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onegalonelife27's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
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
4.25
Earlier this year, I really enjoyed one of Jasmine Guillory’s works so I decided to listen another one of hers. I found a sweet, spicy tale of two people finding strength and love in one another.
The main characters meet in an ad company’s pitch with instant chemistry and respect for one another. Ana Gardiner, after a difficult year, is ready to get back to her old groove-and the Oscars and this ad campaign is the first step back there. Ben Stephen’s wants this campaign to go well so he can leading more projects rather than smiling at meetings. Just when Ben’s star is rising with this new ad campaign, a sudden email sends him reeling.
At first they try to keep things professional, if not a bit flirty. Yet one family emergency, spontaneous road trip and a pair of thrown panties later, they find themselves in a complicated partnership: full of humor, steaminess, tenderness, understandings and misunderstandings until the last chapter.
One topic I’m glad the book talked about is mental health. Ana struggles with anxiety and it’s a large part of the plot for her. Dealing with the struggles and the shame you feel when your mind panics, coming up with so many terrible scenarios or freezing up in stressful moments, it’s something I related to since I have anxiety myself. Yet Ana learns to be kinder with herself and her journey is wonderful.
I am glad that Ben is self aware of his flaws, admitting that he runs away in one way or another. Also I can heavily relate to Ben not wanting to tell therapists the bad things in life, despite going to therapy for bad things in the first place. Ben’s own struggle with his trauma is also wonderful to see progress. It’s not always straightforward, but then again, so is dealing with mental health and that’s wonderful too.
Overall, if you’re looking for a romance that isn’t afraid to talk about deep subjects yet still gives hope, laugh, and of course love, then this is an excellent one to try!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Mental illness
Moderate: Fatphobia and Abandonment
Minor: Body shaming and Racism
khymihr's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Abandonment
Minor: Fatphobia
bookedbymadeline's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
The fourth book I’ve read (and finished) from Guillory! I’ve loved this series, it’s so fun and lighthearted. For this book, I loved the flirty banter and switching POVs! I loved Ben, he’s my new favorite leading man 🥰 I didn’t always like Anna, there were certain actions she did but then would criticize Ben for wanting to do the same so she could be a hypocrite sometimes.
Despite not always liking Anna, I think the characters were well written and developed. I loved the discussions on mental health and therapy! It was such great rep and I enjoyed how open Anna and Ben were about their struggles.
Despite not always liking Anna, I think the characters were well written and developed. I loved the discussions on mental health and therapy! It was such great rep and I enjoyed how open Anna and Ben were about their struggles.
As with all Guillory books, there was a third act breakup with some miscommunication, but it was one sided lack of communicating their feelings, so it didn’t bother me as much as it usually does. There was also one plot point that could’ve been more developed. Anna talks about a movie role she really wants and how she was made for it but we never hear what the movie is about or what the role is, so it felt like there was a gap where we could’ve gotten to know her better.
I loved seeing the cameos from past characters again! It was so much fun, but once again I loved Maddie and Theo in everyone else’s book, just not their own book that I DNFd 😂
Overall a light, easy read and definitely a favorite for the month! I love Guillory’s books and now I’m done with the series (unless she decides to write more).
And with that here’s my ranking for the series (of the ones I read, I won’t count the 2 I DNFd):
The Proposal (Carlos forever has my heart no matter what)
Royal Holiday
Royal Holiday
While We Were Dating
The Wedding Date
Tropes: work romance, celebrity, fake dating
Rep: Black MCs, plus sized FMC, anxiety rep
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Body shaming and Racism
annahamburger's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Abandonment and Infidelity
Minor: Racism, Cursing, and Fatphobia
peachani's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Cursing
Minor: Abandonment
victcria's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Abandonment
yassiesj's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Fatphobia, Mental illness, and Body shaming
jenn_reads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-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
Moderate: Abandonment
onemorepagecrew's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
5.0
I grabbed this from the library while looking for a quick and easy weekend read, and this was exactly what I hoped for. I read this on a faux-spring Saturday with a coffee in hand and it was so enjoyable. In this romance storyline we meet Anna, a famous actress who is filming a new ad campaign, and Ben, an executive at the advertising firm producing the campaign. They have immediate chemistry and start off with more flirting and casual encounters and the build of their relationship staying realistic and not rushed.
I loved how the inner monologue of both characters was intertwined with their dialogue – one of my very favorite ways an author shows the near misses that happen in conversation when people hold back their true inner thoughts. Both Anna and Ben were equally developed without one as a main character which made me feel more invested in their relationship. I loved that they laid their vulnerabilities out there for each other early on and supported each other without expectation. I felt myself rooting for them the whole time.
The supporting characters were equally as charming and had just the right amount of storyline. Their best friends and siblings, their work colleagues, and their parents were all there to create the network of Ben and Anna and show who they were beyond their work and their romantic relationship. Side note, Ben’s brother and sister-in-law, Theo and Maddie, have their backstory in The Wedding Party and I scooped that up from the library to read, too.
This was another gem of a story from Jasmine Guillory – I loved it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment
lostinthelake's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Abandonment