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amandaboyer's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Body shaming, Bullying, Death of parent, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Emotional abuse
kimib79's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.25
I loved this story. It is so cute. The author tied up the misunderstandings in the best way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying and Medical content
Moderate: Cursing
tiffanyfreads's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
This was a cute little story. Things were predictable and I guessed what happened but it was still a fun read. I do prefer the bodyguard over this but it is still worth checking out if you want a rom com.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Medical content, Death of parent, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief
Minor: Suicide and Car accident
kcbatts's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity
minyoonhwi's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Medical content
taylorr1018's review
emotional
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Medical trauma and Medical content
The main character deals with a major medical condition the entire novel.catsandmetaphors's review
DNF @ 48%
Katherine Center, I adore your books and I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t finish this one.
You know the feeling when you know you should be excited to pick up your book yet you’re only filled with trepidation and unease? This was one of those books for me. The face blindness thing sounded intriguing, but reading about it quite literally hurt my brain. I may have read way too many romance novels this year, because I guessed one of the plot lines almost instantly, so I didn’t even have anything to read towards, if that makes sense.
Katherine Center, I adore your books and I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t finish this one.
You know the feeling when you know you should be excited to pick up your book yet you’re only filled with trepidation and unease? This was one of those books for me. The face blindness thing sounded intriguing, but reading about it quite literally hurt my brain. I may have read way too many romance novels this year, because I guessed one of the plot lines almost instantly, so I didn’t even have anything to read towards, if that makes sense.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Death of parent
annag77's review against another edition
funny
medium-paced
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Medical content and Cursing
idk_indigo's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
It is fortunate that Sadie has no decent friends in her life (Sue doesn't count, we'll get to that later) because they would all feel a very apt obligation to remind her that she is literally the dumbest FMC to ever exist. I am absolutely baffled by each & every one of her terrible, TERRIBLE decisions. I genuinely cannot stress this enough, but...girl wtf? Blah blah blah, characters are human too, blah blah blah, flawed characters, blah blah blah. I love me some flawed characters (trust me, I do) but Sadie was like genuinely a threat to herself & to society. Like yeah, sure, she could be semi-relatable (don't we all struggle with vulnerability?), but homegirl was just not adept to deal with reality at all. I couldn't tell if I wanted to hand her a mug of hot cocoa & tuck her into bed or if I just wanted to stare at her in shock & bemusement as I wonder how she hasn't yet been flagged as a social experiment.
I think all of the characters were pretty uni-dimensional as well. Parker, for one, was literally just boring. I wanted to be like, "Girl shut up, you're in your 30's; being this obsessed with your stepsister, whom you lived with for a decade & have known for most of your entire life, is scarily obsessive." She admits to everyone on multiple occasions that she has no life besides tormenting Sadie; she shows up constantly, everywhere; she doesn't seem to have a job, & we know nothing else except that she has a pet & is an asshole. I think Parker would benefit from a hobby or a part-time job or a friend or a personality, or something, anything, just please get her out of the scene.
The father is simultaneously the most & least important side character in the entire book.
I know there is a stepmother & I know her name is Lucinda, next question please.
Don't even get me started on Sue & her sudden disappearance from, like, the most important part of Sadie's career (& frankly, life)? Obligation, schmobligation, but giiiiiiiiiiiiiirl!!! I would not have been friends with Sue after that, & we would've been straight up enemies after the surprise party full of people whose faces I couldn't see?!? I would just hope Susie has something recognizable so I can identify her as I'm throwing hands on the rooftop, I don't care who sees. Then to have the whole situation chalked up to Sue being extroverted? Tying up my hair, handing over my bag, one of us is going to regret their decisions tonight & it's not going to be me...
Even the love interest is boring; his whole personality is being helpful, which is great for Sadie because her whole personality is pretending that she never needs help...but also, sir...I do really like him tho, he seems like a hottie & I've always had a thing for vet MC's...
But the worst part of this book, by a long shot, is the miscommunication trope. I am never typically a fan of a miscommunication. It's definitely far from my favorite, but it's usually not a vibe killer for me. Stuff happens & miscommunication, while an amateur & enraging move, is normal. That's reality. But OH MY GOD! I don't think I have ever wanted to unread a scene in any book as much as I did this one.
