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amy_in_the_city's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
I loved this book so much! Introverts finding the one person that doesn't drain them is literally my dream! It was funny at times, heartbreaking at others. I liked that it didn't romanticize small towns and acknowledged small towns aren't a good fit for everyone. It also had some LGBTQIA+ representation, with a biromantic demisexual main character. The scene where Maggie tears into Aiden's biphobic relatives was one of the most satisfying things I've ever read, as was seeing Aiden stand up for himself.
As someone on the ace spectrum, I appreciated that this book had a main character, especially an older character, discovering that they were demisexual. However, the book got some things wrong about asexuality. At one point, Maggie explains that "Ace is also called 'graysexual.'" A quick Google search would have confirmed that those two terms don't mean the same thing and that "graysexual" is actually just one of many different types of asexuality. It's clear from other terms used in explaining asexuality that the author did research various terminology. It just seems like she got confused at some point with a couple of terms, but I wish there had been a sensitivity reader or an editor that could have caught this before it made it into the final book. I also thought Aiden seemed pretty clearly demiromantic as well, but this was never brought up and his demiromantic traits were lumped in with his demisexual traits. Terminology issues aside, I thought the demisexuality was represented well, and Aiden felt authentically demi in how he experienced the world and in how he reacted to learning there was a word for how he was.
Overall, this was a cute romance, and I had a great time reading it!
As someone on the ace spectrum, I appreciated that this book had a main character, especially an older character, discovering that they were demisexual. However, the book got some things wrong about asexuality. At one point, Maggie explains that "Ace is also called 'graysexual.'" A quick Google search would have confirmed that those two terms don't mean the same thing and that "graysexual" is actually just one of many different types of asexuality. It's clear from other terms used in explaining asexuality that the author did research various terminology. It just seems like she got confused at some point with a couple of terms, but I wish there had been a sensitivity reader or an editor that could have caught this before it made it into the final book. I also thought Aiden seemed pretty clearly demiromantic as well, but this was never brought up and his demiromantic traits were lumped in with his demisexual traits. Terminology issues aside, I thought the demisexuality was represented well, and Aiden felt authentically demi in how he experienced the world and in how he reacted to learning there was a word for how he was.
Overall, this was a cute romance, and I had a great time reading it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Biphobia, Outing, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Sexual content, and Xenophobia
Minor: Infidelity, Acephobia/Arophobia, Addiction, Alcohol, Car accident, Drug abuse, and Grief
gondorgirl's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Body shaming, Outing, Sexism, Sexual content, Infidelity, Misogyny, Cursing, Dementia, Mental illness, and Homophobia
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
callidoralblack's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Cursing, Biphobia, and Outing
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexism, War, and Violence
bookcheshirecat's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
“Some people might think this erratic, possibly a cause for concern. She preferred to think of it as not giving a single, solitary fuck.”
➽ Role Playing was such a sweet, nerdy Romance! I love that the story follows two older adults (48 & 50), as I feel like we don't see that nearly enough in Romance! Maggie and Aiden both meet through an online gaming guild, but have no idea who the other is in real life. Maggie's a bit of a hermit (very relatable), so she's pushed by her son to engage with others. Since she's not really interested in talking with anyone from her small town, she turns to her favorite hobby: gaming. I loved Maggie a lot as she was so relatable and probably how I'll turn out in the future! It's always lovely to see someone older still being passionate about their hobbies. I also appreciated that she has a close bond with her son, who's off to college and kind of like a friend to her. Maggie can be a bit grumpy but is very caring and loyal to her friends. As a fellow introvert, I could relate to her need for personal space!
➽ Aiden is also a sweetheart! He runs the online gaming guild that Maggie joins with a few of his friends. He's moved back home after his father's death to take care of his ailing mother. He had a nursing business with his best friend, so Aiden knows how to be a caretaker. He's got such a big heart, so it hurt to see how manipulative and bigoted his mother was. Aiden was never her favorite and he does everything to take care of her, but his mother constantly berates him. I understood that she struggled with getting older and not wanting to believe it might be time to make changes. However, her behavior was still unacceptable and made me so sad for Aiden, who's left to deal with her. His brother's MIA as he doesn't want to deal with it, so Aiden truly is the main caretaker.
