Chloe's Book Reviews {CLOSED/ HIATUS}

The Missing Gem

Author: missmarswrites

Genre: Romance 

Chapters: 4-5 chapters or more, depending on choice.

Specific: N/A 

Book 

Cover - 

The cover is very aesthetically pleasing and fits the genre well. At first glance, it looks quite girly and the objects on the cover are perhaps things girls associate with their happiness. ( I know I do). 

Blurb - 

I really loved the blurb. I couldn't find any faults here. Great job! 

Grammar - 

I didn't notice any major grammar issues either.  

Punctuation - 

Prologue: 

A minor error here, but there should be a comma after the dialogue with he said/she said. 

Your examples...

"Morning." She said," 

"Good morning to you too Miss Big Shot." He said playfully," 

Suggestions could be...

"Morning," she said," 

"Good morning to you, too, Miss Big Shot," he said playfully," 

Chapter Three: 

Relating to my previous point about the commas, the same thing applies when it's relating to dialogue tags such as replied, answered, questioned etc. 

Your example...

"You're right, no boss can't compare to me, I am a pretty good one." She replied..." 

A suggestion could be...

"You're right. No boss can compare to me as I am a pretty good one," she replied..." 

Because there's a comma, the "he/she" should be lowercase. 

Character development / plot - 

Prologue: 

This is an excellent start! I'm already invested because I find the protagonist relatable. She has realistic goals/ dreams and she shows a little uncertainty with her long-term boyfriend. He doesn't seem to understand her wants and desires since he has achieved his dream job at a young age and isn't supportive towards her about following her writing career. She feels like there is something missing in her life. I like how you add little details of her uncertainty, by using "not her type" throughout the chapter. 

Chapter One: 

The bigger picture of her insecurities about their relationship comes to the surface as she realises Matt is rather a materialistic man. They both aren't at the same stage and both want different things from each other. It's good that she is finally realising this now before they take it to the next level, but why did it take her three years to understand this? I'm guessing she was blinded by love. 

I can also reside with Matt's feelings on losing the ring. To him, the ring meant a lot and losing something that he had worked hard for was probably a huge blow. 

Again, realistic expectations from both characters. I'm glad she made a decision based on herself.

Chapter Two: 

It's nice to see a new male perspective, Lucas. He seems like a lovely and caring guy who has had his fair share of heartbreak. I like how you showed the readers the soft and vulnerable side of him and how he connects closely with his sister and niece. 

Chapter Three: 

It's nice to see her friendship with Diane and how she predicted that her relationship with Matt wouldn't last. Although, perhaps as a friend, it would be beneficial to be a little more supportive. 

I can see how going to London would pose as an inspirational getaway for her book and where this trip will lead - maybe to a possible new romance. I would like to see more of a reaction from her parents as that seemed a little quick. More of a goodbye would be nice. 

Chapter Four: 

They both finally meet each other for the first time and it couldn't be any cuter. Their dialogue was natural and the flow from the characters was simple. It seems Lexi took a liking to Nicole from the get-go. It does seem a little cheesy in parts, but that's just my personal opinion. Overall, I really like where your story is going. 

And dare I say, Lucas is a sweetheart! 

Overall Enjoyment- 

I was deeply engrossed whilst reading, which is why I probably didn't spot as many errors. I enjoyed the romantic concept and the fact that Nicole is trying to find something that has been missing so far in her life - and I have an idea of what that is. 

It's definitely a book I would like to continue when I have some time! Great job!

Some things you might want to consider are: 

1- Physical description - 

One thing I did notice from the five chapters is the lack of physical appearance on most of your characters. Maybe you mentioned one or two, but they weren't anything significant to make me remember what each character looked like. It's important to give the reader some sort of description throughout the book to enable your readers with a basic outline but to also flesh out your characters. 

Keep writing & I wish you all the best with your writing journey! 

Thank you for requesting the review & I hope it helps you in some way. Please check, "The Missing Gem," if you have time.