Hardly Strangers

This book was a like, not a love. Not because of the writing (it’s phenomenal) but the plot just didn’t resonate with me. It’s about a young woman in LA. She’s pining over a (very obvious asshole) filmmaker and invites him to meet up at a bar with her friends. But then, she meets Max King: the frontman of an Irish punk band, and an electric spark transpires between the two. Shera is swept up in a way she never imagined, and the two begin an epic evening. The entire novella occurs in just one night at Max’s place. Both characters have a lot of emotional baggage. Over a bottle of vodka and shared vulnerability, they peel back the layers. I will say that I liked the way this book made me feel young (we’ve all had those up-all-night kind of dates!), but I just didn’t connect with the main character, and Max did not appeal to me romantically. Still, it’s a fun romp of a book. I really love what 831 stories is doing, creating these under 200 page novellas that are perfect for busy women that want smart, well-written novellas (but don’t have a ton of time to read!).