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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Good story, love able characters, true rom com. Would be a great film adaptation.
May revisit, need to return to library because I won't finish
Honestly, truly in my very biased but correct opinion, I ate this book up.
One thing about me - I will never shut up about Hampton and I am a HBCU stan, through and through.
This BOOK? Baby. I ate it UP. The alumni love, the tension, the will they won’t they- had me on the floor.
Porter could get the big piece of chicken and I want y’all to hear me when I say that.
This is a 4.75 - the -2.5 is that I wished they had boom boomed earlier. I am impatient I fear
One thing about me - I will never shut up about Hampton and I am a HBCU stan, through and through.
This BOOK? Baby. I ate it UP. The alumni love, the tension, the will they won’t they- had me on the floor.
Porter could get the big piece of chicken and I want y’all to hear me when I say that.
This is a 4.75 - the -2.5 is that I wished they had boom boomed earlier. I am impatient I fear
emotional
funny
medium-paced
I found both characters to be super cute and likeable. I felt for Ari and her struggles to be taken seriously in the work place.
I took half a point of bevause of the epilogue.I really hate the "just relax and it will happen" stereotype when it comes to pregnancy. This can be damaging to some people.
I took half a point of bevause of the epilogue.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Misogyny, Sexism
Minor: Infertility
This was a really strong debut novel. I found it super easy to read and very engaging, as evidenced by the fact that it took me less than 24 hours to read it. One thing I didn't like was how much focus there was in the book on Ari's weight, both by Ari and by other characters in the book. I'm glad that Porter obviously never cared about it, but it would have been nice to not have it be referenced so much. I also felt like the breakup almost towards the end of the book was completely unnecessary. Given the relationship that the two had throughout the book, it didn't make sense to me that she wouldn't tell him what she overheard. With that being said, at the other day we got our happy ending and an epilogue with a pregnancy. Would have been nice to find out if they were having a boy or a girl, but I will take what I can get. Looking forward to seeing more from this author.
This was a really strong debut novel. Characters were fun and the chemistry was everpresent! Literally never thought of becoming an architect - but now I’m inspired maybe I’ll go back to school!
I had to DNF this one at 60-ish%
The insta-love between the two main characters didn’t feel real. Not only was it literally obsession-at-first-sight, but all the characters did was talk (and think) about how physically attracted to each other they were. But I never actually felt that. It just didn’t feel real.
The office being a full on boys club except the secretary and our fmc and we have colleagues making fat jokes and openly treating her horribly? Idk it just didn’t sit with me.
It just felt flat and honestly the blackness felt performative to the point that the dialogue was extremely cringey.
The fmc had a best friend whose kids were named after Obama’s children
The insta-love between the two main characters didn’t feel real. Not only was it literally obsession-at-first-sight, but all the characters did was talk (and think) about how physically attracted to each other they were. But I never actually felt that. It just didn’t feel real.
The office being a full on boys club except the secretary and our fmc and we have colleagues making fat jokes and openly treating her horribly? Idk it just didn’t sit with me.
It just felt flat and honestly the blackness felt performative to the point that the dialogue was extremely cringey.
The fmc had a best friend whose kids were named after Obama’s children
Both of the characters pissed me off. He had no boundaries and she was deeply insecure. There was no need to mention her weight every chapter. And for 40 year olds you’d expect them to have a better charm and flirting skills. I enjoyed the architecture aspect of the book.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
MCs in their 40s + Black MCs + texts on page!
Ari has a truly awful meet disaster kind of first day at her new job, the one that's supposed to get her career back on track.
Porter is determined to get the promotion to partnership at the firm and nothing is going to stop him.
Forced to work together, they're both determined to do their best with a project.
Read if you love...
🎤90s R&B music references
✨MCs in their 40s
🫶🏼dual perspective
✨workplace romance
💬texts on page
✨secret/hidden relationship
👏🏼he falls first
I flew through this one on audio. It was an easy & quick read, and while I wouldn't scream from the rooftops about it, it was enjoyable.
Without going into specifics because spoilers, my biggest issue with this book and why it wasn't phenomenal for me has everything to do with the way the secret/hidden relationship happened and the communication within it.
I love the he falls first trope, when the guy is just so gone for the girl.
I love the women empowerment in a male dominated field.
I love that both MCs are in their 40s.
📍Georgia
✨Representation: Black MCs; plus-size MC
‼️Content: alcoholism, not MC; death of a parent; body shaming; misogyny; sexual harassment; gaslighting; sexism; racism