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A review by pagesplotsandpints
From the Jump by Lacie Waldon
3.0
Read Completed 1/22/23 | I thoroughly enjoyed Lacie Waldon's debut, THE LAYOVER, but this one didn't do it for me.
FROM THE JUMP just had entirely different vibes, which isn't a bad thing since it potentially connects with a different audience, but it didn't have the charm and dazzle that THE LAYOVER did for me. It felt a touch more serious with a lot more time spent discussing Liv's job and how she perceives herself. She's extremely focused on her appearance, physically and how she comes across to others personality-wise and professionally. While that's a perfect valid story line, I just didn't enjoy it.
I also just didn't enjoy the friend group and all of the many characters of the book. Again, fine for another audience, but for me, it was too many people and we only got to know them quickly and on the surface. I like the "formula" of a quirky best friend sidekick because we get to know them a little bit more and they add a flare of personality to the book as well. We can't write the same books all the time so I know I can't read that forever, but the large friend group makes it difficult for me to connect with the characters. It also added a lot of drama with so many different dynamics flying around.
I also felt like I never got to know the love interest. It's a weird hang-up, but I hated that he was called by his last name the whole time. Maybe I just didn't like the name ("Deiss" pronounced like dice), or just that it always made it seem too informal. Once she started hooking up with him, I would have liked a shift to first name, because calling your boyfriend/sig other by their last name forever is kind of weird, but again, a personal preference. Maybe it was another case of where I would have preferred a dual POV to get to know the love interest more.
There was also a trip to South Africa but it really wasn't even a huge part of the book. After THE LAYOVER and reading that this book also included an adventure, I expected them to be on the trip for a lot longer.... like the whole book. It was fine, but I just thought it was another part that wasn't developed enough. I would have rather spent the whole time there (because it took too long for the beginning to take off and even get there), or not have had it at all. I have no issue with focus on Liv as a person, AND Liv's work life, AND a romance, AND a trip, AND all these friendships, but I just felt like there wasn't enough time spent with each one of them for me to care about them. There was a bit too much going on and the pacing didn't seem to connect them well enough for my tastes. I’m glad I read THE LAYOVER first because I wouldn’t have picked it up if I read this one first.
FROM THE JUMP just had entirely different vibes, which isn't a bad thing since it potentially connects with a different audience, but it didn't have the charm and dazzle that THE LAYOVER did for me. It felt a touch more serious with a lot more time spent discussing Liv's job and how she perceives herself. She's extremely focused on her appearance, physically and how she comes across to others personality-wise and professionally. While that's a perfect valid story line, I just didn't enjoy it.
I also just didn't enjoy the friend group and all of the many characters of the book. Again, fine for another audience, but for me, it was too many people and we only got to know them quickly and on the surface. I like the "formula" of a quirky best friend sidekick because we get to know them a little bit more and they add a flare of personality to the book as well. We can't write the same books all the time so I know I can't read that forever, but the large friend group makes it difficult for me to connect with the characters. It also added a lot of drama with so many different dynamics flying around.
I also felt like I never got to know the love interest. It's a weird hang-up, but I hated that he was called by his last name the whole time. Maybe I just didn't like the name ("Deiss" pronounced like dice), or just that it always made it seem too informal. Once she started hooking up with him, I would have liked a shift to first name, because calling your boyfriend/sig other by their last name forever is kind of weird, but again, a personal preference. Maybe it was another case of where I would have preferred a dual POV to get to know the love interest more.
There was also a trip to South Africa but it really wasn't even a huge part of the book. After THE LAYOVER and reading that this book also included an adventure, I expected them to be on the trip for a lot longer.... like the whole book. It was fine, but I just thought it was another part that wasn't developed enough. I would have rather spent the whole time there (because it took too long for the beginning to take off and even get there), or not have had it at all. I have no issue with focus on Liv as a person, AND Liv's work life, AND a romance, AND a trip, AND all these friendships, but I just felt like there wasn't enough time spent with each one of them for me to care about them. There was a bit too much going on and the pacing didn't seem to connect them well enough for my tastes. I’m glad I read THE LAYOVER first because I wouldn’t have picked it up if I read this one first.