Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

My relationship with this author is all over the shop. I love Only Ever Yours and Asking for It, but this one and After the Silence are terrible in comparison.

Firstly, don't be fooled by the cover or title. There's no Idol here, nor is there a glistening poolside lifestyle. All we see here is a sleepy town that's always cold.

The female lead is (probably intentionally) awful. She fluctuates between acting 40 and 4, and it's impossible to get a handle on who she is.

The second female lead is entirely wet.

They call each other mouse. Yes, really.

There's no character development. There are plot holes everywhere. The storyline is basic.

In the era of 'speaking your truth' and social media, this book could have done so much, but it fails on every level.

I've listened to Louise O'Neill on a few podcasts now, and I really love her, but her recent novels are lacking, in my opinion.

Two stars.