Scan barcode
tearainread's review
emotional
funny
fast-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Miscarriage
thequeeraunt's review
I DNF-ed this audiobook because of the near-constant body talk happening. I suspect that Tanamachi was trying to write a body-positive heroine, but the constant shaming the heroine experiences around what she eats and does and looks like just completely ruined the experience for me. It wasn't limited to the heroine, either. The hero also has to deal with internalized anti-fatness in his life in addition to the comments of those around him. There's just TOO MUCH weight talk and I stopped reading out of disgust because anything even remotely romantic was ruined by the fixation on the size of characters' bodies. (Also, if that woman on the cover is supposed to be the main character? There's some MAJOR ARTISTIC LIBERTY being taken there because Sora self-describes as a size 14 and in no universe does that match the cover illustration).
There are other romance writers who have undertaken to write larger-bodied characters and have managed to do so without also making me sit and listen to a near-constant stream of anti-fat language.
There are other romance writers who have undertaken to write larger-bodied characters and have managed to do so without also making me sit and listen to a near-constant stream of anti-fat language.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
elfit'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? It's complicated
4.25
This felt like home. As an Asian-American (Japanese-Mexican-American) growing up before the 2000s with the diet stigmas, the fitting in stigmas of and for immigrants and immigrant children, and just the dating and living stigmas of the now times this book was both bullet points of my life and familiar vignettes of being a cis lady wanting happiness in the world.
I loved the Asian representation from both main characters, their family dynamics (especially Allie and all her glitter glory), and just the way Sora works through everything. I found myself nodding or saving passages of wisdom.
Over all this one made me happy. It is a comfortable rom-com filled with bacon, annoying exes, and misunderstandings. Just feel goods all around.
I loved the Asian representation from both main characters, their family dynamics (especially Allie and all her glitter glory), and just the way Sora works through everything. I found myself nodding or saving passages of wisdom.
Over all this one made me happy. It is a comfortable rom-com filled with bacon, annoying exes, and misunderstandings. Just feel goods all around.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Body shaming, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Misogyny, and Grief
lexiereadstoomuch's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
4.0
When Sora gives up dating for the month of February and reunites with an old friend things start to turn for the better, or worse.
This book was so fun! The characters were so sweet, I'm a sucker for romance but this was just amazing. This book was super fast-paced and I finished it in a few days. It got me out of a reading slump and helped me get back into reading romance. I loved the writing and can't wait to pick up something else from this author.
This book was so fun! The characters were so sweet, I'm a sucker for romance but this was just amazing. This book was super fast-paced and I finished it in a few days. It got me out of a reading slump and helped me get back into reading romance. I loved the writing and can't wait to pick up something else from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
puria's review
Too much body shaming, too cliche running into her great guy on day 1 of forsaking dating.. Family is portrayed as really mean on both sides
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Minor: Infidelity
loveinpanels's review against another edition
What I liked:
- The narrators were great! Cindy Kay and Michael Braun did a great job, especially with the humor.
- The premise was fun. I love a flimsy excuse to keep characters apart, especially when it dissolves quickly. In this case, it's there on the tin - Sora has pledged not to date at all for the month of February and is writing about it for her job. Of course that's when she's reunited with a former friend from elementary school who's grown up to be a sexy baker.
- The friendships were good, too.
- The main characters had genuine chemistry and their banter was cute.
What I didn't like:
- Sora has a near constant commentary about food and bodies. For someone who is supposedly accepting of her size 14 body and refuses to diet, she's talking and thinking about food all the time and judging everyone's bodies. Even when she's thinking they're hot! At one point, she thinks about how Jack has a little beer belly, but not "a gross one."
- All the women except Sora's best friend are awful (or at least not nice), including Sora's mom, who is size 18 and dislikes her body enough to also make Sora feel terrible about hers. (I *know* this is a really common dynamic, but I don't want to read it with everything else.)
I would absolutely try another book by Cara Tanamachi because I think she's got a lot of skill, but the constant body and food talk was really offputting. I came away from every reading session feeling bad about myself and I think readers who have a history of disordered eating should assess their current state of mind before diving into this one.
Thanks to RB Media for a review copy of this audiobook.
