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hopeamarsu's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Biphobia, and Outing
Minor: Racism and Death of parent
the_vegan_bookworm's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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? No
4.0
A charming, fun read! It was a fresh take on an enjoyable premise with characters who don't need to change to be loved. I love a prickly FMC who stays prickly and is appreciated for who she is!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Biphobia, Acephobia/Arophobia, Outing, and Sexual content
Minor: Racism
babeinlibrary's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I regret to inform you that this wasn't for me! Don't get me wrong, I see the value and can relate to this book on a different level. However I disliked everyone except AIDEN. I mean I actively dislike people like Sheryl, Davy, Deb, and Aiden's Mom (for a large portion of the book I simply tolerated her but she did grow on me).
There were a few moments in the writing that felt very cringy and "tik tok" culture slang -_-. Big Dork Energy and F around and Find out. We could just not!
However it is only fair for me to also share: I love that Cathy wrote Maggie with common sense when it came to worrying about her safety when it came to meeting an online stranger. I respect that Maggie was down to ride for the people she loved and had a best friend who was willing to do the same.
There were a few moments in the writing that felt very cringy and "tik tok" culture slang -_-. Big Dork Energy and F around and Find out. We could just not!
However it is only fair for me to also share: I love that Cathy wrote Maggie with common sense when it came to worrying about her safety when it came to meeting an online stranger. I respect that Maggie was down to ride for the people she loved and had a best friend who was willing to do the same.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia
Moderate: Racism, Toxic friendship, Outing, and Toxic relationship
readbykatherine's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Outing
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Racism
jamielianne's review
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Overall, I did enjoy this book, but there were some parts of the book that I found myself skimming. It was a quick read and I thought that the romance was believable. I enjoyed the MMC more than the FMC, mainly due to his personal growth.
I liked that the geek culture that was promised was present, but it does not hinder the romance.
The majority of the side characters in the book were infuriating, especially Aiden’s mother and his ex. I’m glad they don’t reconcile - they were awful.
And a gripe I have with the cover: it’s not representative of the MCs - the characters are described with graying hair and Maggie is constantly described as disheveled.
I liked that the geek culture that was promised was present, but it does not hinder the romance.
The majority of the side characters in the book were infuriating, especially Aiden’s mother and his ex. I’m glad they don’t reconcile - they were awful.
And a gripe I have with the cover: it’s not representative of the MCs - the characters are described with graying hair and Maggie is constantly described as disheveled.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Biphobia and Racism
mighty_lizard_queen's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Outing, and Biphobia
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Racism, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Body shaming, and Cursing
Minor: Drug use, Dementia, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Car accident, Abandonment, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
ajalexanderreadsromance's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Homophobia, and Outing
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Death of parent
Minor: Car accident, Racism, Cancer, Grief, and Acephobia/Arophobia
kaceyjoy's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
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
5.0
This is a perfect book. I have no notes! I could not put it down! I love the perspectives of both of our main characters. And pretty much had a smile on my face the entire time I was reading it!
She's a single mom who's son just went off to college, happily living the hermit lifestyle up in the hills of Fool's Falls, WA. Maggie is 48, divorced, doesn't take anyone's shit, and just wants to play video games and eat good food. She's Vietnamese American, and I especially love her descriptions of reconnecting with her lineage through food.
He's single, never married, moved back to Fool's Falls to take care of his dying father and ageing mother. Aiden sold his half of the hospice business back west to take care of them, but is definitely getting a lot shit from his mother who refuses to listen and accept help, after his father passed. There's some family drama, an upcoming family wedding that he desperately needs a date to... But he'd rather play video games with his online guild that just got a new player.
Grumpy/Sunshine, she's the grump, he's a cinnamon roll, slow burn, super nerdy, older MCs (48 & 50), queer (demi & bi rep), small town romance, friends to lovers. Seriously, I loved this and all these tropes were perfect. The perfect cozy read!
TW: racism, homophobia, parent death, outing without consent, toxic family drama
She's a single mom who's son just went off to college, happily living the hermit lifestyle up in the hills of Fool's Falls, WA. Maggie is 48, divorced, doesn't take anyone's shit, and just wants to play video games and eat good food. She's Vietnamese American, and I especially love her descriptions of reconnecting with her lineage through food.