➽ I loved how Aiden and Maggie connected through gaming! Both of them are in desperate need of a friend and they immediately hit it off. Originally, they misjudge each other (Aiden thinks Maggie's an old grandmother, while she thinks he's a college student) but later meet in real life as they live in the same town. I loved how fiercely protective Maggie was of him and how furious she was at his family for treating him so badly. Their relationship was realistic but also very sweet and I was rooting for them the entire time!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Outing
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, Death, and Sexism
a_ab's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
5.0
This book was a delightful surprise. Complex, diverse, adult characters with realistic lives, decisions and thoughts! It's so rare, I spent most of the book waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop. And. It. Never. Did!
How freaking amazing is that!?
These characters know who they are and what they want - as they should by their age (around 50). They understand when they mess up. And own up to it when they do. They respect each other's boundaries and choices. They talk thing out openly and directly. They support each other in meaningful ways. They develop their relationship meaningfully and organically, yet fully intentionally.
Seriously, this is a mythical unicorn of a book.
I can't believe I am saying this, but this is going on my all times favorites shelf.
My only, albeit tiny, disappointment came with the epilogue, which was too short and not very meaningful.
Instead of briefly seeing these characters on a random happy day, I would have preferred a longer glimpse into their marriage - the shorthand they developed for dealing with the rougher patches of their lives together, the added depth of their connection strengthened by years of shared experiences.
How freaking amazing is that!?
These characters know who they are and what they want - as they should by their age (around 50). They understand when they mess up. And own up to it when they do. They respect each other's boundaries and choices. They talk thing out openly and directly. They support each other in meaningful ways. They develop their relationship meaningfully and organically, yet fully intentionally.
Seriously, this is a mythical unicorn of a book.
I can't believe I am saying this, but this is going on my all times favorites shelf.
My only, albeit tiny, disappointment came with the epilogue, which was too short and not very meaningful.
Instead of briefly seeing these characters on a random happy day, I would have preferred a longer glimpse into their marriage - the shorthand they developed for dealing with the rougher patches of their lives together, the added depth of their connection strengthened by years of shared experiences.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, and Outing
Moderate: Dementia and Misogyny
lillygabriella's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
Deliciously Awkward!
I had no idea Gamer Geek was a subgenre of Romance now! I'm so glad to find out this exists! I got this as a Kindle First read, and finished in one day. I am really happy it was one of the options.
So what happens when two introverts get to know each other through an MMO? Misconceptions about identities, and wacky hijinks of course! Small towns, small dating pools, judgy people, family dysfunction, this book has it all. And some spicy romance to boot!
I rate the spice 2/5 chili peppers. The sex scenes are fairly explicit, more R than X rating. So if you like romance but not the sex stuff, it's really a small part of the story, and easily skimmable if it's not your thing. Well worth reading if it is, though.
I am definitely going to have to check out some of Cathy Yardley's other work.
I had no idea Gamer Geek was a subgenre of Romance now! I'm so glad to find out this exists! I got this as a Kindle First read, and finished in one day. I am really happy it was one of the options.
So what happens when two introverts get to know each other through an MMO? Misconceptions about identities, and wacky hijinks of course! Small towns, small dating pools, judgy people, family dysfunction, this book has it all. And some spicy romance to boot!
I rate the spice 2/5 chili peppers. The sex scenes are fairly explicit, more R than X rating. So if you like romance but not the sex stuff, it's really a small part of the story, and easily skimmable if it's not your thing. Well worth reading if it is, though.
I am definitely going to have to check out some of Cathy Yardley's other work.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Biphobia, Homophobia, Outing, Bullying, Cursing, and Sexual content
Minor: Violence, Toxic relationship, Car accident, Cancer, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Alcohol, Terminal illness, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Sexism
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