Thursday, February 12, 2015

Book Review: The Look of Love by Sarah Jio

Pages: 320
Genre: Adult Fiction
Pub. Date: November 25, 2014
Source: Publisher for review
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Born during a Christmas blizzard, Jane Williams receives a rare gift: the ability to see true love. Jane has emerged from an ailing childhood a lonely, hopeless romantic when, on her twenty-ninth birthday, a mysterious greeting card arrives, specifying that Jane must identify the six types of love before the full moon following her thirtieth birthday, or face grave consequences. When Jane falls for a science writer who doesn’t believe in love, she fears that her fate is sealed. Inspired by the classic song, The Look of Love is utterly enchanting."
Jane Williams owns a flower shop in Seattle and it has been in her family for years. Despite her name, Jane isn't your average girl. She has a gift which has been passed to her and she first learns about this gift through an anonymous message on her 29th birthday.  Jane can see love; all six types. The message explains this to her and says that she must identify all six types before her 30th birthday if she wants true love for herself.  Thankfully, Jane is surrounded by many complex forms of love whether it be present in her customers or her close friends, there's no doubt it's all around her.  If you are looking for a sweet read to get you in the mood for Valentine's Day or to warm you up this winter, check out Sarah Jio's The Look of Love. Even though there were some sad and albeit tragic parts, it was an overall charming read.

I can't say I really connected with any of the characters in The Look of Love; however, I was still invested in Jane's life. I wanted her to have a happy ending and things sort of get crazy regarding the relationships in her life.  She even starts dating a man who, ironically, doesn't believe in love. Unfortunately, some of her friends' marriages deteriorate, there's cheating, and tragic accidents. You get it all in The Look of Love. So, things aren't always butterflies and rainbows in this novel.


A book club might enjoy The Look of Love as there is much to discuss regarding love and all of its forms; plus, it is a generally quick read.  It gives you something to think about regarding love….the sacrifices we make, loss, the different types, etc.


Also, in The Look of Love there's some magic, very reminiscent of Sarah Addison Allen as well as Practical Magic specifically when it comes to Jane's gift. I liked this incorporation of magical realism. It was a nice touch.

I felt The Look of Love only scratched the surface. I sort of wanted more from the characters and perhaps that is because there are multiple narrators. I feel like it lacked depth and was overly saccharine in some parts, but sometimes you just need a fluffy read like that, right?

Although I found this book to be entertaining, I've heard that Jio's other novels may be a bit better, so I plan on checking them out in the future. Any recommendations for me?


8 comments:

  1. Though I'm sorry this one wasn't more of a hit with you, I'm looking forward to checking it out! I really like Jio's style, though it sounds like I'll have to temper my expectations regarding the story staying pretty on-the-surface . . .hmm.

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    1. I really liked her style as well and want to check out some of her other novels. This one just didn't impress me as much as I was hoping for. If you read it, you'll have to let me know your thoughts. Thanks for visiting. Meg!

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  2. Christina, I haven't read this one, even though I've kept it on my TBR list; I really enjoyed a couple of Jio's previous novels and this one sounds good, but maybe not as engaging as I'd expected. Definitely sounds like a cute read, though, and thanks so much for the great review! Hope you're having a wonderful day and staying warm!

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    1. It was a cute read! Perfect for Valentine's Day, but I was expecting so much more….I guess because I have read such awesome reviews for Jio's work. I should probably check out her other novels. Thanks for visiting, Tara!

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  3. I've all of Jio's other books and enjoyed them. I'm looking forward to this one. Sorry it wasn't a bigger hit for you.

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    1. You will have to let me know what you think once you read it, Linda! According to some other reviews I read, this one wasn't as much as a hit as her other books. Hopefully I can check them out soon. Thanks for visiting!

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  4. I liked The Violets of March which was the first Sarah Jio novel I read. I also enjoyed Goodnight June which you might like too. It is about a children's bookstore and author Margaret Wise Brown.

    I'll have to check this one out sometime too. I'm kind of curious about her gift.

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    1. Goodnight June sounds really cute! I should check that one out. I have heard good things about Violets of March as well. I read that this book wasn't as good as Jio's others…at least according to many of the reviews. I hope you do check this one out and be sure to let me know what you think!
      Thanks for visiting, Christina!

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