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ruthhelizabeth's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I received an advance e-copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
It is so good to see a sapphic festive rom com in a hetero dominated market. It's also a really interesting idea - what happens when someone outside of a fake dating couple falls for one half of the couple?
However, this book fell short for me. I felt like Margot and Ellie didn't develop their relationship or have anything in common besides shared love of music, being veggie and fancying each other. These might be interesting things to share on a dating app profile, but a relationship needs a lot more to be successful and I didn't see evidence of that in the book.
A lot of smaller plot points which offered intrigue were never developed or had no real pay off. The writing felt deliberately done to the point it felt stilted and broken, like the scenes needed smoothing over to feel natural.
the scene where Ellie and Margot bond over their shared irritation with clumsy people just felt bizarre, aloof and frankly ableist, just so Ellie would suspect Margot's story was fake?
It is so good to see a sapphic festive rom com in a hetero dominated market. It's also a really interesting idea - what happens when someone outside of a fake dating couple falls for one half of the couple?
However, this book fell short for me. I felt like Margot and Ellie didn't develop their relationship or have anything in common besides shared love of music, being veggie and fancying each other. These might be interesting things to share on a dating app profile, but a relationship needs a lot more to be successful and I didn't see evidence of that in the book.
A lot of smaller plot points which offered intrigue were never developed or had no real pay off. The writing felt deliberately done to the point it felt stilted and broken, like the scenes needed smoothing over to feel natural.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Ableism
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Infidelity and Death
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