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Hello, Privet! #1
Hello, Privet! #1 : Hello/Привет
This bildungsroman which is part comedy of manners, part culture clash romcom, follows Sophie Rosenbaum, a 21-year old former child prodigy and now Harvard dropout, who wants to prove to her family that she's "okay." Her plan: become independent from her well-meaning but smothering family by interning at Bergstrom & Bergstrom PR. What she didn't plan on is the plot twist who walks into her life (or rather, her psychotherapist brother's waiting room) in the person of Anton Akhmerov, more popularly known as The Russian Bad Boy of Tennis.
Anton Akhmerov, five-time Grand Slam tennis champion (except for Wimbledon, which continues to elude him), seems to have everything — money, fame, and a supermodel girlfriend — except his ranking has fallen to 200 after a shoulder injury. The only thing he cares about is becoming number one again, but getting back on top seems not only difficult, but impossible, what with his temper and racket breaking problem. His manager tries everything to help him get his head on straight: first there's psychotherapy, and then there's his new PR assistant Sophie, who thinks he's nothing more than a self-conceited jock.
They might be from different worlds, but as their paths cross, they find their lives inevitably changing in new and unexpected ways.
Book 1 of a contemporary romantic comedy series written in a multi-POV he-said she-said style with the main protagonists and minor characters alternately telling their side of the story.
This new eBook edition includes the full text of the novel with a new and different final chapter, plus the following additional content:
• A character glossary
• An interview with Maria Malonzo
• An excerpt from Hello, Privet! #2 : Surprise/Cюрприз, the second novel in the Hello, Privet! series
Anton Akhmerov, five-time Grand Slam tennis champion (except for Wimbledon, which continues to elude him), seems to have everything — money, fame, and a supermodel girlfriend — except his ranking has fallen to 200 after a shoulder injury. The only thing he cares about is becoming number one again, but getting back on top seems not only difficult, but impossible, what with his temper and racket breaking problem. His manager tries everything to help him get his head on straight: first there's psychotherapy, and then there's his new PR assistant Sophie, who thinks he's nothing more than a self-conceited jock.
They might be from different worlds, but as their paths cross, they find their lives inevitably changing in new and unexpected ways.
Book 1 of a contemporary romantic comedy series written in a multi-POV he-said she-said style with the main protagonists and minor characters alternately telling their side of the story.
This new eBook edition includes the full text of the novel with a new and different final chapter, plus the following additional content:
• A character glossary
• An interview with Maria Malonzo
• An excerpt from Hello, Privet! #2 : Surprise/Cюрприз, the second novel in the Hello, Privet! series
701 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 30, 2015
4 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Maria Malonzo
5 books24 followersMaria has worked in TV for over ten years and dabbles in advertising.
A cineaste, she also enjoys writing screenplays. Her screenplay "Snapshots," a romantic comedy about a photographer of disasters and an agoraphobic writer, won the 2nd Prize at the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards in 2004. Her other works include "How Mookie Got a Life" (published under the name Abi Malonzo); a poem she wrote was also featured in the Star Cinema film "One More Chance."
A PSA on human trafficking which she wrote and produced won the Best Advertisement Award at the Migration Advocacy and Media Awards 2011.
A cineaste, she also enjoys writing screenplays. Her screenplay "Snapshots," a romantic comedy about a photographer of disasters and an agoraphobic writer, won the 2nd Prize at the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards in 2004. Her other works include "How Mookie Got a Life" (published under the name Abi Malonzo); a poem she wrote was also featured in the Star Cinema film "One More Chance."
A PSA on human trafficking which she wrote and produced won the Best Advertisement Award at the Migration Advocacy and Media Awards 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 6, 2015
Two months after reading this and i'm ready to write an english review.
Okay, first of all, if you think that this is true representation of what Russians are like and that we're all like Anton - arrogant, selfish, rude, irresponsible jerks, than go away, i have no intention to over-persuade you. You can continue thinking that this is a masterpiece and all.
Hello, Privet! may have been a medium-quality book if you don't pay attenion to so-called Russian....idk how to name it...let it be character. We all read and watch (oh, how I loved Damon and Elena in TVD..oh take me back to the start) the stories where there are a bad boy, a good girl and they fall in love with each other, they suffer, they OVERCOME their problems and finally they're happy. And it's okay, i love such stories, but..So, Hello, Privet follows the same pattern, we have an Adonis-looking-like boy who is also a sex-god and we have a girl who thinks that she is ordinary but everyone thinks that she's beautiful. Nothing new, nothing surprising.
So, Anton behaves like a swine and hurts everyone around him in the 1st third of the book, in the 2nd third his germs of the brain start to work and it the last trird he CONQUERS his sh**ty character and we have some cute romantic moments. And I repeat, this is a cliche but it's okay.
But that's not what drove me insanely mad in this book.
It's RUSSIAN CHARACTER.
Maria, WHY JUST WHY did you choose your character to be Russian?
"She likes wine and you only want vodka. I'm saying you are not meant for each other." JC, are you serious? Is this supposed to be like philosophical sentence? Cause I don't see any deep philosophy here and the author could express the idea of "not meant for each other" without using that stereotype that these crazy Russians drink only vodka.
"-He was extremely rude to me. He really seemed to go out of his way to be mean to me. - Oh, Anton is Russian. This is what they are like. He is not rude. It's just the Russian way of doing things!" ARE YOU SERIOUS? ARE YOU, TELL ME? WE ARE NOT LIKE THIS. This is not our way of doing things, author, if you came across some people who are rude and irresponsible and behave like children even if they're grown-ups and they happened to be Russians, it doesn't mean that all Russians are like that.
I won't even speak about "I'm Russian, alcohol is like water to me", I'd like to share with you two of my favourite moments.
The UNFORGETTABLE POLISHING OF SAMOVAR.
I seriously died laughing at this.
Close your eyes. Imagine a hot boy sitting in his apartment in New York. Imagined? Then put the samovar in his hands. Imagine that he is polishing the samovar. Is it okay for you? Does this suits the atmosphere and background? I remind you that samovar has been out of use for ages. And Maria, do you think that it's funny? It's not.
And the second favourite.
"You have to admit the Russian way is different from the American way. - Are you saying that Russians have no manners? Russia is a tough country and we Russians say what we think, it's not rude, it's just our way of doing things."
This is not a mythological "Russian way", author. If your character has no manners, it's not because he's Russian, American, British, Martian or whatever. It's just because he's mean and nut-case, that's all.
So, my verdict: this book is full of the cliches of romantic novels and the whole lot of silly stereotypes about Russians. And it didn't turn out to end on a high note, though I liked some moments.
