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The Wedding Date: A Book Review

I’m not too fond of romance novels, and yet I can’t seem to DNF, The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory. The first third of the book was promising. Two strangers meet in a hotel elevator that is stuck between floors. They have some terrific banter and chemistry, share some cheese and crackers, and by the time the elevator is fixed, she is his date for a wedding he doesn’t want to attend.

To me, the elevator and the subsequent wedding are the best parts of the story. After that, it goes downhill from there. First of all, the author feels the need to remind me that he likes her boobs. She(!) shares this in a variety of creative ways, but we get it. She’s got them and flaunts them, and he is obsessed with them. He is a doctor and a “player” who doesn’t want to admit he is in love with her. She is an incredibly intelligent career woman with a high-powered job with zero confidence in her experience with men. The miscommunication and drama that result from their insecurities and assumptions about each other are laughable.

I have not given up on the story yet for one reason. At this point, I’ve already put so much of my time into it that I might as well count it as one of my 2021 Goodreads Challenge books. Also, I’ve been listening to it on Audible, which allows me to speed up the narrator’s pace and multi-task. Today, I listened to it while I got my nails done, went grocery shopping, and made dinner.

This book has reminded me why I don’t like romance novels. For me, the characters and their circumstances may vary, but the story is basically the same.

Boy meets girl.

Boy dates girl.

Boy and girl sleep together.

Boy and girl fight and break up.

Boy and girl realize they can’t possibly live without each other and makeup.

The end.

But, don’t get me wrong…if there is a romance that is part of a larger story, I’m fine with it. I just want more action outside the bedroom than between the sheets. Otherwise, I find it all quite boring.

While I’m not going to DNF the book, I will not be reading the rest of the series. Her other books focus on the love lives of the supporting characters in this book. From what I’ve read so far, I can say with confidence that they all have great sex, a big fight, and live happily ever after. Good for them.

Hopefully, the next book I select from my shelf will not disappoint.

Has anyone else read this book? If yes, what did you think? If no, don’t bother. 🙂

The Book vs The Movie

I used to be excited about going to the movies. I went all the time as a kid. I loved the big screen and the candy. And it was great to go every year on December 25 because my family celebrated a Jewish Christmas. The movie theater was the only thing open, and my friends were all there. We could hold a minyan if we wanted to because the entire congregation – including the rabbi – filled up the seats.

Now, Christmas is a big movie release day, so it isn’t just for the members of the tribe (MOTs) anymore. But back then, it only cost $4 to see the latest feature film. You could take your entire Hebrew school class and see every movie in the theater for less than $25 plus the cost of popcorn. And then, we would all go out for Chinese food afterward.

As a teenager, I went to the movies almost every weekend. It was a little more expensive, but my dates usually paid. Now, as an adult, the experience is not as fun anymore. The previews are endless. People look at their cell phones instead of watching the movie (not me, of course). And even though I’m fully vaccinated, I don’t want to be in a crowded theater. I have perfected the art of watching films in the comfort of my living room. I can even pop my own popcorn and save a lot of money.

But, the number one reason I’m not interested in going to the movies is this: the book is always better. I mean, thank G-d for the wonderful actors that are cast in these roles – like Octavia Spencer in “Hidden Figures” or Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in “The Shawshank Redemption.” I admit they bring the characters to life in ways that I enjoy. But even the best film directors can’t possibly capture all the intricate subplots and themes in two hours. I give them plenty of points for costumes and cinematography – but the story almost always suffers, especially the endings. (SPOILERS AHEAD)

In “The Devil Wears Prada,” the assistant Andi gives Miranda Priestly precisely what she deserves in Lauren Weisberger’s book, and it’s AWESOME! But, in the movie, not so much. The ending pales in comparison and neatly tied up in a bow. Disappointing!

Same with “Crazy Rich Asians.” I’ve watched the movie several times because it is a good story, But Astrid and Michael have a great storyline that is never fully realized in the film. And the relationship between Rachel and her potential mother-in-law does not end as well in the novel as on-screen.

And don’t even get me started on the ending to “Gone Girl.” I can’t even… If you’ve read the book AND seen the movie, you know what I mean.

When you think about it, the book costs around $16, which is about the same price as the movie (depending on where you live). Rationally speaking, why would I spend that money twice on the same story? As a side note, I never by the book with the movie poster on the cover. I refuse to feed into the marketing of the film and carry it around like a mini-billboard.

So, perhaps it isn’t the sticky floors or the endless previews that I dread at the theater. More likely, it is that I am often so disappointed. Call me a book nerd, but I can’t help but shake my head and wonder why I wasted my money and my time.

Are there any movies you liked better than the book?

 

Books I Never Liked

My reading life hasn’t always been ideal. The books I was forced to read in middle school could have easily turned me off to books altogether. For instance, when my seventh-grade reading teacher assigned us “The Red Pony” by John Steinbeck, it was pure torture. The endless discussions about allegory and symbolism put me right to sleep. And the fact that my teacher had a thick, British accent and a soft-spoken manner made it even worse.

I had hope that the reading selections would get better. But sadly, they didn’t. I was not a fan of the epic poem, “Beowulf,” “The Old Man & the Sea” by Ernest Hemmingway, “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, or – the absolute worst – The “Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka.

Seriously, Kafka in middle school? Who’s bright idea was that?!

Oh, how I missed the beautiful writing of “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White and “James and the Giant Peach” by Roald Dahl that I read in elementary school.

It wasn’t until I got to high school that I fell in love with reading again when I discovered Shakespeare’s “King Lear,” “Beloved,” by Toni Morrison, and “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

I will say that my complicated reading life in school taught me one important lesson. Never waste time reading books you don’t enjoy. There are many excellent titles out there, and life is too short to read books you don’t want to read. I don’t care if your best friend or your mom tells you that you will love it. And even if the book is number one in the country, I am giving you permission to put it down and find another one. (Unless, of course, there is a test on Friday, and then you are screwed).

Over the years, there have been plenty of “best-sellers” that I could not get through. At times, I would try to push myself and feel guilty about not finishing it. I would tell myself if I kept reading, it would get better. But it never did. Nowadays, I allow myself 50-75 pages. If I’m not engaged in the story, I move on.

Here are some of the books that I DNF’d (did not finish) that others have enjoyed.

What books have you read that some people liked, but you did not? What did you read in school that you hated?

 

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