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turnthepages_nl's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
4.75
Let me start off with saying, I love books set in Paris, especially when the MC loves food. Because helloooo donuts, patisserie, bread, BREADDDD. And our MC Evie loves bread and donuts. She loves to bake too, her biggest wish is to open a shop with home made goods. But having a chronic illness makes chasing your dreams hard, it can sometimes feel impossible. Evie has endometriosis, and although I don't have the diagnosis myself, I sure do have quite a few symptoms, more than I'd like to admit...
Torie Jean has endo too, she writes books with endo rep, lived experience. Own-Voices representation is so so important. And Torie is doing amazing work! Creating awareness, validating peoples pain, struggles, emotions, hardships. Finding Gene Kelly is a bit graphic at times, but I loved that. It doesn't sugarcoat it. It shows how much pain Evie is in but also how hard it is to ask for and even more so to accept help from the people around you. Evie is someone who wants to take care of herself. She doesn't want to need other people. But sometimes you can really benefit from leaning on others when you are having a hard time. It was beautiful to see how she and Liam grew together, in life but also regarding her chronic illness.
Liam is 100% a cinnamonroll and I loved that. He is sunshineeeeee. But filled with puns. How Torie managed to find all these puns is beyond me, but it had me giggling tons. The chemistry between Liam and Evie was so fun, lots of banter but the further you get into the book, the more sweet moments are being thrown at you. I awwwed a lot at Liam, haha. His Gene Kelly moment?!!! Ughhhhh I want one of those!
As you maybe know, fake dating is one of my fav tropes. And it was executed to well in this story! The. Tension. Was. Off. The. Charts. Honestly loved every second of it.
Combine that with food, lots of puns, nicknames, Parisian architecture, loving friendships, old hollywood movies and you got yourself the story of Finding Gene Kelly. Or at least a big chunk of it.
Because another aspect I loved (but also hated) was Evie's family. Her grandma was absolutely amazing, but sadly isn't with her anymore. But her mother?!!! Big yikes. Her mum is a fatphobic, gaslighting, disrespectfull human being. And one of the reasons Evie is literally living on a different continent. Her mum, Caroline, is always talking crap about her. Snarky remarks, stabby comments. Seeing Evies Endometriose as a problem and a reason she hasn't got a husband yet. Because she obviously is broken and has a problem. Because baring children is the most important task for a woman right? Wellllll no Caroline it is not! And eventhough Evie knows her mum is wrong, it still hurts. A lot. Being seen as broken, wrong, a problem. That is painfull! Especially when it is your own mother who talks about you like that. When your own mother disregards your pain and hardships whilest also gossiping about you(r lack of a partner and children) to other people. That freaking hurts. But I think the gaslighting and comments from Caroline (and other people too) were displayed beautifully. This is raw and honest representation of what it's like living with a chronic illness. People who (usually) mean well, but say stuff that hurts so much. But still feeling like you have to be polite. Torie really really hit the nail on the head.
So, if you like a sweet romance story with fake dating, chronic illness rep (endometiosis), nicknames, FOOD and old hollywood movies, this is absolutely the book for you. And if not, give it a try anyway because the Endometriose rep was amazing and I think people can really learn from it!
Torie send me a copy of the new edition of Finding Gene Kelly, as part of her ARC team in exchange for an honest review. This does in no way influence my opinion.
Torie Jean has endo too, she writes books with endo rep, lived experience. Own-Voices representation is so so important. And Torie is doing amazing work! Creating awareness, validating peoples pain, struggles, emotions, hardships. Finding Gene Kelly is a bit graphic at times, but I loved that. It doesn't sugarcoat it. It shows how much pain Evie is in but also how hard it is to ask for and even more so to accept help from the people around you. Evie is someone who wants to take care of herself. She doesn't want to need other people. But sometimes you can really benefit from leaning on others when you are having a hard time. It was beautiful to see how she and Liam grew together, in life but also regarding her chronic illness.