And my fellow Russians, sing along with me: I'm just a simple Russian girl, I've got vodka in my blood, so I dance with brown bears and my soul is torn apart!
Review in Russian
Okay, first of all, if you think that this is true representation of what Russians are like and that we're all like Anton - arrogant, selfish, rude, irresponsible jerks, than go away, i have no intention to over-persuade you. You can continue thinking that this is a masterpiece and all.
Hello, Privet! may have been a medium-quality book if you don't pay attenion to so-called Russian....idk how to name it...let it be character. We all read and watch (oh, how I loved Damon and Elena in TVD..oh take me back to the start) the stories where there are a bad boy, a good girl and they fall in love with each other, they suffer, they OVERCOME their problems and finally they're happy. And it's okay, i love such stories, but..So, Hello, Privet follows the same pattern, we have an Adonis-looking-like boy who is also a sex-god and we have a girl who thinks that she is ordinary but everyone thinks that she's beautiful. Nothing new, nothing surprising.
So, Anton behaves like a swine and hurts everyone around him in the 1st third of the book, in the 2nd third his germs of the brain start to work and it the last trird he CONQUERS his sh**ty character and we have some cute romantic moments. And I repeat, this is a cliche but it's okay.
But that's not what drove me insanely mad in this book.
It's RUSSIAN CHARACTER.
Maria, WHY JUST WHY did you choose your character to be Russian?
"She likes wine and you only want vodka. I'm saying you are not meant for each other." JC, are you serious? Is this supposed to be like philosophical sentence? Cause I don't see any deep philosophy here and the author could express the idea of "not meant for each other" without using that stereotype that these crazy Russians drink only vodka.
"-He was extremely rude to me. He really seemed to go out of his way to be mean to me. - Oh, Anton is Russian. This is what they are like. He is not rude. It's just the Russian way of doing things!" ARE YOU SERIOUS? ARE YOU, TELL ME? WE ARE NOT LIKE THIS. This is not our way of doing things, author, if you came across some people who are rude and irresponsible and behave like children even if they're grown-ups and they happened to be Russians, it doesn't mean that all Russians are like that.
I won't even speak about "I'm Russian, alcohol is like water to me", I'd like to share with you two of my favourite moments.
The UNFORGETTABLE POLISHING OF SAMOVAR.
I seriously died laughing at this.
Close your eyes. Imagine a hot boy sitting in his apartment in New York. Imagined? Then put the samovar in his hands. Imagine that he is polishing the samovar. Is it okay for you? Does this suits the atmosphere and background? I remind you that samovar has been out of use for ages. And Maria, do you think that it's funny? It's not.
And the second favourite.
"You have to admit the Russian way is different from the American way. - Are you saying that Russians have no manners? Russia is a tough country and we Russians say what we think, it's not rude, it's just our way of doing things."
This is not a mythological "Russian way", author. If your character has no manners, it's not because he's Russian, American, British, Martian or whatever. It's just because he's mean and nut-case, that's all.
So, my verdict: this book is full of the cliches of romantic novels and the whole lot of silly stereotypes about Russians. And it didn't turn out to end on a high note, though I liked some moments.
And my fellow Russians, sing along with me: I'm just a simple Russian girl, I've got vodka in my blood, so I dance with brown bears and my soul is torn apart!
Review in Russian
September 21, 2015
Can not for the life of me remember why I thought reading this might be a good idea.
У нас конкурс отрицательных рецензий намечается, так что большой отзыв будет там. А здесь... просто очень хочется сказать автору (гуглтранслейт ей в помощь), что русские не выкрикивают в небеса свои ФИО, даже когда очень злы.
И прежде чем писать о "культурных различиях", попробуйте хоть что-нибудь узнать о культуре другой страны помимо волшебных слов "водка" и "самовар".
У нас конкурс отрицательных рецензий намечается, так что большой отзыв будет там. А здесь... просто очень хочется сказать автору (гуглтранслейт ей в помощь), что русские не выкрикивают в небеса свои ФИО, даже когда очень злы.
И прежде чем писать о "культурных различиях", попробуйте хоть что-нибудь узнать о культуре другой страны помимо волшебных слов "водка" и "самовар".
August 26, 2015
I received a free copy of "Hello, Privet!" by Maria Malonzo in exchange for an honest review.
"Hello, Privet!" is the first book in a series by Maria Malonzo. It revolves around Sophie, a 21yr old who is adrift in her life, being tossed between her family's expectations of her and figuring out her place in the world; and Anton, a Russian professional tennis player who was once a bad boy athlete but has returned from an injury to work his way back up and improve his image. Sophie is a jew in a WASP home, with a senator for a step-father, a society matron for a mother and siblings (step, full and half) who excel at everything they do. To say she has family pressure is an understatement. She is a child prodigy who has a nervous breakdown (though we never learn the details) and flees to Israel to spend time with her father. After two years and his death, she returns to NYC to resume her place in the family. She is immediately bombarded by her well-meaning family as to what she will do next. Return to Harvard after she dropped out? Join her mother's charity work? How will she apply herself to make the family look good?
Anton, a gorgeous and hot-headed athlete is driving those around him crazy. He is basically forced to see a therapist to work through his issues. That therapist happens to be Sophie's brother, whose best friend is Anton's agent. He wants only to win, at all costs, whether it further injures his body or he alienates himself by treating those around him horribly.
Through a turn of events, Sophie ends up being thrown into the deep end of PR and becomes Anton's PR assistant. Despite the passive-aggressive and, quite frankly, aggressive-aggressive way her family treats her where she is a doormat, she doesn't take any of Anton's crap. She is different than any woman he has met. She is beautiful but not in the traditional sense. She is short, has long unruly hair, dresses like an artist from the seventies and is ridiculously intelligent. At first, all she does is irritate Anton and vice versa. But they start to see beneath the other's defenses, seeing the person laying beneath all the outside crap. How far will their friendship go? How hard are they willing to fight for what they both reluctantly want?
This story is really an enjoyable read. It is the first in a series that the author says may be four or five books long, so character and world development is key. Which translates to a bit of a slow start. However, as we get to know these two and the people around them, it only adds to the richness of the story. The POV changes frequently, which takes some getting used to at first. I love dual POV, but it happens ALOT and isn't just dual. We hear from several characters, which also adds nicely to the depth of the story. We also hear from his fans and the press through blog entries, which is unique and fits perfectly with the story. I especially liked hearing from Sophie's mother. She comes off as so superficial from Sophie's POV, but hearing her intentions toward her daughter in her own words is deeper and helps me to not totally hate her. The other people around Sophie and Anton are interesting and fit seamlessly with the story, adding not taking away from the MC's.
