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camille_abelanet's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
So it's not that the story was bad, the "plot" was a catalyst for the romance, which was cute. And the idea of having an a-spec main character was refreshing to me! That being said, the "mix up" premise didn't even *start* until around halfway through the book, and there was an overarching plot of trying to help the library that felt like it had high stakes but just fell so flat by the end of the book. It was like since the characters were together at the end of the book, then everything else just magically worked out?
There were also logistical problems that made me take a month to read a book that ended up only taking me about 1.5 hrs to read in total. It was a very poorly edited book, with perspective inconsistencies and tense changes and typos that made me think the author didn't have a copy-editor looking over this. Honestly, I'm kind of shocked that I finished it.
There were also logistical problems that made me take a month to read a book that ended up only taking me about 1.5 hrs to read in total. It was a very poorly edited book, with perspective inconsistencies and tense changes and typos that made me think the author didn't have a copy-editor looking over this. Honestly, I'm kind of shocked that I finished it.
lezreadalot's review
2.0
Not great, unfortunately. The tropey elements that made me interested in reading (they have similar last names and accidentally get signed up as wives to a library conference) barely had any page time, the writing was all over the place, and it either wasn't edited or a draft copy was accidentally uploaded. There were placeholders, unfinished sentences, abrupt switches from third to first person POV...
It's a shame. The concept is cute, the characters had promise, and it was nice reading about a demiromantic lesbian.
It's a shame. The concept is cute, the characters had promise, and it was nice reading about a demiromantic lesbian.
mooswandern's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
charlieavocado's review against another edition
A three arms, five hands experience.
[Feel free to see my shared highlights (with commentary!) if you think I'm exaggerating any of this.]
What even was this? I finally put it down at 75% finished, and I don't expect to ever complete this book. Was it edited at all? There are sentences that are just halfway finished, sometimes running into a completely unrelated sentence. Tenses change. Very difficult to keep up with who is saying what (I suspect perspectives are changing also). Time is irrelevant, because on the first night of the conference, sometimes it's the third night, and I think one character wears three different outfits, having seemingly not changed more than once? Honestly, I had to do so much work keeping up with the story because of the lack of editing that it was hard to enjoy what's there. The premise was great, the execution didn't do it for me. Save your time. Life's too short to read unedited books.
Also, lots of inconsistencies between the TWO author's profiles in the book, and the myriad of them online. In this day and age I'm not sure if any of it is true or if it's all a fiction (pen names are one thing, this is another), and I'd rather get virtually no information on the author in such a situation.
[Feel free to see my shared highlights (with commentary!) if you think I'm exaggerating any of this.]
What even was this? I finally put it down at 75% finished, and I don't expect to ever complete this book. Was it edited at all? There are sentences that are just halfway finished, sometimes running into a completely unrelated sentence. Tenses change. Very difficult to keep up with who is saying what (I suspect perspectives are changing also). Time is irrelevant, because on the first night of the conference, sometimes it's the third night, and I think one character wears three different outfits, having seemingly not changed more than once? Honestly, I had to do so much work keeping up with the story because of the lack of editing that it was hard to enjoy what's there. The premise was great, the execution didn't do it for me. Save your time. Life's too short to read unedited books.
Also, lots of inconsistencies between the TWO author's profiles in the book, and the myriad of them online. In this day and age I'm not sure if any of it is true or if it's all a fiction (pen names are one thing, this is another), and I'd rather get virtually no information on the author in such a situation.
regencyfan93's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
This was an enjoyable world for me to be in, the world of libraries and conferences. The head of the (library? county?) board of directors was relatable. One place I lived, a member of the library board didn't think that the library should lend movies, since he owned a video store. It was a while ago. The board head in this book made sense.
The mix up at the conference? Well, it is a romance, and "only one bed" is a trope!
The mix up at the conference? Well, it is a romance, and "only one bed" is a trope!
charley34's review
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.75
ssejig's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Two librarians have a mutual crush but are both hesitant to make a move. When they end up in the same room at a conference, their feelings finally come out.
This felt like a first book but an earnest effort. It took me a little time to get through because some of the language hadn't been quite smoothed out but was a fun little diversion.
This felt like a first book but an earnest effort. It took me a little time to get through because some of the language hadn't been quite smoothed out but was a fun little diversion.
wchereads's review
3.0
Lesbian librarians are cute. I enjoyed the part about library politics and life of being a librarian. Definitely needed more proofreading with the amount of typos there were, though.
relin's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.0
I enjoyed the story told of Sofiya and Molly falling in love while also navigating library / government politics. It was cool to read a book with an Aro-specturm protagonist! Though the book does fall a little into a pattern where the only men in the book cause problems for them (which is the reverse of what I see in mlm books, so that's something?).
There were two occasions that seems like an editor missed that I found really threw me out of the story. One is Sofiya misgenders her nonbinary best friend. And given how the rest of the story was written, it looked like a last minute pronoun change had happened and this instance was missed. The other is Molly doesn't get as much clothing description in the fancy dress portion of the story and the one line description doesn't match what she is taking off later that evening.
There were two occasions that seems like an editor missed that I found really threw me out of the story. One is Sofiya misgenders her nonbinary best friend. And given how the rest of the story was written, it looked like a last minute pronoun change had happened and this instance was missed. The other is Molly doesn't get as much clothing description in the fancy dress portion of the story and the one line description doesn't match what she is taking off later that evening.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Outing
Moderate: Alcohol, Lesbophobia, and Acephobia/Arophobia
Minor: Racism, Cursing, Death of parent, and Classism
Nonbinary character is misgendered in book.