♡

Thoughts: Generally feel quite meh about this book actually, considering the fact that I’ve come to really like reading Gone Girl-esque books! The storyline was interesting and the multiple twists stopped me from abandoning the read altogether, but I wouldn’t say it’s a read I would highly recommend. 

Thoughts: Haha back into the world of chick lit after quite a while!! Chick lits pretty much made up the entirety of my reading lists through my preteen years and the better part of my early teen years, and still remain some of my favourite guilty pleasure/comfort reads even today :) What I found most interesting about this book was perhaps the fact that it was told from the point of view of the mistress as opposed to the wronged woman, and that portion really gave me some perspective into such illicit relationships. I would normally reflexively side with the wronged party in these cases, and while I still feel that what Dex/Rachel did behind Darcy’s back was wrong, I guess reading about what was going on in her head made it easier for me to understand why she made the decisions she did. 

Another aspect of the book I liked was how relatable I found it -- not in a literal sense, since I haven’t been in any of their shoes before, but how sometimes romantic love, especially in its early stages, can truly cause one to lose most if not all rationality. Rachel’s fixation with Dex’s dice, for example: how many times have we looked for divine signs or some sort of arbitrary signal that tells us that everything will turn out fine and dandy in the end? I also felt that the author was on point in characterising Rachel when she was desperate to have Dex leave Darcy: sometimes when people are in love they try so hard to rationalise the other party’s actions, twist it so that it becomes an act of love even when it might not be one. We are delusional when it comes to matters of the heart, and maybe that’s what is really scary about relationships.

Spoiler alert: Dex broke off the engagement with Darcy in the end to be with Rachel. Was pursuing the relationship worth the loss of Darcy’s long-time friendship? Perhaps in this case yes, since it’s pretty clear that Darcy hasn’t been a particularly good friend to Rachel, never have been actually. The thought of an alternate situation where the best friend really is a best friend is another case though, and it’s a thought that’s too scary for me to think about so I’ll just hope I won’t ever come across such a situation in my life ^^;

Overall rating: 7/10 (while enjoyable reads, chick lits rarely satisfy my desire to be emotionally invested in a book haha)

Quotes: “Maybe it’s the very nature of a friendship versus an intimate relationship. When you are in a relationship, you are aware that it might end. You might grow apart, find someone else, simply fall out of love. But a friendship isn’t a zero-sum game, and as such, you assume that it will last forever, especially an old friendship. You take its permanence for granted, which might be the very thing so dear about it.”