What the Cat Dragged In by Kate McMurray Narrated by Suehyla El-Attar Young

I described an audiobook arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

So I was 100% enjoying and onboard with this book until about 78%. It’s a light romantic comedy filled with fun and irreverent humor and characters who are great at not taking themselves too seriously. And like all stories in this genre there was the necessary conflict/problem/tension that builds until you come to the make or break crisis moment. And while you could see it coming and I don’t think it’s a problem that everyone would necessarily see as that big of a problem I could go there with the plot so I’m along for the ride and then we get to the crisis and the communication especially from the heroine just breaks down to the point where I was very annoyed with her. I’m one of those people that as a friend will just tell you - just talk about it! Talk to each other! Put all the cards on the table!

Also - (***FYI spoilery stuff ahead***)

She tells him - I need some time to think this through. And being the good guy he is he says ok and gives her what she asks for. Then without coming back to talk to him again to let him know her decision etc she just kind of assumes they’re over and goes to a singles event 🤦‍♀️ not that anything happens really. There’s no cheating. But why would you even go to something like that - and give some guy your phone number - when our poor hero doesn’t even know where they stand ?!? 

Then when she does realize that oh she really does want to be all in with the hero she feels she needs to make this big stand about it and make a big gesture…… but then the gesture is just going to an ice cream shop ….. 🤷‍♀️ I mean I can get behind a big gesture when it’s showing the other person that you are making room for them in your life to show how much they mean to you, like moving, or quitting a job, or learning something hard etc. but if something like that isn’t really needed to support the future of the relationship- just go talk to them as soon as possible 🙄 you made him wait long enough geeze. 

Also there’s a reference to someone who was secretly pregnant rearranging their work schedule to deal with morning sickness. First trimester nausea doesn’t just click off at 10 am or something. I have 2 kids, every time I puked with them was at lunch after eating BBQ which apparently they were not fans of while in utero. Flying under the assumption that it only happens “in the morning” without at least commenting something like “while that’s not the case for everyone it was for this person” just makes the reference seem uninformed. 

There is an HEA but I didn’t feel like they earned it. So 4/5. Would have gone 3.5 but a cat cafe with cats named after Jane Austen characters is just too fun. Also great job to the narrator differentiating between characters.

I wouldn’t say don’t read it but I would say - don’t try conducting your relationships like this at home kids - just be straight with people - it’s ok to not know sometimes and it’s ok to talk it out.