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fatimac's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Really cute, not sure if I like him calling her kiddo because well they fall in love and she’s younger but not that much younger and I’m not tryna think of him thinking of her as a kiddo so idk but I love her writing
annmariematzker's review against another edition
3.0
Reading this book was a labor of love. I really enjoyed the whole journey. It was a true slow burn with lots of banter and family/found family. It also had connections to the Wall of Winnipeg and Me which was really fun.
I enjoyed the inclusion of Bianca’s job as the Lazy Baker. I feel like we didn’t get enough football though in this football romance.
I thought at times it was pretty repetitive and the miscommunication trope was practically the main conflict.
If you are the type of person that hates pet names and it cringes you out— you will hate this book. There are pet names left, right, and center.
I think this book could have benefitted from showing and not telling about their childhood relationship. Instead of just telling what happened in the past, Marianna could have showed a flashback and that could have added more depth. Kind of like then and now timelines.
Overall, I did really enjoy the characters though and this was a good read.
I enjoyed the inclusion of Bianca’s job as the Lazy Baker. I feel like we didn’t get enough football though in this football romance.
I thought at times it was pretty repetitive and the miscommunication trope was practically the main conflict.
If you are the type of person that hates pet names and it cringes you out— you will hate this book. There are pet names left, right, and center.
I think this book could have benefitted from showing and not telling about their childhood relationship. Instead of just telling what happened in the past, Marianna could have showed a flashback and that could have added more depth. Kind of like then and now timelines.
Overall, I did really enjoy the characters though and this was a good read.
sheiltheshell's review against another edition
1.0
Again, i had asked the library to order it so I forced myself to read it. It was not good and he kept calling her kiddo
blurrypetals's review against another edition
3.0
I'm really waffling between a 3 and a 4 on this one, but I think by the time I finish up my next book, the details will have faded away to nothing other than it was a middle of the road Zapata book. I didn't hate it like ironically titled The Best Thing but it wasn't as likable as even Under Locke or Luna and the Lie, let alone her best like From Lukov With Love or my personal favorite, The Wall of Winnipeg and Me.
It even took me a hot second to realize this was even a spinoff to The Wall of Winnipeg and Me because it's been so long since I last read it. It literally took Aiden and Vanessa showing up at Zac's doorstep for me to remember, oh shit their roommate's name was Zac and this is the Zac from their book, oh no, why is he acting so different?
At the end of the day, though, this just felt so light on the romance stuff. I always have an extremely hard time with friends to lovers stories and this was no exception. Yes, Mariana Zapata makes the slow burn her bread and butter, but there just weren't enough little moments between Bianca and Zac to hang onto. Plus, by the billionth time Bianca insists "Zac could never possibly love her in that way," and "But I don't wanna ruin our fRiEnDsHiP," it goes past tiresome and goes straight into irritating.
By the time I was halfway through, I was simply wishing I was reading The Wall of Winnipeg and Me all over again, a much better Zapata book with a much better romance, much better football, and even much better Zac! Which is wild, because Zac is in The Wall of Winnipeg and Me so little that I forgot he was even called Zac! I do really think Zapata just does better with enemies to lovers than she does with friends to lovers, as all her enemies to lovers books are my favorites of hers, but the biggest downfall of this book was that I didn't really even buy this so-called amazing friendship of theirs and, when it's friends to lovers, that's a big downfall to have.
It even took me a hot second to realize this was even a spinoff to The Wall of Winnipeg and Me because it's been so long since I last read it. It literally took Aiden and Vanessa showing up at Zac's doorstep for me to remember, oh shit their roommate's name was Zac and this is the Zac from their book, oh no, why is he acting so different?
At the end of the day, though, this just felt so light on the romance stuff. I always have an extremely hard time with friends to lovers stories and this was no exception. Yes, Mariana Zapata makes the slow burn her bread and butter, but there just weren't enough little moments between Bianca and Zac to hang onto. Plus, by the billionth time Bianca insists "Zac could never possibly love her in that way," and "But I don't wanna ruin our fRiEnDsHiP," it goes past tiresome and goes straight into irritating.
By the time I was halfway through, I was simply wishing I was reading The Wall of Winnipeg and Me all over again, a much better Zapata book with a much better romance, much better football, and even much better Zac! Which is wild, because Zac is in The Wall of Winnipeg and Me so little that I forgot he was even called Zac! I do really think Zapata just does better with enemies to lovers than she does with friends to lovers, as all her enemies to lovers books are my favorites of hers, but the biggest downfall of this book was that I didn't really even buy this so-called amazing friendship of theirs and, when it's friends to lovers, that's a big downfall to have.
stepka095's review against another edition
2.0
So here we are, I’ve finally finished it. This was a little bit of a disappointment. I was expecting a smooth funny book and a Mariana Zapata’s masterpiece but it was just so simple and so so so slow… I couldn’t even connect or like the characters that much. I didn’t enjoy this book that much.
kait_kosub's review against another edition
3.0
3.5⭐
I wanted to love this so badly! It was just lacking, especially compared to MZ's other books. I loved Zac in the Wall of Winnipeg and me and still liked him in this one but I don't know just not as much. I did not feel the romantic connection between Zac and Bianca at all! There would be small moments where maybe they're had been a spark but then he kept calling her Kiddo! That was just too weird for me and kept the whole vibe completely platonic for me. But the writing was good as always and the concept was there.
I wanted to love this so badly! It was just lacking, especially compared to MZ's other books. I loved Zac in the Wall of Winnipeg and me and still liked him in this one but I don't know just not as much. I did not feel the romantic connection between Zac and Bianca at all! There would be small moments where maybe they're had been a spark but then he kept calling her Kiddo! That was just too weird for me and kept the whole vibe completely platonic for me. But the writing was good as always and the concept was there.
ainsleyr13's review against another edition
5.0
This is my first MZ book, and I don’t know how I’m gonna like any other more than this one.
megecb's review against another edition
4.0
Mariana Zapata is the QUEEN of slow burn 😚🤌🏼
My only negative is the use of the nickname “kiddo.” I really did not fw that
My only negative is the use of the nickname “kiddo.” I really did not fw that
jenn_k_reads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? No
4.5