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bespinbibliophile's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
friends to lovers and found family 🫶🏻
basha's review against another edition
1.0
A friends to lovers romance about a woman who has been attracted to one of her oldest friends for a decade, but can’t penetrate his bizarrely aloof exterior. I actually find the premise of being incredibly attracted to one of your best friends kind of weird, if I were extremely attracted to one of my best friends for 10 years, it would be a whole thing I was thinking about and trying to manage, not just a fact of my relationship with them.
While the protagonist’s backstory makes sense - she grew up in poverty with housing instability and now as an adult is obsessed with both creating as much stability for herself as possible, and with keeping up appearances to everyone in her life - the author basically used it to turn her into a caricature. She doesn’t bond with work friends, she reads sexist self help books and recommends them to colleagues, shes a fatphobic dieter who has not eaten pizza in a decade she doesn’t seem to bring anything but almond-mom vibes to her otherwise pretty chill friend group. The precipitating event for her fall from perfectionism doesn’t make a ton of sense, I just don’t love unrealistic scenes or an uptight person suddenly takes a stand in front of a bunch of friends family members are colleagues, too unrealistic.
I also think race is handled badly in the most subtle ways in this romance - the lead character exotifies her black best friend, and calls her lodging and South Africa primitive.
The most glaring error in this book, though, is the friend dynamics. First, none of these people seem to have developed authentic intimacy, it’s particularly striking in the female friendships. But, these men are written like horny idiots. Excited to flirt with their female best friends of 10 years? it’s like the author has never met an adult man and was writing about horny childish 15 year old boys.
and don’t get me started on the pacing, this book takes place in so many different settings, and it’s really fragmented. There’s very little sexual tension or momentum of plot to pull you through the disjointed settings and stages of the plot. Overall, only complaints. Which is disappointing because I thought the ensemble cast would be fun.
While the protagonist’s backstory makes sense - she grew up in poverty with housing instability and now as an adult is obsessed with both creating as much stability for herself as possible, and with keeping up appearances to everyone in her life - the author basically used it to turn her into a caricature. She doesn’t bond with work friends, she reads sexist self help books and recommends them to colleagues, shes a fatphobic dieter who has not eaten pizza in a decade she doesn’t seem to bring anything but almond-mom vibes to her otherwise pretty chill friend group. The precipitating event for her fall from perfectionism doesn’t make a ton of sense, I just don’t love unrealistic scenes or an uptight person suddenly takes a stand in front of a bunch of friends family members are colleagues, too unrealistic.
I also think race is handled badly in the most subtle ways in this romance - the lead character exotifies her black best friend, and calls her lodging and South Africa primitive.
The most glaring error in this book, though, is the friend dynamics. First, none of these people seem to have developed authentic intimacy, it’s particularly striking in the female friendships. But, these men are written like horny idiots. Excited to flirt with their female best friends of 10 years? it’s like the author has never met an adult man and was writing about horny childish 15 year old boys.
and don’t get me started on the pacing, this book takes place in so many different settings, and it’s really fragmented. There’s very little sexual tension or momentum of plot to pull you through the disjointed settings and stages of the plot. Overall, only complaints. Which is disappointing because I thought the ensemble cast would be fun.
levellan's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
andreac713's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Not my favorite. I could see what the author had in mind but the main character was very annoying and not relatable in my opinion. I loved the love interest and the couple that dated for six years but I did not like the main character and the rich friend. It was an odd combination of people and it didn’t really work.
onceuponthesewords's review against another edition
4.0
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
This book definitely gave me ‘Friends’ vibes, centering around a group of close friends who stay together through thick and thin over the past decade. Liv, a girl who lives by the book and religiously sticks to her rigid plans, decides to say ‘cya’ to that lifestyle and ventures out of her comfort zone by daring herself to do things she’s never done before.
This book was so insanely cute, and the slow-burn between Liv and Deiss was swoon-worthy. I loved the dynamics between the friends, and I absolutely adored Elena. Also, Deiss making an effort while flirting? Yes please.
Will definitely be purchasing this book when it comes out on July 5, 2022!
This book definitely gave me ‘Friends’ vibes, centering around a group of close friends who stay together through thick and thin over the past decade. Liv, a girl who lives by the book and religiously sticks to her rigid plans, decides to say ‘cya’ to that lifestyle and ventures out of her comfort zone by daring herself to do things she’s never done before.
This book was so insanely cute, and the slow-burn between Liv and Deiss was swoon-worthy. I loved the dynamics between the friends, and I absolutely adored Elena. Also, Deiss making an effort while flirting? Yes please.
Will definitely be purchasing this book when it comes out on July 5, 2022!
kiksf's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
kelread's review against another edition
5.0
I hesitate to use the word charming, but this was charming. Friends to lovers, quasi-self realization catharsis for the protagonist that has very little to do with falling in love, and almost everything to do with acknowledging and embracing what she wants for herself and her future by way of saying, "NO." A refreshing summer romance.
mruark's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
3.0
abeckreads's review
medium-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
3.0
Its a cute, fade to black romance, with an HEA. Parts don't get closed up, but all and all, cute.
dietitianemk's review against another edition
5.0
I weirdly liked the chaos of this book. Like a little found family, college / post-college fun story.
*spoiler alert*
The Characters: I really liked Phoebe, Deiss and Liv. I didn’t care too much for Mac… kind of gave off thoughts always empty vibes. Simone was kind of really annoying though? She was always so aggressive toward Liv. I liked Booker and Mia too! I did not care for Zoe at all. Elena was kind of a mess… I felt Liv forgave her too quickly for getting her apartment robbed???
The Plot: I liked the plot a lot. It was fun seeing Liv go out of her comfort zone and see her reconnect with her friends. It was a fun book to read with the flashbacks to college and then current day life with how they’ve all changed. Phoebe deserves the world is all I have to say.
The Book Cover/Art: Simple and cute. 7/10.
My Critiques: Simone really bothered me and especially how she went out of her way to ruin Deiss’s life?? Like hello? I kind of wish Liv and Deiss had to work to make up a little bit better after their fight. I’m not sure if they’d last in the long run.
Overall, this book was a fun read! Definitely recommend.
*spoiler alert*
The Characters: I really liked Phoebe, Deiss and Liv. I didn’t care too much for Mac… kind of gave off thoughts always empty vibes. Simone was kind of really annoying though? She was always so aggressive toward Liv. I liked Booker and Mia too! I did not care for Zoe at all. Elena was kind of a mess… I felt Liv forgave her too quickly for getting her apartment robbed???
The Plot: I liked the plot a lot. It was fun seeing Liv go out of her comfort zone and see her reconnect with her friends. It was a fun book to read with the flashbacks to college and then current day life with how they’ve all changed. Phoebe deserves the world is all I have to say.
The Book Cover/Art: Simple and cute. 7/10.
My Critiques: Simone really bothered me and especially how she went out of her way to ruin Deiss’s life?? Like hello? I kind of wish Liv and Deiss had to work to make up a little bit better after their fight. I’m not sure if they’d last in the long run.
Overall, this book was a fun read! Definitely recommend.