Stella_scott96 is onto something with books like The Overstory. My club learned to pick one heavy book a year but break it into small sections. It cuts down on the performance and actually lets people dig in.

Totally agree with what @matthew371 said about the knee kicker. That's a basic fix they clearly skipped. When you see a bad seam, it just makes you wonder what else they cut corners on, like maybe the plumbing or the AC. It stops feeling like a nice escape and starts feeling like a place that doesn't care about the details. For the price they charge, getting the floor right is pretty much the bare minimum. That kind of sloppy work just ruins the whole vibe they're trying to sell you.

Your fridge note battle reminds me of a gossip column I read yesterday.

Yikes, that sounds like a classic cake fail! I've TOTALLY been there with layers sliding everywhere. Using extra frosting to prop it up is a BAD idea because it just adds weight and makes things more slippery. What you NEED is something solid inside, like dowel rods or even cut straws, to hold the tiers straight. Chilling the layers first helps them firm up SO much before you stack. Don't give up on layered cakes though, once you get the support right they're really fun to make!