Liam is 100% a cinnamonroll and I loved that. He is sunshineeeeee. But filled with puns. How Torie managed to find all these puns is beyond me, but it had me giggling tons. The chemistry between Liam and Evie was so fun, lots of banter but the further you get into the book, the more sweet moments are being thrown at you. I awwwed a lot at Liam, haha. His Gene Kelly moment?!!! Ughhhhh I want one of those!
As you maybe know, fake dating is one of my fav tropes. And it was executed to well in this story! The. Tension. Was. Off. The. Charts. Honestly loved every second of it.
Combine that with food, lots of puns, nicknames, Parisian architecture, loving friendships, old hollywood movies and you got yourself the story of Finding Gene Kelly. Or at least a big chunk of it.
Because another aspect I loved (but also hated) was Evie's family. Her grandma was absolutely amazing, but sadly isn't with her anymore. But her mother?!!! Big yikes. Her mum is a fatphobic, gaslighting, disrespectfull human being. And one of the reasons Evie is literally living on a different continent. Her mum, Caroline, is always talking crap about her. Snarky remarks, stabby comments. Seeing Evies Endometriose as a problem and a reason she hasn't got a husband yet. Because she obviously is broken and has a problem. Because baring children is the most important task for a woman right? Wellllll no Caroline it is not! And eventhough Evie knows her mum is wrong, it still hurts. A lot. Being seen as broken, wrong, a problem. That is painfull! Especially when it is your own mother who talks about you like that. When your own mother disregards your pain and hardships whilest also gossiping about you(r lack of a partner and children) to other people. That freaking hurts. But I think the gaslighting and comments from Caroline (and other people too) were displayed beautifully. This is raw and honest representation of what it's like living with a chronic illness. People who (usually) mean well, but say stuff that hurts so much. But still feeling like you have to be polite. Torie really really hit the nail on the head.
So, if you like a sweet romance story with fake dating, chronic illness rep (endometiosis), nicknames, FOOD and old hollywood movies, this is absolutely the book for you. And if not, give it a try anyway because the Endometriose rep was amazing and I think people can really learn from it!
Torie send me a copy of the new edition of Finding Gene Kelly, as part of her ARC team in exchange for an honest review. This does in no way influence my opinion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Vomit, Chronic illness, and Drug use
Moderate: Ableism, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, and Sexual content
Minor: Death
Mentiones that grandma passed away. The death is not on the page.dogoodwithbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Now, I've heard about this book a lot and I was genuinely interested in what Jean had to offer for her debut novel. While it took awhile to grab my attention, I nevertheless agree that Finding Gene Kelly is worth the reading.
I guess my main issue with the book early on was that the chapters were long and tended to be unnecessarily drawn out. For me, I'm not a huge fan of books with really long chapters for no apparent reason. It also didn't help that you don't see as much character development or plot action to get your attention early on in Finding Gene Kelly. Yet, the rest of the book makes up for the slow start.
First, I really like Evie as MC in the book. I felt that she was very relatable and I think you get to see her grow as she learns to address her past trauma and avoid having it spill out in her current relationships. I also felt that the endo representation was great and I feel that readers that have endometriosis would enjoy feeling seen as a rom-com heroine.
But I think the star of Finding Gene Kelly is the romance. With Liam as a lovable grump with a secret soft side, he perfectly complements Evie's personality. You'll also get to see a lot of pining and longing between the two that by the time you get to their big feelings confession, you can't help but cheer for them.
Overall, I do think Finding Gene Kelly is worth the read. Jean really takes the fake dating trope into a new dimension with the soulmates/childhood crush components and the Parisian setting that brings the story to life.
I guess my main issue with the book early on was that the chapters were long and tended to be unnecessarily drawn out. For me, I'm not a huge fan of books with really long chapters for no apparent reason. It also didn't help that you don't see as much character development or plot action to get your attention early on in Finding Gene Kelly. Yet, the rest of the book makes up for the slow start.
