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3.09 AVERAGE
3.09 AVERAGE
Overall rating: 3.5
I enjoyed this book at the simplest level. It was intriguing, had a good romance which sprinkled with angst, but it was a quick read - one that didn’t take a lot of brain cells to complete.
I liked the dystopian-style context the book was set in. There was some exposition and explanation as to why the world is what it is, but it doesn’t take a lot of thought or consideration. You just blindly accept the premise and get on with the conflict.
I did really like the conflict. The stakes were high, and that’s something I will always enjoy when it comes to romance books.
I will continue to reread this book when I get bored, because it’s just one of those books for me. A quick read, delivering on thrilling conflict, but not so completely ground-breaking that it sweeps me off my feet.
I enjoyed this book at the simplest level. It was intriguing, had a good romance which sprinkled with angst, but it was a quick read - one that didn’t take a lot of brain cells to complete.
I liked the dystopian-style context the book was set in. There was some exposition and explanation as to why the world is what it is, but it doesn’t take a lot of thought or consideration. You just blindly accept the premise and get on with the conflict.
I did really like the conflict. The stakes were high, and that’s something I will always enjoy when it comes to romance books.
I will continue to reread this book when I get bored, because it’s just one of those books for me. A quick read, delivering on thrilling conflict, but not so completely ground-breaking that it sweeps me off my feet.
A book that’s cliche AND groundbreaking? Predictable AND shocking? Thoughtful AND exhilarating? YES PLEASE!
The Love Interest is action, it’s romance, it’s LGBTQ, it’s sci-fi.... It’s one sexy statement of a book that does an incredible job of not stretching any of those labels too thin. I was blown away by this brilliantly self-aware story that pokes fun at the stereotypes and cliche tropes of YA while still fulfilling every fangirl fantasy; it was a parody, sure, but it still dumped me into the deep end of what it’s like to explore new emotions in a thrilling and passionate way. I laughed, I cried, I rolled my eyes and swooned at the same time...I loved every second of it from the very first page.
Cale Dietrich wrote an amazing story, defeating stereotypes with each page. He completely busts through the YA fiction love-triangle mold. I can’t believe this is his debut book - I can’t wait to read more.
The Love Interest is action, it’s romance, it’s LGBTQ, it’s sci-fi.... It’s one sexy statement of a book that does an incredible job of not stretching any of those labels too thin. I was blown away by this brilliantly self-aware story that pokes fun at the stereotypes and cliche tropes of YA while still fulfilling every fangirl fantasy; it was a parody, sure, but it still dumped me into the deep end of what it’s like to explore new emotions in a thrilling and passionate way. I laughed, I cried, I rolled my eyes and swooned at the same time...I loved every second of it from the very first page.
Cale Dietrich wrote an amazing story, defeating stereotypes with each page. He completely busts through the YA fiction love-triangle mold. I can’t believe this is his debut book - I can’t wait to read more.
"Thanks for the apology, Caden, really. Anyway, isn’t it pretty normal for a straight girl to fall for a gay guy? All the sitcoms treat it like a rite of passage, something that all girls must go through. You’re pretty and kind and way too good to be true. At least I’ve ticked that box now.”
“I …” I don’t exist to teach her a lesson, and it irks me that she thinks labeling me is okay now. Like, by liking guys, I automatically take on that role in her life. That I’m suddenly a supporting character in her story rather than the hero of my own."
The above quote is one of the many reasons this book did right in my eyes. Here we have a YA novel, a dystopic-feeling adventure, with a gay man at the helm. For once, the gay character wasn’t the GBF or the sibling or some other minor role. This book wasn’t focused on him coming out or to terms with his sexuality.
This book was about a government organization that raised children to manipulate and spy on people with power, where the main character’s affections not only don’t match the personality of the girl he’s assigned to spy on, but she’s not even the right gender. Besides a few slow spots, and a few sped through bits, this book did everything right.
We’ve all seen, and most of us have even obsessed over, a YA book staring a heterosexual white girl with no skills, but oh, wait, a hidden skill that saves her from every threat but that of love. And that love, that sweet and sickening illness, is brought on by a pair of handsome suitors; a good boy next door and the bad boy from hell with a heart of gold.
