This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Reviewed by Kira Slaughter
Looking For Fireworks opens on city girl Laney on another blind date. From the first chapter, you get the immediate impression that she’s not lucky in love, and that this date she’s on is just one in a long line of bad dates. Life takes a turn for the worse when Laney's father falls ill and Laney moves to the Cotswolds to care for him.
This novel seemed a bit rushed, initially. There was little character set up but a load of huge events occured in the first ten pages. The storyline eventually slowed a little bit and I was able to grasp what was going on and actually acquainted with the main characters.
Laney stumbles across various obstacles that hinder her attempts to settle in to country life, yet she soon finds herself making friends and becoming the centre of some gossip.
I felt that the romance between two of the main characters seemed rushed and wasn’t really given any time to blossom. It seemed to me that they clashed at first and then, bam, they’re suddenly madly attracted to each other. It left me slightly blindsided, felt a bit cliched and I would have like to see a more realistic development.
Overall, the book was a light-hearted read that did keep me turning the pages. I would have liked more time spent building the main characters' relationships so that I felt more satisfied by the conclusions of their stories. The beautiful setting helped to make this book more enjoyable.
6/10