First, I really like Evie as MC in the book. I felt that she was very relatable and I think you get to see her grow as she learns to address her past trauma and avoid having it spill out in her current relationships. I also felt that the endo representation was great and I feel that readers that have endometriosis would enjoy feeling seen as a rom-com heroine.
But I think the star of Finding Gene Kelly is the romance. With Liam as a lovable grump with a secret soft side, he perfectly complements Evie's personality. You'll also get to see a lot of pining and longing between the two that by the time you get to their big feelings confession, you can't help but cheer for them.
Overall, I do think Finding Gene Kelly is worth the read. Jean really takes the fake dating trope into a new dimension with the soulmates/childhood crush components and the Parisian setting that brings the story to life.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Ableism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Chronic illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, and Child abuse
Minor: Death and Pregnancy
anniereads221's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Grief, Body shaming, Vomit, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Chronic illness, Infertility, and Ableism
Endometriosis chronic illness Toxic relationship with mother Survivors guiltdarknesslighttt's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
š§šæš¼š½š²š: fake dating, childhood friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, he falls first, brother's best friend
š§šæš¶š“š“š²šæš: chronic pain, endometriosis, toxic parental relationship, mentions of depression and anxiety, vomiting, mourning a loved one who passed many years ago, discussions of infertility
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!
Evie is brave, funny and struggling with her insecurities. I really enjoyed watching her grow and star to love herself.
Liam is very supportive, full of charm, tender and would do anything for Evie.
The book makes you feel many things. It makes you have butterflies in your stomach but at the same time you also feel Evie's pain. I really appreciate that the author didn't hide from all the aspects related to endometriosis and that she brought aspects to light that I didn't even know about.
I loved the author's writing style and I am really looking forward to the next books written by her.
š§šæš¶š“š“š²šæš: chronic pain, endometriosis, toxic parental relationship, mentions of depression and anxiety, vomiting, mourning a loved one who passed many years ago, discussions of infertility
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!
Evie is brave, funny and struggling with her insecurities. I really enjoyed watching her grow and star to love herself.
Liam is very supportive, full of charm, tender and would do anything for Evie.
The book makes you feel many things. It makes you have butterflies in your stomach but at the same time you also feel Evie's pain. I really appreciate that the author didn't hide from all the aspects related to endometriosis and that she brought aspects to light that I didn't even know about.
I loved the author's writing style and I am really looking forward to the next books written by her.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, Toxic relationship, and Chronic illness
Minor: Infertility
crackedspines_'s review
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
CONTENT WARNING: I discuss diet culture and weight loss briefly in the āthemesā section.
OVERALL: I really enjoyed Finding Gene Kelly! I had some issues with certain scenes and characters but they were mostly minor and I still 100% recommend this book.
PLOT: This is a really fun storyline. In addition to the romance it revolves around the way Evieās endo affects her life. Jean did a fantastic job balancing realism and honesty with hopefulness - Evie isnāt magically cured by love but there is some reasonable happiness and hope infused into her life.
STRUCTURE: I didnāt love the pacing. The entire plot builds up to Evieās brotherās wedding but the event doesnāt take place until fairly late in the book, which made the entire first part feel quite slow.
SETTING: Both settings - Paris and Portsmouth - were so fun to read about. Both were charming in their own way and it definitely tempted me to book a flight to Paris immediately š
THEME: The endo rep was SPOT ON. My experience is different than Evieās in some ways but it hit me really hard, even the parts I didnāt specifically relate to. It was both comforting and painful to see endo laid out on page. I also appreciated the body positive/body acceptance themes in the book - Evie is a size 14 and faces a lot of shaming but it is challenged and she continues to eat what she wants freely. Itās also really nice to see Liam tell her she is beautiful directly in response to her overhearing some fatphobic comments towards her. There is one discussion that bothered me about Liam cutting out carbs, which is later revealed to be to impress Evie. This is so unnecessary and furthers harmful diet culture . It was especially jarring in a book that is otherwise pretty body positive. The author addressed this briefly but she said it was ānever a conversation on the bodyā but when Evie and Liam discuss it later Liam says āIt was worth it watching you gape at meā which is a clear indication he did it to lose weight. I also want to note that Torie Jean did state she modeled Evieās body off her own so be mindful with critiques of Evieās body and behavior.
