ADORABLE romance novel. Balancing the choices between taking a chance and playing it safe, something everyone struggles with.

My review: I picked this up from Netgalley because of the cute graphics on the cover and the pun in the name, and then was intrigued to find it was a sweet romance debut by a male author. However, I wasn’t really bowled over by the plot. My favourite character was Adrian’s daughter, rather than the couple themselves, and the “intrigue” at the embassy was signposted so far out that nothing came as a surprise in the end. There was a love triangle, of course, and lots of people telling Maggie what to do so she came across as a bit of a child. So overall it was just okay.

Since it was first published the cover has been redone to show a photo of a couple, and I’d have to say that I wouldn’t have picked it up at all had that been the original cover. I much prefer the cute pink and blue graphics. 2.5 stars.

***Disclaimer: This e-ARC was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Huge thanks to them. ***

my rating: ★★☆☆☆

PROS

Driving Miss Crazy, is a short and fun debut rom com. I read this in between my exams, it helped me get out of a reading slump, and is a good novel if you’re tired and don’t want to read something too heavy.

This novel is different to most of the chick-lits that I’ve ever read, the main love interest actually has a daughter.

Maggie’s best friend, Jelly is crazy tolerant.

I really liked Adrian (the main love interest), but I did think he was kind of too intense with the whole protecting thing. I mean, I get it but dude chill.

CONS

The story was a bit choppy, some of the reactions from the main character just didn’t make sense to me – that being said I really did not relate to her.

Maggie really doesn’t seem like someone I would want to be friends with. All of the mistakes she makes are completely ridiculous and quite a few are predictable. At one point she tries to order some ice swans and I just knew that she was going to order the wrong thing, I mean come on she was communicating through google translate.

I think the romance got lost a little bit in the story – what with the love triangle and the side plot lines it felt like the main storyline was being put on the back burner in place of everything else.

The consequences of Maggie becoming Charlie’s (Adrian’s daughter) new mum was never talked about, which was weird bcause it’s kind of a big deal.

Maggie came across as a very self-entitled character, she’s always talking about how her big chance is going to come along, as if she won’t have to actually work for it. This aspect of her character really bugged me, yeah, she’s cute and she talks to squirrels but damn she really got on my nerves at times.

QUICK OVERVIEW

There was insta love but it wasn’t as insta as it could have been, if that makes any sense.
I enjoyed the government stuff
I’m so sick of love triangles
Controlling families suck
Maggie is very picky, and honestly needs to calm her farm.
The ending was ridiculous, even for a chick-lit.
I recommend it if you need a fun book to get you out of a slump.