The Unwritten Rule by Elizabeth Scott - Not Up to Par

Elizabeth Scott has authored many excellent books covering a wide range of topics and narrative, from simple romantic comedies to harder-hitting material. I've particular enjoyed two other novels by her: Bloom, a romantic comedy with a Judy Blume-like twist, and Living Dead Girl about a victim of a kidnapping. I've also enjoyed two other of her romantic comedies, Something, Maybe and Perfect You. I had high expectations for her 2010 novel The Unwritten Rule but sadly those expectations were not met.

In comparison to her other works, The Unwritten Rule comes across both more disorganized but also more formulaic. The protagonist has a love interest, and another girl serving as a barrier to that love interest - not exactly original. The fact that the other girl is a friend or relative is also not newly-treaded ground. Too much of the narrative is spent following the protagonist agonizing over her indecision, and a more interesting sideplot involving "the other girl" is present only at the absolute bare minimum that it needs to be. The biggest let-down is a conclusion that feels greatly unsatisfying, incomplete, and with the character coming off as perhaps more smug than she deserves.

Grade: 3/5 stars, Goodreads.com scale (an average reading experience that is worthwhile for entertainment value or for completing a series, but readers may be feeling little of value to take away from the reading experience).