- The narrators were great! Cindy Kay and Michael Braun did a great job, especially with the humor.
- The premise was fun. I love a flimsy excuse to keep characters apart, especially when it dissolves quickly. In this case, it's there on the tin - Sora has pledged not to date at all for the month of February and is writing about it for her job. Of course that's when she's reunited with a former friend from elementary school who's grown up to be a sexy baker.
- The friendships were good, too.
- The main characters had genuine chemistry and their banter was cute.
What I didn't like:
- Sora has a near constant commentary about food and bodies. For someone who is supposedly accepting of her size 14 body and refuses to diet, she's talking and thinking about food all the time and judging everyone's bodies. Even when she's thinking they're hot! At one point, she thinks about how Jack has a little beer belly, but not "a gross one."
- All the women except Sora's best friend are awful (or at least not nice), including Sora's mom, who is size 18 and dislikes her body enough to also make Sora feel terrible about hers. (I *know* this is a really common dynamic, but I don't want to read it with everything else.)
I would absolutely try another book by Cara Tanamachi because I think she's got a lot of skill, but the constant body and food talk was really offputting. I came away from every reading session feeling bad about myself and I think readers who have a history of disordered eating should assess their current state of mind before diving into this one.
Thanks to RB Media for a review copy of this audiobook.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Infidelity, and Eating disorder
Moderate: Cancer
carolynlovesbooks's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Sora is a funny character. Jack a nice pastry chef. Sora takes on a "no dating/men" #gosolo during February, but starts to fall for someone... to me, this #gosolo was a bit over dramatic, and halted the story a bit. And, I had a hard time warming up to the story when everyone, outside Jack and Sora (and most of Jack's family) were just abysmal. Just my opinions, it is still a fun book and I gave it three stars overall.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Minor: Infidelity and Miscarriage
chymerra's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
When I first read the blurb for The Second You’re Single, I didn’t like it. I am not a huge Valentine’s Day fan, but I am not an all-out hater. So I sat on this invite for a while. I wanted to make sure that I wanted to read a book about a bitter woman complaining about Valentine’s Day. I was confident and glad I did because this book was nothing like I thought it would be. It wasn’t a book about a bitter woman complaining about Valentine’s Day, that’s for sure.
Before I get into the review, I want to let you know that this book has several trigger warnings. They are body shaming (multiple people shame Sora about her weight throughout the book), fatphobia (ex’s new girlfriend and Jack’s ex both make comments), miscarriage (Sora and her ex), cancer (Jack’s niece had leukemia as a toddler), cheating (both Jack and Sora’s exes cheated on them. Also Sora’s sister gets cheated on by her fiancee), bullying (Jack was severely bullied by classmates growing up, Sora experienced online bullying towards the end of the book), death of a parent (Sora’s father dies before the book starts but she is still working through grief), verbal abuse (Sora’s father verbally abused them), neglect and its repercussions (Jack’s ex), stalking (Jack’s ex), and depression (Sora). If any of these trigger you, I recommend not reading this book.
The storyline for The Second You’re Single was funny and interesting. Sora had just found out that her ex was lying to her. He was married with children….not the single DJ she was led to believe. Disillusioned with men and the holiday that caters only to people in relationships, Sora writes an article for the online magazine she works for promoting #gosolo for February. What she wasn’t expecting was how much it resonated with people. She wasn’t expecting Jack to walk into her life right as #gosolo took off, and she certainly wasn’t expecting to fall in love with him. Can Sora keep her promise to her readers about going solo for the month of February? Will she be able to keep her relationship with Jack under wraps? What about Jack’s blonde model ex-girlfriend? Will Sora be able to compete with her?
The Second You’re Single was a fast-paced, hilarious romance that takes place in Chicago. Let me clarify that it takes place in winter in Chicago. I was cold even reading this book.
The characters in The Second You’re Single were well-written. I was able to connect with all of them, even the “villains” (aka Jack’s ex and Sora’s neighbor). Some characters I wished had more page time, and others I wished were scaled back.