CHARACTERS: Evie and Eli are two of my favorite characters. I find Evie very relatable in a lot of ways, and Eli was basically the best friend ever. I also thought his romance was really cute. However, Maria was a toxic friend. She was condescending and often acted like she knew Evie better than she did. Evie talks a lot about how sheās an amazing friend and I just didnāt see it. I also thought there were some issues with Liam, namely that he too acted like he knew Evieās illness better than she did. Evie has a tendency to downplay her symptoms and push through and while I know from experience it helps to have loved ones remind you to take care of yourself, Liam was too pushy and almost treated her like a child. They clearly needed to discuss this more than they did so Liam understood a bit better.
I hope you consider picking up this book! If you do please comment/dm me your thoughts because Iād love to hear.
OVERALL: I really enjoyed Finding Gene Kelly! I had some issues with certain scenes and characters but they were mostly minor and I still 100% recommend this book.
PLOT: This is a really fun storyline. In addition to the romance it revolves around the way Evieās endo affects her life. Jean did a fantastic job balancing realism and honesty with hopefulness - Evie isnāt magically cured by love but there is some reasonable happiness and hope infused into her life.
STRUCTURE: I didnāt love the pacing. The entire plot builds up to Evieās brotherās wedding but the event doesnāt take place until fairly late in the book, which made the entire first part feel quite slow.
SETTING: Both settings - Paris and Portsmouth - were so fun to read about. Both were charming in their own way and it definitely tempted me to book a flight to Paris immediately š
THEME: The endo rep was SPOT ON. My experience is different than Evieās in some ways but it hit me really hard, even the parts I didnāt specifically relate to. It was both comforting and painful to see endo laid out on page. I also appreciated the body positive/body acceptance themes in the book - Evie is a size 14 and faces a lot of shaming but it is challenged and she continues to eat what she wants freely. Itās also really nice to see Liam tell her she is beautiful directly in response to her overhearing some fatphobic comments towards her. There is one discussion that bothered me about Liam cutting out carbs, which is later revealed to be to impress Evie. This is so unnecessary and furthers harmful diet culture . It was especially jarring in a book that is otherwise pretty body positive. The author addressed this briefly but she said it was ānever a conversation on the bodyā but when Evie and Liam discuss it later Liam says āIt was worth it watching you gape at meā which is a clear indication he did it to lose weight. I also want to note that Torie Jean did state she modeled Evieās body off her own so be mindful with critiques of Evieās body and behavior.
CHARACTERS: Evie and Eli are two of my favorite characters. I find Evie very relatable in a lot of ways, and Eli was basically the best friend ever. I also thought his romance was really cute. However, Maria was a toxic friend. She was condescending and often acted like she knew Evie better than she did. Evie talks a lot about how sheās an amazing friend and I just didnāt see it. I also thought there were some issues with Liam, namely that he too acted like he knew Evieās illness better than she did. Evie has a tendency to downplay her symptoms and push through and while I know from experience it helps to have loved ones remind you to take care of yourself, Liam was too pushy and almost treated her like a child. They clearly needed to discuss this more than they did so Liam understood a bit better.
I hope you consider picking up this book! If you do please comment/dm me your thoughts because Iād love to hear.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Fatphobia, Ableism, Alcohol, Body shaming, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Vomit, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Medical content
Minor: Infertility
toxic mother/daughter relationship, details of endometriosis, depictions of depression and anxietykbairbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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
5.0
Thank you Netgalley, and the publisher, for giving me an ARC of this book and allowing me to experience it in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the author for being so incredibly vulnerable and sharing this piece of you with us.
