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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can't tell if it's just Natalie Naudus's narration or if I just genuinely didn't gel with this book but I just don't think I enjoyed this very much. I mean, it was a cute book and I loved the premise! But the execution of Gemma as a character and the dialogue and the NARRATION (sorry I just really hate Natalie's narration on like. Everything. Fully a me problem, but THERE HAVE TO BE OTHER ASIAN WOMEN IN AUDIO. CATHERINE HO IS LITERALLY RIGHT HERE.) I honestly only really got into it emotionally towards the end in one of Celeste's chapters, which were coincidentally narrated by Catherine. I think the book would have benefited from more Celeste chapters!
Also I am SO tired of the (modern) contemporary romance trope of the "fade to black therapy healing" immediately following the third act break up. It feels lazy.
TLDR I didn't HATE this but I certainly didn't love it and REALLY wanted to love it.
Also I am SO tired of the (modern) contemporary romance trope of the "fade to black therapy healing" immediately following the third act break up. It feels lazy.
TLDR I didn't HATE this but I certainly didn't love it and REALLY wanted to love it.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
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:
No
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
inspiring
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
I love sapphic rom-coms!
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
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wow where even do i begin. For starters I wanted to love this book so much the idea was promising and I’ve been in just the right mood for a sappy romcom type of book but oh wow oh jeez, I ended up hating this one.
For starters, every chapter by Celeste is in 3rd person and is like maybe a page and a half. Didn’t need any of them. They added nothing but a way to move plot outside what the main character, Gemma, would otherwise know. Also they pissed me off, why were they in 3rd person and so short.
Next, way too many pop culture reference and if I am noticing them it’s definitely not great. I never notice these things but there were constant millennial references that were just so cringe and just not it.
In addition, none of these characters felt real. It was giving I’m playing Barbies. The writing style was very young and fanfic-esque. I was frequently forgetting the characters were supposed to be nearly 30 when everything had very YA/Teen energy. Also the characters were not all that likable and part of it might be because they were not very real. The only strong emotion I felt was for the ex-boyfriend he really sucked and then somehow got worse….truly didn’t see that coming.
Lastly, I desperately need a happy ending in my stories to distract from the very far from that reality so I am always rooting for the couple. However this book should have ended on page 291 with the end of chapter 39. These characters were much better apart and Gemmas life finally got better when she let herself be single. I think it could have been a beautifully content ending there like the ending of the Devil Wears Prada movie.
I really liked this book at the beginning but it ended up turning into disdain bordering on hate.
Oh and also, the spicy scenes? so half-assed should have just been closed door because they were so fast and lacking and they happened very frequently for like 100-ish pages and then never again. Very jarring and unnecessary.
For starters, every chapter by Celeste is in 3rd person and is like maybe a page and a half. Didn’t need any of them. They added nothing but a way to move plot outside what the main character, Gemma, would otherwise know. Also they pissed me off, why were they in 3rd person and so short.
Next, way too many pop culture reference and if I am noticing them it’s definitely not great. I never notice these things but there were constant millennial references that were just so cringe and just not it.
In addition, none of these characters felt real. It was giving I’m playing Barbies. The writing style was very young and fanfic-esque. I was frequently forgetting the characters were supposed to be nearly 30 when everything had very YA/Teen energy. Also the characters were not all that likable and part of it might be because they were not very real. The only strong emotion I felt was for the ex-boyfriend he really sucked and then somehow got worse….truly didn’t see that coming.
Lastly, I desperately need a happy ending in my stories to distract from the very far from that reality so I am always rooting for the couple. However this book should have ended on page 291 with the end of chapter 39. These characters were much better apart and Gemmas life finally got better when she let herself be single. I think it could have been a beautifully content ending there like the ending of the Devil Wears Prada movie.
I really liked this book at the beginning but it ended up turning into disdain bordering on hate.
Oh and also, the spicy scenes? so half-assed should have just been closed door because they were so fast and lacking and they happened very frequently for like 100-ish pages and then never again. Very jarring and unnecessary.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5/5. Listened to the audiobook. Cute! Wish Celeste’s character didn’t switch to third person.