A Sudden Crush

I think your expectations from a book are set right from the time you leaf through the synopsis. A Sudden Crush turns out to be exactly what it promises, a quintessential romantic comedy laced with humour that never seems out of place despite the outlandish circumstances. It is simple, light and an enjoyable read. The author, Camilla Isley, manages to suffuse a certain freshness to the oft-repeated guy n’ girl-stranded-in-an-island situation. I think what worked for me is that the whole island adventure was described without romanticising the ordeal of surviving in the wilderness. Nor does it delve too deeply into the grim circumstances. There is just enough information to convey how they are going about trying to stay alive till they are rescued without taking the focus away from the main story. In fact, it is effortlessly used to complement the strides Joanna and Connor make in their relationship – from barely managing to keep up polite appearances to slowly developing a warm friendship. The story is more Joanna-centric and she won me over on the island. I liked how earnest she was about doing her bit to help instead of playing damsel-in-distress. It ended up making Joanna and Connor equal partners and confidantes.

I also liked how the book manages to effectively get across some points which one might be aware of but it is nice to be reminded about occasionally:

1) Always have atleast one friend who is there to assure you that your life doesn’t suck as much as you think it does. Doesnt matter if that friend can appear only as a voice on the phone or a head in your Skype screen.
2) You owe it to your own conscience to do the right thing. Not for anyone else or not in expectation of being rewarded for that choice.
3) Always have a few e-books on your cell phone, you never know when they might come in handy to kill boredom. (Hehe…)

Speaking of books, well, there is quite a bit of writing, authoring and publishing talked about. Without revealing much, can I just say that I loved how charmingly the author used “writing” for two different purposes:

1) To provide closure to one relationship.
2) To provide wings to another.

A character rises above the stereotype meant to be disliked and that completely took me by surprise. I didn’t see that coming and wish that is done more often. I mean, I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel like sometimes the story is so boxed in by the genre it is supposed to fit in that the characters forget to act and react in a way that doesn’t seem one-dimensional. The detective protagonists in murder mysteries don’t have to be robotic and boring. The female characters in chick lit don’t have to be rich airhead snobs. Similarly, the supporting cast of characters in a romance or romcom don’t have to be dumbed-down or made “evil” just to make the intended couple look good. Thankfully, that didn’t happen in this book.

There were a couple of things in the book which I found a bit unconvincing especially towards the end. I felt like some hurdles were glossed over and some things fall in place a bit too neatly. It works in the context of “stuck on a deserted island” situation in the first half of the book where suspension of disbelief is a given, but such convenient resolutions strike a discordant note when the story moves onto Joanna’s regular life. Keeping these gripes aside, I had fun reading the book and would definitely recommend it. Especially for all the romcom lovers!

*I received an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. This blog tour is hosted by Aimee (hellochicklit.com)*
(Originally posted on bookmyopia/wordpress)

The story line was good but I felt some of the language was awkward at times. There was too much back story in places that seemed to slow down the plot.

INITIAL THOUGHTS

I am absolutely in love with this cover! I saw it, and I instantly knew I had to read it. I really didn’t care what it was about. But then I read the synopsis, and OMG. Two complete strangers who don’t even like each other are stuck on a deserted island together and begin feeling a connection even though one of them is married?! Yes, please! Plus, I AM IN LOVE with chick lit, and I haven’t read one in awhile, so I was SO EXCITED about this one.

WHAT I LIKED

The plot. I loved everything about the plot. It was exciting, it kept me on the edge of my seat, and it had me laughing out loud. It reminded me of that Harrison Ford movie, Six Days Seven Nights, which I loved by the way. You have these two people who don’t exactly get along, and they are stuck on an island together for months. As a reader, you are constantly wondering about what happened to Joanna’s husband and when she and Connor will be rescued. And when they are rescued, things begin to unfold, and Joanna has to go back to living her life. I just loved everything about it. It was pure entertainment.

Joanna and Connor’s relationship. Ahh! I loved it! They pretty much despise each other from the get-go. And they have this playful, witty, hilarious banter between them that was just awesome. When they realize there is this connection, it’s complicated because she’s a newlywed, and she has no idea what happened to her husband. Then things change and escalate later in the book. And I loved every single minute of it. I almost wish there was a sequel so I can read more about them. They were just so damn sweet together with the perfect amount of humor. Loved it.

The writing. Camilla Isley can write! She is amazing. She reminded me of why I love chick lit so much. This book was heartwarming yet hilarious, and not a lot of authors can pull that off. I want more of her. Camilla Isley, please write hundreds of more books because I am a fan, and I am dead set on owning all of your books. I will settle for two…for now. Which reminds me: I need to go get my hands on I Wish For You.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

Would’ve liked more of the island. From the description of the book, we know they get rescued eventually. I just didn’t think it would happen as fast as it did. I wanted the majority of the book to take place on the island, but it was pretty even: half on the island, half at home. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed how it was written. I guess I just wanted more time on the island and more one-on-one interaction between Joanna and Connor.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

How have I not read chick lit in 7 months?! What is wrong with me?! Thank you, Camilla Isley for making me remember my love for this genre. I enjoyed this book so much. It had everything I need in a book: cute romance, entertaining characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and a creative plot. And I can’t even describe in words how much I love this cover. I need to go buy the paperback so I can just display its beauty in my house.