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always_anxious's review
5.0
This was AMAZING. How did I not come across this earlier ? * chefs kiss* This was exactly the type of story I was in the mood for.
Definitely a slow burn, no OW/OM drama. OM has feelings for h but doesn’t interfere with h/H.
This was told in third person narrative and was dual POV. I only wish it had more of the H’s POV since it seemed to have more of the h’s. I would’ve preferred a longer ending. Definitely comes with a HAE but I always feel like it’s never enough.
Lots of fluff. Low steam, only one scene but considering it’s a slow burn and a novella it was enough.
Definitely a slow burn, no OW/OM drama. OM has feelings for h but doesn’t interfere with h/H.
This was told in third person narrative and was dual POV. I only wish it had more of the H’s POV since it seemed to have more of the h’s. I would’ve preferred a longer ending. Definitely comes with a HAE but I always feel like it’s never enough.
Lots of fluff. Low steam, only one scene but considering it’s a slow burn and a novella it was enough.
falulatonks's review
4.0
Oh, I love Lucy Parker so much. She has such a lovely voice - warmth and charm and intelligence, not just the dialogue, but the narration in between. It's so easy for a writer to get too-smart and too-wordy and fiddly, and kind of in their head. I never see the sweat in Parker's writing, even as I'm appreciating the emotional intelligence and immense humour of them.
Both leads are WONDERFUL - I adored spending time with them, and I adored seeing how much they liked each other? The easy learning of each other, the touching, the kindness. Both characters are so internal in different ways and the way they recognise that and make room for it in the way they act and think is really lovely, the kind of work I love in romances. Sophy in particular - her worry and introversion never felt like a pasted-in obstacle, and never like it was meant to be quirky. And I liked that Mick's shitty family was suffered through but never got the care (or what I'd find unbelievable) of a redemption.
And finally - I know this is set in New Zealand, but the kind of pottering-about, looser-city vibes felt very reminiscent of Sarah Mayberry's Australia setting to me. Comfortable and inviting, my favourite kind of place.
My tiniest gripe was with the plot, particularly an out-of-nowhere incident at the very end. But I don't mind the randomness of it when I look at the bigger picture, so it really is the tiniest of gripes.
Both leads are WONDERFUL - I adored spending time with them, and I adored seeing how much they liked each other? The easy learning of each other, the touching, the kindness. Both characters are so internal in different ways and the way they recognise that and make room for it in the way they act and think is really lovely, the kind of work I love in romances. Sophy in particular - her worry and introversion never felt like a pasted-in obstacle, and never like it was meant to be quirky. And I liked that Mick's shitty family was suffered through but never got the care (or what I'd find unbelievable) of a redemption.
And finally - I know this is set in New Zealand, but the kind of pottering-about, looser-city vibes felt very reminiscent of Sarah Mayberry's Australia setting to me. Comfortable and inviting, my favourite kind of place.
My tiniest gripe was with the plot, particularly an out-of-nowhere incident at the very end. But I don't mind the randomness of it when I look at the bigger picture, so it really is the tiniest of gripes.
yourkindredreader's review
5.0
A book by Lucy Parker!
Artistic License is written by Elle Pierson (Lucy Parker). I've always been a fan of hers and has recently found out she wrote this.
Sophy is an art student who had been secretly sneaking glances at Mick, trying to sketch him because she found him beautiful. Mick, a guard for a rich art collector, had always been perceptive about how ugly people found him. He noticed Sophy's glances and was wary. Through an incident and misplaced guilt, Mick helped Sophy with her project.
I love both Sophy and Mick. They are lovable characters. I also love tropes where they have clashing personalities but truly work to compromise. There's a beautiful message in this book about being an introvert and needing space and quiet. As an introvert myself, I felt understood.
Recommending to give this a read!
Artistic License is written by Elle Pierson (Lucy Parker). I've always been a fan of hers and has recently found out she wrote this.
Sophy is an art student who had been secretly sneaking glances at Mick, trying to sketch him because she found him beautiful. Mick, a guard for a rich art collector, had always been perceptive about how ugly people found him. He noticed Sophy's glances and was wary. Through an incident and misplaced guilt, Mick helped Sophy with her project.
I love both Sophy and Mick. They are lovable characters. I also love tropes where they have clashing personalities but truly work to compromise. There's a beautiful message in this book about being an introvert and needing space and quiet. As an introvert myself, I felt understood.
Recommending to give this a read!
taramisu's review
4.0
What a sweet story! I couldn't have loved the MCs any more than I did. I'm a sucker for nice, decent people.
shaydelayed's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
I liked the different spin on this love story. It just seemed a bit overwritten.
I liked the different spin on this love story. It just seemed a bit overwritten.
laksita's review against another edition
lighthearted
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
3.0
This was good. Sophy and Mick’s relationship was properly developed from strangers to friends to lovers. Good dialogue.
However I didn’t necessarily like the whole Dale thing as a plot device. But that’s just me.
However I didn’t necessarily like the whole Dale thing as a plot device. But that’s just me.
jj_c's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-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
4.25
maryisabelle's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
brokenrecord's review
4.0
I definitely wasn’t as into this as I was Act Like It, but this was still cute. I just really liked both Sophy and Mick as characters and that they were both different from most romance leads, and I liked the way their relationship was developed. They were just very sweet!