- Sora—While I loved her character, I thought she was a hot mess for most of the book. I did think that she was depressed for a good part of the book, and guess what? She had reason to be. She had a tough few years with some awful things happening to her. I would have been surprised if she wasn’t depressed. She couldn’t trust her feelings when it came to Jack (because his ex was semi-stalking him), and she needed to be single until March 1st. Again, I wasn’t surprised when everything blew up in her face. But it was after that made me impressed with her. Oh, and her love of bacon. I think she and my 9-year-old would get along great. She also cut through the BS when it came to her sister. But I wish that it had been sooner.
- Jack–Did he have his issues? He did. He comes across as too needy and a little desperate at the beginning of the book. He was also too kind to his ex. He took everything that woman did with grace and understanding; that was amazing. I also liked that he understood Sora’s situation with solo February. But I didn’t think he got how big it was until he was forced to the side and hidden away. I didn’t blame him for feeling the way he did. I would have done the same thing.
The Second You’re Single fits perfectly into the romance genre. It was a friends-to-lovers trope with a healthy dose of Instalove thrown in. I am not a fan of Instalove but I did like it in this case. Because Sora and Jack knew each other in elementary school (Sora was Jack’s only friend, and she stood up for him against bullies), Jack loved her back then. So, it wasn’t hard for me to imagine them falling for each other within a few weeks of their meeting. Oh, let’s not forget the comedy angle of this book too. I was dying laughing at the one-liners that Sora had.
The storyline with Sora, Jack, their relationship, the #gosolo challenge, and Jack’s ex was interesting. I didn’t know how anything would end except Sora and Jack’s relationship. As I said above, I thought Jack was too nice to his ex, and it did come back to bite him in the butt, big time. Their breakup wasn’t unexpected (it happens in all romances), but what was unexpected was Sora’s come to Jesus moment with her best friend (who is a therapist) after. Everything said was true, and I liked that Sora took what she said to heart. The #gosolo challenge was fun, and I could see it happening in real life (maybe it has?).
There were several secondary storylines that I enjoyed reading. There are some that I hope the author follows up on (Jack has several unmarried brothers and Sora has a sister).
The end of The Second You’re Single was your typical HEA. I was surprised at who was instrumental in pushing Sora and Jack back together. But, considering what happened and the talk this person had with Jack, I should have seen it coming. I loved seeing Sora and Jack’s changes, both together and separately. But, it was the scene on the playground that got me. I was laughing and crying at once.
I recommend The Second You’re Single to anyone over 21. There are sexual scenes and situations, language, and mild violence. Also, see my trigger warnings above.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Cara Tanamachi for allowing me to read and review The Second You’re Single. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Bullying, and Stalking
Moderate: Miscarriage and Infidelity
Minor: Death of parent, Cancer, and Child abuse
Child abuse consisted of verbal abuse and neglect.hellowildflower's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
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
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book before release.
Instantly I got How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes and loved that! I love classic rom coms and this has that same vibe from chapter one.
I really wanted them to spend more time together at the beginning of the book. The time they do spend together is great and they work together.
I would’ve loved a few more chapters from Jacks POV.
Really didn’t love all the body shaming and fat phobia because Sora seems healthy, so having her family say ‘they’re worried she’s going to die’ as an excuse for saying horrible things to her it isn’t the kind, caring response it’s played off to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Infidelity, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Miscarriage and Bullying
Minor: Sexual harassment, Cancer, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Sexual content
katiemack's review
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to love this book because it’s set in Chicago and the premise seems cute, but all of the characters seem to have about two or theee traits that define them. Sora, our main character, wears size 14 clothing, has had terrible luck with men and treats herself poorly as a result, and LOVES bacon. (I almost DNF’d this because of the amount of times she brings up bacon.) Jack has some kind of insta-love for Sora and used to be chubby as a kid, which he thinks about often. There are some sweet moments—mostly around family—but the romance is not compelling.
I wanted to love this book because it’s set in Chicago and the premise seems cute, but all of the characters seem to have about two or theee traits that define them. Sora, our main character, wears size 14 clothing, has had terrible luck with men and treats herself poorly as a result, and LOVES bacon. (I almost DNF’d this because of the amount of times she brings up bacon.) Jack has some kind of insta-love for Sora and used to be chubby as a kid, which he thinks about often. There are some sweet moments—mostly around family—but the romance is not compelling.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Miscarriage and Pregnancy