Sophie and Anton are not perfect people and the story portrays their journey to self-awareness well. It never feels forced or rushed, it feels organic and real. They are both likable, even when Anton is at his rudest. We learn early on why he is the way he is and what his true motivations are which gives a richer understanding of him. The author also does a great job of writing Anton's speaking with the tone of someone whom english is their second language, giving him a pacing in his speech that feels genuine.
I couldn't put it down. The story ends nicely, no cliffhanger but definitely not finished. We don't hear much about her ex-boyfriend and what happened to push her to flee to Israel for two years. Hopefully that gets out in the next book because it was clearly a big deal in Sophie's life. I only wish that the next book came out sooner!!
"Hello, Privet!" is the first book in a series by Maria Malonzo. It revolves around Sophie, a 21yr old who is adrift in her life, being tossed between her family's expectations of her and figuring out her place in the world; and Anton, a Russian professional tennis player who was once a bad boy athlete but has returned from an injury to work his way back up and improve his image. Sophie is a jew in a WASP home, with a senator for a step-father, a society matron for a mother and siblings (step, full and half) who excel at everything they do. To say she has family pressure is an understatement. She is a child prodigy who has a nervous breakdown (though we never learn the details) and flees to Israel to spend time with her father. After two years and his death, she returns to NYC to resume her place in the family. She is immediately bombarded by her well-meaning family as to what she will do next. Return to Harvard after she dropped out? Join her mother's charity work? How will she apply herself to make the family look good?
Anton, a gorgeous and hot-headed athlete is driving those around him crazy. He is basically forced to see a therapist to work through his issues. That therapist happens to be Sophie's brother, whose best friend is Anton's agent. He wants only to win, at all costs, whether it further injures his body or he alienates himself by treating those around him horribly.
Through a turn of events, Sophie ends up being thrown into the deep end of PR and becomes Anton's PR assistant. Despite the passive-aggressive and, quite frankly, aggressive-aggressive way her family treats her where she is a doormat, she doesn't take any of Anton's crap. She is different than any woman he has met. She is beautiful but not in the traditional sense. She is short, has long unruly hair, dresses like an artist from the seventies and is ridiculously intelligent. At first, all she does is irritate Anton and vice versa. But they start to see beneath the other's defenses, seeing the person laying beneath all the outside crap. How far will their friendship go? How hard are they willing to fight for what they both reluctantly want?
This story is really an enjoyable read. It is the first in a series that the author says may be four or five books long, so character and world development is key. Which translates to a bit of a slow start. However, as we get to know these two and the people around them, it only adds to the richness of the story. The POV changes frequently, which takes some getting used to at first. I love dual POV, but it happens ALOT and isn't just dual. We hear from several characters, which also adds nicely to the depth of the story. We also hear from his fans and the press through blog entries, which is unique and fits perfectly with the story. I especially liked hearing from Sophie's mother. She comes off as so superficial from Sophie's POV, but hearing her intentions toward her daughter in her own words is deeper and helps me to not totally hate her. The other people around Sophie and Anton are interesting and fit seamlessly with the story, adding not taking away from the MC's.
Sophie and Anton are not perfect people and the story portrays their journey to self-awareness well. It never feels forced or rushed, it feels organic and real. They are both likable, even when Anton is at his rudest. We learn early on why he is the way he is and what his true motivations are which gives a richer understanding of him. The author also does a great job of writing Anton's speaking with the tone of someone whom english is their second language, giving him a pacing in his speech that feels genuine.
I couldn't put it down. The story ends nicely, no cliffhanger but definitely not finished. We don't hear much about her ex-boyfriend and what happened to push her to flee to Israel for two years. Hopefully that gets out in the next book because it was clearly a big deal in Sophie's life. I only wish that the next book came out sooner!!
June 23, 2015
I don't do book reviews usually, but after finishing this book this morning, I'm going through some withdrawal so I figured I'd try and prolong my journey with Sophie and Anton just a bit. Even though this book was 600+ pages, I got through it in one all nighter because I couldn't put the book down. It's a somewhat cliche setup, and there are definitely occasionally cheesy/unnecessary moments (hence the four stars), but overall, the writing is brimming with authenticity, especially in the characters' voices. With multi-POV stories, it's easy for an author to go monotone for all the narrating characters, but each person's narration feels so thoroughly unique and real in Hello, Privet! As someone else brought up, Anton was written to be very, very believably Russian (as I was reading, I kept imagining Zlatan Ibrahimovic's voice even though Zlatan is Swedish). Sophie's struggles with kind of wanting to do something but not really knowing what to do are (in my opinion) extremely relevant to a lot of people her age.
A bit long, but certainly worth the effort. Incredibly charming and I'll be clawing my eyes out waiting for next year's sequel.
A bit long, but certainly worth the effort. Incredibly charming and I'll be clawing my eyes out waiting for next year's sequel.
June 16, 2015
I received this book as an eARC in return for a review after reading an excerpt on Wattpad and asking for a copy. One thing that surprised me about this book was how much I enjoyed the writing style. The perspectives jump around from character to character which normally becomes very confusing but what made this book stand out was how unique each of the characters voices were. They were all realistic and screwed up often, and unlike many other romance novels the problems didn’t all centre around getting the two main characters together. This story was adorable and I loved all the characters. Would definitely recommend.
Read
September 9, 2015
“Is it really okay for you to drink? Wouldn’t it affect your… performance?”
“I am Russian. Alcohol is water to me,” he says, dismissive.
“Really?”
“Yes,” he says with a completely straight face. “We Russians drink vodka for breakfast. We also brush our teeth with it, take a bath in it…”
“Ah, I see…and bears just wander around the streets in Russia. In the Red Square, right?”
“Yes, exactly,” he agrees, nodding. “You should come see the bears some time. They dance.”
“Hmm…” I look out the window, smiling. “Maybe I will.”
“Do you want to go tonight?” he asks. “I might even play my balalaika for you and make you tea with my babushka’s samovar.”
I look up at him, smirking. When I first met him, Anton had seemed like—well, he seemed like he had a poker up his ass. He took himself and tennis way too seriously, and he was so moody and humorless, not to mention touchy and irritable. And now…he’s so different. He’s actually kind of funny. I might even like him as a friend. Maybe it just takes him a while to warm up to people, which is exactly how I am. “You know what, I just might take you up on that. Do you have your passport?”
He taps his chest. “I always have it with me. You?”
“Yeah, I have it too. But I’m not going anywhere without having a drink first.”
“And how does it feel like to be ‘famous?’ ”
“I hate it.” She shakes her head, frowning. “I don’t ever want to be famous.”
