Oh how I wanted to like this book. I had so much fun watching the Netflix show but this is one of the rare times that the source material is worse than the adaptation. Where the show brought a layered, heartfelt lightness to the screen, the book was full of frustration and fearing that women have devolved.

I am going try and not make side-by-side comparisons to the show and will stick with my thoughts as the book was written. I will say though, the best part of this book was the relationship between Maddie and her kids. I felt that it was a very honest portrayal to the situation and the ages of the kids and it felt very… real. But that really is where my enjoyment ends. I wanted to root for her and her two best friends and have fun along side them in Serenity but even her friendships seemed to take a backseat to the relationship that is Cal and Maddie.

And when I mean things took a backseat… I mean, plot, character development, humanity… everything.

This book was full of what is being passed off as ‘small Southern town gossip’ but is really just a town of toxic child-like adults who clearly have nothing better to do with their time than talk about the relationship of Cal and Maddie. To the point where essentially a TOWN MEETING needs to be held to determine if it should be allowed or not. I’m from a small town in Canada but please tell me this is not an actual thing in the South, I beg you. I fear even more for mankind if that’s the case.

I couldn’t even tell you what the rest of the story covers anymore because of how horribly frustrated I was at reading about Maddie’s various relationships. I was hoping for a story about friendship and getting back on your feet when you’re 40 and divorced with 3 kids while your ex and his pregnant mistress tote about town. I was looking for empowerment but just got stuck in a plot of archaic stupidity.