THE STORY | After living in a small town for most of her life, 29-year-old Jess decides its time she leave her home (along with the grandmother she loves, and her flighty mother) and try to make it in the big city of London. The only way she can afford to do this is thanks to a friend who rents out rooms at her trendy Notting Hill address. But there are rules for the house, and one of them is not to get involved with your housemates. This sounds fine to Jess until she meets her housemate neighbor, Alex.
Alex is going through a grand life change having given up suits and the courtroom for the more noble profession of nursing. He’s perfect and everything Jess wants. But when she returns from a vacation, instead of sharing her feelings with him, she finds Alex has started up something with another of their roommates. Now, it’s an awkward year of Jess living next door to the guy she likes… and the girl he likes!
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(NOTE: As this is a secular novel, below I do discuss some of the things I didn’t love about this book, which include adult content.)
We Met in December by Rosie Curtis | Book Review
REVIEW | While sweet and full of warm fuzzy feelings (because of its winter setting), this novel isn’t precisely what I wished it to be. Is it still cute? Absolutely. But it lacks a little something. The missing link, I think, is in the back and forth dragging on between Alex and the woman with whom he shares an intimate relationship that irks me most.
You see, I get the “slow burn” thing that’s going on here, but it just feels wrong to be in Alex’s head as he grapples with his feelings (of disinterest) only to then fall into bed with (again!) a woman who he has no true feelings for. Plus, we’re meant to believe, repeatedly, that Alex isn’t this kind of guy. It does nothing to endear him or his eventual relationship. That said, I also did put this one my “2019 favorites” list which means, I did enjoy a good part of this story despite the quibbles.
Jess is a fun heroine who’s fun to get to know through the secondary POV switch off (between Alex and Jess). I like her aspiration to want something new and different, and find the setting interesting, both as a British-set romance and the roommate household. There’s some cute dynamics because of this, and it makes some of the character interactions more fun.
The story does move a bit slower than need be, but the nostalgia (being British automatically gives off this vibe, don’t you think?) and Jess’ story makes it all worthwhile. Imperfect though We Met in December is, it’s also sweet. In short, this is easily one of the better seasonal romantic-comedies I’ve read in the secular field, and with its cute cover art, it makes me happy to have enjoyed it over the Christmas season.
‘We Met in December’ is the Sweet Romance Right Next Door. A review of the novel by Rosie Curtis. #Romance #ChristmasFiction #Fiction #BookReview Click To TweetContent: There’s “after” scenes of couples in stages of undress (non-graphic); they sneak in and out of rooms, etc. Some profanity is sprinkled throughout including some F-words. We Met in December would rate a solid PG-13.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Author: Rosie Curtis
Publisher: William Morrow Books
Publication Date: 2019
Source: Bought
Genre: Fiction; Secular Contemporary
Find the Book Elsewhere: Goodreads
Rating: ★★★1/2
I had the same issue with Alex – he kept saying he wasn’t the type of person who had FWBs, but if this has been carrying on for months, then yes, you’re that type of person!
RIGHT!? I just couldn’t quite get past the contradiction that is his behavior and thought process. *sigh* I did enjoy the book, or mostly, but there are some issues I have with it.
I definitely enjoy books where you have multiple points of view, as long as it is done correctly. This one has been sitting on my TBR since I heard of it and I think I’m still going to give it a read :) Thanks for sharing your review and I really like your formatting. Looks gorgeous and very easy to read.
Megan, thank you! I appreciate your feedback; I’m always curious as to whether or not something works/flows in a reader friendly way.
I hope you enjoy “We Met in December.” I’m glad to have read it even if I did have a few disagreements with it. :D