Review of Baggage by Katie Thompson
Unfortunately, I had a really hard time with this one. I wanted to put it down by the third chapter, and I found myself skimming just to get through it. If our blog had a Razzie award I would feel obligated to nominate this book. I thought it was going to be like the Nicholas Sparks “Safe Haven,” where the woman is trying to run away from an ex but he finds her and all hell breaks loose. I was excited; the plot had promise. As it turns out, Baggage, by Katie Thompson can be summed up into one word… disappointment. Now before you continue reading I want you to know that I am in the minority on my thoughts of this book. There were only a few reviews to be found, but most averaged a 4 star rating. So, before we get to the RR breakdown, I have summed up my major issues with the book:
1.) The worst part of this story is the writing. Talented writers do this wonderful thing where they “show” you what is going on through descriptions, actions, dialogue, etc. Thompson simply tells you everything. He was feeling this, she realized that, then this happened and she was fed up. Almost like you would tell a story to a friend “Oh man, she was pissed but she got over it pretty quickly” sort-of thing.
2.) The point of view changes are ridiculous. Small, random characters get a point of view one time in the story. I hate it when authors do this. BE CONSISTENT WITH YOU WHO ARE GIVING A POINT OF VIEW TO. Even the cat gets a point of view. Seriously? That is okay though, the cat was probably my favorite character.
3.) Nothing added up. The ages changed constantly. First Daniel’s daughter was 9 years younger than Jess, and then 5. Then Daniel is 5 years older than Jess. Jess is 31. So Daniel is 36, with a 26 or 22 year old daughter. Also, Daniel is described as being comfortable and getting by. He is in no way rich or well off, but can afford to fly to New York all the time to see his daughter. Just does not add up.
Author Description:
When Jess Cooper hears that her ex-boyfriend, the father of her child has been released from prison and is on his way to see them running off to the country seems like a good idea, however, perhaps things aren’t that simple. As hard as Jess tries she can’t stop her past from creeping into her future and anyway, maybe her future isn’t as great as it had originally seemed.
| The Reviewing Romance Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Story Line |   |
| It had potential. In fact it was the only thing that the book had going for it. It fell short because nothing happened. Okay, let me rephrase this; stuff happened. She changed boyfriends a couple times, reunited with her estranged father and even met up with her delinquent ex-boyfriend. She debates for a few pages over who she wants to be with, decides, and the book is over. I really wanted the ex-boyfriend coming back into the picture to cause more drama since I felt that is what the book was alluding to. I was very disappointed that Thompson didn’t do more with that. | |
| Heroine Likability | |
| Immature and childish is the best way to describe Jess Cooper. I felt like I was in the mind of an adolescent. I found her to be annoying and petty, and I simply was not able to connect with her. I did not enjoy her or her point of view. | |
| Hero Likability | |
| I can sum up this character in one word. Douche. Daniel is a douche; plain and simple. He is a douche to Jess when he first meets her, when he basically sets her up with another man and has an immature b****-fit about it, when he keeps his daughter a secret from her, when he disappears for weeks at a time and doesn't call her, oh, and when he sleeps with one of his daughter’s friends. I could not bring myself to like this character, he just had too many flaws I found unbecoming. | |
| True-to-Life | |
| This is actually where I can give the story most of its credibility. I feel as though it was very true to life because it is literally about a single mother struggling to get by and how awful dating can be. However, many scenes were forced, and a few scenes where Jess and Daniel just happen to run into each other were too coincidental. | |
| Sex Scenes | |
| Thompson alludes to sex. Quite honestly I am still confused if Jess slept with her first boyfriend or not. The closest thing we get to a scene is the morning after, when Thompson tells you Daniel and Jess have great sex all night at the same time Daniel’s daughter does. I just want to point out, that I do not need all the details of a sex scene. I know some authors prefer to allude to it and as long as that intimacy is there it works. I could not feel the intimacy between the characters. | |
| Writing Style | |
| This is the part where I struggled the most. It was poorly executed. The point of view changes were unnecessary and confusing. Certain events simply did not add up. I felt as though I was being told what is going on at every moment, and the dialogue was seriously lacking. Thompson simply comes out and tells us exactly how a character was feeling or thinking and I found myself skimming through paragraphs at a time. | |
| Predictability | |
| This is difficult for me to rate simply because nothing really happens. It comes down to Jess having to choose between boyfriends (which she has twice already at different points in this story). There was no real build up or exciting climatic moment in which the reader could have predicted what would happen. However, based on her previous choices you can pretty much guess how the story is going to end right up to the HEA. | |
| The Happily Ever After | |
| In the epilogue you receive a very typical HEA. I just wish the story would have ended sooner because it was a little drawn out. | |
| Overall |  |
|---|---|
| We Give it... | |
Available At: Amazon – Goodreads
Title: Baggage
Author: Katie L. Thompson
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self-Pub
Release Date: September 23, 2012
This book was provided to ReviewingRomance.com as an ARC copy via author and/or publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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AS ALWAYS Each review is solely my personal opinion. I strive to be honest and professional in each review but also like to have fun. Take my critique with a grain of salt. Any information about individual authors is found on the author’s official website, which is listed with each biography. All reviews and written content on this website are copyrighted to their respective owners, as well as all book covers and art are copyrighted to their respective publishing companies and/or authors. If you are the owner of a an image on this website and wish for it to be removed, please contact me and it will be removed within 24 hours of the request.
Irving Podolsky says:
Hello again, Mara.
It’s probably difficult for you to write these kinds of critiques, but the way you explain your reactions is honest, productive, and gives the author direct insight into the reading experience. This kind of uncensored criticism is necessary throughout the writing process, though successive drafts, and what I ask for as a writer when taking creative risks myself.
Unfortunately, most debut self-published authors don’t have your kind of professional feedback unless they pay a handsome sum for it. Any writer would be lucky to have you as his/her editor.
I know. This comment sounds like a gush. But few reviewers break down their critiques like you do, as if it were a creative writing class. This is why I read your comments.
Irv