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rickireadss's review against another edition
3.5
this was just okay for me. the then-now perspective on this one was a little difficult to follow on audio, and i had to restart the book like 15% in because of how confused i got. i honestly don't remember much of what happened in this (this review is being written like 3 weeks later), but i know it just wasn't for me. i was bored a lot, but i think i will read elissa's next book.
⚠️: alcoholism, addiction, death of parent, misogyny, body shaming, homophobia
⚠️: alcoholism, addiction, death of parent, misogyny, body shaming, homophobia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Homophobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Misogyny, and Death of parent
annadelreads's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? No
2.75
"there is nothing just about you."
Bought this book earlier this year and it's been bumming me out that it's been sitting on my TBR for that long already so I decided, finally, to grab it and read it at the start of August. For some reason, it took me a while to finish this book just because I was not being pulled to reading it. Imagine I was on a vacation and I wasn't able to dent it so hard during the trip, that's already speaking a lot. Story-wise, it was a whirlwind, both in a good way and in a bad way. In a good way, because that's how the story is intended. In a bad way, because it was a then and now kind of book set-up and sometimes some Then chapters does not correlate with the Now chapters. I was lost at some point in the story wherein, I was confused what really happened between the two of them. In my opinion, it could have been solved simply by talking about it. But little adults like us don't immediately talk to solve a problem and that's how a book is made up.
To be honest, it's a love and hate relationship for me for the both MCs. I didn't love them but I also didn't hate them. I'm just there listening on how their stories unfold and I'm just existing as a reader. Somehow I didn't feel anything positive when I was reading this book? If that makes sense?
On the positive side, I understand why it's on the pricier side of the books, the physical quality is dead on, the best I've ever held on my hands. I'm also happy that I've read this because I don't have to look at my TBR again and see this on my unread pile. :3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
fionasmith's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction and Alcoholism
charlotte_'s review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction and Alcoholism
krystalanddogs's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
fast-paced
3.0
This is a little more love at first sight and miscommunication than I really like normally, but I like when a story is told with flashbacks. I liked the main characters, they both made sense to me. It was silly and fun enough that even with the things about it I found annoying, I couldn't really rate it lowly.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Grief, Death of parent, and Alcohol
alexcooper88's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction and Alcoholism
Moderate: Death of parent and Sexual harassment
jennabeck13's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Susanna
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5/5)
Genre: Romance
About 340 pages
Chani’s article about movie star Gabe Parker launched her to fame in her late 20s. What should have just been a profile on the new Bond-to-be became a tabloid hit as everyone speculated what happened between her and Gabe. Ten years later, Gabe’s PR team reaches out to Chani asking her to do another feature on him. Chani is torn as the original article jumpstarted her career but she feels like it’s put her in a box. Additionally, she has complex feelings about Gabe and everything that happened that weekend. Ultimately, Chani decides to proceed with the reunion and things may never be the same again.
If you love a second-chance romance, this is your book! Funny You Should Ask was a fun, light read that I flew through in about two days. I loved the alternating timelines and the articles sprinkled throughout the book! I did get a bit frustrated with Chani’s mentality/behavior at times but overall loved the dynamic between her and Gabe.
Favorite Quote: “I didn’t think it was possible for so many words to come out of somebody’s mouth that quickly,” he said. “And I auditioned for Gilmore Girls.”
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
emmysforeverbooked's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Where do I start with this review... The main character felt insufferable for about 85% of the book, the writing style was just idek, and the ending??? Really???
I'm gonna flesh out each of these things just to kind of give you an insight as to why I didn't like each thing. But before I get started, please know that these things are not personal digs at the author, I'm sure she's great. This book, however, just did not do it for me. That's not to say you shouldn't pick it up if you think you'll like it! You read what interests you, these are just my personal opinions while I was reading it.
Chani. Chani, Chani, Chani. I feel weird even typing that because the love interest does, in fact, say that during the smut, which I will touch on later. But for now, I just need to rant about the main character for a sec. I honestly think that for once, if this had been dual POV, I would've enjoyed the guy's POV better. Other than Belly from The Summer I Turned Pretty, this is the most insufferable MC I have ever read about. This whole book felt like "Poor, pitiful me. I'm a famous writer and I have the best life ever but it doesn't matter because my life is actually awful since I didn't get to f!ck this hot celebrity man." Babes... this is like the entirety of stan twt complaining because they didn't get to sleep with a member of BTS. It would be nice, but it's just not going to happen.
And then when it did happen? After she spent 10 years complaining and sulking because she didn't take her opportunity to sleep with him and now she finally can, guess what? Her first instinct is to complain because it did happen 🤦🏻♀️
Which I guess brings me to my next point, the ✨️smut✨️ scene. Now my first complaint is that I had to wait 302 pages, nearly the entirety of the book, for her to say "we were tangled up like two horny octopuses." 😐 yep, you read that right. You know what the smut chapter felt like? 10 pages of glorified wattpad fanfiction. Especially when you consider that this man feels like a knock-off Tom Holland or someone like that. The smut in this book was just embarrassing...
