The protagonists, who probably have some sort of traumatic backstory, end up in a new situation and sort of wander along more-or-less happily until the author realizes that she has to end the book in fifty pages and throws in an enemy from the outside who had little impact on the first two hundred pages, to end with a big bang.

And even when she's set up the conflict, she doesn't do pacing well, so you still get the, "HOSHIT, I've only got twenty pages left!" ending. I've noticed this especially in her Victorian fairytale retellings (which probably have a series name, but I don't know what it is).

But mostly I'm just there to see the characters live their lives and learn about the world around them. Hooray for books in which nothing happens!