I read the end of this book, closed it, opened it and re-read the last few pages, closed it again, and then felt myself go "What did I just read?" Ultimately, wholly, unsatisfying. The premise is cute, the setting is adorable, the literary references abound. However, both main characters are arrogant and preachy and annoying. I wanted growth from them both. I wanted to witness compromise and truly logical arguments and banter that had real depth. I was so frustrated with their banter because I felt rarely did either one make a strong, cogent, fact or logic-based argument. Both were entirely dismissive of the other. The townspeople often made good points but then those went wasted. The author introduced backstory for multiple characters then just left it undeveloped or used it to develop the main character partially but never fully rounding it out. 

I assume the author was writing a treatise/indictment of the "modern woman" and has a very false notion of what the "feminist" movement means - because Miss Prim is *not* a modern woman, nor a feminist. Nor does being a feminist always put a person at odds with Christianity or religion or family. This plot point rides through the entire book and then just...poof...never resolves. 

I've read others who insist the point of the book is to explore the inner life of the main character. If that's true - not. worth. it. In fact, I'm going to have to shift down to a 2.5.