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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
4.5!!!! I am a sucker for anything set in DC that references UVA! This loses half a point for the liberal woman changing her standards for a Republican man, but honestly in the grand scheme of set ups I’ve enjoyed in a romance novel that is nothing and the banter in this was so good to make up for it! “I’d rather argue with you than get along with anyone else”
slow-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
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
funny
lighthearted
fast-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:
Complicated
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As a poli sci major, this book is my dream! I am obsessed with Kate and Ben, and the instant chemistry and connection they have from the get go. Ben is a dream man, working to do whatever possible to convince Kate that they can make their relationship work, despite their opposing views. Such a cute adorable read!!!!!
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Light spoilers ahead
I got sucked in with the description “The Hating Game meets The West Wing” with the west wing being one of my favorite shows. Early on the book felt too antagonistic (which I know enemies to lovers needs) but I almost wish their first meeting was off the page because it felt too much too soon in terms of extreme reactions for yelling at each other and claiming they were enemies. That being said the frenemies portion of this story was fun and it made the love story a little more believable.
I do wish that they actually got into their political differences in a conversation instead of it truly being every time it came up there was an argument and then the resolution to the argument was to sorta just ignore those differences and settle it with well us have different opinions is great (with politics these days so much is so personal that it’s hard to just move past that and believe) if foundationally you are so off from someone that’s not believable and I know that was her main objection the whole time but I didn’t get to a point where I was convinced that their core values were the same but how they saw getting there was different. I will say my favorite part of the west wing (which is what made me pick this up in the first place) is often the idealism of the show! There are so many examples of a character being convinced of a different idea from someone on the “other side”. In this book I was missing some of that idealized collaboration the idea of “we are coming at this differently but let’s figure it out and work through it”. That felt very much like an afterthought or something to sprinkle into the epilogue. It said that without showing it which was a little disappointing. By not getting into it I felt like it trivialized how real these differences can be and almost made light of the fact their political differences were a concern.
I got sucked in with the description “The Hating Game meets The West Wing” with the west wing being one of my favorite shows. Early on the book felt too antagonistic (which I know enemies to lovers needs) but I almost wish their first meeting was off the page because it felt too much too soon in terms of extreme reactions for yelling at each other and claiming they were enemies. That being said the frenemies portion of this story was fun and it made the love story a little more believable.
I do wish that they actually got into their political differences in a conversation instead of it truly being every time it came up there was an argument and then the resolution to the argument was to sorta just ignore those differences and settle it with well us have different opinions is great (with politics these days so much is so personal that it’s hard to just move past that and believe) if foundationally you are so off from someone that’s not believable and I know that was her main objection the whole time but I didn’t get to a point where I was convinced that their core values were the same but how they saw getting there was different. I will say my favorite part of the west wing (which is what made me pick this up in the first place) is often the idealism of the show! There are so many examples of a character being convinced of a different idea from someone on the “other side”. In this book I was missing some of that idealized collaboration the idea of “we are coming at this differently but let’s figure it out and work through it”. That felt very much like an afterthought or something to sprinkle into the epilogue. It said that without showing it which was a little disappointing. By not getting into it I felt like it trivialized how real these differences can be and almost made light of the fact their political differences were a concern.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
I truly do understand the approach Daniels was trying to take with this semi-cute romance—opposites attract to the extreme. However, I didn’t appreciate that real-world social issues were used as fuel for cheesy romance (though the pairing became significantly more tolerable and fun-to-read by the end!). Politics is always a hard topic to breach, and good on Daniels for being pretty obvious with her own preferences in this text. Not too shabby for a debut romance, but not my favorite. Risks are great in writing. Just not when it involves stereotyping politics and openly insulting them.
But, as mentioned, the romance and the whole enemy coworkers-to-lovers trope in this novel was far from horrible. If you can put aside the political issues surrounding their story, Kate and Ben’s romance might be for you.
But, as mentioned, the romance and the whole enemy coworkers-to-lovers trope in this novel was far from horrible. If you can put aside the political issues surrounding their story, Kate and Ben’s romance might be for you.
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
this novel really reflects on the times of uncertainty right now in the US and thought the plot was something I would like to read/support. That being said it was just a contemporary romance novel. It reminded me of the hating game.