It was obvious from the start what would be happening, but eh, whatever, romance novels are always predictable & that's what we love about them. But the whole thing just seemed so outrageously, painfully stupid that I thought, "Well, that can't possible be what actually happens, that would be too stupid, right? Right...?" The answer is no, it apparently wasn't too stupid.
The realization scene was excruciating.
I have read 2 Katherine Center books before this, & I loved both of them so so so much! They were so well-written, so fun, so wholesome! I will be honest, I do think Katherine Center can be credited as the segue into my love of romance, I really do. I am so excited to read The Bodyguard as well, it has been on my tbr for ages (I got the BOTM copy when it first came out, but please don't tell anyone I'm that far behind).
I did enjoy this book, it was fun to read & it genuinely gave me such a good laugh. I definitely think I read this at the exact right time in my life. It was fun, uplifting, it had the perfect amount of trauma without being depressing, & the perfect type of trauma that wasn't triggering.
#iloveditbutitmademeangry #fucksusiethoughlikewhatafuckedupthingtodo #whittisaredflag
I think all of the characters were pretty uni-dimensional as well. Parker, for one, was literally just boring. I wanted to be like, "Girl shut up, you're in your 30's; being this obsessed with your stepsister, whom you lived with for a decade & have known for most of your entire life, is scarily obsessive." She admits to everyone on multiple occasions that she has no life besides tormenting Sadie; she shows up constantly, everywhere; she doesn't seem to have a job, & we know nothing else except that she has a pet & is an asshole. I think Parker would benefit from a hobby or a part-time job or a friend or a personality, or something, anything, just please get her out of the scene.
The father is simultaneously the most & least important side character in the entire book.
I know there is a stepmother & I know her name is Lucinda, next question please.
Don't even get me started on Sue & her sudden disappearance from, like, the most important part of Sadie's career (& frankly, life)? Obligation, schmobligation, but giiiiiiiiiiiiiirl!!! I would not have been friends with Sue after that, & we would've been straight up enemies after the surprise party full of people whose faces I couldn't see?!? I would just hope Susie has something recognizable so I can identify her as I'm throwing hands on the rooftop, I don't care who sees. Then to have the whole situation chalked up to Sue being extroverted? Tying up my hair, handing over my bag, one of us is going to regret their decisions tonight & it's not going to be me...
Even the love interest is boring; his whole personality is being helpful, which is great for Sadie because her whole personality is pretending that she never needs help...but also, sir...I do really like him tho, he seems like a hottie & I've always had a thing for vet MC's...
But the worst part of this book, by a long shot, is the miscommunication trope. I am never typically a fan of a miscommunication. It's definitely far from my favorite, but it's usually not a vibe killer for me. Stuff happens & miscommunication, while an amateur & enraging move, is normal. That's reality. But OH MY GOD! I don't think I have ever wanted to unread a scene in any book as much as I did this one.
It was obvious from the start what would be happening, but eh, whatever, romance novels are always predictable & that's what we love about them. But the whole thing just seemed so outrageously, painfully stupid that I thought, "Well, that can't possible be what actually happens, that would be too stupid, right? Right...?" The answer is no, it apparently wasn't too stupid.
The realization scene was excruciating.
I have read 2 Katherine Center books before this, & I loved both of them so so so much! They were so well-written, so fun, so wholesome! I will be honest, I do think Katherine Center can be credited as the segue into my love of romance, I really do. I am so excited to read The Bodyguard as well, it has been on my tbr for ages (I got the BOTM copy when it first came out, but please don't tell anyone I'm that far behind).
I did enjoy this book, it was fun to read & it genuinely gave me such a good laugh. I definitely think I read this at the exact right time in my life. It was fun, uplifting, it had the perfect amount of trauma without being depressing, & the perfect type of trauma that wasn't triggering.
#iloveditbutitmademeangry #fucksusiethoughlikewhatafuckedupthingtodo #whittisaredflag
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Medical content
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent