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boundinspines's review against another edition
3.0
This was cute. A little more fanfic than I was prepared for, but overall cute and sweet. I'm not sure I'm committed enough to continue the series though.
the_escape_artist_'s review against another edition
4.0
This book was exactly why I was hoping for (and maybe a little more) it was a bit racier than I was expecting, but the story was fun. I laughed out loud many times, I love a book that doesn’t take itself to seriously. Also, really lovely and honest portrayal of both fat and disabled characters, it was refreshing
hellobookbird's review against another edition
5.0
I have no interest in writing about a man who offers nothing but good looks and easy charm. But hidden depths fascinate me.
Marcus Caster-Rupp has a secret. While the world knows him as Aeneas, the star of the biggest show on TV, Gods of the Gates, he's known to fanfiction readers as Book!AeneasWouldNever, an anonymous and popular poster. Marcus is able to get out his own frustrations with his character through his stories, especially the ones that feature the internet’s favorite couple to ship, Aeneas and Lavinia. But if anyone ever found out about his online persona, he’d be fired. Immediately.
April Whittier has secrets of her own. A hardcore Lavinia fan, she’s hidden her fanfiction and cosplay hobby from her “real life” for years—but not anymore. When she decides to post her latest Lavinia creation on Twitter, her photo goes viral. Trolls and supporters alike are commenting on her plus-size take, but when Marcus, one half of her OTP, sees her pic and asks her out on a date to spite her critics, she realizes life is really stranger than fanfiction.
You have to dig. You have to look carefully, but there’s a story waiting for you. It wants you to see the signs. It wants to be told.
I don't think I've loved a nerdy romance so much since [b: Eliza and Her Monsters|31931941|Eliza and Her Monsters|Francesca Zappia|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476994065l/31931941._SY75_.jpg|52586056].
For years, April has dealt with the fat-shaming culture that tells her she isn't enough as she is, that she needs to be fixed to be desirable, including from her parents. She's hidden her interest in fanfiction from her coworkers and played life safe. But now she's tired of hiding. She wants to get the enjoyment out of life that she gets from writing fanfiction in her online community...and she's going to start by posting a cosplay of herself in all her plus-sized, bodacious glory as her OTP Lavinia.
For years, Marcus has played the Adonis-like demi-god Aeneas on screen. Off-screen but in the spotlight, he acts like a dumb, though charismatic, narcissistic, pretty boy...only concerned with workout routines and hair care. Nobody knows the real Marcus...until he meets April, and discovers she's his online best friend. But she isn't interested in the Golden Retriever surface he presents. Like her fanfics, she wants to explore the hidden depths behind the pretty face.
The parallels between their OTP and their relationship is so wholesome:
She’s a woman who’s been insulted and devalued her whole life because of how she looks, even though she’s smart and brave and kind. Then Aeneas comes along, and he has his own baggage, but he sees her. He SEES her. He recognizes that everyone considers her ugly, but he sees her value.
At it's core, this book is exactly as she describes the relationship between Lavinia and Aeneas. The brief snippets of fanfic critiques and fanfics themselves gives you a closer insight into the baggage that both of them carry and work through. [b: Spoiler Alert|50496918|Spoiler Alert (Spoiler Alert #1)|Olivia Dade|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1584239588l/50496918._SY75_.jpg|75471187] is half nerdy romance and half coming-of-age, exploring two different self-identity issues. And it's done so well.
Please tell me I get an offshoot with Alex next. Please, please, please.
Highly recommended to all romance fans!
And if you liked this, definitely check out [b: Eliza and Her Monsters|31931941|Eliza and Her Monsters|Francesca Zappia|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1476994065l/31931941._SY75_.jpg|52586056] (review here) and possibly [b:Cinder & Ella|22724488|Cinder & Ella (Cinder & Ella, #1)|Kelly Oram|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1406815644l/22724488._SY75_.jpg|42254560] (though geared much younger and not as probable).
lostinreading's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
2.5
gracelizab's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
t_c0le's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
4.0
samigorski's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
If you’re looking for bubblegum for the brain, this book is it. There are parts of this story that I truly loved and some parts that brought me close to DNFing this book. I loved having a plus sized FMC who was relatable, confident, sexy, and smart. The love interest was adorable. But some of the conflict was forced and the writing at times was immature (as in sounds like a high schooler wrote it was a fanfic). As someone who grew up writing and reading fan fiction, it was great to see that community represented and in a believable way.
kjlfv's review against another edition
2.0
I love fanfiction as much as the next girl, but there are certain fanfiction tropes I can't stand, mainly self-insert and fanfiction about real people. It feels icky to me to write a story about a real person who actually exists and could potentially read the smut you wrote about them. This feels like it should have stayed on AO3