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bzliz's review
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- 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
2.75
This was much tougher to get through than Rosaline’s story. Paris has severe undiagnosed anxiety and panic disorders and it was challenging to keep going. There’s a lot of spiraling in fits of anxiety that was minorly triggering for me and I don’t typically find that’s something I experience.
Not only does Paris have real issues he needs to see a medical professional about but Tariq is trying to fix him without realizing it and without being equipped to help. On top of that, Paris keeps reaching out to his parents and gets nothing in return in a way that really hurt my heart. Honestly, my favorite character was the cat.
The structure also suffered in my opinion, because there was so much to cover post-filming. There were relatively few mid-week scenes which made everything feel like a rinse and repeat of Paris buried so deeply in his own head that he can scarcely function. Over all, I didn’t hate it but I certainly wouldn’t read it again.
Not only does Paris have real issues he needs to see a medical professional about but Tariq is trying to fix him without realizing it and without being equipped to help. On top of that, Paris keeps reaching out to his parents and gets nothing in return in a way that really hurt my heart. Honestly, my favorite character was the cat.
The structure also suffered in my opinion, because there was so much to cover post-filming. There were relatively few mid-week scenes which made everything feel like a rinse and repeat of Paris buried so deeply in his own head that he can scarcely function. Over all, I didn’t hate it but I certainly wouldn’t read it again.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Cursing and Abandonment
Minor: Homophobia, Racism, Sexual content, Transphobia, Xenophobia, and Islamophobia
All the phobias and isms are from a particular contestant and from discussion surrounding the show on social media. Otherwise they are merely mentioned in the same way someone would say “I’m from X place, nothing can scare me.”arf27's review against another edition
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Abandonment
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Homophobia and Islamophobia
amanda_reads13's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Paris is going on a baking show despite his severe anxiety.
Paris has undiagnosed anxiety, severe anxiety. Since this is a single POV book, we are stuck in Paris' head for the entirety of the book. It was a lot. I wish there were multiple POVs in this book, because I got tired of Paris' self-destructive behaviour and whiny attitude very fast.
I don't like how Paris' selfishness was passed as a symptom of his anxiety. As someone who actual has generalized anxiety disorder, I find this a really disrespectful and irresponsible angle to take. Yes he is anxious and has catastrophic thinking, but that doesn't make you an asshole.
I like that we saw Paris getting help and part of his healing journey.
Tropes: competition, friends to lovers
Paris has undiagnosed anxiety, severe anxiety. Since this is a single POV book, we are stuck in Paris' head for the entirety of the book. It was a lot. I wish there were multiple POVs in this book, because I got tired of Paris' self-destructive behaviour and whiny attitude very fast.
I don't like how Paris' selfishness was passed as a symptom of his anxiety. As someone who actual has generalized anxiety disorder, I find this a really disrespectful and irresponsible angle to take. Yes he is anxious and has catastrophic thinking, but that doesn't make you an asshole.
I like that we saw Paris getting help and part of his healing journey.
Tropes: competition, friends to lovers
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
kaistephan's review
emotional
funny
5.0
Alexis Hall once again delivers a story that is seamlessly laugh-until-you-can't-breathe funny, a sharp critique of the British class system, a visceral portrait of living in a brain with mental illness, and a very sincere romance that, even though it is single POV, still have very balanced character arcs. Heck, even the Best Friend manages to feel like a real person and not just a plot device, a true rarity for romance novels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Homophobia and Islamophobia
evelynyle_88's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Abandonment
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Islamophobia
gale_bruckner's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
4.5
Alexis does a great job of giving Paris a unique story that's also in the Bake Expectations universe. I appreciate realistic mental health concerns representation. The boundary setting and character growth felt realistic and compelling. At the end of the story, I was whole-heartedly rooting for Tariq and Paris. <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Abandonment
Minor: Homophobia and Islamophobia
the_reading_kat's review
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Good points about mental health, but only in the last quarter of the book. Until then it’s literally just the main character being a hot mess, not always relatable. Didn’t feel the chemistry between the mc and the love interest until the last twenty pages or so. Understandable with the plot but difficult to read anyway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, Racism, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and Abandonment
kharlan3's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
wow paris is so anxious
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Homophobia, Islamophobia, and Abandonment
atsuanna's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-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? Yes
2.0
I was way too ace for the amount of sexual humor sometimes I fear! Plus there was so little progress for so long that the writing was just repetitive. I think I would’ve liked it more if it wasn’t romance because I loved the character development and the concept, but the romance was lackluster for me and not something I was rooting for </3 they didn’t seem to have a lot of romantic chemistry but the friendships were lovely. The GAD was very accurate and relatable for me plus it was very funny and cute at times!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Islamophobia
Minor: Abandonment
pey333's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Islamophobia, and Abandonment
Minor: Sexual content