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readingtotravel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Suicide and Death of parent
anastashamarie's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
First and foremost, this book needs some CWs that it did not have: 1.) There are graphic depictions of suicide that could be incredibly triggering, especially for someone whose loved one completed the act. 2.) The relationship depicted in this book is NOT healthy. Like it's toxic even for an enemies-to-lovers book.
With that out of the way, I feel about this book the same way I feel about reality TV. I cannot say that it's good or even that I enjoyed it, but I also couldn't stop reading it because the drama sucked me in. Once done with it, I won't seek it out again. But if I accidentally stumble across something similar when I'm bored, it'll have me in its clutches again. There were so many problems with it, but weirdly they also became part of the appeal to finish it. In no particular order:
1) The internalized misogyny is rampant. The MMC is an asshole without much good reason, and the way that the male characters think and talked to each other through the book is cringey. Weird possessiveness in the relationship, and also double standards about sexuality. Also, the MMC is apparently very insecure about liking tea for some reason? Maybe it's my British ancestors coming through, but wtf is wrong with a guy drinking tea? I kept waiting for a redemption arc...
2) So so many hedgehog name puns were in the first part of the book that I literally had to stop reading because I was giggling too much. This was an unexpected highlight of the book, but also distracting.
3) The characters are childish, made worse my immature characterization. Very public confrontations over things that could have easily been sorted out with a calm conversation. I get that this is a friends-to-enemies-to-FWB-to-lovers(?) sort of book, but I genuinely think both characters made a poor choice by pursuing each other when they both had much healthier options right in front of them. I also think they might be confusing love and lust...but physical attraction and sexual compatibility does not mean that you are a good match for someone. This goes back to the relationship being toxic, and is made worse by the characters being a It reads like fanfiction written by a teenager who hasn't quite figured out that relationships don't need to just be drama to be passionate and interesting. Idk, man. Maybe I'm just getting too old for this sort of story or maybe the bully trope just isn't for me. But I couldn't buy the relationship as one worthy of framing as positive.
4) There were a weird number Twilight, serial killer, and Joe Exotic references? I just don't feel like these will age well. (I already feel like they haven't aged well?)
5) In general, I just feel like the writing could have used another round of proofreading. There were congruency issues, where characters were laying then kneeling without a logical transition or threw a first pitch and then threw it again. I also noticed multiple repetitive phrases occurring within paragraphs of each other, so obviously that felt like the author forgot she said them the first time around.
I'm sure there are people who would LOVE this book--the reviews on here say as much--and even more, I can see it being a guilty pleasure even if people didn't love it. Just not for me.
With that out of the way, I feel about this book the same way I feel about reality TV. I cannot say that it's good or even that I enjoyed it, but I also couldn't stop reading it because the drama sucked me in. Once done with it, I won't seek it out again. But if I accidentally stumble across something similar when I'm bored, it'll have me in its clutches again. There were so many problems with it, but weirdly they also became part of the appeal to finish it. In no particular order:
1) The internalized misogyny is rampant. The MMC is an asshole without much good reason, and the way that the male characters think and talked to each other through the book is cringey. Weird possessiveness in the relationship, and also double standards about sexuality. Also, the MMC is apparently very insecure about liking tea for some reason? Maybe it's my British ancestors coming through, but wtf is wrong with a guy drinking tea? I kept waiting for a redemption arc...
2) So so many hedgehog name puns were in the first part of the book that I literally had to stop reading because I was giggling too much. This was an unexpected highlight of the book, but also distracting.
3) The characters are childish, made worse my immature characterization. Very public confrontations over things that could have easily been sorted out with a calm conversation. I get that this is a friends-to-enemies-to-FWB-to-lovers(?) sort of book, but I genuinely think both characters made a poor choice by pursuing each other when they both had much healthier options right in front of them. I also think they might be confusing love and lust...but physical attraction and sexual compatibility does not mean that you are a good match for someone. This goes back to the relationship being toxic, and is made worse by the characters being a It reads like fanfiction written by a teenager who hasn't quite figured out that relationships don't need to just be drama to be passionate and interesting. Idk, man. Maybe I'm just getting too old for this sort of story or maybe the bully trope just isn't for me. But I couldn't buy the relationship as one worthy of framing as positive.
4) There were a weird number Twilight, serial killer, and Joe Exotic references? I just don't feel like these will age well. (I already feel like they haven't aged well?)
5) In general, I just feel like the writing could have used another round of proofreading. There were congruency issues, where characters were laying then kneeling without a logical transition or threw a first pitch and then threw it again. I also noticed multiple repetitive phrases occurring within paragraphs of each other, so obviously that felt like the author forgot she said them the first time around.
I'm sure there are people who would LOVE this book--the reviews on here say as much--and even more, I can see it being a guilty pleasure even if people didn't love it. Just not for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness
kimberlyb's review
emotional
funny
slow-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? Yes
3.25
This is a slow burn. It's not a bully romance. It's not a dark romace. The guy doesn't treat the girl like trash. He's just a little rude. They each have their own things going on and they aren't obsessed with each other to the point important things in their life suffer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Death of parent
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