Slow Burn

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC, made available through Pen Pinery.

I found the first quarter of the book a bit overwhelming at times, due to the sheet volume of elements being introduced at once –the personification of multiple objects, the town group chat, and trying to figure out who each contributor was. The play-by-play style of the group chat, in particular, felt excessive at times early on. In the beginning I almost found it abrasively ‘rom-comy’, toeing the line of being “campy”.

That said, the personification of the FMC’s house carries some compelling symbolism tied to her healing journey. However, the recurring themes of numbers, reporting, and the constant town-wide awareness occasionally felt overdone. While the idea of a close-knit town “watching” and supporting its members can be charming, it sometimes crossed into feeling intrusive–especially in light of the FMC’s trauma–creating a but of a balancing act between ‘supportive community’ and loss of autonomy.

As the story progresses beyond the first quarter, the author alleviated some of my concern with the town and rooted their involvement much more strongly in care and love rather than control. The evolving relationships between customers add meaningful depth, and this is where I found myself becoming more invested. The town’s affection for one another is particularly well-developed, specifically through the FMC’s turning point with her trauma, and there’s a growing awareness of boundaries, even if the townspeople remain delightfully nosy.

While I ultimately enjoyed the story, certain elements–particularly where themes tipped into a more campy tone, detracted from the overall experience. Additionally, there is a significant inconsistency in the MMC’s trauma narrative: the version he shares earlier in the book (Chapter 8) vastly differs from what is revealed in the final portion (Chapter 32), which was jarring. I actually went back to check! There were a few other smaller inconsistencies as well.

Overall, I think the book shows a lot of promise. The characters and the quirky small-town setting were engaging, and I would be interested in continuing with the series.