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lainiereads's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Such a cute romance read! I read the first 60ish percent of this book in one day (which is very unusual for me) and then finished it that following night. I just couldn't put it down, partially due to the romance, but also because of the conflicts that the main character, Eliza, had to deal with. I just had to keep reading to see what she would do next!
Speaking of Eliza, I love her. Often with angry leads in books, you'll see them go overboard and take their anger too far, but Eliza was able to use her anger in productive ways and realize when she needed to stop fighting and shift gears. She's also great because she didn't stop being angry at the end of the story. Many times, authors will have their characters begin very fiery, but by the end, they learn to not be angry anymore. That always infuriates me because, more often than not, their anger was justified! Michelle Quach avoids this and acknowledges that Eliza's cause is just and she can grow as a person without having to stop fighting for what she believes in.
The other main character, Len, was also great. He fits both the cocky jock stereotype and the thoughtful, quiet guy stereotype, which is the best combination. I think my only critic of him is that I wish he stood up for Eliza more? Like, I know she doesn't need him to defend her, but it just felt weird to me to see people just stand around while she was being bullied- especially when that person is the love interest! He makes up for this by the end though, so I still definitely love him.
This book covers a lot of real issues, such as racism, infidelity (not in the main couple though, don't worry), and a LOT of blatant sexism and slut-shaming. While all of these things are tough to read about, Quach handles them well and makes sure all of the main characters realize how awful these issues are. If you are able to read about topics like these, then I definitely recommend this for a great story and a great romance!
Speaking of Eliza, I love her. Often with angry leads in books, you'll see them go overboard and take their anger too far, but Eliza was able to use her anger in productive ways and realize when she needed to stop fighting and shift gears. She's also great because she didn't stop being angry at the end of the story. Many times, authors will have their characters begin very fiery, but by the end, they learn to not be angry anymore. That always infuriates me because, more often than not, their anger was justified! Michelle Quach avoids this and acknowledges that Eliza's cause is just and she can grow as a person without having to stop fighting for what she believes in.
The other main character, Len, was also great. He fits both the cocky jock stereotype and the thoughtful, quiet guy stereotype, which is the best combination. I think my only critic of him is that I wish he stood up for Eliza more? Like, I know she doesn't need him to defend her, but it just felt weird to me to see people just stand around while she was being bullied- especially when that person is the love interest! He makes up for this by the end though, so I still definitely love him.
This book covers a lot of real issues, such as racism, infidelity (not in the main couple though, don't worry), and a LOT of blatant sexism and slut-shaming. While all of these things are tough to read about, Quach handles them well and makes sure all of the main characters realize how awful these issues are. If you are able to read about topics like these, then I definitely recommend this for a great story and a great romance!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Misogyny, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Infidelity, Cursing, and Racism
Minor: Alcohol
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