Assessment:

Plot: Cooper's novel has a fairly standard plot, which is a storyline of multiple female characters whose lives crisscross over time. However, it has less worn tropes, such as some fun witchcraft, and a focus on sorority sisters. Despite the possibility for falling into cliché themes, the author expertly avoids it through her lovely prose, interesting characters, and unique plot nuances.

Prose/Style: Cooper writes romance quite well. She is fabulous at making one's heart race with her simple yet effective writing. Her descriptions of a crush, an intense romance, the ends of a failing marriage, heartbreak, and everything in between are beautiful, elegant, and poignant.

Originality: Although Cooper’s book does at times enter the trope of sisterhood novels, it deviates enough from the norm that it leaves the reader fascinated and clamoring to get to the next page. Cooper has taken a tried-and-true novel format and made it her own, breathing new life into what could have been stale.

Character Development/Execution: Along with her prose, what really puts Cooper's novel ahead of others is her character execution. Her characters feel real; they feel like one’s friends, one’s enemies, a sexy one-night-stand, or a mysterious, older mentor. She writes in a way that plunges the reader into the lives of her characters, keeping them sympathetic while not annoying or pathetic. The reader will be pleased to find that not only can Cooper write believable women of all ages, but she can also write men that leap off the page, showing their strength and weaknesses.

Date Submitted: August 31, 2021