FISHING WITH RAYANNE - Ava Finch

SWEET and TOUCHING - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - This book focuses more on the characters than a particular plot. It seemed somewhat rambling, for the most part, rather than being action-packed or plot-driven. And I'll admit that the brief excerpts of Fishing didn't really pack much of a punch and, in fact, seemed a little unappealing. But I think that may have been more because these bits were seen through RayAnne's super-critical eye.

Writing - 3.5 stars - This is my first read from this author, and I found her writing to be quite appealing, with several laugh-out-loud moments and clever turns of phrases. The beginning half of the book was slow-moving, although it build the characters fully and gave us an excellent picture of RayAnne, in particular, as well as of the various members of her family. I didn't, however, feel much forward momentum of the book until it got further along.

Characters - 4.5 stars - This is where the book shone for me. RayAnne, although a little too frustratingly self-deprecating, is a fun and different type of character. She's both independent and dependent. She's independent because of her unusual profession and ability to interview guests on the show, but very dependent on reconnecting with her Gran whenever something goes wrong. She's also both attractive and unattractive. She's attractive when she's being herself and describing things in a funny and appealing way. But she's unattractive when she's being so totally nervous and critical about her job and her romantic relationships and interactions. Hal is a nice romantic foil, although we don't really begin to understand that or find out much about him, really at all, and that was disappointing. Big Rick and Bernadette are hilariously over-the-top characters. I loved Ray's descriptions of them as "...My mother's head is shoved so far up her happy place and he's just a big toddler with a sippy cup of bourbon." Brother Ky and friend Cassi are both a great mixture of support and constructive criticism. And, of course, Gran is a wonderful character, supporting RayAnne but really shining in her own right as we get to know her a lot better.

Title - 3 stars - Nothing wrong with the title; it's the name of the TV show, after all. But it doesn't really tell us a lot about what to expect from the book.

Cover - 4 stars - Subtle but colorful, to draw the eye and capture the reader's interest.

Overall - 4 stars - Quite honestly, the first half of the book got pretty draggy, although by the end I was happy to have the background that was set up earlier. After spending too much time building the characters and setting the scene, the book became much more appealing and finished strong. RayAnne's self-deprecation was a little much, and I sometimes found her hard to get to know and frustratingly high-maintenance. But, generally, this felt almost like a coming-of-age book even though she's in her 30's. I enjoyed it very much and will look for more from this author.