The Idea of You
Ratings44
Average rating3.5
The story focuses on the 2 main characters, and I found them flat and unconvincing. I could tell that it was going to get really angsty eventually, which is not my thing.
Mixed Bag
I really wanted to love The Idea of You by Robinne Lee. The premise was intriguing, and I was eager to dive into a story that promised to be a whirlwind romance with a twist. However, after finishing both the book and watching the movie adaptation, I was left with mixed feelings and a sense that something was missing.
The story follows Solène, a 39-year-old divorced mother, who unexpectedly finds herself in a passionate affair with a much younger man—a world-famous boy band member named Hayes. The chemistry between Solène and Hayes is undeniable, and the author does a great job of capturing the excitement and intensity of their relationship. The writing is beautiful and descriptive, bringing the characters and their emotions to life.
However, despite the strong start, I found myself wanting more as the story progressed. While the romance was captivating, the book felt somewhat one-dimensional, focusing heavily on the physical attraction between the characters without delving deeply into the emotional complexities of their relationship. I also struggled with the pacing, which felt uneven at times, with certain parts dragging while others were rushed.
The ending, in particular, left me unsatisfied. It felt abrupt and didn’t provide the closure I was hoping for, which made the whole experience feel incomplete. The movie adaptation, unfortunately, didn’t fill in the gaps and left me with the same feeling of wanting more.
Overall, The Idea of You had the potential to be a great story, and there were moments where it truly shined. But in the end, it didn’t fully live up to my expectations. If you’re looking for a steamy, escapist romance, this book might be worth a read, but be prepared for a story that may leave you longing for a bit more depth and resolution.
Ug! It's good!
Spoiler
I think I enjoyed this book because it did not have a happy ending. I like books that make me feel something and I felt her dilemma throughout the book. It's hard to put into words but the feeling of me wanting something else to happen in a book makes it good. I am rooting for the love but be it doesn't happen gives me all the feels. Can't wait to watch the movie.
It's not a five star read because it wasn't profound and deep. It's not a book that I have quotes from or a book I will cherish forever. So a strong 4 stars. Which is still high in my opinion.
Written from a perspective of women my age. Reading it, i did not have to regress into my teenage self to get the same feels about a guy. Passionate love and heartbreak.
Rounded up from 3.75
I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book but I have a few takeaways:
1. This is NOT a romance. It doesn't follow any of the formulas that make a book a romance so keep that in mind before you read this.
2. I almost DNF'd this during the first half. I just really wasn't enjoying it but it was recommended to me by a trusted source so I continued.
3. I'm glad that I didn't DNF. I enjoyed the second half better. It made me laugh and cry.
4. I can't stop thinking about this book. It makes you think about double standards for men/women when dating someone younger, art and what is considered art, fandom (especially girl fandom) - the boy band craze and also how we as a society under value anything that girls and women love.
5. This is open door through out the entire book so you can't just skip the open door scenes. You have to be OK with that.
I think if you have the right expectations going in then you will gain something from this read. I almost didn't read this because of the mother/daughter element and that is what bothered me most about this book. If your book club can handle sexy time I think this would make a great book club read.
This book is a bit of a miss for me. I decided to read it because of the movie adaptation soon to be released. I found it to be interesting and engaging at first, but that started to wane as it progressed. I ended up feeling mostly bored and disappointed by the end.
This age gap romance between a 39 year old gallery owner and a 20 year old pop star is just too far-fetched for me. Solene is depicted as this flawlessly beautiful woman with immaculate taste in clothes and art. Hayes is supposed to be gorgeous and sexy and oh so mature and soulful at the age of just 20. It's just unbelievable.
While I did enjoy the flirtation and sexual chemistry at the start of their affair, I soon tired of it. I did not care to read more scenes of them traveling the world and having sex. I also found it disappointing how Solene continued to disregard her daughter's feelings in favor of her own happiness for much of the book.
To me, the ending is the only part that made sense and felt realistic. However, I wish it weren't so abrupt.
Overall, I am glad I read it so I know what to expect from the movie, but I can't say I enjoyed all of it. I'm not sure I would recommend it.
This is my second One Direction fan fic. Am I a One Direction fan...no!! Why do I keep reading these books... no idea!
Anyway, this was better written and less toxic than After, so it has that going for it. It was a quick and easy read. It will also be my last One Direction fan fic.
that ending was pretty abrupt but obviously it was the correct choice. would have very much hated this otherwise!
the age difference gave me the ick so I'm glad they are slightly aging Hayes up in the film adaptation
This book is basically glorified One Direction fan fiction. Hayes Campbell is our male protagonist. He's a British boybander with curly hair, green eyes, wears black skinny jeans and boots, likes older women, posts artsy images on his Instagram and has a weird relationship with his bandmate whom his fans creepily ship him with. Ahem.
Maybe if you don't pay attention to celebrity gossip or the life and times of Harry Styles, you'll actually enjoy this book. The writing wasn't bad but the parallels between Hayes and Harry, August Moon and One Direction, were too distracting for me to actually enjoy the story.