Girl Abroad

Abbey Bly is eager to get some space from her retired rock star father and couldn't be more excited for her sophomore year abroad in London. Even when she discovers that she'll be living with three guys rather than girls like she thought she'd be (a secret she'll be keeping from her dad). Soon Abbey is digging into a research project for her history class exploring a mystery woman in a painting she found at an estate sale and balancing crushes on two equally unavailable men. One is one of her roommates who is out of bounds due to the no dating roommates rule set up by her flatmates in the wake of a previous break-up. The other is the bassist of a band whose free spirit ways greatly appeal to Abbey but who is already dating someone else. show more As the year goes on, Abbey will have both the mystery of her history project to explore as well as determining who she is and what she wants from a relationship.

A new adult romance that I think I would have adored when I was in my late teens or early twenties but that at this point in my life I found a little overwrought. I added this one to The List after seeing news that it had been optioned by the folks who adapted Bridgerton. And I do think it'll make great (slightly trashy) TV and I'll definitely watch it if it makes it to air. As a read, it was so-so. The book is a lot of waffling between two boys, which would have been fine if it didn't carry on quite so long (the book is a little over 400 pages), with occasional dips into Abbey's research project. The resolution of the research project subplot is ridiculously farfetched and the ending for the romance a little too cloying for my tastes. That said, YMMV. show less

This is one that I really wish I had read the reviews on before buying it because it did not turn out anything like what I was expecting. The love triangle just got to be too much for me and Abbey was incredibly annoying. I know all 19 year olds are immature but dang. She was awful. Honestly, the guys were kinda terrible too. They're funny but the whole playboy vibe gets old. I also found the whole daddy daughter relationship to be cringe and more than a little creepy. I wanted to gag every time he called her "baby girl" or "kiddo". I mean, come on. She was right that everyone infantilized her. As far as the love triangle, I wasn't rooting for either of them. I thought they both sucked and wanted her to not choose either of them. I show more mostly kept reading to figure out the mystery of the woman in the painting. But I feel like I wasted $5 and a day of my life. show less

I went into this one and immediately got Emily in Paris vibes which I was excited about. There was SO much promise with the premise of the store and I do tend to enjoy anything Elle writes. This one just fell flat for me. I felt like it dragged on with the who should I pick without ever really telling us how she felt aside from "I like them both." Okay, but why do you like them both? It was so monotonous and bland that I actually couldn't predict who she was going to in the ending scene even though I felt like the author thought it was obvious?

So... meh. If you're looking for a love triangle/early adulthood type book, maybe you'll enjoy it.

British romance, which I don't normally like, but the main character is an American living in England for a year. Love triangle.

I liked this a lot. It was a little slow at times, but I overall I liked the story. I'm also very happy that she chose Jack because the other guy was trash and I didn't like him.

╭ ✦ •
│ ⊹

Girl abroad. Door: Elle Kennedy.

Grote Elle Kennedy fan; zij is de enige new adult auteur die ik lees. Voor mij steekt ze met kop en schouders boven de rest uit omdat haar boeken écht sexy zijn, met levensechte personages, spitsvondige dialogen en sterke vrouwelijke hoofdpersonen. Ze evolueert ook, boek na boek wordt ze beter, heter én zijn haar vrouwelijke protagonisten nog feministischer.

Girl abroad is geen typische Elle Kennedy: er wordt niet in geijshockeyd, er komt maar weinig seks in én verhaal het speelt zich af in Londen. Abbey Bly’s verhaal is romantisch, spannend (en niet alleen door de speurtocht naar het meisje op het schilderij…) en leest super vlot. Toch lees ik liever Kennedy’s andere werk. Kan aan mij liggen show more hoor.

Ik kwam ook wel wat schrijffouten en kromme zinnen tegen. Ligt dat aan de vertaling? Ben ik niet gewoon van uitgeverij LoveBooks. Maar hé: lees dit boek toch maar; je gaat het je geen seconde beklagen. Abbey en haar huisgenoten verover binnen de kortste keren je hart en laten je 461 pagina’s lang genieten. show less