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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
2.25 stars
Kept me interested, but Kathleen is pretty diva-ish and that just really got on my nerves. Other than that, I don’t like spicy scenes, and I had to skip over about 5-6 pages in the middle of the book. Overall, it was ok, but it was way too long.
Kept me interested, but Kathleen is pretty diva-ish and that just really got on my nerves. Other than that, I don’t like spicy scenes, and I had to skip over about 5-6 pages in the middle of the book. Overall, it was ok, but it was way too long.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved the theatre-kid energy. Feel like Cal got off too lightly from letting Ryan wreck Kathleen’s career.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was okay. It took me a while to get into it. I really didn’t like Kathleen/Katee’s character, something about her just rubbed me the wrong way. She felt very Britney Spears-coded though. I liked Cal’s character a lot, I wish we’d gotten more of him. This was a veeeery slloooowww burn.
3.75 ⭐️
better than funny you should ask, but she writes the most frustrating and hard to like fmcs
better than funny you should ask, but she writes the most frustrating and hard to like fmcs
Not particularly interesting characters. Not particularly interesting backstory or main story. Didn't realize we still did POC sidekick friends. At least the writing was decent.
I usually am not crazy about celebrity romances, but this one was very warm and cozy! It’s short; felt borderline novella length.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh the actions of young people and how the repercussions of those actions will follow you into adulthood until you face them and make peace with them.
Also the way Sussman handled Ryan as a character was pretty amazing. I was not expecting that a certain to play out the way it did.
Also the friendship dynamic with Kathleen and Harriet was done really well too.
Also the way Sussman handled Ryan as a character was pretty amazing. I was not expecting that a certain to play out the way it did.
Also the friendship dynamic with Kathleen and Harriet was done really well too.
4.5/5 stars
it's safe to say that elissa sussman is one of my most unpexted new favorite authors. she established in FYSA that she can write a great second change romance, but OMWF took it over the edge for me.
I loved this book! I literally caught myself at multiple moments in the book smiling down at it cause it was so damn cute. the author does a great job with then and now storylines, helping introduce certain plot lines that come up in the future timeline, or providing explanation in the past timeline. it was so cute to watch Kathleen and Cal literally grow up together since there's actually a 3rd storyline from their time at theatre camp together.
speaking of the two of them, I loved both cal and kathleen. normally, I'm not really a cheating apologist in books. but I think I just loved the two of them together so much I completely ignored that. also since Ryan was a total ass. but I loved their hating dynamic and how it slowly broke down. I thought Kathleen was a really well-written female character since her whole storyline isn't just about her romance, but about her overcoming the trauma from her past pop star life and her friendship with Harriet.
I loved the plot itself. how they had already been together before, but since it ruined Kathleen's career, it never went anywhere. I always love a good second chance romance because the characters already know they're attracted to one another, they just need to realize it never stopped. which they definitely did in this book!
I liked this book's commentary on the pop industry for women. it discusses a bit of over sexualization and the unfair standards that many female pop stars have to live up to. and, I also liked how after Kathleen's career tumbles, they discuss how Cal was kinda scott-free in the matter. it really seems realistic since it seems like nowadays, women in entertainment are held accountable for every little mistake, while men literally commit way worse acts and are still hired. while Kathleen and Cal didn't do something completely awful, I appreciated how Kathleen talked about how Ryan practically ruined her career without even acknowledging that it was Cal she cheated on him with.
now, there were some issues I had with the book, which explains why it's only a 4.5 for me. first, I enjoyed most of Harriet and Kathleen's friendship, but I wish they could've had a deeper conversation after their fight. I feel like Kathleen got away a little too easy with some of the stuff she did and said. I also wished that there were more "then" chapters. it seemed like for every "then" chapter, there was 2-3 "now" chapters. it would've been more helpful to see Kathleen and Cal's friendship grow, and show off more of Ryan as a bad boyfriend. it felt as if Kathleen was just telling about her growing distance from Ryan, not showing it. and finally, is oranges really a good scent for cologne? according to the book, it's "intoxicating" when in my mind, it has much more of a tangy scent.
overall, I really really liked this book and I hope that elissa sussman continues coming out with books of the same format in this universe! if she does, I'll be racing to the bookstore to buy one myself!
it's safe to say that elissa sussman is one of my most unpexted new favorite authors. she established in FYSA that she can write a great second change romance, but OMWF took it over the edge for me.
I loved this book! I literally caught myself at multiple moments in the book smiling down at it cause it was so damn cute. the author does a great job with then and now storylines, helping introduce certain plot lines that come up in the future timeline, or providing explanation in the past timeline. it was so cute to watch Kathleen and Cal literally grow up together since there's actually a 3rd storyline from their time at theatre camp together.
speaking of the two of them, I loved both cal and kathleen. normally, I'm not really a cheating apologist in books. but I think I just loved the two of them together so much I completely ignored that. also since Ryan was a total ass. but I loved their hating dynamic and how it slowly broke down. I thought Kathleen was a really well-written female character since her whole storyline isn't just about her romance, but about her overcoming the trauma from her past pop star life and her friendship with Harriet.
I loved the plot itself. how they had already been together before, but since it ruined Kathleen's career, it never went anywhere. I always love a good second chance romance because the characters already know they're attracted to one another, they just need to realize it never stopped. which they definitely did in this book!
I liked this book's commentary on the pop industry for women. it discusses a bit of over sexualization and the unfair standards that many female pop stars have to live up to. and, I also liked how after Kathleen's career tumbles, they discuss how Cal was kinda scott-free in the matter. it really seems realistic since it seems like nowadays, women in entertainment are held accountable for every little mistake, while men literally commit way worse acts and are still hired. while Kathleen and Cal didn't do something completely awful, I appreciated how Kathleen talked about how Ryan practically ruined her career without even acknowledging that it was Cal she cheated on him with.
now, there were some issues I had with the book, which explains why it's only a 4.5 for me. first, I enjoyed most of Harriet and Kathleen's friendship, but I wish they could've had a deeper conversation after their fight. I feel like Kathleen got away a little too easy with some of the stuff she did and said. I also wished that there were more "then" chapters. it seemed like for every "then" chapter, there was 2-3 "now" chapters. it would've been more helpful to see Kathleen and Cal's friendship grow, and show off more of Ryan as a bad boyfriend. it felt as if Kathleen was just telling about her growing distance from Ryan, not showing it. and finally, is oranges really a good scent for cologne? according to the book, it's "intoxicating" when in my mind, it has much more of a tangy scent.
overall, I really really liked this book and I hope that elissa sussman continues coming out with books of the same format in this universe! if she does, I'll be racing to the bookstore to buy one myself!