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fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Loved the story, loved the main characters but the first person to third person switching in the chapters through me off
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Abandonment
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
werk autism stem representation!!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Death of parent
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Abandonment
Minor: Alcohol
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual content, Abandonment
Minor: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol
dark
emotional
funny
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved this — I always enjoy Ali Hazelwood and it had been a while. The STEM- and academia-set romances really work for me, as someone who does not work in math/science but IS in a very high-pressure field (and has, as one part of that work, been in and out of academia for many years) — I love that her female main characters are really good at their jobs, passionate and ambitious, and that they have real-life complexities and struggles with mental health, being taken seriously in their careers (hello accurate world-building), and all else. I also love a romance that has deep and fully-realized secondary relationships; and the friendships here were so detailed in their dynamics even though they didn’t pull focus away from the primary story.
This novel is heavier in some ways than other romances and rom-coms, and I loved Hazelwood’s note at the beginning of this one that the two MCs are both still processing pretty major childhood traumas; and that that ongoing processing would be part of this story, despite the fact that we could of course look forward to a happy ending. I thought the traumas and the way they continue to resonate and ripple outward were so sensitively and accurately managed, and I loved that the arc of the story didn’t try to correct them (which…yuck, and also it’s not like a rom-com has enough time and space for the people inside it to go to the many decades of therapy they need, so…). I love Ali Hazelwood’s sex writing and thought it was especially amazing here, though it’s also possible I’ve just been reading slightly more closed-door romance lately and was just bowled over by the sheer AMOUNT of it, haha! But it really is so good, and I loved these characters and their chemistry in particular. The audio narrators for this one were great — Callie Dalton and Jason Clarke! Sweet and the right amount smutty, haha. I haven’t read her last couple of releases in YA romance and the fantasy/sci-fi romance(?!) — I always pre-order with her because her writing really works for me, despite those genres not being faves most often — but she’s so prolific that I started with this one and I’ll work my way back to the other ones in my Libro.fm library. Anyway!! So good! Loved it and it made a couple long car trips fly by.
This novel is heavier in some ways than other romances and rom-coms, and I loved Hazelwood’s note at the beginning of this one that the two MCs are both still processing pretty major childhood traumas; and that that ongoing processing would be part of this story, despite the fact that we could of course look forward to a happy ending. I thought the traumas and the way they continue to resonate and ripple outward were so sensitively and accurately managed, and I loved that the arc of the story didn’t try to correct them (which…yuck, and also it’s not like a rom-com has enough time and space for the people inside it to go to the many decades of therapy they need, so…). I love Ali Hazelwood’s sex writing and thought it was especially amazing here, though it’s also possible I’ve just been reading slightly more closed-door romance lately and was just bowled over by the sheer AMOUNT of it, haha! But it really is so good, and I loved these characters and their chemistry in particular. The audio narrators for this one were great — Callie Dalton and Jason Clarke! Sweet and the right amount smutty, haha. I haven’t read her last couple of releases in YA romance and the fantasy/sci-fi romance(?!) — I always pre-order with her because her writing really works for me, despite those genres not being faves most often — but she’s so prolific that I started with this one and I’ll work my way back to the other ones in my Libro.fm library. Anyway!! So good! Loved it and it made a couple long car trips fly by.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Fun read with good spicy scenes. A couple surprisingly intense topics mixed in so be warned !
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Classism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death of parent
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
All of Ali Hazelwood’s books have been drafts leading up to this one. I read her books but damn are they cookie cutter. The guy is always BIG. 6’3” specifically. And is BIG. And they are always brooding. There’s always an “enemies-to-lovers” dynamic thats the lead going “cool he's dead to me” when something doesn’t go her way and is 100% a misunderstanding. There’s always a mentor who betrays our FLs and who never like the ML in the first place. Often times the FLs are not that strong of characters although they always insist that they are in their internal monologue. And of course the use of gen z slang and name dropping pop culture references incessantly.
Not in Love, while still following some of Hazelwood’s touchstones, is actually better. Eli is not described as big every time we see him (although the trope does appear in the most predictable way) and Rue actually holds her ground and thinks through her actions. Our characters admit when they fuck up and acknowledge their flaws without making it a “teehee aren’t a quirky” moment. Less of a romcom for sure but a better read.
Not in Love, while still following some of Hazelwood’s touchstones, is actually better. Eli is not described as big every time we see him (although the trope does appear in the most predictable way) and Rue actually holds her ground and thinks through her actions. Our characters admit when they fuck up and acknowledge their flaws without making it a “teehee aren’t a quirky” moment. Less of a romcom for sure but a better read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Child abuse, Gaslighting
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
It's really interesting the difference in approach these characters have with each other. There is still a bit of romance even if there is more of an emphasis on erotica and a less standard romance story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment
Minor: Death of parent
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content
Moderate: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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:
Yes
Without a doubt, Ali Hazelwood's best book EVER. Everything about this book was truly beautiful, heartbreakingly beautiful, to me. I LOVED the characters, more than any others that she has done before. The two main characters were so incredibly well developed, as I would argue the supporting ones are.
One of the best things that has to be said for this book, which makes it so much better than Ali's other books (which are also incredible) is the DUAL narrative. FINALLY. To be able to hear from the MMC and see his processes. Again, FINALLY.
This book I would argue might not be for the faint hearted. It has some really serious undertones that Ali is very clever in not letting you forget. There are TWs at the beginning, and they are not to be disregarded. I think the subject matters only add to the beauty of the work. The characters are flawed, but beautiful.
I will be rereading this over and over. I absolutely loved it.
One of the best things that has to be said for this book, which makes it so much better than Ali's other books (which are also incredible) is the DUAL narrative. FINALLY. To be able to hear from the MMC and see his processes. Again, FINALLY.
This book I would argue might not be for the faint hearted. It has some really serious undertones that Ali is very clever in not letting you forget. There are TWs at the beginning, and they are not to be disregarded. I think the subject matters only add to the beauty of the work. The characters are flawed, but beautiful.
I will be rereading this over and over. I absolutely loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol