The View from the Top

3.5 stars

This seemed like one of those books where the beginning and end were really good, but the middle was bad. During the middle, it was very ‘go-to-the-place-do-the-thing'-esc. The friend group and main couple would go do ‘x' and instead of using the scene to develop relationships within the group or romance; it would be over within three pages almost.

I really wished to see more of the friend group. Tom seemed like the spokesperson for the group, which is realistic but leaves out everyone else. Like Drew, I can't tell you a single thing about him except that he's Vietnamese, and he's an electrician. The only other friend we get to see often is Alex, but even then she's stretched a little thin. No one in the group seemed to have a distinguishable personality.

The romance wasn't all that convincing. In fact, whenever Diana and Emily had a conversation, it sounded like dialogue from a kids' movie or two aliens trying to appear human. Their relationship wasn't steady in the slightest. Conversations fell flat; feelings seemed artificial. Diana seemed more fleshed-out than Emily who seemed to go out of character for plot reasons, not because she arrived at that conclusion herself.

I did like their characters though: I could relate to Emily's fear and Diana's anxiety, but their chemistry and romance seemed very lacking in depth. However, I think what really bothered me was how it was written dual-pov: a thought would go through Emily's head written in full, only for it to be repeated word-for-word later in conversation in either a few pages to Diana or in the next chapter.

The idea for this book is a good one. I think the location of a small, progressive town draped in beautiful scenery is amazing. Maybe it would've done better as a novella or a straight up erotica since the only scenes written well were the spicy ones.

Thx for reading