Keeping Time: The Planning by Emily Smith

Keeping Time: The Planning (Wedding Novellas)
by Emily Smith
Pages: Unknown
Date: July 1 2016
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Series: Wedding Novellas (2nd in the series)

Review
Rating: 2
Read: June 26 to 27 2016

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

This is the first story I’ve read by this author. Despite that indication I went into this story with two previously implanted impressions: (1) this story is the second in that Wedding Novella series – and I liked the first; (2) before I started I noticed negative comments about the story in reviews. So I went into the story with two competing preconceptions.

First impressions are important, right? 17% into the story I was annoyed. By how things were being conveyed. One of the two leads pulls the other up on stage, despite knowing that the other dislikes being in the spot light. The one pulled on stage is thinking about how much they love the other. This thinking continues. Into a scene at a bar. Weren’t we all just on stage? One asks the other if they are ready to leave. Then one signals for a taxi. We . . . did we leave the bar area yet? Is Carter assuming that a taxi will just drive into the bar area? Wait, Carter just randomly spit out an address to ‘the driver’ (no mention of a taxi or a car, maybe he will carry both of them on his back). Apparently a taxi did just drive into the bar.

Going back to what I wrote above and adding specifics. Sadie Maron is the one pulled on stage, by Carter McKenna. I dive into specifics for one specific reason. Sadie mentions that she is furious about what Carter did – pulling her onto the stage. Then . . . the fury leaves her. Because . . . she’s just so lucky to be with such a gorgeous woman (okay, that isn’t the actual thinking expressed, but it is the impression given throughout the story). I mention this quick to anger, quick to forgive because it is a reoccurring thing in this story. Carter does something to anger Sadie. Sadie becomes angry. And she’s over it so quickly, Carter doesn’t always even know she’s angered Sadie. This whole ‘I’m lucky to have her’ nonsense is annoying.

There’s a funny thing about mentioning things that annoy you. The morphing from scene to scene without transition was annoying. And more or less stopped instantly when I posted my status update noting this issue. I’m powerful! Hehe.

Right, so. Carter McKenna comes from a super rich family. Dick of a father (where’d I see that before? Maybe every book involving people coming from rich families? Man, must suck to be from a rich family). Has a business degree. Works in a music store because she doesn’t want to sell her soul and . . . um . . not work in a music store. Also plays in a band. Still waiting for her big break with her band. Oh, and she is 32 years of age.

Sadie Maron comes from . . . um . . not a rich family, though I do not recall how unrich the family might be. Both parents are described as being ‘good people’ but with a somewhat rigid set of religious beliefs. Which come in conflict with the fact that Sadie, their daughter, is a lesbian. Sadie is a teacher. And somewhere around 32.

So, the point of this series. The first story involved a proposal (different characters). This one involved planning a wedding. This leads directly to how Sadie really wanted a huge wedding. And has been planning one forever and a day. Carter wants to give Sadie what she wants, though she doesn’t have the resources to do so. Sooo . . . when pops offers to pay for everything on condition of Carter jr. (I forgot to mention that pops is also Carter) coming to work for the company firm.

Which leads directly to: the beginning annoyed me for its lack of transitions. The middle? Annoyed me for the relatively stupid plotline. For reasons that are beyond my ability to understand, Carter believes that the thing to do to/with/for her beloved is to lie to her. For her own good. Or some reason like that. Meaning? She not only doesn’t tell Sadie that she took a job with McKenna Inc, she also lies constantly about where she is located. Carter made a couple decision without including her beloved. But Carter has a history of doing shit like that – like pulling Sadie up on stage early in the book.

To complicate matters – the middle of the book also includes an ex-girlfriend of Carters. Wherein we learn even more about how much of a dick Carter is. Carter, apparently, is the kind to date a woman, fuck them for a while, get bored of them, then . . . . just plain never contact them again. Never actually gets around to dumping them or anything like that. Just . . doesn’t call them or return their calls. Well, she did that with Eliza Trobani. Eliza’s so pissed that she .. . keeps rubbing herself against Carter and wants to get back together. See, Eliza and Carter dated way back in college times. Eliza works for McKenna. They bump into each other on Carter’s first day at her new job. This certainly complicates matters, eh?

Man I hate this type of story-line. Wherein the woman ends up connecting up with someone who they don’t even like, but ‘don’t want to hurt their feelings’ or some shit like that, so does crap that she doesn’t want to do and doesn’t have time to do. Because . . . um . . . anyone? Bueller? No? No idea. None. I call this the ‘accidental cheating’ storyline. The kind wherein the person doesn’t want to cheat, but also doesn’t want to ‘hurt’ someone else’s feelings. I hate this story concept. And this is not the first time I’ve seen it in a story.

Right. So. Didn’t particularly like how the story started (though specific source of the ‘dislike’ disappeared almost immediately), didn’t particularly like the middle and . . . what’s this? At 87% I left a status update. Indicating that I was not sure if I could finish the book. Directly related to the wedding planner. And how she was going on and on about how just perfect the two women are. Um. Hil, the wedding planner, knows that one has been lying to the other. Knows they aren’t perfect, knows . . whatever. *shrugs* I’ll go ahead and finish . . .oh. Book is over at 94% of the kindle file. Ended abruptly, it did.

Right. Okay then.

June 27 2016