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mnasadoo's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Medical trauma
lindsaymck's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This was a very original concept for a romance novel! Sadie is portrait artist who receives a cosmically badly-timed diagnosis of face blindness and works to adapt to her condition, especially the way she sees herself and those around her. I liked learning about the science behind this medical condition and how it made me reflect on the way I see people. I did not like her horrible family and the trauma she is just beginning to process, but the plot was fast-paced and entertaining.
Sadie’s helpful neighbor, Joe, is a bit of a puzzle whose every layer makes you love him more. The slightest bit of communication between the FMC and MMC would’ve had her unwrapping him like a present on Christmas morning, but it’s a lesson in savoring the build to something great.
I saw the plot twist coming from the very beginning (with the clues being dropped like full loaves of bread rather than breadcrumbs). I mean… she is face blind! But this book changed my perspective from saying it was “predictable” to it was “reliable.” The ending didn’t upset me, it was just a matter of enjoying the journey as I waited for the *anticipation* of the destination. I wanted them to be together and for Joe to somehow be her dog’s hot veterinarian, the generous wine-purchaser, AND the life-saving Good Samaritan and - of course- it delivered!
Beyond the book itself, the author’s note really stood out to me as an eloquent and essential collection of ideas that both validated my love of romance books and helped me understand my appreciation for them on a deeper level.
I am including my favorite part of the book - from the author’s note - so I can always read it again. <3
“Romance novels, rom-coms, non-tragic love stories—they all run on a blissful sense that we’re moving toward something better. Percentage-wise, the majority of clues writers drop in romance novels don’t give you things to dread. They give you things to look forward to.
This, right here—more than anything else—is why people love them. The banter, the kissing, the tropes, even the spice … that’s all just extra.
It’s the structure—that “predictable” structure—that does it. Anticipating that you’re heading toward a happy ending lets you relax and look forward to better things ahead. And there’s a name for what you’re feeling when you do that.
Hope.
Sometimes I see people grasping for a better word than predictable to describe a romance. They’ll say, ‘It was predictable—but in a good way.’
I see what they’re going for. But I’m not sure it needs pointing out that over the course of a love story … people fell in love. I mean: Of course they did! I don’t think it’s possible to write a love story where the leads getting together at the end is a surprise. And even if it were, why would you want to? The anticipation—the blissful, delicious, oxytocin-laden, yearning-infused, building sense of anticipation—is the point. It’s the cocktail of emotions we all came there to feel.
I propose we stop using the hopelessly negative word predictable to talk about love stories and start using anticipation. As in: 'This love story really created a fantastic feeling of anticipation.'
Structurally, thematically, psychologically—love stories create hope and then use it as fuel. Two people meet—and then, over the course of three hundred pages, they move from alone to together. From closed to open. From judgy to understanding. From cruel to compassionate. From needy to fulfilled. From ignored to seen. From misunderstood to appreciated. From lost to found. Predictably.
That’s not a mistake. That’s a guarantee of the genre: Things will get better. And you, the reader, get to be there for it.
It’s a gift the love story gives you.”
“Believing in love is believing in hope” and that pairing is one I will believe in forever.
Sadie’s helpful neighbor, Joe, is a bit of a puzzle whose every layer makes you love him more. The slightest bit of communication between the FMC and MMC would’ve had her unwrapping him like a present on Christmas morning, but it’s a lesson in savoring the build to something great.
I saw the plot twist coming from the very beginning (with the clues being dropped like full loaves of bread rather than breadcrumbs). I mean… she is face blind! But this book changed my perspective from saying it was “predictable” to it was “reliable.” The ending didn’t upset me, it was just a matter of enjoying the journey as I waited for the *anticipation* of the destination. I wanted them to be together and for Joe to somehow be her dog’s hot veterinarian, the generous wine-purchaser, AND the life-saving Good Samaritan and - of course- it delivered!
Beyond the book itself, the author’s note really stood out to me as an eloquent and essential collection of ideas that both validated my love of romance books and helped me understand my appreciation for them on a deeper level.
I am including my favorite part of the book - from the author’s note - so I can always read it again. <3
“Romance novels, rom-coms, non-tragic love stories—they all run on a blissful sense that we’re moving toward something better. Percentage-wise, the majority of clues writers drop in romance novels don’t give you things to dread. They give you things to look forward to.
This, right here—more than anything else—is why people love them. The banter, the kissing, the tropes, even the spice … that’s all just extra.
It’s the structure—that “predictable” structure—that does it. Anticipating that you’re heading toward a happy ending lets you relax and look forward to better things ahead. And there’s a name for what you’re feeling when you do that.
Hope.
Sometimes I see people grasping for a better word than predictable to describe a romance. They’ll say, ‘It was predictable—but in a good way.’
I see what they’re going for. But I’m not sure it needs pointing out that over the course of a love story … people fell in love. I mean: Of course they did! I don’t think it’s possible to write a love story where the leads getting together at the end is a surprise. And even if it were, why would you want to? The anticipation—the blissful, delicious, oxytocin-laden, yearning-infused, building sense of anticipation—is the point. It’s the cocktail of emotions we all came there to feel.
I propose we stop using the hopelessly negative word predictable to talk about love stories and start using anticipation. As in: 'This love story really created a fantastic feeling of anticipation.'