After a while, I say, “Me too.”
“Well, there’s nothing you can do about it,” she says. “This is your job. It’s your job to be famous.”
“I don’t really like it,” I admit.
“You don’t understand. I have been doing this since I was two years old. You are right when you say that tennis is my life, but what do you want me to do? Give up? I can’t fail."
“You cannot expect him to do things you want him to do and count on him the way you want to. You should appreciate him for what he can do and not be too disappointed about the things he cannot do.”
I've never felt like a tourist here, but now I do. Somehow I feel like my stay here is temporary, like this is only a halfway place and I'm still supposed to go back to another place, but I don't know which place it is yet. Everything seems so different now. New York is always changing, with buildings that used to be something else.
December 1, 2016
It's not a "culture clash romcom". It's the ignorant author's idea about aforementioned clash.
Instead of Russian culture author uses stupidest stereotypes. Really, why not add a pet bear and wolfskin clothes, it wouldn't make your "Russian" any further from reality than he is already. Polishing a samovar, indeed? It's not even funny. I could not remember when I last had seen one. And do you really polish your kettle regularly? No? We neither. And samovar is essentially a kettle. Out of use for a century now. Except when used for dazzling naive tourists, that is. The same way as boomerangs are used in Australia. Can you imagine an Aussie bloke polishing his boomerang? Yeah, Russian bloke polishing his samovar is much less likely to happen. Even if he is mental.
Instead of Russian culture author uses stupidest stereotypes. Really, why not add a pet bear and wolfskin clothes, it wouldn't make your "Russian" any further from reality than he is already. Polishing a samovar, indeed? It's not even funny. I could not remember when I last had seen one. And do you really polish your kettle regularly? No? We neither. And samovar is essentially a kettle. Out of use for a century now. Except when used for dazzling naive tourists, that is. The same way as boomerangs are used in Australia. Can you imagine an Aussie bloke polishing his boomerang? Yeah, Russian bloke polishing his samovar is much less likely to happen. Even if he is mental.
May 28, 2015
First of all, I just wanted to start off with how glad I am this book is published! I read it before it was published, and I will read it again and again and again. Second of all, don't waste time reading my review of this book and go get the book for yourself. You will experience in the joy of Anton and Sophie and fall in love with them both.
Book Summary:
Anton is a famous tennis player. Sophie is the prodigious daughter of a wealthy, political, and influential family. When Sophie's family insists she get a job after her many attempts at college, she begins working as Anton's PR assistant. At first it is clear they don't like each other, but through miscommunication, tenacity and a little , they find themselves in deep. Love, that is.
My Review:
I love personal characters. Characters who screw up, characters who feel things, characters who are human. Those are the characters in this book. I doubt you will find a character who doesn't have some flaw; even if they are only in the story for a short time. (Except maybe Henry.) A prime example is her niece, Ayelet. That being said, there are a lot of characters and sometimes it's s little difficult keeping them straight, but there's a character glossary so no big deal. And one of the most important things about being human is learning how to accept other people's flaws because you love them. Anton and Sophie learn to accept each other for who they are. And not only that, people in Sophie's life must accept her for who she is. This seems to be one of the main themes in the book, and it is brought out well.
Moving on, the pacing was incredible. The beginning felt a little slow, but like I mentioned before, I have read the book several times. I think it was just me and my impatience for the Feels. Besides that, after Anton and Sophie met they weren't hopping on each other like rabbits and they ran into human problems which take time and communication to fix. And even then, their relationship isn't perfect. (This is not a HEA, people.) Many romance books only focus on the couple and their issues. Ms. Malonzo did an EXCELLENT job giving their individual issues important. And there were not too many either.
The only bad thing I can think of right now is that the next book doesn't come out until next year and that literally breaks my heart. So do yourself a favor and read this book, if you haven't already.
Book Summary:
Anton is a famous tennis player. Sophie is the prodigious daughter of a wealthy, political, and influential family. When Sophie's family insists she get a job after her many attempts at college, she begins working as Anton's PR assistant. At first it is clear they don't like each other, but through miscommunication, tenacity and a little , they find themselves in deep. Love, that is.
My Review:
I love personal characters. Characters who screw up, characters who feel things, characters who are human. Those are the characters in this book. I doubt you will find a character who doesn't have some flaw; even if they are only in the story for a short time. (Except maybe Henry.) A prime example is her niece, Ayelet. That being said, there are a lot of characters and sometimes it's s little difficult keeping them straight, but there's a character glossary so no big deal. And one of the most important things about being human is learning how to accept other people's flaws because you love them. Anton and Sophie learn to accept each other for who they are. And not only that, people in Sophie's life must accept her for who she is. This seems to be one of the main themes in the book, and it is brought out well.
Moving on, the pacing was incredible. The beginning felt a little slow, but like I mentioned before, I have read the book several times. I think it was just me and my impatience for the Feels. Besides that, after Anton and Sophie met they weren't hopping on each other like rabbits and they ran into human problems which take time and communication to fix. And even then, their relationship isn't perfect. (This is not a HEA, people.) Many romance books only focus on the couple and their issues. Ms. Malonzo did an EXCELLENT job giving their individual issues important. And there were not too many either.
The only bad thing I can think of right now is that the next book doesn't come out until next year and that literally breaks my heart. So do yourself a favor and read this book, if you haven't already.
June 5, 2015
This is given to me as an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I have always been a fan of exchanges of banters between characters. This is one of the high points that made me like this novel. The characters Anton and Sophie, and even the other minor characters are fleshed out through the dialogues they exchange with one another. Normally, I would be put off in reading a first-person pov ever since I have encountered some novels that feature different characters but have the same voices. Fortunately, this was not the case here. Each characters come with their own quirks that leaves a mark with you while you read. Each voice has a distinct quirk that compells you to follow it without fail and without stopping. The pacing is just right. The dialogues and even the story itself is dynamic, it's as if I'm hearing their voices while I read. I was so hooked that I finished this novel in one sitting. That's how good it was for me.
Ms. Malonzo crafted a refreshing story that is filled with just the right amount of crass and class. The exchanges between the characters are witty, fast, sometimes clumsy, often funny, and really natural. It is a joy to read this. I can't wait for the other installments to come.
I have always been a fan of exchanges of banters between characters. This is one of the high points that made me like this novel. The characters Anton and Sophie, and even the other minor characters are fleshed out through the dialogues they exchange with one another. Normally, I would be put off in reading a first-person pov ever since I have encountered some novels that feature different characters but have the same voices. Fortunately, this was not the case here. Each characters come with their own quirks that leaves a mark with you while you read. Each voice has a distinct quirk that compells you to follow it without fail and without stopping. The pacing is just right. The dialogues and even the story itself is dynamic, it's as if I'm hearing their voices while I read. I was so hooked that I finished this novel in one sitting. That's how good it was for me.
