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Wednesday, March 8, 2023


Review: VINTAGE WOMAN by D.J. Fronimos & Elke Lakey

 


Book Details

Title: Vintage Woman
Author: D.J. Fronimos & Elke Lakey
Publisher: JMS Books
Publication Date: January 28, 2023
Genre(s): Adult, LGBT, Romance, Sci-Fi(ish)
Pages: 245
     

Reading Details

Finish Date: March 3, 2023
Format: Digital
Representation: Sapphic
Trigger/Content Warnings: Domestic violence, mentions of death, possibly more


Rating: 4.75/5

Favorite Quote/Scene: 
"But I need to be a whole person, an independent woman, before I even consider getting into a relationship."

Review: 
I was very excited about the idea of this book so when one of the authors posted about looking for ARC readers, I was there! I enjoyed this book a whole lot (only one small issue with it that I will be talking about later) and it has me really wanting to read more from these authors! I'm sold on their writing style.

I was hooked on this book! Once I started it, I didn't want to put it down. The characters were charming and the book moved at a solid pace. I never once felt like the story began to drag but, for most of the book, I also didn't feel like the story was moving at a breakneck pace either. Most of the time the characters were given time to digest what was happening and settle in.

My absolute favorite part of this book was the two main characters, Cory and Evelyn, and how they handled Evelyn being there. The two characters were both quite charming in their own way and I enjoyed that while there was an attraction between the two of them, it wasn't instant love. Both characters had their own issues to work through and they did, slowly. I didn't feel as though there was as much of a focus on Cory's problems, but it was discussed. Evelyn was given time and space to take in the information that she learned as well as some time to grow from who she had previously been. The two of them together was super sweet. They had a genuine connection that felt authentic to who the characters are and the situations that they had both been in. And the connection even changed as the two grew, specifically as Evelyn unlearned some of the problematic behaviors that she had been taught.

The authors had a great grasp on emotional language to express how these characters were feeling. I thought that Evelyn's distraught and confusion was done exceptionally well. It felt like how I would expect someone to feel if they had been in this situation. They did a great job at it and it helped me relate to the characters and their struggles.

I also really enjoyed how the authors had us learning Evelyn's past alongside her. We weren't shown any information that she wasn't. Rather we got snippets of what her life was like and what she was like with those people. It was slowly revealed with a couple moments where more memories came to Evelyn because of what she was experiencing. The reveal of certain things was very well-done and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I also want to briefly mention that I really enjoyed the explanation for what brought Evelyn there. I have no idea if it's scientifically accurate, but I did enjoy it. It was explained in a way that had me shrugging and going with it.

Now is time for me to talk about the one issue I had with this book. The pacing towards the end of it. The pacing for 90% or so of the book was excellent. Nothing moved too quickly and I never felt as though the story dragged. But at the end of the book it felt like someone hit the speed-up button. If I had to guess I'd say that the authors didn't want to linger on the situation towards the end of the book. But I think the book lost something by not lingering on it. Add 100 pages (or maybe even 50) that focused on the two main characters during that time and I think it would have been absolutely perfect! It's not a huge issue, but I do think the book would have been better had it spent more time on that part.

I really enjoyed this book. I do think it could have benefited from being a bit longer but it didn’t really mess with my opinion of the book. In writing this review I also realize that I might have preferred more time to focus on Cory’s issues and how that has affected her as she grew up. Again, didn’t change my opinion of the book but I think it might have been nice. This was a fun book and I absolutely loved the connection between the two characters. I found that this book was very well-written and I look forward to reading more by these authors.





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