Review: Finding Fraser by KC Dyer
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The Basics
Title: Finding Fraser
Author: KC Dyer
Published: 2015
Publisher: Berkley — Penguin Random House
Pages: 354
Format: Paperback
Genres: Fiction —Contemporary fiction, Romance, Contemporary romance
Book Synopsis
After being fired from her job and separating from her husband, Emma Sheridan decides to sell all of her belongings and head to Scotland to search for a real-life Jamie Fraser, the male lead of her beloved Outlander series. She plans to retrace Claire’s (Jamie’s wife in the books) steps and document her journey on her newly minted blog, Finding Fraser. Along the way, she meets all sorts of characters – some she’d rather forget and others she doesn’t want to leave.
My Review & Overall Thoughts
I have mixed feelings about Finding Fraser. On the one hand, it boasts witty writing and a cast of quirky characters, but on the other hand, it features a protagonist who is at times both exasperating and self-centered. And then there’s the matter of the plot.
But let’s start with a positive aspect of this book: the supporting characters. From “Rabbie the tripod” to Morag, the no-nonsense farmer, the secondary characters are all memorable and feel realistic. They, in conjunction with the book’s picturesque setting in Scotland, make the book.
The writing is the other major asset of this book. KC Dyer crafts up some comical scenes and humorous dialogue, and her descriptions of Scotland make you feel as though you are there. Her description of the Royal Mile was particularly well done. As I read the passage, I was transported back to Edinburgh (and consequently reminded of how much I miss that city).
The not so good
Now for the not-so-good parts of this book. As I mentioned earlier, the main character, Emma, is not entirely likable. She is rather naïve, being too quick to trust and believe others. She is also a bit selfish, at one point in the book abusing another’s kindness and putting their job at risk through her actions. On a broader scale, she is a deluded with regard to her quest to find Jamie Fraser, a fictional character. She is so determined to find her Jamie that she puts up with behavior from men that is completely unacceptable. At one point, for instance, a guy she’s dating suggests that she go to the gym – if a man ever said that to me, I’d swiftly tell him where he could go (and it wouldn’t be to the gym).
Another critique that I have is that there should have been more interactions between Emma and the man she ends up with. It’s hard to buy into a relationship if you don’t have many opportunities to see the two people together. Plus, the relationship comes together rather too quickly and progresses a touch too fast. The ending reminded me of one of those 90s rom-coms where the man and woman have only known one another for two weeks but decide that they’re soulmates and run off together into the sunset.
My other main gripe is that some of the scenes are a bit “what a coincidence!” For example, in one of the scenes, Emma gets in trouble with the police, but her friend and author Jack is able to get her released. How you might ask? The officer is a huge fan of Jack’s books, of course.
Overall
Not-so-goods withstanding, this was an overall decent read. If you are a fan of Outlander, you’ll get a kick out of all of the Outlander references. It’s not the type of book I could see myself rereading, so I’d recommend either borrowing this from a library or buying a secondhand copy.
Have you read Finding Fraser? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!
