Comment: I bought this book after seeing some very positive review grades. Yes, I didn't read the reviews, just saw some trusted readers had given this a good grade and the blurb seemed intriguing too, so there I went to buy it.
It was the first book of February and as it started with a W I thought about using it for the Alphabet challenge too.
This is Caroline's story. She is a successful young woman, she has the work of her dreams, loyal friends, a good boss and has recently moved into a new apartment. Everything is perfect until the night her neighbor bangs the walls having sex with someone. This situation repeats until Caroline can't stand it anymore and they meet after she knocks on his door and yells at him to stop. But she didn't expect to be dazzled by his good looks and the sentiment is reciprocated.
Later, they realize they have friends in common and their animosity changes to reluctant friendship. But being so close, can they change their relationship once more?
So, what really got to me about this book was the apparent - and inferred love/hate relationship that would exist between Caroline and Simon, her neighbor. I was immediately fascinated by the idea of what situations and conversations they might have while falling in love at the same time. I should have realized this would be too good to be true and voilá, after a while they just started to become friends and the "fights" I envisioned didn't happen.
I can understand this alright, but from the blurb I expected a different kind of plot development. It's really annoying when the blurbs get you all worked up and then they don't deliver, right?
From then on I was kind of going with the flow but I admit I was never amazed despite the easiness of the book and the speed I managed to have in reading, the story is easy and simple and the writing is very easy to follow, very to the point.
However, this story wasn't special for me. I like some chick lit and "lighter" books once in a while but I like them to have some importance, to address something that matters. I'll be honest, I don't really care about Caroline's issue of not having orgasms, which was the theme of this story. Everything revolved around her problem of not being able to reach the orgasm since a failed relationship. Sure this must be important for some people, but for me it's at the bottom of the possible problems to try to solve ever, so, the story just got redundant for me.
Now, if this affected Caroline's approach to Simon or to what her love life meant, I could understand why it mattered for her but from what I've read she's a healthy woman from a loving family and she has a sort of promiscuous love life - she does say she had some lovers - and from her conversations about sex and orgasms and how she can't wait to get them again, I deduce she must put a lot of importance on sex and sexual release. That's fine, woman's power! But for the plot's purpose, how can this endear her to me, as a reader? Where's the conflict, the interest in that for the story? I just didn't find it all that important, that's all.
In the end, everything works out well, and things happen in a way that I suppose is to reaffirm the idea that love changes things and loving someone and being loved changes they way you see yourself, thus your own expectations. Sure, but with all the sex taking and everything revolving about sex, I think any caring message was lost. I really didn't enjoy reading about this, at least not to the extend the story focuses on that. I'd have appreciated a better balance in everything.
After all things considered, this is a book that surely works for readers looking for an easy plot and theme. But for me, this lacked some depth and interest, despite the funny characters, the good scenes with the main couple together before the sex and the compelling writing. But apart from that, I don't feel interested in reading more.
Grade: 6/10