This book has me speechless. I normally donāt rate books that have no magic/fantasy elements with five stars but thisā¦ THIS. Is beyond five stars. The humor had me genuinely laughing out loud. Multiple times. Genuinely the funniest book Iāve read in a long time if ever. There was so much personality and soul this book felt like a hug. The own voice chronic illness representation was incredibly honest, vulnerable, and raw. I want to put myself in financial distress to buy a copy for every single person I love so they can experience this magic for themselves. Beautiful. Brava!
Thank you to the author for being so incredibly vulnerable and sharing this piece of you with us.
This book has me speechless. I normally donāt rate books that have no magic/fantasy elements with five stars but thisā¦ THIS. Is beyond five stars. The humor had me genuinely laughing out loud. Multiple times. Genuinely the funniest book Iāve read in a long time if ever. There was so much personality and soul this book felt like a hug. The own voice chronic illness representation was incredibly honest, vulnerable, and raw. I want to put myself in financial distress to buy a copy for every single person I love so they can experience this magic for themselves. Beautiful. Brava!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Alcohol, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Bullying, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Blood
heather_freshparchment's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Vomit, Body shaming, and Sexual content
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Pregnancy
I received a free ebook ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I'm not a huge reader of contemporary romances, but the references to classic movies drew me in. I'm so glad it did. It's not high literature, but it's engaging and honest. The thing I appreciate most is its no-holds-barred descriptions of life with endometriosis. I thought I understood it, but I clearly knew nothing. There was clear communication between our love interests in the second two thirds of the book, too, which I really appreciated. Any problems they encountered were realistic, as were their solutions. Overall, it was a highly enjoyable read.britreadsbooks_'s review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
CWs pinned on the authorās Instagram & on storygraph.
HEART ON FLOOR. HEART ON FLOOR. Now that Iāve got that off my chest, Iām just gonna tell you how much I adored this. Torie Jean has delivered a total emotional gut punch that also lends itself to humour and chaos. Let me just say if youāre looking for a story with unrequited love and pining, this will be right up your alley. Did I mention Liamās love language is taking care of Evie? Any man who would drop everything to bring a woman in need bread is a total keeper. Would I have appreciated this more if I had an attachment to Gene Kelly and Audrey Hepburn? Probably. But that didnāt stop me from absolutely swooning into oblivion. Especially every time Liam blushed. I was also weak in the knees every time a pun was delivered. Word play is my soul food. I also love that Evieās character gives insight into life with endometriosis. Torie doesnāt paint a pretty picture either; she gives a raw, uncensored look into life with chronic illness. We need more of that in romance. If you enjoyed books like Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert, The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez, and Always Only You by Chloe Liese then you might want this on your tbr.
CWs pinned on the authorās Instagram & on storygraph.
HEART ON FLOOR. HEART ON FLOOR. Now that Iāve got that off my chest, Iām just gonna tell you how much I adored this. Torie Jean has delivered a total emotional gut punch that also lends itself to humour and chaos. Let me just say if youāre looking for a story with unrequited love and pining, this will be right up your alley. Did I mention Liamās love language is taking care of Evie? Any man who would drop everything to bring a woman in need bread is a total keeper. Would I have appreciated this more if I had an attachment to Gene Kelly and Audrey Hepburn? Probably. But that didnāt stop me from absolutely swooning into oblivion. Especially every time Liam blushed. I was also weak in the knees every time a pun was delivered. Word play is my soul food. I also love that Evieās character gives insight into life with endometriosis. Torie doesnāt paint a pretty picture either; she gives a raw, uncensored look into life with chronic illness. We need more of that in romance. If you enjoyed books like Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert, The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez, and Always Only You by Chloe Liese then you might want this on your tbr.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Pregnancy and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abandonment, Infertility, Sexual content, Vomit, Bullying, and Injury/Injury detail
kylakahrin's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
āI exist in a state of perpetual pain, and Iāve had to accept that to surviveāitād be nice if others acknowledged and were okay with it. Otherwise, the guilt and anxiety of being āa downerā are put on me too.ā
Iāve frequently noted that books have made me feel seen. This was no exception. In fact, I think itās my new baseline for having my feelings sucked from my brain and put to paper. Finding Gene Kelly lives inside my heart now.