Structurally, thematically, psychologically—love stories create hope and then use it as fuel. Two people meet—and then, over the course of three hundred pages, they move from alone to together. From closed to open. From judgy to understanding. From cruel to compassionate. From needy to fulfilled. From ignored to seen. From misunderstood to appreciated. From lost to found. Predictably.
That’s not a mistake. That’s a guarantee of the genre: Things will get better. And you, the reader, get to be there for it.
It’s a gift the love story gives you.”
“Believing in love is believing in hope” and that pairing is one I will believe in forever.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying
cmbohn's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Medical trauma
rachellbc's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dysphoria, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content
Moderate: Bullying and Abandonment
Minor: Death of parent
abbygdickerson's review
emotional
funny
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content and Bullying
nataliebootlah's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
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
What a cute read! And not your typical romance, which I enjoyed.
After minor brain surgery, Sadie Montgomery wakes up with face blindness. She can see faces—eyes, nose, mouth—but her brain struggles to recognize who is who. As a human, it’s horrifying. As an artist, it’s potentially career-ending, especially when you’ve landing a top spot in a prestigious photorealistic portrait contest.
This feel-good fiction is about so much more than falling in love. It’s about growing up, finding independence, realizing asking for help isn’t the end of the world, learning to let go, dealing with medical battles, and being true to yourself. I won’t say that it was predictable (read the acknowledgments!), but the anticipation throughout the story was a fun ride.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Suicide attempt and Bullying
killerwhaletank's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I have mixed feelings about this one. Some parts I loved, other parts kind of were a bit drawn out.
What’s great about it: the “brain stuff” and the face blindness aspect, especially for an artist, was really compelling. The story overall had a decent flow to it. I was mostly satisfied by the ending, with some nitpicks.
What I struggled with: I couldn’t get quite on board with Sadie. She’s a bad communicator and a little self-centred. Even the grand reveal at the end (not spoiling it, it’s a romance novel you know there has to be a grand reveal) was completely unnecessary if Sadie just had an honest conversation with they guy she was apparently in love with.
So.. Sadie’s injury and journey is quite interesting. Sadie’s family is almost cartoon-villain level bad and I didn’t feel that was resolved well enough by the end to make me totally satisfied.
The ‘twists’, in my opinion, were so blindingly obvious from the first second (from the phone conversation she overhears, right down to every nuance that comes out at the end) that I started getting a little frustrated with the story and a little annoyed with Sadie at times. It made it hard to fully embrace her as a heroine. All of the misunderstandings throughout the story got to be a bit much, to being unbelievable even by romance novel standards. Even with her condition, the reason for the third act breakup is just not believable enough for me because it just shows how little communication there actually is between the leads.
Overall… I’d recommend. It’s not a book I’ll come back to, but I wouldn’t be opposed to trying another by this author. I wonder if the things that dragged and started to annoy me would have been less annoying in a physical book if I could have skimmed through them faster so it didn’t feel quite so stretched out.
What’s great about it: the “brain stuff” and the face blindness aspect, especially for an artist, was really compelling. The story overall had a decent flow to it. I was mostly satisfied by the ending, with some nitpicks.
What I struggled with: I couldn’t get quite on board with Sadie. She’s a bad communicator and a little self-centred. Even the grand reveal at the end (not spoiling it, it’s a romance novel you know there has to be a grand reveal) was completely unnecessary if Sadie just had an honest conversation with they guy she was apparently in love with.
So.. Sadie’s injury and journey is quite interesting. Sadie’s family is almost cartoon-villain level bad and I didn’t feel that was resolved well enough by the end to make me totally satisfied.
The ‘twists’, in my opinion, were so blindingly obvious from the first second (from the phone conversation she overhears, right down to every nuance that comes out at the end) that I started getting a little frustrated with the story and a little annoyed with Sadie at times. It made it hard to fully embrace her as a heroine. All of the misunderstandings throughout the story got to be a bit much, to being unbelievable even by romance novel standards. Even with her condition, the reason for the third act breakup is just not believable enough for me because it just shows how little communication there actually is between the leads.
Overall… I’d recommend. It’s not a book I’ll come back to, but I wouldn’t be opposed to trying another by this author. I wonder if the things that dragged and started to annoy me would have been less annoying in a physical book if I could have skimmed through them faster so it didn’t feel quite so stretched out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
kellirogue's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Bullying
sharkyray's review
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Emotional, warm (with some heavy trauma) read. I sped through it
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma
Moderate: Death of parent and Bullying
literatehedgehog's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Ah, contemporary romance. Where it is possible to both love a character and want to kick them in the pants. To want the character to find love, but also a therapist. Sadie is an imperfect heroine, to be sure. I think the audiobook narrator makes her...soliloquys more endearing than the whining they could be, especially when she's averring that she doesn't need help, doesn't ever ask for help (even though many of her actions contradict this??). She is a real navel-gazer of a self-absorbed person, clearly traumatized from a traumatizing adolescence, but dang did I want to shake her into recognizing that the other people around her have feelings and experiences, too. And maybe she could ask them about their lives and feelings, sometimes. I have feelings about her, but that also shows some great writing: Sadie feels like someone I want to talk about over tea (literally? figuratively?).
So there is a plot twist, and even knowing there is a plot twist could be a spoiler, so read at your own risk. I figured out the reveal partway through, and it was actually still satisfying waiting for the penny to drop for Sadie, clues confirming my expectations. Again, very believable for her diagnosis and characterization! So oblivious, get it together girl.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Death of parent