Ms. Malonzo crafted a refreshing story that is filled with just the right amount of crass and class. The exchanges between the characters are witty, fast, sometimes clumsy, often funny, and really natural. It is a joy to read this. I can't wait for the other installments to come.
Read
July 22, 2015Anton Akhmerov????
The Russian Bad Boy of Tennis?!
September 13, 2015
It's highly possible that my rating of a 5 may be a bit inflated because I am watching the US Open this week and the timeliness of this book made me more inclined to like it. However, despite my enjoyment at learning about the behind the scenes of a tennis player’s life, I still can't see this book being rated any lower than 4--it's THAT good.
I checked this out on my wife's ipad, otherwise I wouldn't have read it. Understandably, some people might be put off by the synopsis, but I am known to enjoy a romantic comedy or two, so I forged on one afternoon and I am so glad I did.
I noticed some reviews calling this a funny book, but the characters are carrying some pretty heavy problems (I suspect depression). However, the skill of the author in writing it in a way in which the whole work can be considered a "light" read is evident, despite moments of deepness and insight. This book, the writing, and the banter reminds me of a Woody Allen film, perhaps Manhattan or Annie Hall, or Julie Delpy’s hilarious 2 Days in Paris, or the now defunct Manhattan Love Story.
Needless to say, I rather liked this book. Quirky, funny (yes), but also crackling with wit...the kind where you read a one-liner and smile in recognition. I was also skeptical about how the culture clash would be handled because comedies with this trope inadvertently devolve into racist jokes and stereotypical characterizations. Russian characters are typically depicted as KGB spies, or criminals with ties to the Russian mafia, or pessimist drunks in Western television and film, so it’s refreshing to have a Russian character who’s a self-made man. Although I wouldn’t say that the author completely turns these stereotypes around, she does treat the characters with respect. That said, she doesn't ignore the cliches either, but pokes fun at them. Take this scene for example:
"I am Russian. Alcohol is water to me,” he says.
“Really?”
“Yes. We Russians drink vodka for breakfast. We also brush our teeth with it. Take a bath in it."
And bears just wander around the streets in Russia, right?”
“Yes, exactly. You should come see the bears some time, and I’ll play the balalaika for you.”
(Or something to that effect.)
The book is narrated by several different characters, Rashomon-style, with unreliable narrators, except the characters don't talk about one event, but continue the story from character to character. It's very interesting how the author created the Russian character's voice. I could hear him talking, and moreover, the dialogue is how one would speak in real life. As one other reviewer pointed out, every voice is unique and the emotions are authentic. We enter different scenes from different POV's, which made it feel as if I was watching a film because each character would be limited by the things he/she knows and sees.
Now, about the tennis. This is not really a sports book despite the tennis player character. Tennis is part of the milieu, but it does not revolve around it. Rather, the novel depicts American celebrity culture and our obsession with celebrities and socialites and famous people, with the inclusion of humorous New York Post or TMZ style articles about the tennis player and other celebrities. I did like how the author included different nationalities, and as far as I know, all the names seem to be correct, especially the Russians with their patronymics. I think some of the players are even based on the Big Four. For example, the mild-mannered Serbian grass court master.
So let's see. The story is an opposites attract trope, which is a cliche in itself, and yet it isn't as predictable as you might think. There are twists, but they are all connected to the prior events, so there's context. The characters are also familiar, and yet have a uniqueness and oddness to them, which is not manufactured for effect. They are all authentic and real. The characters feel real in their oddness and quirkiness and craziness. The litmus test for a well-developed character is if they find themselves on a shrink's chair, and they will find lots of issues to talk about. I think these characters are exactly that. Sophie comes from a position of privilege and yet is an outsider and she's a bit like a fish out of water in her own world, which was very interesting. For example, in one scene, Sophie is asked by her senator stepfather's right-hand woman not to introduce her mother at a charity ball, because she is too "controversial" after being photographed with a Free Palestine poster. Sophie decides to keep it to herself because she knows it will hurt her mother. I might be reading too much into the scene but I just felt like this scene perfectly shows how the character is flawed and is disobedient and doesn't fit in with her family, but the most important thing is she loves and values her family despite everything. She does many things wrong, but her inherent goodness makes her ultimately likeable.
So, the book of course is how these two characters who couldn't be more different get together, and the story of how they realize they should be together was paced really well. The author certainly took her time in developing the relationship. I liked the ending. It was a happy ending, but it's not. No, actually, we still have a lot of questions about how these two will end up, and we still don't know why Sophie had an "incident in Palo Alto" which the other characters allude to as some sort of catastrophic event for Sophie. And Anton, well, it's not exactly a happy ending for him, because of what happens to him at the end of the book. This was realistic in that not everything was tied up perfectly at the end and they are aware that they still have problems they have to work through.
I will definitely be reading the next installment just to see where the author takes these interesting and unique characters.
I checked this out on my wife's ipad, otherwise I wouldn't have read it. Understandably, some people might be put off by the synopsis, but I am known to enjoy a romantic comedy or two, so I forged on one afternoon and I am so glad I did.
I noticed some reviews calling this a funny book, but the characters are carrying some pretty heavy problems (I suspect depression). However, the skill of the author in writing it in a way in which the whole work can be considered a "light" read is evident, despite moments of deepness and insight. This book, the writing, and the banter reminds me of a Woody Allen film, perhaps Manhattan or Annie Hall, or Julie Delpy’s hilarious 2 Days in Paris, or the now defunct Manhattan Love Story.
Needless to say, I rather liked this book. Quirky, funny (yes), but also crackling with wit...the kind where you read a one-liner and smile in recognition. I was also skeptical about how the culture clash would be handled because comedies with this trope inadvertently devolve into racist jokes and stereotypical characterizations. Russian characters are typically depicted as KGB spies, or criminals with ties to the Russian mafia, or pessimist drunks in Western television and film, so it’s refreshing to have a Russian character who’s a self-made man. Although I wouldn’t say that the author completely turns these stereotypes around, she does treat the characters with respect. That said, she doesn't ignore the cliches either, but pokes fun at them. Take this scene for example:
"I am Russian. Alcohol is water to me,” he says.
“Really?”
“Yes. We Russians drink vodka for breakfast. We also brush our teeth with it. Take a bath in it."
And bears just wander around the streets in Russia, right?”
“Yes, exactly. You should come see the bears some time, and I’ll play the balalaika for you.”
