Review: Buck Up, Buttercup

Buck Up, Buttercup by Anna Alkire
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Randi is that most cliched of NA/YA heroines, an orphan with a silly name from a low socio-economic background whose only relative is in poor health and emotionally needy. Randi has show-horned 21 credits into one school year to try to graduate early and get a job, but to do so she needs a place to study. She has paid a deposit on a all-female house-share but turns up on the first day to find a raging party taking place, is almost assaulted by a drunk man, is abused by one of her new housemates, and is generally harassed and made to feel uncomfortable - oh, and the room she was promised is a filthy mess. Despite her misgivings she is persuaded to stay (and not call the cops) by promises that her house-mates will clean up and significantly reduce her rent.

As another cliché, Randi is an old-fashioned, repressed girl who wears clothes more suited to a librarian and a virgin to boot. Nevertheless her prissiness catches the eye of good ole boy cowboy Buck, THE man on campus who has a trail of besotted women throwing themselves at his feet. Even Buck doesn't really understand what he sees in her. Despite her sheltered upbringing, Randi has no difficulty giving Buck back-chat (and honestly how realistic is that?) and bossing him around, even if all he seems to want to do is look after her.

Finally, of course Randi has a totally obnoxious and toxic friend Daisy who only wants to get drunk and hook up with random guys and drag Randi along for the ride.

Also, despite being quirky and dressing like a little old lady (velvet collars and prissy bows), not one, not two, but three great looking guys are all pursuing her - sheesh, I should be so unpopular!

Sorry, this did not work for me. None of the characters were realistic or more than two-dimensional. I can't think of any female character (other than Randi) who wasn't unpleasant if not absolutely foul. And most of the male characters were portrayed as drunks and practically rapists, or at least enablers.

I get that the author was trying to get us to sympathise with Randi but frankly she was such a doormat that I just wanted to shake her and tell her to dump her friends, house-mates, and aunt ASAP.

Allegedly this is the first in a series about the Montgomery Brothers, but Buck is such a nothing character who only serves as a foil for Randi that I couldn't see him as a real person.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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