Review: 10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston
10:00
Series: None
Author: Ashley Elston
Published November 14th 2019 by Macmillan Children's Books
Goodreads Synopsis
Sophie wants one thing for Christmas— a little freedom from her overprotective parents. So when they decide to spend the holidays in South Louisiana with her very pregnant older sister, Sophie is looking forward to some much-needed private (read: make-out) time with her long-term boyfriend, Griffin. Except it turns out that Griffin wants a little freedom from their relationship.
Heartbroken, Sophie flees to her grandparents’ house, where the rest of her boisterous extended family is gathered for the holiday. That’s when her nonna devises a (not so) brilliant plan: Over the next ten days, Sophie will be set up on ten different blind dates by different family members. Like her sweet cousin Sara, who sets her up with a hot guy at an exclusive underground party. Or her crazy aunt Patrice, who signs Sophie up for a lead role in a living nativity. With a boy who barely reaches her shoulder. And a screaming baby.
When Griffin turns up unexpectedly and begs for a second chance, Sophie feels more confused than ever. Because maybe, just maybe, she’s started to have feelings for someone else . . . Someone who is definitely not available.
This is going to be the worst Christmas break ever . . . Or is it?
Goodreads
Review
The book was one that I only heard about in the run up to Christmas, and hadn't realised there was a UK publisher until I noticed it in the shops, and I bought a copy on a whim. The idea of a girl in a big family trying to overcome heartbreak by a series of blind dates that her cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents have organised definitely was a book I wanted to read, and the fact it's set around Christmas time made it even easier a choice to buy a copy.
Sophie had planned to stay home for the Christmas period, when her parents went south to visit with her heavily pregnant sister. She would go to her grandparents home every now and then, but mainly she would spend time with her boyfriend, Griffin. However, on the first day of the holidays, she overhears Griffin saying that he wants to break up with Sophie, and that she's boring and no fun to be about. She's obviously devastated, and as soon as she gets to her grandparents home, the whole extended family are there, and all know something is up. That's when they decide to set Sophie on 10 blind dates over the Christmas period, with each person picking someone they think is perfect, and Sophie only has one veto. While there, she also reconnects with her cousins, Olivia and Charlie, but with neighbour, and Charlie’s best friend, Wes, who she lost touch with when she first got with Griffin, and stopped heading to her grandparents as often. While getting through the heartbreak, and embarrassment of the blind dates, she rediscovers her old feelings for Wes, and might just find herself loving this Christmas period.
This book was so fun and cute! Sophie was a fantastic MC, and her care for her family, even when they got on her nerves like some of them did, really shone through. The subplot of her sister, Margot's, pregnancy really helped to bring some seriousness into the plot line, and make it more enjoyable, rather than being wholly unbelievable. My favourite part of the entire story was Sophie's grandmother, who was so caring and loving, and reminded me, a lot, of my own gran, though I'm not from a big family like this Sophie.
The romantic aspect of the blind dates was fun, but it was always going to be Wes who Sophie fell for, and you were just waiting for them to actually get together, which took away from some of the dates. I will say I loved them together, and hated whenever Griffin appeared on page, as he was toxic for Sophie, and needed to be kicked to the curb a lot sooner. I've seen on GR that Ashley has another book coming out soon that seems very much like this, and I'll be preordering it as soon as.
Dates Read:
January 10-11, 2020
Rating
4 Stars
January 10-11, 2020
Rating
4 Stars
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