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peachani's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment and Death of parent
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Grief
elizabethjn195's review
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-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
3.5
This is 3.5 stars.
The sex positivity of the women in this book was perfect and the spicy scenes were great. The representation of Vietnamese and black southern culture was well balanced and taught me a lot. The underlying struggle of the MCs aside from the romance is the pressure of having to live up to the expectations of their parents. This aspect of the book was so well written and and relatable. I did enjoy reading this book and finished it in a day. I would definitely read a book about the other Boss Babes.
My issues with this book:
-The male MC, Andre, is so immature. His attitude towards sex isn’t consistent and his need to keep secrets from his sister is unnecessary.
- The ending felt really rushed…
The sex positivity of the women in this book was perfect and the spicy scenes were great. The representation of Vietnamese and black southern culture was well balanced and taught me a lot. The underlying struggle of the MCs aside from the romance is the pressure of having to live up to the expectations of their parents. This aspect of the book was so well written and and relatable. I did enjoy reading this book and finished it in a day. I would definitely read a book about the other Boss Babes.
My issues with this book:
-The male MC, Andre, is so immature. His attitude towards sex isn’t consistent and his need to keep secrets from his sister is unnecessary.
- The ending felt really rushed…
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent
bookswithsoumi's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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
3.25
Views and opinions are my own. Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was so excited when I was approved to read this book. Interracial romance all about Vietnamese and soul food? Sign me up! A strong female lead with an even stronger female entrepreneur friend group? Even better! It is so refreshing to read a romantic-comedy in which both the leads are people of color, which is the main reason I wanted the eARC.
The premise of the story is that Andre moves to his hometown of D.C. to run his late mother’s restaurant after ending a two-year relationship with Trixie through a Post-It Note. This is a second-chance romance that explores how Trixie and Andre rekindle their relationship after Trixie moves to DC. I thought the two leads’ dynamic was very cute and realistic. Trixie is literally goals: she’s headstrong and doesn’t want Andre or any other distraction getting in the way of her sex toy business. Speaking of sex toys, I really liked the sex scenes because they were so different than what I have read before. The use of sex toys was worked seamlessly into the scenes.
Trixie had a ton of growth before the book to become an independent woman and continues to grow throughout the book so that she can be successful. I saw some reviews that Andre was too unlikable, but I thought he was caring and had a good relationship with his younger sister, which I appreciated it.
My disappointment with the book lies in the fact that although it is an Own Voices book, there was little discussion about how race affects Andre and Trixie’s life together. There was plenty of discussion of how Trixie’s Vietnamese heritage affected her childhood and career choice, and I appreciate how she wants to break the mold of a typical Asian immigrant daughter by wanting to start her own sex toy business. I was hoping for a more nuanced look how race may have affected their breakup. Andre’s friend even wonders if being black made Trixie’s parents not like Andre’s influence on Trixie. But Andre denies this early in the story and says that Trixie’s parents just thought his ideals were “too American.” Was that just code for Trixie’s parents for being “[too] black?” Do you see how I want unpack this more!? But this is on me for expecting nuanced racial discussion in a rom-com.
Additionally, the book is set in DC, but there is nothing unique about the setting that makes me interested in the characters’ surroundings. I feel this book could be set in any American town, big or small, and nothing really would have changed. I’ve read many books where the setting itself, be it DC, NYC, or any-town-USA, plays a major role in the plot.
I would say to give this book a chance! It’s very light-hearted and you will love all the characters’ sex-positive discussion of sex toys and of food! I need some New Orleans style soul food after reading this book. My criticism is pretty personal and shouldn’t deter you from the book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Grief and Death of parent
decklededgess's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
content/trigger warnings: sex and nudity, alcohol use, death of parents, cancer, car accident mention, ghosting of a significant other, heart attack, difficult relationship with parents, fire related tragedy, grief
This book was decent despite my initial hesitation, although the "i like it" vibe wasn't consistent throughout. The first 10% was really bland and pissed me off. A lot of tell and no show. Predictably, once the smut picked up I was able to read faster. The pacing was a bit odd though and again once we hit like 70% the book went back to it's tell and no show writing and it felt like a lot of detail that would have made the story flow better was cut out.
