I generally like most books that I read. In fact there must be considerable reasons for me to not give a positive review, and even then I can't persuade myself to give lower that three stars even on books I do not enjoy because I hold the opinion that even though it doesn't fit my tastes , others may have different feelings. That is the rationalization for my three star rating for Dangerland, a novel by Erin Singer. I received the advanced reader's copy of Dangerland through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest opinion, which is the reason for the following review.
I tried desperately to "get into" the book, Dangerland, but it never captured my attention, even though I slogged through it. Although it was advertised as a funny rom-com like "When Harry Met Sally," I do not agree. I found the book disjointed and confusing. The chapters did not flow with each other. I understand when jumping between past and present scenes, the reader can feel in a tug of war of storylines, but Dangerland never seemed to connect from one scenerio to the next.
Overall, the book features two star-crossed individuals who are attracted to each other, yet fate never allows them to form more than an awkward friendship. The main characters live in Las Vegas and meet in adolescences then remain interconnected throughout their lives. (That's the only similarity I found to "When Harry Met Sally"). Various other characters are included throughout the story. The inclusion of the additional characters felt like cameos in the overall story. I was looking forward to a light-hearted read with quirky chuckles along the way. The stories and characters just made me feel sad for their circumstances. I didn't find a time when I was invested in the overall outcome of the story.
I did read some positive reviews, yet I didn't have the same experience these other reviewers had. I hope there are others who do enjoy Dangerland as I wish Singer the best of luck. The novel just wasn't what I had hoped for when requesting it.
#NetGalley #Dangerland