Our main character Evie lives with the same chronic illness that I do: endometriosis. She also loves Gene Kelly and Audrey Hepburn movies, misses her Nana who passed away when she was 12, and loves to bake. She left Tallow, Massachusetts, and moved to Paris to become a pastry chef and open a patisserie but her flare ups make it so that she has to put her dreams on the back burner. Back in Tallow, she left behind her lifelong crush, the boy she married at 5 years old, Liam Kelly, who loved her Nana and her movies and knew her just about as well as she knew herself. She hasnāt seen or heard from him since she left for Paris.
And in true romcom fashion, he shows up unexpectedly outside her favorite donut shop. Chaos ensues and true feelings rise to the surface. She wants him gone but she also needs a believable date for her brotherās wedding so her horrible mother will get off her case about not being married or having children yet. With a plan to fake date at the wedding set, Evie and Liam spend the time before the wedding facing uncomfortable truths and surviving through flare ups.
The endo (and general chronic illness) representation in this book blew me away. There were multiple passages that I had to take a break after reading because they were so real and exactly what Iāve experienced. It was a heavy read, to say the least. My favorite thing about this book was that Evie is seen as a desirable friend and partner even with her endo. Her mother and a few petty acquaintances are constantly bringing her down for having endometriosis, as if she chose to have an incurable, debilitating, lifelong disease. But her real friends and her love interest love her and support her through flare ups.
I canāt wait for this to release so I can scream at everyone I know to buy it and read it and love it. Torie Jean wrote my illness so beautifully and accurately so I have to return the favor by being this book's #1 fan. 5 cheez wiz coloredāļø
Thank you Netgalley and Sunset and Camden Creative for the eARC for me to read and honestly review!! Youāve sent me my new favorite book!
The content warnings being listed at beginning of the book were a HUGE plus! CW: chronic health, endometriosis, massively toxic mother, discussions of infertility, on-page vomiting
Iāve frequently noted that books have made me feel seen. This was no exception. In fact, I think itās my new baseline for having my feelings sucked from my brain and put to paper. Finding Gene Kelly lives inside my heart now.
Our main character Evie lives with the same chronic illness that I do: endometriosis. She also loves Gene Kelly and Audrey Hepburn movies, misses her Nana who passed away when she was 12, and loves to bake. She left Tallow, Massachusetts, and moved to Paris to become a pastry chef and open a patisserie but her flare ups make it so that she has to put her dreams on the back burner. Back in Tallow, she left behind her lifelong crush, the boy she married at 5 years old, Liam Kelly, who loved her Nana and her movies and knew her just about as well as she knew herself. She hasnāt seen or heard from him since she left for Paris.
And in true romcom fashion, he shows up unexpectedly outside her favorite donut shop. Chaos ensues and true feelings rise to the surface. She wants him gone but she also needs a believable date for her brotherās wedding so her horrible mother will get off her case about not being married or having children yet. With a plan to fake date at the wedding set, Evie and Liam spend the time before the wedding facing uncomfortable truths and surviving through flare ups.
The endo (and general chronic illness) representation in this book blew me away. There were multiple passages that I had to take a break after reading because they were so real and exactly what Iāve experienced. It was a heavy read, to say the least. My favorite thing about this book was that Evie is seen as a desirable friend and partner even with her endo. Her mother and a few petty acquaintances are constantly bringing her down for having endometriosis, as if she chose to have an incurable, debilitating, lifelong disease. But her real friends and her love interest love her and support her through flare ups.