Grimacing yet? Perfect. Because that’s exactly what this book gives you to mock. And it was beautiful.
Our main character Caden was a glorious specimen from page one. Naïve, aware of it, and a tad bitter, he led us through the sticky web of teenage love. Most importantly; forbidden teenage love that was punishable by death. Gave me some heavy Shakespeare vibes now that I think about it.
Besides, as I stated before, some tempo issues, this read was solid and everything we wanted. If you want to cringe at your literary taste in middle school, I would definitely pick this up. If you want to judge the literary taste of middle schoolers now, pick this up.
Basically, pick this up if you want to judge stuff. Especially this book. Because in trying to mock dystopia... It became dystopia. In mocking teen love... It became teen love.
We become the thing we hate the most.
I enjoyed this; don't get me wrong. Just be prepared for this to be exactly what it's mocking. Unrealistic, gushy, and a bit anti-climatic. But overall, entertaining.
“I …” I don’t exist to teach her a lesson, and it irks me that she thinks labeling me is okay now. Like, by liking guys, I automatically take on that role in her life. That I’m suddenly a supporting character in her story rather than the hero of my own."
The above quote is one of the many reasons this book did right in my eyes. Here we have a YA novel, a dystopic-feeling adventure, with a gay man at the helm. For once, the gay character wasn’t the GBF or the sibling or some other minor role. This book wasn’t focused on him coming out or to terms with his sexuality.
This book was about a government organization that raised children to manipulate and spy on people with power, where the main character’s affections not only don’t match the personality of the girl he’s assigned to spy on, but she’s not even the right gender. Besides a few slow spots, and a few sped through bits, this book did everything right.
We’ve all seen, and most of us have even obsessed over, a YA book staring a heterosexual white girl with no skills, but oh, wait, a hidden skill that saves her from every threat but that of love. And that love, that sweet and sickening illness, is brought on by a pair of handsome suitors; a good boy next door and the bad boy from hell with a heart of gold.
Grimacing yet? Perfect. Because that’s exactly what this book gives you to mock. And it was beautiful.
Our main character Caden was a glorious specimen from page one. Naïve, aware of it, and a tad bitter, he led us through the sticky web of teenage love. Most importantly; forbidden teenage love that was punishable by death. Gave me some heavy Shakespeare vibes now that I think about it.
Besides, as I stated before, some tempo issues, this read was solid and everything we wanted. If you want to cringe at your literary taste in middle school, I would definitely pick this up. If you want to judge the literary taste of middle schoolers now, pick this up.
Basically, pick this up if you want to judge stuff. Especially this book. Because in trying to mock dystopia... It became dystopia. In mocking teen love... It became teen love.
We become the thing we hate the most.
I enjoyed this; don't get me wrong. Just be prepared for this to be exactly what it's mocking. Unrealistic, gushy, and a bit anti-climatic. But overall, entertaining.
Alright this book had it's flaws, but if you don't take the book that seriously you might enjoy it.
adventurous
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
What a letdown. I was really rooting for a gay spy book, but this was just poorly done.
Things just didn't make sense in the story and they were plot holes, and nothing went deep enough - the characters, the backstory, the plot lines... it just seemed so shallow. I also took big issue with the dialogue; it didn't fit the characters at all. And the writing itself just seemed unpolished.
I literally can't think of a single thing I enjoyed about this book besides the potential and one character, which of course is the one they killed off.
I'm so dissatisfied with this author because of this book that I removed other books written from my TBR.
Things just didn't make sense in the story and they were plot holes, and nothing went deep enough - the characters, the backstory, the plot lines... it just seemed so shallow. I also took big issue with the dialogue; it didn't fit the characters at all. And the writing itself just seemed unpolished.
I literally can't think of a single thing I enjoyed about this book besides the potential and one character, which of course is the one they killed off.
I'm so dissatisfied with this author because of this book that I removed other books written from my TBR.
