Mini-Review: The Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine

The Secrets of Attraction, by Robin Constantine
Publication: April 28, 2015, by Balzer + Bray
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 384
Format: Hardcover
Source: Borrowed
Rating: 

Set in the same world as The Promise of Amazing, this smart, surprising, and (of course) romantic follow-up to Robin Constantine’s debut novel follows two New Jersey teens as they become friends and fall in love.
Madison Parker is on fast-forward. Working toward a scholarship for a summer art program, she already has her future figured out. But when a visit from a family friend turns her life upside down, everything she thought she knew becomes blurred. All she wants is to stand still for a moment.
Jesse McMann is stuck on repeat. Reeling from a breakup that shattered his heart and his band, Jesse divides his time between working as a barista and trying to find the inspiration to write music again. All he wants to do is move forward.
The night Maddie strolls into Jesse’s coffee shop after yoga class, the last thing on his mind is hooking up, but her smile and witty comebacks are hard to ignore. The spark between them is undeniable, but once-a-week flirting is hardly the stuff of epic romance.
Kismet arrives in the unlikely form of Grayson Barrett. When Jesse discovers that Gray’s girlfriend is also Maddie’s best friend, he invites Gray to join his band as their new drummer, hoping this connection will give him more time around Maddie. Slowly but surely, Jesse and Maddie forge a friendship, but do they have what it takes to make their relationship truly sync?

My Thoughts:

Yeah, no thanks. The Promise of Amazing, also by Constantine, was a contemporary romance that I read when it was released, and I disliked it. When this was released, I decided to give it a chance because I'm the type to give second-chances. I'm a real nice person, right? I know I am, haha. And to be quite honest, I’m a hater, again. THAT WAS THE LAST CHANCE I GAVE. I know that I sadly won’t be purchasing/reading Constantine’s books ever again, because they’re just not for me. I don’t enjoy the author’s writing as much as I wish I could. There was basically an issue with most of the book, and I don’t even know why I decided to read the whole thing. Why had I not DNF-ed it, crazy me!

The Secrets of Attraction was completely out of my bookish league and I just don’t have the patience to even write about it. So, to make things easier for you and I, let’s just narrow it all down into points, both negative and positive. *smacks forehead of frustration*

Things I Enjoyed About TSOA:

• Almost nothing. Jesse’s character was pretty cute and he kind of supported me while my DNF thoughts surrounded my happiness, but I felt kind of meh around everything else.
• The beginning of the story. I have to admit that it sounded completely promising. Constantine used a great, secretive method to intrigue me and perhaps other readers as well. I initially suspected that it’d be quite different from what her previous debut novel had given me in the end.

Things I Disliked About TSOA:

• Constantine’s writing. I’m just not a fan of it. The way romance is portrayed through her writing is just weird. She makes it seem that love is just a game and it comes naturally without feelings. 
• Insta-love. This surely wasn’t a case for when instant romance was allowed. It’s a romance novel that’s supposed to progress and turn beautifully. 
• Everything in between. Meh. It’s not my kind of day/luck for this read, and I honestly don’t get how I kept reading it. Maybe it’ll be better for you.

I do sincerely wish that I could've enjoyed this much more than I did, because who actually enjoys disliking a book? I know I don't, and I do sincerely hope that this book is better for you readers who choose to eventually read this. This is just one of those kinds of books that'll never work out for me, no matter who it focuses on or what kind of premise it features. This also didn't even have some kind of theme except Jesse and Maddie falling in love instantly. Ugh.

Do you prefer reading mini-reviews sometimes?