Review: Into the Woods by Jenny Holiday
Thank you Forever for my copy! All thoughts are my own.
Last Winter, I loved Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday so I was very excited to continue on in that world. I thought that book was clever, sexy, fun and just the right amount of emotional. I had a completely different experience with Into the Woods. I would say the Romance is the secondary plot line and the A plot is definitely more about the individual characters finding love and artistic fulfillment later in life.
I liked it. The last 25-30% of the book made up for the second act being lack luster. But it sadly won’t be a new favorite of mine.
Synopsis:
“Gretchen Miller is a bit of a badass. But even badasses get the blues when it comes to romance, and Gretchen could use a break from dating. So, when she gets the offer to be the summer dance instructor at Camp Wild Arts, she leaps at the chance to embrace clean air, nature, and her inner crone. But every forest has pests—and the biggest one at Wild Arts is none other than Tennyson “Teddy” Knight, the A) arrogant, B) infuriating, C) kinda hot if it weren’t for A & B rockstar who happens to be Gretchen’s fellow artist-in-residence.
Fresh off his band's epic and ultra-public breakup, Teddy's grouchier than a black bear in spring, and Gretchen is happy to ignore the unexpected heat she feels around him. Yet a wary friendship blooms, and before she knows it, Gretchen finds herself sneaking around to have one last summer fling with the broody musician before she swears off men for good. But as they grow closer, Gretchen has to figure out if she's ready to take this summer camp romance out of the woods and into real life.”
What I Liked:
The Focus on Artistic Fulfillment—This is something I identify with deeply, especially pivoting careers and allowing yourself to grow outside of what you feel is expected of you. I thought this was handled very beautifully and will resonate with a lot of people.
Older FMC—It’s refreshing to find romances with older characters. In this book, they are 39 and 35. I found my partner as a teenager, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t had to grow together and communicate in different ways. I think it’s a nice change to read about people who aren’t in their twenties.
What Didn’t Work for Me:
Rockstar MMC—I just don’t like this trope. It’s not a huge aspect of this book, but I don’t know. Just not my vibe!
Repetitive Plot—Points seemed to be made over and over again.
Pacing—The second act of this book didn’t work for me. The chapters were also on the long side, making it hard to pick up and read throughout the day because I didn’t want to get stuck in the middle of one.
Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 3/5
Content Warnings:
abandonment, misogyny, toxic relationship