Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune
Frankie and George have been best friends since they were eight years old. Both passionate, impulsive, and headstrong—they’ve always clashed . . . and come back together. Until now. It’s the eve of Frankie’s wedding weekend, and she doesn’t know where they stand or even if George will show up as her best man.
Then, at the start of the festivities, in walks George. For one glorious evening, surrounded by her loved ones, Frankie’s life is finally perfect. But it all comes crashing down when her fiancé dumps her the next morning, leaving only a note as an explanation.
Crushed and confused, Frankie returns to her family’s home to wallow. But George has a different idea and a plan for healing Frankie’s broken heart. He wants her to go on her honeymoon. With him. For one week, to the lush rainforests and misty beaches of Tofino.
Frankie agrees, seeing the trip for what it really is: one last chance to repair their friendship. Even if it means unearthing secrets and long buried feelings neither knows how to handle. Even if it means falling apart for good.
Review: Francesca, "Frankie," and George grew up together and have been best friends since they were eight years old. When Frankie's fiancé leaves her on their wedding day, George proposes that the two of them go on her honeymoon to Tofino instead. Frankie agrees, seeing it as both a chance to get away and an opportunity to repair their fragile friendship. But the extended time together also gives them a chance to explore long buried feelings.
First, there was so much to enjoy about this book!!
- Absolutely gorgeous setting. I loved the vacation vibes of Tofino. It was fun to have on this trip, enjoying meals together, learning to surf, and enjoying the beautiful setting.
- I loved George. He is handsome and intriguing and I am here for him and his sexy glasses. Once they are on their trip, he and Frankie have such obvious tension. I was absolutely SAT when he gets so angry with her suggestion and goes, "Fuck your sexless marriage." YES, GEORGE, TELL HER.
- I loved that these two have known each other for so long and know each other, their families, and their individual traumas and history so well. They have layers of connections and depth to their relationship.
- This was absolutely TOP TIER on audio!! It was duet narration and both narrators had great voices. I particularly loved the narrator for George, and it matched the way I imagined him in my head, which isn't always the case.
- I actually did like that this is told in a non-linear fashion with chapters jumping back in time to show the characters at different ages over their shared childhood. It really built tension but also added to the sense of the depth of their relationship and background on each other.
BUT. But. There were a few reasons I'm not rating this higher:
- Obviously there is an element of predictability with all romances, but this one was just too glaring, in your face predictable. The VERY first scene is Frankie at her wedding rehearsal dinner, not at all focused on what is happening or the man she is about to marry but instead anxiously worrying about George and where he is. You and I both know what is going to happen next, don't even lie.
- I just have a hard time accepting a man and a woman can be best friends without any tension. And in fact, this book proves my point. Every single person in their lives is like, "oh we kind of figured something was there/you guys would end up together at some point" and they always laugh it off and act like it's ridiculous. And yet have a pretend wedding as children? And yet she propositioned him at one point? And yet???
- Frankie's fiancé felt so flat he felt fake. Like did he even really exist or was he there just to cause drama between Frankie and George. And who dumps their fiancée like that? And with no real explanation? Some communication would have been nice.
- The miscommunication was dragged out for far too long. I felt like it was stalling just to try to toy with the reader.
- The whale content was too much, guys. Frankie is one of three kids, all with names inspired by her mother's work as a marine biologist. One brother is named Moby. Yes, after the fictional whale Moby Dick. One is named Darwin, after the biologist Charles Darwin. And Frankie is short for Francesca, who was an actual whale her mother studied. You got that right: 2/3 of the siblings are named after whales. There is a lot of talk about whales and her mother's attachment to them. And there is a dramatic scene at the end where Frankie learns about the whale Francesca's fate. It just all felt a bit forced. (I will say that there are multiple references to Frankie feeling a great attachment to Jo March from Little Women and the masculine nickname Frankie mirrors Jo/Josephine...but the whale inspiration irked me.)
- Finally, this had too much plot overlap with The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren, which also features a couple going on a honeymoon trip that was not their honeymoon and ultimately falling for each other while on the trip. The only real difference is that one was enemies to lovers, and this one is childhood friends to lovers but otherwise exceedingly similar plots.
Stars: 3.5
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