(Or something to that effect.)
The book is narrated by several different characters, Rashomon-style, with unreliable narrators, except the characters don't talk about one event, but continue the story from character to character. It's very interesting how the author created the Russian character's voice. I could hear him talking, and moreover, the dialogue is how one would speak in real life. As one other reviewer pointed out, every voice is unique and the emotions are authentic. We enter different scenes from different POV's, which made it feel as if I was watching a film because each character would be limited by the things he/she knows and sees.
Now, about the tennis. This is not really a sports book despite the tennis player character. Tennis is part of the milieu, but it does not revolve around it. Rather, the novel depicts American celebrity culture and our obsession with celebrities and socialites and famous people, with the inclusion of humorous New York Post or TMZ style articles about the tennis player and other celebrities. I did like how the author included different nationalities, and as far as I know, all the names seem to be correct, especially the Russians with their patronymics. I think some of the players are even based on the Big Four. For example, the mild-mannered Serbian grass court master.
So let's see. The story is an opposites attract trope, which is a cliche in itself, and yet it isn't as predictable as you might think. There are twists, but they are all connected to the prior events, so there's context. The characters are also familiar, and yet have a uniqueness and oddness to them, which is not manufactured for effect. They are all authentic and real. The characters feel real in their oddness and quirkiness and craziness. The litmus test for a well-developed character is if they find themselves on a shrink's chair, and they will find lots of issues to talk about. I think these characters are exactly that. Sophie comes from a position of privilege and yet is an outsider and she's a bit like a fish out of water in her own world, which was very interesting. For example, in one scene, Sophie is asked by her senator stepfather's right-hand woman not to introduce her mother at a charity ball, because she is too "controversial" after being photographed with a Free Palestine poster. Sophie decides to keep it to herself because she knows it will hurt her mother. I might be reading too much into the scene but I just felt like this scene perfectly shows how the character is flawed and is disobedient and doesn't fit in with her family, but the most important thing is she loves and values her family despite everything. She does many things wrong, but her inherent goodness makes her ultimately likeable.
So, the book of course is how these two characters who couldn't be more different get together, and the story of how they realize they should be together was paced really well. The author certainly took her time in developing the relationship. I liked the ending. It was a happy ending, but it's not. No, actually, we still have a lot of questions about how these two will end up, and we still don't know why Sophie had an "incident in Palo Alto" which the other characters allude to as some sort of catastrophic event for Sophie. And Anton, well, it's not exactly a happy ending for him, because of what happens to him at the end of the book. This was realistic in that not everything was tied up perfectly at the end and they are aware that they still have problems they have to work through.
I will definitely be reading the next installment just to see where the author takes these interesting and unique characters.
October 5, 2015
I absolutely LOVED this book. It's so honest, funny and real.
I came into this book thinking I was going to read escapist chick lit, or new adult, as it's now called. Although this book is certainly that, it is more than that. This book is unique and unforgettable, very well-written, with characters I'd like to meet. "Hello, Privet!" is the first book in a series, and I'm going to be waiting with bated breath for the next one.
This tells of the story of Sophie, 21 years old, former child prodigy, now Harvard dropout who doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. Meanwhile, Anton is a Russian tennis player sports celebrity who is uncomfortable with his celebrity status and only cares about winning. They both are pressured to make something of themselves by the people around them. Sophie is like the black sheep of the family, constantly told to find direction in her life to bring prestige to the family (they're some kind of upper-class old money WASP family, and her mother is married to a Senator).
There are many different characters and I liked that in this book, the parents are present, as are elder siblings, adding layers to the story. For example, it was interesting to see how everyone's motivations may be different, but in the end they all want what's best for Sophie, although they have different ideas of what's "best."
The characters are flawed and make mistakes, and sometimes display bad behavior (especially Anton), but he's a character you can't help but love and root for. Anton isn't actually a "Bad Boy" at all. He's just misunderstood, and it's a label that they, the media, etc, give to him because they never really tried to understand him, that is until Sophie, who absolutely gets it, being misunderstood by her own family.
What I liked about this was that their connection didn't happen instantly. They spend a great part of the first half misunderstanding each other, although clearly these two would end up together. They really has such chemistry!
It's obvious that they are quite different but the author doesn't ignore their differences. The characters are aware of these differences, and that it would be difficult to be together, but they wanted to try anyway. So while this is definitely a love story, it managed to avoid becoming cheesy because of the very realistic reactions and dialogue.
I can spend hours talking about how rich and layered this book is, and how I loved all the other characters, particularly John, Anton's manager, and even Alison, the perfect stepsister, but I think Sophie's mother deserves a special mention. I have to say that I initially found her meddling and controlling annoying, but then I began to understand that she did this out of love for her daughter. She was trying to give Sophie money, and was introducing her to people to give her a job at a charity, and telling her what to wear and to attend family parties, which Sophie resents, but I know exactly why she did what she did. She was trying to "fix" Sophie in her own way, in the way she knew how, by these charity balls, and the dresses and introducing her to people etc, because she can't just do nothing and let her daughter be depressed (I think this is what happened in the past, which is what drove Sophie away to Israel for two years, but who knows the reason why?).
The ending was nice and satisfying, but this story is by no means finished. And yes, it's somewhat predictable, but I didn't care because it was written well and it entertained me. For that, I would give it 4.5 stars. But because it made me smile and made me happy and because I absolutely adore Anton, I'm rounding up to 5.
I came into this book thinking I was going to read escapist chick lit, or new adult, as it's now called. Although this book is certainly that, it is more than that. This book is unique and unforgettable, very well-written, with characters I'd like to meet. "Hello, Privet!" is the first book in a series, and I'm going to be waiting with bated breath for the next one.
This tells of the story of Sophie, 21 years old, former child prodigy, now Harvard dropout who doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. Meanwhile, Anton is a Russian tennis player sports celebrity who is uncomfortable with his celebrity status and only cares about winning. They both are pressured to make something of themselves by the people around them. Sophie is like the black sheep of the family, constantly told to find direction in her life to bring prestige to the family (they're some kind of upper-class old money WASP family, and her mother is married to a Senator).
There are many different characters and I liked that in this book, the parents are present, as are elder siblings, adding layers to the story. For example, it was interesting to see how everyone's motivations may be different, but in the end they all want what's best for Sophie, although they have different ideas of what's "best."
The characters are flawed and make mistakes, and sometimes display bad behavior (especially Anton), but he's a character you can't help but love and root for. Anton isn't actually a "Bad Boy" at all. He's just misunderstood, and it's a label that they, the media, etc, give to him because they never really tried to understand him, that is until Sophie, who absolutely gets it, being misunderstood by her own family.
