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3.98 AVERAGE
3.98 AVERAGE
I hated the MMC/Love Interest. I do NOT like insecure men. He had way too much anxiety and self worth issues that comes across very insecure. Jo a doctor who’s talking to Malcom a super self conscious writer who’s semi taking off who also wasted his ex time. 10 years together!!! Of course Porsha would leave and he’s still caught up on that wanting the reader to fill sorry “she just left.” Dude you were a bum who got lucky. I also didn’t like his appearance that’s described in the book. Her best friend is the looker and Malcom was mediocre. I feel Jo could’ve done better.
Between Friends and Lovers by Shirlene Obuobi is a well-written modern romance that not only has all the romantic vibes and spicy scenes you want but gives you plenty to think about and reflect on as it tackles important topics like mental health, race, class, privilege and gender.
The novel follows Jo (or DrJoJoBee), a currently not-practising doctor and social media medical influencer who is in love with her long-time best friend Ezra, a very wealthy nepo-baby and rising star. Deciding it is finally time to try and get over Ezra, and find a romantic life of her own, she meets debut writer Malcolm - the first man who has sparked her interest enough to look away from Ezra. But it soon becomes unclear whether her unrequited love for Ezra is as unrequited as she thought.
One of the many great things about BFL is the deliciously nuanced love-triangle that never felt tropey or overly-dramatic. I at first didn't see the appeal of Ezra who came across as a privileged, fboy who was careless over Jo's seemingly obvious feelings but he had a redemption towards the middle and end of the book and it made Jo's angst over her choice compelling. Malcom on the other hand is a straight up, capital M, Man. With baggage of his own but the emotional intelligence earned from it, he was a great example of a man who owned his vulnerability and was a good counterpart to Jo's strong, independent nature.
The chemistry between the characters isn't completely jump-off-the-page but you can understand why these characters are drawn to each other and I was invested in how it would turn out. The spicy scenes were hot and felt realistic. The crux of this book is learning how to love someone fully and how to let yourself be loved fully. I enjoyed how all the characters had to learn this in various ways and it made their story arcs satisfying.
I thought the author balanced the heavier topics with nuance and sensitivity, and I enjoyed the representation of depression, social anxiety and suicide and the exploration of race and privilege that gave this book more meat on it's bones.
I'm excited to read more from this author and I'm going to pick up her On Rotation.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for providing an e-ARC for my honest review.
The novel follows Jo (or DrJoJoBee), a currently not-practising doctor and social media medical influencer who is in love with her long-time best friend Ezra, a very wealthy nepo-baby and rising star. Deciding it is finally time to try and get over Ezra, and find a romantic life of her own, she meets debut writer Malcolm - the first man who has sparked her interest enough to look away from Ezra. But it soon becomes unclear whether her unrequited love for Ezra is as unrequited as she thought.
One of the many great things about BFL is the deliciously nuanced love-triangle that never felt tropey or overly-dramatic. I at first didn't see the appeal of Ezra who came across as a privileged, fboy who was careless over Jo's seemingly obvious feelings but he had a redemption towards the middle and end of the book and it made Jo's angst over her choice compelling. Malcom on the other hand is a straight up, capital M, Man. With baggage of his own but the emotional intelligence earned from it, he was a great example of a man who owned his vulnerability and was a good counterpart to Jo's strong, independent nature.
The chemistry between the characters isn't completely jump-off-the-page but you can understand why these characters are drawn to each other and I was invested in how it would turn out. The spicy scenes were hot and felt realistic. The crux of this book is learning how to love someone fully and how to let yourself be loved fully. I enjoyed how all the characters had to learn this in various ways and it made their story arcs satisfying.
I thought the author balanced the heavier topics with nuance and sensitivity, and I enjoyed the representation of depression, social anxiety and suicide and the exploration of race and privilege that gave this book more meat on it's bones.
I'm excited to read more from this author and I'm going to pick up her On Rotation.
Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for providing an e-ARC for my honest review.
challenging
emotional
inspiring
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
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Complicated
Mal really is the most patient man alive, amirite?
emotional
slow-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
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I loved this and then I thought the ending felt a bit rushed or less thoughtfully put together than the start? Still good though!
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
hopeful
reflective
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:
No
Medium Facebook with a great story line. We really didn’t know who she was going to pick until the end
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
When I first started this book I loved the fact that Jo was so relatable as a Black woman trying to figure out love and not be hurt and I so love by the end she got it. However, the things that disappointed me is that she seemed to be the stereotypical Black woman working hard and trying to prove her self day in and day out. I wish it was a little better of an ending for her in terms of Ezra because he seemed to be a good friend but also kind of narcissistic. It shouldn’t have took Jo being depressed and under pressure to protect her instead of just himself. But Malcolm I REALLY LOVED HIM he really showed Jo what it was like to be loved on and cared for. He showed up for her when she needed him most and was upfront from the beginning. I wish we got a little more detail about Josephine and her mom because I feel like that was cut short as that was part of her trauma, but hey it be like that sometimes. Overall, this was an amazing story however if it was just a bit longer it would have been perfect because there were so many missing pieces. I would have loved to see the make up of the friendship between Ezra, Jo, and Malcolm along with the development of Malcolm and his movie adaption. Along with many other things.