He's single, never married, moved back to Fool's Falls to take care of his dying father and ageing mother. Aiden sold his half of the hospice business back west to take care of them, but is definitely getting a lot shit from his mother who refuses to listen and accept help, after his father passed. There's some family drama, an upcoming family wedding that he desperately needs a date to... But he'd rather play video games with his online guild that just got a new player.
Grumpy/Sunshine, she's the grump, he's a cinnamon roll, slow burn, super nerdy, older MCs (48 & 50), queer (demi & bi rep), small town romance, friends to lovers. Seriously, I loved this and all these tropes were perfect. The perfect cozy read!
TW: racism, homophobia, parent death, outing without consent, toxic family drama
Content Warnings
Moderate: Outing and Homophobia
Minor: Racism and Death of parent
cheye13's review
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
The book fails to deliver its premise. Despite meeting "through the game," there are nearly no scenes of the game, no descriptions of their characters, and no presence of the game in their offline lives. The characters practically meet through mutual friends over email. That being said, many scenes read as "too online." Dialogue grew soap-boxy or wikipedia-like, as if the author was communicating something rather than giving a perspective to a character.
There's a fatal flaw of focusing on the negative at the expense of the positive. All of the side characters are loathesome, creating endless conflict for both leads and edging out the supportive voices in their lives. Maggie's bffs get barely a page each, and Aiden's closest friend isn't even on-page once.
As a simple romance story, it's decent. I appreciate the older characters and the unexpected queerness. I have been begging for a woman!grump/man!sunshine forever, and this does deliver that well enough. But those tropes aren't enough to carry the story for me.
If you're dipping a toe into the romance genre, want to read about older characters, and know next-to-nothing about online communities, you'll probably enjoy this. If you read a lot of romance, have firsthand experience with online communities, and/or picked it up for the RPG angle, you'll likely be disappointed.
There's a fatal flaw of focusing on the negative at the expense of the positive. All of the side characters are loathesome, creating endless conflict for both leads and edging out the supportive voices in their lives. Maggie's bffs get barely a page each, and Aiden's closest friend isn't even on-page once.
As a simple romance story, it's decent. I appreciate the older characters and the unexpected queerness. I have been begging for a woman!grump/man!sunshine forever, and this does deliver that well enough. But those tropes aren't enough to carry the story for me.
If you're dipping a toe into the romance genre, want to read about older characters, and know next-to-nothing about online communities, you'll probably enjoy this. If you read a lot of romance, have firsthand experience with online communities, and/or picked it up for the RPG angle, you'll likely be disappointed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Outing, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Acephobia/Arophobia, and Biphobia
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Body shaming, Death of parent, Classism, Cancer, and Racism
emotional blackmail, broken bone, toxic masculinityrickireadss's review against another edition
5.0
i LOVE maggie and aiden so much. i want to give aiden the biggest f*cking hug because he put up with way too much from his family. ughhhh they all made me so mad, but especially his brother like how can you just sit there and be so ignorant and oblivious or simply just not give a flying f*ck what your brother is doing and putting up with. like GROW TF UP bro. but omfg, aiden realizing that he's bi and demi?!?!? MY HEART WAS SO FULL. i think this is great rep, it made me cry, and i just loved how they talked about it together. ALL THE FEELS!!!! i loved the gaming aspect of this a LOT and love that that's what brought them together. i think the miscommunication/misunderstandings of each other's true ages was hilarious! i also just loved that they were older MCs, 48f 50m, and actually acted their ages. hands down a great book and i honestly want to reread it again!
⚠️: biphobia, homophobia, outing, emotional abuse, death of parent (cancer), acephoba/arophobia, racism, cancer, grief, misogyny, gaslighting, bullying, death of parents (car accident), religious bigotry
⚠️: biphobia, homophobia, outing, emotional abuse, death of parent (cancer), acephoba/arophobia, racism, cancer, grief, misogyny, gaslighting, bullying, death of parents (car accident), religious bigotry
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Biphobia, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Racism, and Outing
Moderate: Acephobia/Arophobia, Misogyny, Cancer, Grief, and Gaslighting
Minor: Bullying, Religious bigotry, and Car accident