What I liked about this was that their connection didn't happen instantly. They spend a great part of the first half misunderstanding each other, although clearly these two would end up together. They really has such chemistry!
It's obvious that they are quite different but the author doesn't ignore their differences. The characters are aware of these differences, and that it would be difficult to be together, but they wanted to try anyway. So while this is definitely a love story, it managed to avoid becoming cheesy because of the very realistic reactions and dialogue.
I can spend hours talking about how rich and layered this book is, and how I loved all the other characters, particularly John, Anton's manager, and even Alison, the perfect stepsister, but I think Sophie's mother deserves a special mention. I have to say that I initially found her meddling and controlling annoying, but then I began to understand that she did this out of love for her daughter. She was trying to give Sophie money, and was introducing her to people to give her a job at a charity, and telling her what to wear and to attend family parties, which Sophie resents, but I know exactly why she did what she did. She was trying to "fix" Sophie in her own way, in the way she knew how, by these charity balls, and the dresses and introducing her to people etc, because she can't just do nothing and let her daughter be depressed (I think this is what happened in the past, which is what drove Sophie away to Israel for two years, but who knows the reason why?).
The ending was nice and satisfying, but this story is by no means finished. And yes, it's somewhat predictable, but I didn't care because it was written well and it entertained me. For that, I would give it 4.5 stars. But because it made me smile and made me happy and because I absolutely adore Anton, I'm rounding up to 5.
September 11, 2015
*I was kindly gifted a copy of Hello, Privet! to read in exchange for an honest review.*
My Review: 3 out of 5 stars
This is the first book in a series revolving around Sophie, a Harvard drop-out, and Anton, a famous tennis player trying to make a comeback after a shoulder injury. One of my favorite things about this book is that it focuses on both lead characters’ growth and struggle with self discovery. Neither are strictly the sounding board for the other here, and with their distinct personalities and voices it keeps each interaction interesting. I’m curious to see how they develop individually and together through the rest of the series, but can wait until the entire series is completed before picking back up again. This wasn’t a keep-me-up-all-night kind of read for me, but it was still enjoyable.
There are multiple POV’s throughout the book, not just Sophia and Anton and it reads almost like a movie with the cut scenes between perspectives. Sometimes when authors use multiple POV it leads to a blending of voices that are all too similar, but that wasn’t an issue here. I was also very impressed with how Anton was written, I could hear his accent in my head while reading!
A drawback for me was that the writing was disjointed in places with geological locations and chronology making it feel rough and unedited in places. An example is with locations/distances of schools in CA, but I doubt anyone would pick this up without having knowledge of the state - so if you’re not from CA then you’re good :). Because of this I needed to re-read some sections to see if I missed something, but it didn’t detract overly much from my enjoyment of the story.
Also, I got a bit lost with the amount of characters at times, and trying to keep things straight when a character is mentioned once and then 200+ pages later they are brought up again and I’m like “who is this?” lol But that may be why the author added a Glossary at the end with all characters and their background. I did not know that was there until the end, but I recommend using it as you read through if you don’t remember a name!
I would recommend this to anyone Teen and Up (no explicit/steamy sex scenes) who enjoys new adult stories revolving around self discovery and acceptance, sports, and series so the fun never ends!
My Review: 3 out of 5 stars
This is the first book in a series revolving around Sophie, a Harvard drop-out, and Anton, a famous tennis player trying to make a comeback after a shoulder injury. One of my favorite things about this book is that it focuses on both lead characters’ growth and struggle with self discovery. Neither are strictly the sounding board for the other here, and with their distinct personalities and voices it keeps each interaction interesting. I’m curious to see how they develop individually and together through the rest of the series, but can wait until the entire series is completed before picking back up again. This wasn’t a keep-me-up-all-night kind of read for me, but it was still enjoyable.
There are multiple POV’s throughout the book, not just Sophia and Anton and it reads almost like a movie with the cut scenes between perspectives. Sometimes when authors use multiple POV it leads to a blending of voices that are all too similar, but that wasn’t an issue here. I was also very impressed with how Anton was written, I could hear his accent in my head while reading!
A drawback for me was that the writing was disjointed in places with geological locations and chronology making it feel rough and unedited in places. An example is with locations/distances of schools in CA, but I doubt anyone would pick this up without having knowledge of the state - so if you’re not from CA then you’re good :). Because of this I needed to re-read some sections to see if I missed something, but it didn’t detract overly much from my enjoyment of the story.
Also, I got a bit lost with the amount of characters at times, and trying to keep things straight when a character is mentioned once and then 200+ pages later they are brought up again and I’m like “who is this?” lol But that may be why the author added a Glossary at the end with all characters and their background. I did not know that was there until the end, but I recommend using it as you read through if you don’t remember a name!
I would recommend this to anyone Teen and Up (no explicit/steamy sex scenes) who enjoys new adult stories revolving around self discovery and acceptance, sports, and series so the fun never ends!
October 5, 2015
Touch of Magic 4.5 Stars
At twenty one years old, Sophie Rosenbaum is at a crossroads in her life. Even though she has lived a privileged lifestyle, Sophie feels like she’s a square peg trying to fit into a round hole.
Anton Akhmerov, is a Russian professional tennis player, famous for his temper and his playboy reputation. After recuperating from an injury, Anton is now ready to rebuild his tennis game and his bad boy image.
As a last resort, Sophie takes a job as Anton’s PR assistant. When these two meet, well let’s just say oil and water makes a better combination. As they get to know each other, their relationship blooms and strengthens.
This quirky, sexy, heartwarming story of love brought a smile to my face and occasionally tears to my eyes. The chemistry between these two kept me totally captivated in the story.
I’m looking forward to reading the second book in this series.
Such a delightful read!
Stephanie Lasley, from The Kindle Book Review
The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book for an independent, fair, and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.
At twenty one years old, Sophie Rosenbaum is at a crossroads in her life. Even though she has lived a privileged lifestyle, Sophie feels like she’s a square peg trying to fit into a round hole.
Anton Akhmerov, is a Russian professional tennis player, famous for his temper and his playboy reputation. After recuperating from an injury, Anton is now ready to rebuild his tennis game and his bad boy image.
As a last resort, Sophie takes a job as Anton’s PR assistant. When these two meet, well let’s just say oil and water makes a better combination. As they get to know each other, their relationship blooms and strengthens.
This quirky, sexy, heartwarming story of love brought a smile to my face and occasionally tears to my eyes. The chemistry between these two kept me totally captivated in the story.
I’m looking forward to reading the second book in this series.
Such a delightful read!
