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A review by lisavdheijden
10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston
4.0
*4.5/5
10 blind dates by Ashley Elston was like a warm bath; soothing, comforting, and very much needed. This book is a perfect holiday read; it combines a heart-warming, funny, and charming story with short digestible chapters.
The story follows Sophie. She wants nothing more to spend the Christmas holidays with her boyfriend Griffin. When they unexpectedly break up, Sophie’s big and loud Sicilian family has come up with the perfect way to cheer her up. Ten family members will set up a blind date for Sophie. If you think this sounds like the perfect recipe for a funny, awkward and adorable book, you are completely right.
The one word that comes to mind when I think about the plot is fun. From the first page, I was completely invested in the story. Because each chapter describes one date, it feels fast-paced. There is always something going on. The dates were original and kept the story interesting; some were fun, some were cute, and some were downright awkward. I really loved the dynamics of a big family. The book also dealt with a more serious note: Sophie’s big sister is dealing with preeclampsia that led to some heartfelt moments. The relationship between the sisters was adorable. While the romance that was developed was cute; it was not my favourite aspect of the story. I only wished that the ending was more definite.
Sophie as a main character was likable. You rooted for her from the beginning because she handled herself well in the whole breakup situation. I appreciated how she tackled problems and how she communicated with others, especially her love interest. Something that I loved in this book was how real and genuine the familial relationships felt. They all had chemistry with each other.
The writing had a fun and charming quality to it. It fitted the story well. I loved the addition of the text messages between Sophie and her sister. They were often hilarious. The author did an excellent job of creating chaos and the atmosphere of a big, loving family. The author has also great comic timing.
I enjoyed the setting of the book and the details the author put in the world. Each date was very distinguished from one another in terms of activity, locations, and atmosphere. The author also included Italian culture that I enjoyed but all the mentions of homemade pasta made me hungry. Finally, I loved how involved not only Sophie’s parents are but her entire family is. All the aunts and uncles placing bets on how long the dates will take were hilarious.
In conclusion, 10 blind dates is a charming, funny, and heartwarming story that is perfect for the holiday season. I had a blast reading this book. It is unique in its concept and a story I will remember for a long time.
Rating breakdown:
• Plot: 4.5/5
• Characters: 4.5/5
• Writing style: 4/5
• Worldbuilding: 4/5
• Enjoyment: 5/5
10 blind dates by Ashley Elston was like a warm bath; soothing, comforting, and very much needed. This book is a perfect holiday read; it combines a heart-warming, funny, and charming story with short digestible chapters.
The story follows Sophie. She wants nothing more to spend the Christmas holidays with her boyfriend Griffin. When they unexpectedly break up, Sophie’s big and loud Sicilian family has come up with the perfect way to cheer her up. Ten family members will set up a blind date for Sophie. If you think this sounds like the perfect recipe for a funny, awkward and adorable book, you are completely right.
The one word that comes to mind when I think about the plot is fun. From the first page, I was completely invested in the story. Because each chapter describes one date, it feels fast-paced. There is always something going on. The dates were original and kept the story interesting; some were fun, some were cute, and some were downright awkward. I really loved the dynamics of a big family. The book also dealt with a more serious note: Sophie’s big sister is dealing with preeclampsia that led to some heartfelt moments. The relationship between the sisters was adorable. While the romance that was developed was cute; it was not my favourite aspect of the story. I only wished that the ending was more definite.
Sophie as a main character was likable. You rooted for her from the beginning because she handled herself well in the whole breakup situation. I appreciated how she tackled problems and how she communicated with others, especially her love interest. Something that I loved in this book was how real and genuine the familial relationships felt. They all had chemistry with each other.
The writing had a fun and charming quality to it. It fitted the story well. I loved the addition of the text messages between Sophie and her sister. They were often hilarious. The author did an excellent job of creating chaos and the atmosphere of a big, loving family. The author has also great comic timing.
I enjoyed the setting of the book and the details the author put in the world. Each date was very distinguished from one another in terms of activity, locations, and atmosphere. The author also included Italian culture that I enjoyed but all the mentions of homemade pasta made me hungry. Finally, I loved how involved not only Sophie’s parents are but her entire family is. All the aunts and uncles placing bets on how long the dates will take were hilarious.
In conclusion, 10 blind dates is a charming, funny, and heartwarming story that is perfect for the holiday season. I had a blast reading this book. It is unique in its concept and a story I will remember for a long time.
Rating breakdown:
• Plot: 4.5/5
• Characters: 4.5/5
• Writing style: 4/5
• Worldbuilding: 4/5
• Enjoyment: 5/5