Kelly's Review: EXPECTATIONS

EXPECTATIONS

By Liz Boreno

Published by: Lazy Day Publishing

First Printing: November 30, 2010

ISBN: 9781612580067

ISBN: 1612580068

Amazon; Barnes and Noble; Goodreads

Concept: “EXPECTATIONS depicts the struggle between what we desire for
ourselves and our familial obligations. The struggle is personified by Chris and Matt Taylor, identical twins, who are trying to win their overbearing father's approval and acquire their trust funds. Love, money, and desire collide as Matt and Chris decide what's really important to them. (from Goodreads).”

Review: Normally, I say give me a book with a lot of character build up and analysis. That is what makes a book good – the characters! Right? Hmmm, well, maybe not right. This book is definitely about the character build up. And now I’m going to say that perhaps too much of a good thing makes it a bad thing. Because this story was told by different character perspective, the changes sometimes felt uncomfortable, there wasn’t a natural flow to the story. And the story was slow and difficult to read sometimes but, it had its rewarding moments as well.

As talked about above, the story is about three men, twin brothers and their best friend Aiden at a crossroads in their lives. They have moved into their own apartment in New York (oh wait, that makes it a loft) after graduate school. The twins, Chris and Matt have a tyrannical father who really is a giant snot. And then there’s Aiden, the dancer. Chris and Aiden enter into a relationship which is tender. Matt has a harder time and struggles with alcoholism. Chris and Matt struggle with trying to be something their father wants them to be and what will get them cash by means of their trust fund. What they do, and how they cope with their father and what they do about him is the story.

The story moves along with romance and suspense and when you reach the ending you are absolutely waiting for resolutions to some of the plot lines. The book though, stops suddenly. There will be a sequel to this book, and I will be anxious to read it, but I would have liked to have seen more done with THIS book’s ending. This is an excellent first book though and I hope the author continues to write books of this caliber.

What I liked: The character build up! I loved getting to know these characters. Even getting to know Rob (the evil Dad) was excellent. By time he showed up in the story, I was ready to rip out his nostril hairs.

What I disliked: There were a lot of times in this story that it drug on and on. I would have liked a little something more. As I said, the ending didn’t wind up nicely enough for me either. Although, and I understand this, that makes room for the sequel.

My rating: 3.5 feathers

by Kelly for Book Lover's Hideaway