Stephanie Lasley, from The Kindle Book Review
The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book for an independent, fair, and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.
December 12, 2015
Hello Privet! by Maria Malonzo is an interesting read packed full of dialogue and action. A fast-paced story that will instantly capture readers' attention. Maria Malonzo has brilliantly woven together a story of how two unlikely characters, who meet when fate decides to place them both on the same path.
A super rich and very popular man, who suffers from an inury, is now having to deal with the thoughts of never being able to play again. He is going through everything he can, to play once more. But he's realizing it just might not happen anytime in the future. He soon meets Sophie, a woman, who thinks he's just the average typical jock. That alone entices his attention, to her and soon something is stirring between.
I highly recommend Hello Privet! by Maria Malonzo. Her characters are exciting and her plot is well-written. I enjoyed following Sophie and her interactions with the alpha male sports player. Funny, romantic, and bold. I loved it. I definitely look forward to reading more novels by Maria Malonzo in the future. Her first novel has captured my interest and now I'm buzzing with excitement for her next masterpiece.
A super rich and very popular man, who suffers from an inury, is now having to deal with the thoughts of never being able to play again. He is going through everything he can, to play once more. But he's realizing it just might not happen anytime in the future. He soon meets Sophie, a woman, who thinks he's just the average typical jock. That alone entices his attention, to her and soon something is stirring between.
I highly recommend Hello Privet! by Maria Malonzo. Her characters are exciting and her plot is well-written. I enjoyed following Sophie and her interactions with the alpha male sports player. Funny, romantic, and bold. I loved it. I definitely look forward to reading more novels by Maria Malonzo in the future. Her first novel has captured my interest and now I'm buzzing with excitement for her next masterpiece.
July 5, 2015
This book was one of the best books I've read in a very long time. It's difficult to explain without spilling too much of the goods but I loved this book and I will most certainly read it again
September 20, 2015
I tried to finish his book! I really did. But it was just too damn long with too much unnecessary information. I loved the premise and was excited about reading this book but it was too busy right from the beginning.
The first few scenes are of Sophie meeting with her family and right away there are too many characters with too many details and I was already lost. I fought through it for another 209 pages but at some point you have to say enough is enough. Halfway through and they haven't even flirted or warmed up to each other yet. I don't have that kind of time.
Here are a few things that could use some work. First, edit edit edit. Not every details is interesting or important. Especially about Sophie's background and family. Secondly, you do not need 14 point of views to tell the story. Those of the two main characters are more than enough. Here though, you got the mother, the brother, the agent, the friend, etc, etc. Unnecessary! In addition, there is too much usage of the Russian language, without any explanation of it. It does not add to the story at all and just leaves the reader asking themselves, what does that mean. And I actually understand it.
So with an edit to bring this book down to half its size, it could do really well, since this is somewhat unexplored territory. But as it is, I DNF at 50%.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The first few scenes are of Sophie meeting with her family and right away there are too many characters with too many details and I was already lost. I fought through it for another 209 pages but at some point you have to say enough is enough. Halfway through and they haven't even flirted or warmed up to each other yet. I don't have that kind of time.
Here are a few things that could use some work. First, edit edit edit. Not every details is interesting or important. Especially about Sophie's background and family. Secondly, you do not need 14 point of views to tell the story. Those of the two main characters are more than enough. Here though, you got the mother, the brother, the agent, the friend, etc, etc. Unnecessary! In addition, there is too much usage of the Russian language, without any explanation of it. It does not add to the story at all and just leaves the reader asking themselves, what does that mean. And I actually understand it.
So with an edit to bring this book down to half its size, it could do really well, since this is somewhat unexplored territory. But as it is, I DNF at 50%.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2015
*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*
Two words to describe this book, unique and interesting. So I want to get my biggest book pet peeve out of the way with this story and that is the fact that there are no character descriptions. There is very minimal describing how the characters look, the most you get is socialite and tennis player. So you have to do a lot of painting the image in your head. In addition, there are terms used that I assume are Russian I am not familiar with them so every once in a while you are left wondering what the heck a word means.
Otherwise the story was every interesting. I wanted to read more and learn more about Sophie and Anton. The writing was definitely completely different from what I am used to but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It was refreshing and written in a completely different ton from traditional writing. Overall, once I moved past not having character descriptions I enjoyed the story and would definitely read book 2.
Two words to describe this book, unique and interesting. So I want to get my biggest book pet peeve out of the way with this story and that is the fact that there are no character descriptions. There is very minimal describing how the characters look, the most you get is socialite and tennis player. So you have to do a lot of painting the image in your head. In addition, there are terms used that I assume are Russian I am not familiar with them so every once in a while you are left wondering what the heck a word means.
Otherwise the story was every interesting. I wanted to read more and learn more about Sophie and Anton. The writing was definitely completely different from what I am used to but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It was refreshing and written in a completely different ton from traditional writing. Overall, once I moved past not having character descriptions I enjoyed the story and would definitely read book 2.
September 11, 2015
First thing that captured me the most is the Russian language. I love reading books with a mix of different languages. The author added a little bit of it.
It's beautiful and I appreciate it a lot.
Anyway, this book was such a great read for me. Not to spoil you guys or anything but this book had that slow burning love going on. It definitely did not irritate me.
Usually books with slow burning love, I get bored so easily.
Hello, Privet! is an exceptional and I had a lot of fun reading this. :)
A MUST READ !
Since it's a series, I'm beyond excited to read the next one!
I'm craving more Sophie and Anton !
I highly recommend !
I give it 4.5 amazing stars :)
*I was given an ebook copy from New Adult Book Club / Author in exchange for an honest review.*
It's beautiful and I appreciate it a lot.
Anyway, this book was such a great read for me. Not to spoil you guys or anything but this book had that slow burning love going on. It definitely did not irritate me.
Usually books with slow burning love, I get bored so easily.
Hello, Privet! is an exceptional and I had a lot of fun reading this. :)
A MUST READ !
Since it's a series, I'm beyond excited to read the next one!
I'm craving more Sophie and Anton !
I highly recommend !
I give it 4.5 amazing stars :)
*I was given an ebook copy from New Adult Book Club / Author in exchange for an honest review.*
December 28, 2015
First I received this book as an ARC for an honest review. For me the start of the book was very slow. They don't even meet for a quite awhile. Then after they meet they are not thrown together for a few chapters afterwards. About at 50% in I felt like they were finally getting into some good dialogue between the H and h. The reason I gave it three stars instead of two was because when they finally starting talking to each other instead of either not talking or not even know about the other the chatter between the two were good. It was just a long time coming.
November 5, 2015
muy largo y la mayor parte sin sentido
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