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A review by imme_van_gorp
Thrust by Rachel Spangler
Did not finish book.
DNF @26%
I’m sorry, but this simply just wasn’t very good. I really wanted it to be. Hell, I was expecting it to be, but it just wasn’t.
The plot already makes absolutely zero sense.
The idea is that Jess has had the hots for Lauren since she was 13 years old while Lauren was 18. Obviously that wouldn’t work, and Lauren doesn't remotely feel the same way, so Lauren jokingly makes a pact with tiny little Jess that she would get to collect on a date with Lauren if she ever made it to the Olympics (and they were both adults). Okay, sounds fair (albeit sappy, but we love sappy), right?
Yea, okay, so. Jess makes it to the Olympics, and she comes knocking on Lauren’s door. Or, well, at Lauren’s workplace’s door, because apparently this woman doesn’t own a house (I mean, she does, I’m assuming, but you would think that she doesn’t). They reunite (awkwardly) and agree to have this date. Which, by the way, was the most stiff and impersonal date in the history of dates. They only talked about fencing, and about nothing else. But, hey, they seem to think the chemistry was sizzling and sparks were flying, so who am I to tell them there is more chemistry between a wet piece of cloth and a bland piece of paper than between either of them?
Okay, so yea, after this world-class first date, Jess is still totally over the moon in awe of Lauren, and Lauren has apparently decided that she has never been this enamoured with another person either. Right, okay, sure. I’m not seeing it, but you do you.
But, no, they don’t listen to “you do you”. No, they don’t do anything logical with this apparent love between them. Instead, Lauren randomly decides to play the martyr and is like “oh no, sorry Jess, we are perfect together, but we’re not having a second date ever again. Please leave our hometown and never come back, because you deserve soooo much more (what is this ‘more’ exactly?? We don’t know) and I want nothing more than for you to get everything you want! Because apparently nobody cares about you like I do even though we’ve only talked for like a day after not having seen each other for 10 years!!” Sure. Makes no sense, but whatever. Again, you do you.
Jess, however, takes this.. in stride, I guess? She doesn’t respond with something akin to “nah, I wanna come back and have a second date. What the hell are you even on about?” Instead, she’s like “Aha, yes. Makes sense. Sure.” Ummmmm. Yea, colour me confused. Jess, honey, I thought this woman was the love of your life or something?? You’ve waited ten years for this and that’s your response?? Alright…
After thinking about it for a minute, though, Jess, by some weird mental aerobics, decides that Lauren would actually be the perfect coach for her. Because Lauren cares. And that’s apparently all the qualifications an Olympics coach needs. Not to mention that this would mean they don’t get to be in any kind of relationship at all, because she would be her literal coach… So, yea. Sounds like a great idea, right?
So, when Jess tells Lauren that she is going to be her coach, Lauren is like “oh my god? Really?? Lil’old me?” and apparently her whole big speech of “you need the best” doesn’t apply to Jess’ actual career, because she’s totally ready to be her (underqualified) coach, but not date her?????
And that was the moment I threw in the towel.
None of this was logical and there was zero feeling to it.
These two women had no apparent connection, no chemistry, and didn’t know the first thing about each other. For Jess it’s obviously all a big childhood fantasy, which, I mean, doesn’t seem like a great basis for a relationship, but that I can at least understand. Lauren, however, has no excuse to be so into Jess. I mean, why is she? Is it because Jess is a successful fencer? Is it because she’s hot? It can’t be for her personality, because that one doesn’t exist other than Jess giving complete “I want Lauren” attitude.
It's all ridiculous and I didn’t like it. It had zero depth, and not even in a fun way.
I feel no inclination to see them pining for each other while training together when it doesn’t even make sense they’re not just dating instead of working together in the first place. It’s dumb.
I’m sorry, but this simply just wasn’t very good. I really wanted it to be. Hell, I was expecting it to be, but it just wasn’t.
The plot already makes absolutely zero sense.
The idea is that Jess has had the hots for Lauren since she was 13 years old while Lauren was 18. Obviously that wouldn’t work, and Lauren doesn't remotely feel the same way, so Lauren jokingly makes a pact with tiny little Jess that she would get to collect on a date with Lauren if she ever made it to the Olympics (and they were both adults). Okay, sounds fair (albeit sappy, but we love sappy), right?
Yea, okay, so. Jess makes it to the Olympics, and she comes knocking on Lauren’s door. Or, well, at Lauren’s workplace’s door, because apparently this woman doesn’t own a house (I mean, she does, I’m assuming, but you would think that she doesn’t). They reunite (awkwardly) and agree to have this date. Which, by the way, was the most stiff and impersonal date in the history of dates. They only talked about fencing, and about nothing else. But, hey, they seem to think the chemistry was sizzling and sparks were flying, so who am I to tell them there is more chemistry between a wet piece of cloth and a bland piece of paper than between either of them?
Okay, so yea, after this world-class first date, Jess is still totally over the moon in awe of Lauren, and Lauren has apparently decided that she has never been this enamoured with another person either. Right, okay, sure. I’m not seeing it, but you do you.
But, no, they don’t listen to “you do you”. No, they don’t do anything logical with this apparent love between them. Instead, Lauren randomly decides to play the martyr and is like “oh no, sorry Jess, we are perfect together, but we’re not having a second date ever again. Please leave our hometown and never come back, because you deserve soooo much more (what is this ‘more’ exactly?? We don’t know) and I want nothing more than for you to get everything you want! Because apparently nobody cares about you like I do even though we’ve only talked for like a day after not having seen each other for 10 years!!” Sure. Makes no sense, but whatever. Again, you do you.
Jess, however, takes this.. in stride, I guess? She doesn’t respond with something akin to “nah, I wanna come back and have a second date. What the hell are you even on about?” Instead, she’s like “Aha, yes. Makes sense. Sure.” Ummmmm. Yea, colour me confused. Jess, honey, I thought this woman was the love of your life or something?? You’ve waited ten years for this and that’s your response?? Alright…
After thinking about it for a minute, though, Jess, by some weird mental aerobics, decides that Lauren would actually be the perfect coach for her. Because Lauren cares. And that’s apparently all the qualifications an Olympics coach needs. Not to mention that this would mean they don’t get to be in any kind of relationship at all, because she would be her literal coach… So, yea. Sounds like a great idea, right?
So, when Jess tells Lauren that she is going to be her coach, Lauren is like “oh my god? Really?? Lil’old me?” and apparently her whole big speech of “you need the best” doesn’t apply to Jess’ actual career, because she’s totally ready to be her (underqualified) coach, but not date her?????
And that was the moment I threw in the towel.
None of this was logical and there was zero feeling to it.
These two women had no apparent connection, no chemistry, and didn’t know the first thing about each other. For Jess it’s obviously all a big childhood fantasy, which, I mean, doesn’t seem like a great basis for a relationship, but that I can at least understand. Lauren, however, has no excuse to be so into Jess. I mean, why is she? Is it because Jess is a successful fencer? Is it because she’s hot? It can’t be for her personality, because that one doesn’t exist other than Jess giving complete “I want Lauren” attitude.
It's all ridiculous and I didn’t like it. It had zero depth, and not even in a fun way.
I feel no inclination to see them pining for each other while training together when it doesn’t even make sense they’re not just dating instead of working together in the first place. It’s dumb.