I canāt wait for this to release so I can scream at everyone I know to buy it and read it and love it. Torie Jean wrote my illness so beautifully and accurately so I have to return the favor by being this book's #1 fan. 5 cheez wiz coloredāļø
Thank you Netgalley and Sunset and Camden Creative for the eARC for me to read and honestly review!! Youāve sent me my new favorite book!
The content warnings being listed at beginning of the book were a HUGE plus! CW: chronic health, endometriosis, massively toxic mother, discussions of infertility, on-page vomiting
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Infertility, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
josephinecatherine's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
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? Yes
5.0
Disclaimer: I was given an ARC of this release by the author in return for my honest opinion and review.
This is an Own Voices review for endometriosis representation.
I was in love at first sight (sigh of the dedication and the content warnings).
Over a year ago, I ventured into a university project which was entirely self-inflicted. The unit I was taking focused on disability and inclusivity and the coordinator asked us to create an assignment which related to the unit theme in some way. As an avid romance reader and person with disability, I decided to read the good, the bad, and the ugly of romance novels with disability representation.
The ten books I read largely fell into the ābadā or āuglyā category and left me feeling rather pessimistic. Even books I classified as āgoodā were limited in their representation of my disability experience. I believe many sufferers of chronic pain will relate to the wider chronic pain and disability experience, but ache to feel drawn with detail. Detail that is not simply the pages of our medical history. Endometriosis is nowhere in romance books. In saying this, I discount those instances wherein endometriosis is used as a throwaway plot point to explain infertility or miscarriage. It is never explored or defined in a manner representative of most endo-sufferers. It is, in those cases, simply a means to justify tragedy by oneās own body.
As a young woman who is in daily pain, Finding Gene Kelly is a lifeline. I was diagnosed with endometriosis when I was 14 years old. Six years later, I am still learning how to navigate a life shadowed my condition. In order to picture myself as a romance novel heroine, I must omit endometriosis from my character background. It is another way in which my invisible disability remains invisible. I want to give my fourteen-year-old self a copy of this book before her diagnosis. I want that girl to have known that spending half your high school in hospital does not deem you in any way āunlovableā.
This could have easily been an angst-filled romance novel which represented the darkness of endometriosis. Torie Jeanās decision to lean against the inherently dark content was an expert one. I admit my hesitation when I saw a pink cartoon cover attached to the tag āendometriosis representationā. I thought that my condition could never be represented authentically in a romantic comedy, or any romance with āsoftā connotations. I never imagined an endometriosis romance could take place in the City of Lights as opposed to my hospital room...of fluorescent lights. I will forever be grateful to Torie Jean for proving me wrong.
Romance comes from your partner noticing the timer on your heat pack. Romance is being recognised for your strength when you feel your most fragile. Romance is writhing in pain but being held. Romance is being loved through pain with words and with actions.
For Evie, Liam is her Gene Kelly. This book, however, shows every Endowarrior (and disabled person) that we will not only experience love platonically, nor will we only experience romance through a television or book. We will find our Gene Kelly. A person who we love and who loves us in return.
The book not only explores romantic relationships, nor does it explore chronic pain from a purely romantic lens. It explores how endometriosis bleeds (pun intended) into every part of life.
Moments of celebration are simultaneously moments of pain.
The realities of pacing.
Surrendering to your body.
The anger, the sadness, the isolation, the self-loathing.
The pregnancy announcements.
The fatigue.
The nausea.
The bloating.
The brain fog.
The feeling out of controlā¦ constantly.
The relationships with family.
The relationships with friends.
The perseverance.
The constant decisions (if I take this medication now, I canāt do this, but if I donāt take it now etc).
This book could have been written had it not been for the authorās lived experience. You can feel the pain through these pages, but you can also feel the power. No one else can articulate the endometriosis experience like endometriosis sufferers can. Torie Jean writing this book has taken her pain and given us her heart. This would have been physically and emotionally draining, and yet I am grateful. I never thought this book would exist. If I did, I thought it would be my own.
