Camilla Evergreen writes really good fantasy romances. This isn’t one. To be fair, it’s not supposed to be, but it is more fantastic than the vampire cat novel. This book needed more grounding in reality and less fantasy.
In this story, the main character, Juliette has been lying to her parents for two years about where she is and what she’s doing. While they believe she’s been enrolled in college and getting an education, she’s been living with Martin, a man who is somehow okay with her being his live-in girlfriend while they have no physical relationship. I am all for choosing marriage before sex, but the idea that this guy, who is no saint, would choose to go along with this plan is just hard to swallow. If the author had implied that he allowed it because he was benefiting from Juliette’s parents’ money, then it would make sense, but there is no mention of that. In fact, it appears that he has been supporting her all this time. Granted, she’s been a very efficient and kind live-in maid, but that’s not the same thing as a girlfriend.
Also in the story is a cat that wears a tux and a top hat and is somehow allowed into restaurants and pretty much anywhere else Juliette wants to take him. I get it, a good trainer could train the cat to walk without a leash throughout the city and even tolerate the silly outfit. But when Juliette uses a fake service animal vest, that got my hackles up. No people, don’t do that. Ever. Emotional support animal? Sure, there is a place in the world for those. But to conflate them with an actual trained service animal that can mean life and death for its partner? That’s not cool. Not cool at all.
The romance involves Juliette with Elliot, a man seven years older than she is. Technically, at 19 years old, Juliette is an adult, but emotionally? She’s about 12. It’s not really her fault. She has been coddled and wrapped up in bubble wrap her entire life. I know a little bit about that because I have a close relative who came into my life at 19 and she had a lot of the same issues. It’s a very difficult thing to overcome and requires strenuous effort on the part of everyone involved to bridge that kind of emotional delay.
Juliette never gets that support.
She has gone from one adult to another, seeking someone to handle reality for her so she doesn’t have to. Elliot should have been pushing her to overcome her past, but instead, he seems to want to just take over from her parents. It’s exactly the wrong way to handle her issues and it gives strong ick vibes.
Some of the scenes between the characters are cute and Ms. Evergreen always does a wonderful job of showing us how love should feel. But this time around, the fantasy was too strong and the reality too bleak.
Juliette needed a job and some education. Not a Mrs. degree.
3 needs-to-grow-up stars
