99 Percent Mine: A Novel

This book had its moments but it could have been a lot shorter. Very repetitive scenes and thoughts. Sally Thorne is a wonderful writer because the Hating Game was a masterpiece. This was just okay though.

A solid sophomore effort by Sally Thorne, author of the smash hit romance The Hating Game, 99 Percent Mine has similarly well-defined characters, weird metaphors, and the same intensity of Thorne’s first work. I’ll be honest, I can’t review this book without comparing it to The Hating Game, which is one of my favorite books EVER. What I love about Sally Thorne’s work is how much her characters push each other to the breaking point – and how much she uses metaphors and similes that are weird and out there to describe that intensity. She has a very literary take on commercial romance – her plots and settings underscore a lot of what’s happening in the characters lives. I also love how Thorne understands how passion and love mix and make people do crazy things. Darcy and Tom clash in just the right ways. There’s an amazing push-and-pull between them. From the very first moment when they see each other again after YEARS of being apart, there’s a familiarity, a joking, and a tension that just sizzles. There’s a lot of cat-and-mouse circling in both of her books, but more in 99 Percent Mine, where Thorne ratchets up the tension so minutely and skillfully that you’re hanging on for dear life when she finally lets her characters consummate their passion. Darcy and Tom are far more normal than the characters in The Hating Game, and their story is a little bit less unique – but it’s no less well-defined! Darcy’s tough girl attitude and the way she approaches life is both frustratingly destructive and captivatingly honest. How many of us have made dumb decisions because of love and vulnerability? How many of us spent our 20s tripping from place to place, looking for something to call home? You can’t help but feel for her, empathize with her candy and wine benders, and also want to bonk her on the side of her head. Meanwhile, Tom’s dealing with learning how to be a boss, how to be a business owner, and how to face up to feelings for Darcy he’s been trying to ignore and tamp down for years. If I’m being honest, for me, Tom just couldn’t measure up as much to The Hating Game’s Josh. Darcy calls him “the perfect man” – and it’s kind of true. He’s a really great guy, kind and generous, strong and sensitive. While I enjoyed him with Darcy, I think I just found him a little bit too typical – he’s pretty much what you expect in a slow-burn romance. I also really enjoyed the secondary characters in this book. Jamie, Darcy’s twin, is the exact kind of jackass that you want him to be – charming but cold. Truly, Darcy’s underwear designer friend is so fun and caring that you want a happily ever after for her, too. And even though you don’t see her as a character, Loretta, Darcy’s grandmother, plays a huge role in her life and in how Darcy acts and reacts. For me, 99 Percent Mine wasn’t as strong as The Hating Game. I think what I loved about The Hating Game was just how weird the characters were. It was just a matter of preference – I loved the office romance of The Hating Game, and I loved the quirkiness of the characters. Still, I really, really enjoyed and raced through 99 Percent Mine. It’s a fast, intense read that I highly recommend. THE FINAL WORD: I read 99 Percent Mine in a day and a half and barely slept – and when I slept, all I dreamt about was Darcy and Tom. I really, really enjoyed it, and I think readers who loved the intensity, incredible description, and quirky characters of The Hating Game will also adore Darcy and Tom’s house-flipping slow-burn romance. Darcy and Tom had me riveted from moment one, and they didn’t let up until I was finished.

There were some moments I could relate to the main character a little bit...... but mostly not. It was interesting reading about characters written so dynamically but I probably won't be back for a reread. I would recommend her other book The Hating Game if you want a good book to read.