Tbh the overall writing style was just... I don't even know how to take it. One minute, there would be fancy words I had to Google the definition of while the only variation of speaker tags we had were "I say" or "He asks". Like there were no other speaking verbs other than those two. Maybe this wouldn't bother someone else, but I'm autistic, I have to have tone indicators to know how I'm supposed to take these things.
Finally, because I could go on forever if you let me, I just need to release my anger for the ending. Because wtf was that? You just expect me to believe they haven't seen each other in a decade, then sleep together the day after they reunite, tell each other "F!ck you!" and basically break up despite not even being together, and their mutual friend sets them back up together all within a span of about 12 hours??? Girl wut?? And then you expect me to believe after they have a single conversation discussing their feelings for all of about five minutes, that they're happily married in the epilogue? I simply cannot compute.
All this being said, I do think this book would've been great as a Y/A book. Someone's thirteen year old daughter would eat this up if there wasn't a smut scene and a scene within the first ten pages of the book where MC thoroughly describes how hot and bothered Gabe Parker makes her feel with one glance over. So I think if you enjoy Y/A romance and celebrity romance, you'd probably enjoy this book. However, for me personally, it just wasn't what I wanted considering I picked this up on the premise that it was a contemporary romance.
I'm gonna flesh out each of these things just to kind of give you an insight as to why I didn't like each thing. But before I get started, please know that these things are not personal digs at the author, I'm sure she's great. This book, however, just did not do it for me. That's not to say you shouldn't pick it up if you think you'll like it! You read what interests you, these are just my personal opinions while I was reading it.
Chani. Chani, Chani, Chani. I feel weird even typing that because the love interest does, in fact, say that during the smut, which I will touch on later. But for now, I just need to rant about the main character for a sec. I honestly think that for once, if this had been dual POV, I would've enjoyed the guy's POV better. Other than Belly from The Summer I Turned Pretty, this is the most insufferable MC I have ever read about. This whole book felt like "Poor, pitiful me. I'm a famous writer and I have the best life ever but it doesn't matter because my life is actually awful since I didn't get to f!ck this hot celebrity man." Babes... this is like the entirety of stan twt complaining because they didn't get to sleep with a member of BTS. It would be nice, but it's just not going to happen.
And then when it did happen? After she spent 10 years complaining and sulking because she didn't take her opportunity to sleep with him and now she finally can, guess what? Her first instinct is to complain because it did happen 🤦🏻♀️
Which I guess brings me to my next point, the ✨️smut✨️ scene. Now my first complaint is that I had to wait 302 pages, nearly the entirety of the book, for her to say "we were tangled up like two horny octopuses." 😐 yep, you read that right. You know what the smut chapter felt like? 10 pages of glorified wattpad fanfiction. Especially when you consider that this man feels like a knock-off Tom Holland or someone like that. The smut in this book was just embarrassing...
Tbh the overall writing style was just... I don't even know how to take it. One minute, there would be fancy words I had to Google the definition of while the only variation of speaker tags we had were "I say" or "He asks". Like there were no other speaking verbs other than those two. Maybe this wouldn't bother someone else, but I'm autistic, I have to have tone indicators to know how I'm supposed to take these things.
Finally, because I could go on forever if you let me, I just need to release my anger for the ending. Because wtf was that? You just expect me to believe they haven't seen each other in a decade, then sleep together the day after they reunite, tell each other "F!ck you!" and basically break up despite not even being together, and their mutual friend sets them back up together all within a span of about 12 hours??? Girl wut?? And then you expect me to believe after they have a single conversation discussing their feelings for all of about five minutes, that they're happily married in the epilogue? I simply cannot compute.
All this being said, I do think this book would've been great as a Y/A book. Someone's thirteen year old daughter would eat this up if there wasn't a smut scene and a scene within the first ten pages of the book where MC thoroughly describes how hot and bothered Gabe Parker makes her feel with one glance over. So I think if you enjoy Y/A romance and celebrity romance, you'd probably enjoy this book. However, for me personally, it just wasn't what I wanted considering I picked this up on the premise that it was a contemporary romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Homophobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Misogyny, Antisemitism, and Car accident
litbrett's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, and Death of parent
alex_nicole's review against another edition
emotional
funny
relaxing
slow-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
This book is a great beach read. Would I say that it hooked me from the start? No not really. More towards the last 40% of it did it really want me to not put it down. I found myself asking questions that bothered me about the book more than intriguing me. HOWEVER. I did like the “twist” of Ollie being gay and not able to be Bond because of the homophobia of the director. it was a twist I didn’t see coming and made SO MUCH SENSE. anywhooo read it if you’re in need of a second chance romance type of thang. Or if you like books about celebrities.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction