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abby_can_read's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.0
đź“–
I had a good time reading this book. It was cute. I loved the dynamics between Connor and Fizzy - from their first glance at each other to their first meetings to their developing romantic relationship. I liked the DNADuo and the reality show.
I had a good time reading this book. It was cute. I loved the dynamics between Connor and Fizzy - from their first glance at each other to their first meetings to their developing romantic relationship. I liked the DNADuo and the reality show.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Cursing
Moderate: Infidelity and Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol and Sexism
annamay1021's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, and Pregnancy
beckyyreadss'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
4.0
I wanted to read this book because Christina Lauren’s book are all over the book community. I am always looking for new authors. The storyline was strong and the characters were sweet but for some bizarre reason I was expecting this to be smutty.
This book has two points of view. The first is Felicity Chen also knowns as Fizzy. She has got an incredible career as a beloved romance novelist with a slew of bestsellers under her belt, but when she’s asked to give a commencement address, it hits her: she hasn’t been practicing what she’s preached. Fizzy hasn’t ever really been in love. She has felt lust. But that swoon-worthy, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him, all-encompassing feeling? Nope. Nothing. What happens when the optimism she’s spent her career encouraging in readers starts to feel like a lie? The second point of view is Connor Prince. He is a documentary filmmaker and a single father. He loves his work in large part because it allows him to live near his daughter. But when his profit-minded boss orders him to create a reality TV show, putting his job on the line, Connor is way out of his element. He is desperate to find his romantic lead, a chance run-in with an exasperated Fizzy offers Connor the perfect solution. What if he could show the queen of romance herself falling head-over-heels for all the world to see?
I liked Fizzy, I think she was hilarious and strong-willed and I'm glad she didn’t give up for what she wanted, no matter what people and logical thinking was telling her. I liked the banter between Connor and Fizzy and that the internal monologue were them both thinking the same thing but trying to be logical about it. I liked the trope of everyone knows you like each other but yourselves. And how the whole cast and crew were behind on the final reveal. The kids in this book were adorable and so fun and I would leave to see another book with them in a few years, trying to find their own love stories especially with their parents having such epic love stories.
I really, really don’t like third act breakups and I didn’t mind the reality TV show aspect, but I would have preferred for that to wrap up quicker and to get back to Fizzy and whether she was back to writing books. This whole thing started because Fizzy has lost her love for romance and yeah, she got it back, but we never found out about the books she wanted to write and if she did write a new book. Did Connor get to do the documentary he wanted to do? We don’t know. It just ended with they are in the love and the reality show was a hit. For some bizarre reason as well, I was expecting this to be smuttier and the smut was very closed doors. I would have liked it to be a bit smuttier especially with Connor being British, I would have loved to have heard his mouth could be.
So, as I was writing this review, I realise that this has a crossover with the Soulmate Equation, and I didn’t even know. This was the first book I've read of Christina Lauren’s and will gladly read the Soulmate Equation to see how Jess and River fell in love. Does anyone also struggle if the MC is named after a family member . . . my younger brother is called Connor.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Pregnancy and Infidelity
Minor: Sexism and Alcohol
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
An enemnies-to-friends-to-lovers rom-com set in partly in a reality dating show. I loved that Connor was the show's producer instead of one of the contestants. It made the book have more tension to it. I also liked that since Connor is a father, he was more hesitant to date, especially to have a casual relationship. The ending was perfection! The only part I didn't like was the lag/boring middle where the book just felt like it was filling pages. I also loved the jokes about romance books, the excellent defense about why reading romance isn't a guilty pleasure, and how Connor's perspective changed. Also, it had just enough spice! Almost a 5-star read but because I struggled with getting through the middle-near the end portion it's not quite 5 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Cursing, and Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment and Infidelity
Minor: Sexism and Misogyny
juffnstuff's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Infidelity
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Sexism
kyleethecatlady's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.75
Love it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Alcohol and Sexism
sdupont's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
This is a fun feel good book, perfect for fans of reality tv and romance! I love how two of my favorite worlds collided in this book- romance and reality tv. I would SO watch a show with a romance author dating different guys representing tropes. The connection to The Soulmate Equation with the DNA testing was a fun added twist. I absolutely adored Fizzy in The Soulmate Equation and was so excited to her story. I loved getting to dive into her head and learn more about her. Her charisma is infectious and I want to be her friend! Connor developed into quite the babe, I wasn’t sure at first but he quickly turned out to be a swoony MMC. He truly saw her and understood her in a way no one other than her bestie Jess has. I loved that moment (and obviously the grand reveal/gesture). I absolutely recommend that people pick this one up!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity and Pregnancy
Minor: Car accident and Sexism
purplepenning'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
4.0
I've read a few books by Christina Lauren now and this was definitely my favorite.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Infidelity
Minor: Car accident and Sexism
chronicallybookish's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.25
Quick Stats
Age Rating: 18+
Spice Level: 2.25/5
Over All: 4.25
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4.5/5
This is my third Christina Lauren book, and let me just say it was significantly spicier than I was expecting based on the other two I’ve read (The Unhoneymooners and In a Holidaze), so if you’re looking for that level of low spice, this book might not be for you. But if you like or don’t mind a bit more, then you should definitely pick up this book.
