Something for the Weekend by Natasha West

Something for the Weekend by Natasha West

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This book is more of a slice of life book than anything else. I went into it expecting some kind of romance involving teachers who meet at a teachers conference. What I got was . . . this.

Over a ten year period, two women only ever meet each other once a year (and, at least once, they don't meet one year) at a teacher's conference. Both kind of thought the other was fuckable when first seen in that first conference. So they do. Eventually. Twice. Over the ten years. This is part of me not knowing what the heck I'm reading. For, see, it's edging on the cheating/infedility trope, and arguably some of what they did edged close enough to the line to go over a little (and with cheating, cheating a little is like saying you are a little pregnant).

Both seemed to like the other but, for reasons, neither saw the other as . . .. Okay no both did see the other as being girlfriend material. Crap, I don't know. it's not like neither were capable of relationships - unlike many lesbian fiction romance books, neither were 'players', and neither had problems getting into and keeping relationships going. Hell, both had long term relationships during that ten year period the book is set. So if they had the balls, so to speak, to actually move from awkwardness to actually dating with others, what the fuck was I reading regarding the relationship, or lack thereof despite desires of both - there was a piece missing.

Right, and 'piece missing' - this is a kind of thin book. Over ten years two teachers lived their lives. Getting into and out of serious relationships. Living, breathing, working, teaching students, etc. And the reader saw, of that, roughly 0.5% of that. If that much. Barely saw a few seconds of a teachers conference. Maybe some eating and drinking. Some awkwardness involving two teachers and then . . . and then it's bloody another year already. For fuck sake. This is not a fucking romance.

There was a comment made - Chloe was looking for her contact lenses, and one or the other (Jess) made a comment that Jess hadn't eaten them. Something like - 'don't look at me, I didn't eat them'; with a thought that crossed Chloe's mind of 'knowing her, she might have'. And yes, something like. I do not recall exact phrases used. I mention because I had a mild smile when this exchange occurred and it suddenly hit me - wasn't this supposed to be a humor book? All this angst to wade through, and I smiled, mildly, once. mmphs.

I don't like either character, Chloe Price or Jess Cooper. Both hot-headed morons.

Oh - before I go - both characters are 22 at the beginning of the book, and 32 at the end. I mention this because I do not wish someone seeing that I've placed this book onto both my age-20s, and age-30s shelves and assume that this is an age difference book. No, this is probably one of the very few books I've ever read in lesbian fiction wherein both were exactly the same age. Even young adult books seem to have one or the other being a year older or younger (not always, but enough times for me to make the comment).

Rating: 2.0

August 18 2017



View all my reviews