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mari1532's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Brief Summary: Simi and Chloe are best friends...the kind of best friends that would help you hide a body no questions asked. So, when Chloe gets accused of a crime she did not commit, Simi will do whatever it takes to keep her friend out of jail. Even if it means planning a heist and organizing an eclectic group to pull it off.
Thoughts: As a heist book with elements of Ocean's 8, I loved this book. The quirky group of characters who are forced to work together and throughout the book become a tight-knit family was a five out of five read for me. The cast of characters was fun and diverse and I genuinely liked them all...okay there is a rank order, but still, every character had a shining moment.
Where this book lost me was the love story plot line. First, the love triangle was just not something I was even remotely into. Especially since Detective Garcia had a job to do and I often felt that Simi was misreading his job performance as interest in her. Second, Jack was hardly in this book! I felt the spark of something between him and Simi on the page at first, but I never really felt it take off. So I was not invested in whether or not they got together or not. I was way more interested in Chloe's love life and I was kind of annoyed that we did not focus more on that this book, especially since it seems like this book is leading into a sequel.
This book is a fun read, but I wouldn't go into it because it's a romance novel. I would say go in for the heist and if you are happy with the love story that is a nice bonus.
Graphic: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Violence, Torture, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Alcohol, Cursing, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Sexual content
readnoot's review against another edition
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Alcoholism
hazelgirl21's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual content
stephbeaudoin20's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This book is one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. Laugh out loud, let me read that again, hysterical! I LOVED IT! It has skyrocketed to the top of my purchase list.
Things I am here for:
Authentic South Asian Representation
Very Diverse Cast of Characters
Simi is HILARIOUS! ๐ฌ
Chloe is a white hat hacker - yes to women in tech! ๐พ
Emma can drive anything, even an elephant ๐ค
Anil The Butcher ๐
Gage the elephant whisperer ๐ ๐
Christian cares about everything so much! ๐ถ
Jackโs love of plants was such a special character trait ๐ต
Rose who has done everything and knows everything ๐ฟ
Auntie networks that can make an Italian wedding happen in 3 weeks
The twists!
The swooniest line of all swoony lines:
โYou complicate my life when you say things like that,โ he said. โI'd appreciate it if you could be less interesting.โ
This is my 10th book for The Diverse Baseline Challenge, the 2nd for the February prompt of Found Family.
Graphic: Torture, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Stalking, and Domestic abuse
samchase112's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Physical abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, Sexual content, Blood, Kidnapping, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
edhyndman's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Violence and Domestic abuse
raereads23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse
courtofsmutandstuff's review against another edition
2.75
The heist also was almost... perfunctory? Like I liked that it seemed realistic (just keep trying the safe combination possibilities in blunt force rather than anything fancy like in a heist movie) and I liked the quirky characters for the most part (but they are very much in the adorkable or overly quirky vein and I see how they might grate some people, especially as the supporting characters have largely one characteristic they are focused on). Sini also largely works for me as a FMC (and I thought she had some ADHD coding, especially when she talks about how her brain always worked differently then others and she thrives when she has multiple different tasks at once) and I really liked how she flourishes with her wedding event business. I just HATE that she fell for Gage and stayed that way. I also love how much she and Chloe love each other.
I was disappointed in this one, and am disappointed that I'm disappointed, as I really do love heists, best friends who would do anything for each other, books set in Chicago, and big, overbearing families while the protagonist is just trying to live his/her life.
Moderate: Violence and Domestic abuse
kdailyreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual content, Gun violence, Blood, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Kidnapping, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Excrement, Infidelity, Alcoholism, Death, and Cursing
Minor: Pregnancy, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
My two biggest complaints are 1) the narrator, she was over the top in her voice acting and it was cringy, like half the book was written in all caps. I almost gave up on the book multiple times because of the narrator. And b) that it seemed a bit similar to the Stephanie Plum books, with a cop and a bad boy as possible romantic interests, and an eccentric older lady as side characters. Though Simi was more competent than Stephanie Plum is. These are the reasons the book lost half a star.
The writing kept me engaged and I ended up really enjoying the book. I would love a sequel. Especially with a different narrator.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Violence, and Sexual content
Moderate: Gun violence, Torture, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Vomit, Cursing, and Excrement