi vite qu'il est apparut, et la catastrophe de la fin était-elle vraiment nécessaire ? Pas sûre.

Il y a quand même de jolies choses dans ce livre : revoir Max et Jonathan, le premier couple de gamer, j'avais beaucoup aimé leur histoire ♥ ; la complicité des jeunes avec Rose (la maman de Max qui héberge Lois et Elsa) et ce petit groupe devenant une famille qui se choisi ; le traitement du handicap de Norman (une grave blessure pendant son service militaire qui lui donne des douleurs et le contraint à marcher avec une canne), la façon dont il se perçoit et dont les autres le perçoivent.

Voilà, ce livre était bien mais sans plus, trop prévisible et trop guimauve peut-être.

Of all the books in this year's bundle, I think this was the one that I was least excited about and found a bit boring and conventional -_- (Sorry Ann!). Also, I don't really understand why this book and the previous one are part of a series called "Green Valley Library", yes the heroines' job is in the library, but apart from that, there's not really a special place reserved for this library. These two books could have been a unique series around the common point between all the characters : the MMRPG game Magecraft where they all met and which holds a place of choice in the plot... Anyway.

This romance has zero suspense : we have a plot that could have lasted a little longer, namely that Lois and Norman have known each other virtually since their teen years, they had planned to see each other after high school and start college together but Norman broke Lois' heart at the last moment by not coming, they meet again 10 years later in real life this time, Lois recognizes him, but Norman doesn't (I must say that her look has changed a lot since). We could have had some kind of tension about Norman discovering the truth, but this detail is swept away in the first chapters, well you got it xD

The plot is therefore around a second chance for Norman to win Lois' heart (spoiler alert : it won't be too difficult), and for Lois to trust that Norman won't abandon her a second time, especially since she is no longer alone : she has a 6-year-old daughter named Elsa.

I had the impression that the author, knowing her story was somewhat average, added a child custody problem with Elsa's biological father, a problem solved as quickly as it appeared, and was the disaster of the end really necessary? Not sure.

There are still some nice things in this book : seeing Max and Jonathan again, the first gamer couple, I really liked their story ♥ ; the complicity of the young people with Rose (Max's mother who accomodate Lois and Elsa) and this small group becoming a family that chooses itself ; the treatment of Norman's disability (a serious injury during his military service which gives him pain and forces him to walk with a cane), the way he perceives himself and how others perceive him.

Here, this book was good but nothing more, too predictable and too sappy perhaps.

 

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