I was also not a big fan of Trixie's "I need to deal with my own goals and not worry about Andre's concerns about neighbourhood gentrification because I'm a Bitchin Boss Babe." First of all ew to that group name we're well past the girlboss era of feminism. Please move past that. Second of all, she's a DMV transplant, has no connection to the neighbourhood and the history. So when she decides to opt for her own dreams with no regard for Andre's knowledge of the impact of gentrification and how actually partaking in renting gentrified buildings contributes to further gentrification well....she really went full throttle girlboss and I hated it. There were certainly better ways for her to achieve her goals without literally being part of the problem Andre was so concerned about.
I also wasn't to hot on how all of that responsibility of growth was thrown on Andre. Trixie's maturity and independence happened off page. We didn't get to see her grow into her confident (albeit annoyingly girlboss) self. Meanwhile Andre was flogged for being closed off and unable to communicate, which yeah sure he was a bit emotionally tight lipped. But when he raised concerns about the gentrification issue it's brushed aside as aggressive and unsupportive. He gets a POV in the book but it didn't feel much like the author was giving him an actual chance.
Anyways, the book ends with a nice little deus ex machina so it all worked out. Plus the smut was obscenely good so there's that.
This book was decent despite my initial hesitation, although the "i like it" vibe wasn't consistent throughout. The first 10% was really bland and pissed me off. A lot of tell and no show. Predictably, once the smut picked up I was able to read faster. The pacing was a bit odd though and again once we hit like 70% the book went back to it's tell and no show writing and it felt like a lot of detail that would have made the story flow better was cut out.
I was also not a big fan of Trixie's "I need to deal with my own goals and not worry about Andre's concerns about neighbourhood gentrification because I'm a Bitchin Boss Babe." First of all ew to that group name we're well past the girlboss era of feminism. Please move past that. Second of all, she's a DMV transplant, has no connection to the neighbourhood and the history. So when she decides to opt for her own dreams with no regard for Andre's knowledge of the impact of gentrification and how actually partaking in renting gentrified buildings contributes to further gentrification well....she really went full throttle girlboss and I hated it. There were certainly better ways for her to achieve her goals without literally being part of the problem Andre was so concerned about.
I also wasn't to hot on how all of that responsibility of growth was thrown on Andre. Trixie's maturity and independence happened off page. We didn't get to see her grow into her confident (albeit annoyingly girlboss) self. Meanwhile Andre was flogged for being closed off and unable to communicate, which yeah sure he was a bit emotionally tight lipped. But when he raised concerns about the gentrification issue it's brushed aside as aggressive and unsupportive. He gets a POV in the book but it didn't feel much like the author was giving him an actual chance.
Anyways, the book ends with a nice little deus ex machina so it all worked out. Plus the smut was obscenely good so there's that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Grief, and Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Car accident, Death, and Death of parent
100_pages_hr's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I enjoyed this own voices book. I don't know a lot about Vietnamese culture or New Orleans culture but I enjoyed learning a little more. The fusion of the two was also welcome.
Trixie's job is definitely not something I would be comfy with to be honest and I've only been to one of those parties, but it was fun to read about in a fiction world.
I really fell in love with Andre when he was trying to help her calm down but of course hated him at other parts in the book. The back and forth their relationship took was a lot for me.
I did love the importance of family in this book. It is one of my favorite parts of the own voices genres.
This book is obviously quite steamy just based on what Trixie sells and obviously uses herself for "research" so be forewarned.
Trixie's job is definitely not something I would be comfy with to be honest and I've only been to one of those parties, but it was fun to read about in a fiction world.
I really fell in love with Andre when he was trying to help her calm down but of course hated him at other parts in the book. The back and forth their relationship took was a lot for me.
I did love the importance of family in this book. It is one of my favorite parts of the own voices genres.
This book is obviously quite steamy just based on what Trixie sells and obviously uses herself for "research" so be forewarned.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Cursing
Minor: Death of parent and Grief
Fire, heart attack
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