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The Cactus by Sarah Haywood is a 384-page romance novel. Here is the book blurb: An unforgettable love story that shows sometimes you have to embrace the unexpected.
Susan Green is like a cactus: you can’t get too close. She likes things perfectly ordered and predictable. No surprises. But suddenly confronted with the loss of her mother and the unexpected news that she is about to become a mother herself, Susan’s greatest fear is realized. She is losing control.
Enter Rob, the dubious but well-meaning friend of her indolent brother. As Susan’s due date draws near and her dismantled world falls further into a tailspin, Susan finds an unlikely ally in Rob. She might have a chance at finding real love and learning to love herself, if only she can figure out how to let go.
I thought The Cactus was an interesting take on a romance novel. It was both refreshing and frustrating at times. There is not much spice at all, which I’m sure some people appreciate. It just didn’t exactly read as a romance novel until the last few chapters. Susan is a little bit of an unreliable narrator, because she doesn’t even acknowledge her feelings for Rob until the very end, and then it seems a little quick that they were a couple. It’s clear later than Rob did want to be with her romantically, but Susan refused to see that until the very end, so the reader is left feeling like it came out of left-field a bit.
It is still a fun read and I think they’re a cute couple. It’s just not your typical romance book, which again felt refreshing even if just a bit disappointing.
I give The Cactus 4 stars.
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