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bi_n_large's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Medical trauma, and Medical content
Minor: Infidelity
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Out June 21, 2022 [Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!]
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Angie Appiah is the overachieving medical student daughter of Ghanaian immigrants, but when her boyfriend dumps her and she nearly fails a major exam all in the same day, she’s shaken by the stumble. Before too long, she meets Ricky, a gorgeous but infuriating artist—who just might upend her life even further.
There is SO MUCH I loved about this book! From reading other reviews, I suspected that the theme of an overachieving medical student dealing with burnout and figuring out what she wants out of life would resonate with me, and it definitely did—but the book also gave me an MC with the most relatable insecurities; deep and insightful commentary on medical education, healthcare, and the relationship of both to issues of race and Blackness; commentary on immigrant families and the pressures of being first generation; sapphic and non-binary representation; and honestly so much more. I adored the characters, the storyline, and all of the important issues that Dr. Obuobi managed to address so deftly.
There were moments where I thought the book might be a little bit long, but in the end I think every section and every sentence was necessary to the story. Both of the main characters also made several poor choices and engaged in terrible communication practices—but their growth over the course of the novel was wonderful to see. I am so excited for this novel to be out in the world, and even more excited to read whatever Dr. Obuobi writes next!
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: Grey’s Anatomy but make it a rom-com; diversity and intersectional representation; strangers-to-friends-to-lovers.
CW: Medical content; death (including death of loved ones); mentions of gun violence/injury; addiction; some discussion of sexism and racism.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Angie Appiah is the overachieving medical student daughter of Ghanaian immigrants, but when her boyfriend dumps her and she nearly fails a major exam all in the same day, she’s shaken by the stumble. Before too long, she meets Ricky, a gorgeous but infuriating artist—who just might upend her life even further.
There is SO MUCH I loved about this book! From reading other reviews, I suspected that the theme of an overachieving medical student dealing with burnout and figuring out what she wants out of life would resonate with me, and it definitely did—but the book also gave me an MC with the most relatable insecurities; deep and insightful commentary on medical education, healthcare, and the relationship of both to issues of race and Blackness; commentary on immigrant families and the pressures of being first generation; sapphic and non-binary representation; and honestly so much more. I adored the characters, the storyline, and all of the important issues that Dr. Obuobi managed to address so deftly.
There were moments where I thought the book might be a little bit long, but in the end I think every section and every sentence was necessary to the story. Both of the main characters also made several poor choices and engaged in terrible communication practices—but their growth over the course of the novel was wonderful to see. I am so excited for this novel to be out in the world, and even more excited to read whatever Dr. Obuobi writes next!
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: Grey’s Anatomy but make it a rom-com; diversity and intersectional representation; strangers-to-friends-to-lovers.
CW: Medical content; death (including death of loved ones); mentions of gun violence/injury; addiction; some discussion of sexism and racism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Gun violence
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Sexism and Racism
mjwhitlock18's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
About balancing (or trying to) life, work, relationships, family, and friends during medical school. Written by a cardiology fellow who seamlessly interweaves a realistic portrayal of medicine and Ghanaian culture with characters that are easy to root for.
The miscommunication trope is utilized but not in a way that seems overdone or annoying. While part of the plot is related to a romance, there are also subplots about Angie dealing with pressure from her family and losing touch with longtime friends and dealing with hard topics like implicit bias in medicine and the experience of immigrants and their children in the US.
I enjoyed the footnotes, that both explained some of the medical details and also sometimes were Angie breaking the fourth wall, though I’m not sure how wel these footnotes would work in an audiobook or e-book.
I was excited to get a print copy ARC of this in a Goodreads giveaway; I’ve followed Shirlene on Instagram since I started medical school a few years ago
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Death of parent and Alcoholism
madisonmcd's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Medical content, and Gun violence
Moderate: Drug abuse
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