Review: R2R from Goodreads - Recommended! A solid debut!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 12, 2014
Funny story. At the beginning of this week, I hadn't read a romance novel. Ever. I'm okay with chick flicks and being a little soppy in my own personal life but reading about it never appealed to me.Then this week happened.In the space of a week, I've read two romance novels. The latest is The Big Set, the first (I hope) in the Elize Lapsene series. I say 'I hope' because despite the fact this book falls into the romance category, at times it feels like a different type of book. I would happily read another instalment...colour me intrigued. I'm not a romance fan by any means but if I was, this would be a hell of an introduction to the genre.Three things appeal to me in a novel. Character, vivid locations (I want to imagine it, put myself in that location, feel it) and decent, realistic dialogue. For me, these three things a novel makes.The Big Set has it in droves. The dialogue is excellent, realistic, fluid and...well, authentic. I found myself reading conversations between the characters and thinking...'I'd say that'. The reactions seem genuine, the chit-chat comfortable. It's a testament to the author who creates a realistic, lively world, a world you can be part of for several hours without complaint. It really brings the characters alive.On that note, the characters too are authentic. So often in novels, one character will be out of place, underdeveloped or inappropriately included. Not so here. Every character has their place and that combined with the sparkling dialogue helps you appreciate the characters on every turn. It's all part of the easy story telling that the author has created.Which leaves the locations. Perfect, exquisite, glorious. I felt like I was there. I looked out of the window every now and then and was disappointed I was still at home. My imagination was going haywire on the descriptions which only increased the enjoyment of the book.So five stars? Definitely. For a non-romance fan to come into this book, stay hooked, miss valuable sleep and come out at the end wanting more, is proof that the author is one to watch in the future. I would recommend this highly to any romance fan and any non-romance fan wanting to burst their romance cherry (no pun intended).