Fizzy is tons of fun. She’s spunky and funny and honest. Connor is lovable and swoony. Though I wished it was a little stronger, I enjoyed their emotional connection as well as their chemistry. Though Connor and Fizzy were both fun to read about and easy to love, there were some times and aspects where they felt a little bit flat, like there was just a small amount of depth missing that would have taken this book all the way to five stars.
Similarly, I didn’t love the way that the third act crisis played out. It felt a little too fast and too discombobulated. Connor’s reaction of “It’s okay to need time to process; I’m going to give her time to process” seemed right for his character and the situation… but then it turned out “time to process” meant one hour and that’s it? His immediate reaction vs his next few days reaction felt very disconnected from each other, and I never really understood his point of view in those early conversations. I don’t think it was well articulated or well developed.
That said, the majority of this book was fun and easy to read. I loved the discussions on romance books and reality dating shows and how media directed at women is so easily snubbed—and how it shouldn’t be.
I love reality TV based books, and this was no exception. In this one, the reality show doesn’t start until about halfway through. As I started the book and realized it was going to be a while before we got into that part of the plot, I was a little uncertain, but I ended up really enjoying the fact that we got to know our MCs before all the chaos of the show started. The show was fun, but it was unique, too. I really enjoyed the plot development on that front.
This is technically the spin off/sequel to Christina Lauren’s other book The Soulmate Equation, but I haven’t read TSE and I still found this easy to understand and easy to fall into. It isn’t my favorite Christina Lauren book, but I do think it is a testament to their talent, and it has me wanting to read more of their work.
Age Rating: 18+
Spice Level: 2.25/5
Over All: 4.25
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4.5/5
This is my third Christina Lauren book, and let me just say it was significantly spicier than I was expecting based on the other two I’ve read (The Unhoneymooners and In a Holidaze), so if you’re looking for that level of low spice, this book might not be for you. But if you like or don’t mind a bit more, then you should definitely pick up this book.
Fizzy is tons of fun. She’s spunky and funny and honest. Connor is lovable and swoony. Though I wished it was a little stronger, I enjoyed their emotional connection as well as their chemistry. Though Connor and Fizzy were both fun to read about and easy to love, there were some times and aspects where they felt a little bit flat, like there was just a small amount of depth missing that would have taken this book all the way to five stars.
Similarly, I didn’t love the way that the third act crisis played out. It felt a little too fast and too discombobulated. Connor’s reaction of “It’s okay to need time to process; I’m going to give her time to process” seemed right for his character and the situation… but then it turned out “time to process” meant one hour and that’s it? His immediate reaction vs his next few days reaction felt very disconnected from each other, and I never really understood his point of view in those early conversations. I don’t think it was well articulated or well developed.
That said, the majority of this book was fun and easy to read. I loved the discussions on romance books and reality dating shows and how media directed at women is so easily snubbed—and how it shouldn’t be.
I love reality TV based books, and this was no exception. In this one, the reality show doesn’t start until about halfway through. As I started the book and realized it was going to be a while before we got into that part of the plot, I was a little uncertain, but I ended up really enjoying the fact that we got to know our MCs before all the chaos of the show started. The show was fun, but it was unique, too. I really enjoyed the plot development on that front.
This is technically the spin off/sequel to Christina Lauren’s other book The Soulmate Equation, but I haven’t read TSE and I still found this easy to understand and easy to fall into. It isn’t my favorite Christina Lauren book, but I do think it is a testament to their talent, and it has me wanting to read more of their work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Sexism
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