Disappointing and bland with dialogue that made me roll my eyes on more than one occasion.
One of those what the fuck did I just read books - the kind of wtf you get when something compels you to try a toxic neon-colored fizzy drink you’ve never seen before from a vending machine, thinking that it can’t possibly taste quite as unnatural as it looks - and yet it does. (Or maybe that’s just me.)
I’ve never thought someone would ever rise to the challenge of “how many ao3 tropes you can you bring it into a story so it’s IRONICALLY UNIRONIC” or maybe “how many sentences about self-critical abs can one book contain” or maybe, even, “do it for the lulz”, all in one go, too. On a fascinated level, I enjoyed the ridiculousness of it enough to, like, spam three people with quotes and the premise of the book. (I’m sorry, y’all.) Which, by the way, is no more or no less than - two teens boys bred by a mysterious organization as Love Interests for potentially important people infiltrate the life of a teenage girl in some deathmatch rivalry for her attention, and turn out too gay and/or useless for the task. It is important it is a deathmatch, because a girl’s gotta choose between the Good Guy and the Bad Guy, because god forbid there are not enough to cliches to choose from. Pity this book falls apart at the seams even without my prodding - the plot can’t take two steps forward without tripping in its own debris of killer robot puppets, villain speeches on polar bear rugs, Nicki Minaj love manifestos and other references that age quicker than I type them.
HILARIOUSLY, the relationship I actually enjoyed the most is the one shaped or hinted at after the climax - the new dynamics between the narrator dude and the girl. She: out of fucks to give, too busy splitting her time between the lab and the uselessly shiny boyfriend no 409543. Him: perfectly happy to be awed and at her heel like the most loyal of sidekicks. Why isn’t the book about that, once again?
I’ve never thought someone would ever rise to the challenge of “how many ao3 tropes you can you bring it into a story so it’s IRONICALLY UNIRONIC” or maybe “how many sentences about self-critical abs can one book contain” or maybe, even, “do it for the lulz”, all in one go, too. On a fascinated level, I enjoyed the ridiculousness of it enough to, like, spam three people with quotes and the premise of the book. (I’m sorry, y’all.) Which, by the way, is no more or no less than - two teens boys bred by a mysterious organization as Love Interests for potentially important people infiltrate the life of a teenage girl in some deathmatch rivalry for her attention, and turn out too gay and/or useless for the task. It is important it is a deathmatch, because a girl’s gotta choose between the Good Guy and the Bad Guy, because god forbid there are not enough to cliches to choose from. Pity this book falls apart at the seams even without my prodding - the plot can’t take two steps forward without tripping in its own debris of killer robot puppets, villain speeches on polar bear rugs, Nicki Minaj love manifestos and other references that age quicker than I type them.
HILARIOUSLY, the relationship I actually enjoyed the most is the one shaped or hinted at after the climax - the new dynamics between the narrator dude and the girl. She: out of fucks to give, too busy splitting her time between the lab and the uselessly shiny boyfriend no 409543. Him: perfectly happy to be awed and at her heel like the most loyal of sidekicks. Why isn’t the book about that, once again?
I loved the original idea of the love interests being used as spies and I absolutely loved the love triangle trope being used this way. Hot book!!
reread 1/20/25. I was initially drawn to this novel because of its meta commentary, and then I was subjected to an over-bloated, shallow exploration of character tropes and expected conformity to certain ideals of masculinity. Their toppling of this centuries-old organization was severely unbelievable.
The questions that this concept raises are more interesting than the actual content of the book. The idea that manipulation of romance is an effective way to gain information is good. The MC'scontinued deterioration of his ability to perform the "Nice Guy" as a result of him developing a sense of self, having human experiences and falling short of the stereotype that he is meant to embody —it's great, even. But the way that this organization works doesn't service the ideas that this story wants to explore. It's a cringefest. The overarching story compared to the characters themselves are night and day. But they are intertwined, and they drag down the characters in its web of poorly-written world building.
The questions that this concept raises are more interesting than the actual content of the book. The idea that manipulation of romance is an effective way to gain information is good. The MC's