This book made me cry and I am so glad that they were mostly happy tears. Happy because this book even exists. It hugged me through a flare up and understood. Torie ā thank you for showing me my story can exist outside the tragedy genre. I wish I were more eloquent in my gratitude, but I look forward to seeing you grow. Thank you.
This is an Own Voices review for endometriosis representation.
I was in love at first sight (sigh of the dedication and the content warnings).
Over a year ago, I ventured into a university project which was entirely self-inflicted. The unit I was taking focused on disability and inclusivity and the coordinator asked us to create an assignment which related to the unit theme in some way. As an avid romance reader and person with disability, I decided to read the good, the bad, and the ugly of romance novels with disability representation.
The ten books I read largely fell into the ābadā or āuglyā category and left me feeling rather pessimistic. Even books I classified as āgoodā were limited in their representation of my disability experience. I believe many sufferers of chronic pain will relate to the wider chronic pain and disability experience, but ache to feel drawn with detail. Detail that is not simply the pages of our medical history. Endometriosis is nowhere in romance books. In saying this, I discount those instances wherein endometriosis is used as a throwaway plot point to explain infertility or miscarriage. It is never explored or defined in a manner representative of most endo-sufferers. It is, in those cases, simply a means to justify tragedy by oneās own body.
As a young woman who is in daily pain, Finding Gene Kelly is a lifeline. I was diagnosed with endometriosis when I was 14 years old. Six years later, I am still learning how to navigate a life shadowed my condition. In order to picture myself as a romance novel heroine, I must omit endometriosis from my character background. It is another way in which my invisible disability remains invisible. I want to give my fourteen-year-old self a copy of this book before her diagnosis. I want that girl to have known that spending half your high school in hospital does not deem you in any way āunlovableā.
This could have easily been an angst-filled romance novel which represented the darkness of endometriosis. Torie Jeanās decision to lean against the inherently dark content was an expert one. I admit my hesitation when I saw a pink cartoon cover attached to the tag āendometriosis representationā. I thought that my condition could never be represented authentically in a romantic comedy, or any romance with āsoftā connotations. I never imagined an endometriosis romance could take place in the City of Lights as opposed to my hospital room...of fluorescent lights. I will forever be grateful to Torie Jean for proving me wrong.
Romance comes from your partner noticing the timer on your heat pack. Romance is being recognised for your strength when you feel your most fragile. Romance is writhing in pain but being held. Romance is being loved through pain with words and with actions.
For Evie, Liam is her Gene Kelly. This book, however, shows every Endowarrior (and disabled person) that we will not only experience love platonically, nor will we only experience romance through a television or book. We will find our Gene Kelly. A person who we love and who loves us in return.
The book not only explores romantic relationships, nor does it explore chronic pain from a purely romantic lens. It explores how endometriosis bleeds (pun intended) into every part of life.
Moments of celebration are simultaneously moments of pain.
The realities of pacing.
Surrendering to your body.
The anger, the sadness, the isolation, the self-loathing.
The pregnancy announcements.
The fatigue.
The nausea.
The bloating.
The brain fog.
The feeling out of controlā¦ constantly.
The relationships with family.
The relationships with friends.
The perseverance.
The constant decisions (if I take this medication now, I canāt do this, but if I donāt take it now etc).
This book could have been written had it not been for the authorās lived experience. You can feel the pain through these pages, but you can also feel the power. No one else can articulate the endometriosis experience like endometriosis sufferers can. Torie Jean writing this book has taken her pain and given us her heart. This would have been physically and emotionally draining, and yet I am grateful. I never thought this book would exist. If I did, I thought it would be my own.
This book made me cry and I am so glad that they were mostly happy tears. Happy because this book even exists. It hugged me through a flare up and understood. Torie ā thank you for showing me my story can exist outside the tragedy genre. I wish I were more eloquent in my gratitude, but I look forward to seeing you grow. Thank you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Infertility, Ableism, Pregnancy, Body shaming, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Vomit and Toxic friendship
Tense relationship with mother
More...