Reviews

If I had read this book before this past year I might have scoffed more at how Caitlyn allowed herself to be guilted into doing something she was uncomfortable with and knew was a bad idea. But the last year had me behaving out of character and I seem to be seeing bits of me in everything I read lately (not in a flattering way) and I certainly identified with her predicament. So, I guess what I am trying to say is that even though the situation the main character puts herself in seems far-fetched, the author did a very good job of making it plausible and relatable.

Another aspect of the book that I found relatable and that I enjoyed was the gathering and analyzing of data and its use to make business decisions at the college. Ivins wove that throughout the story nicely and made it understandable. I love me some logical decision making in the workplace and I do much the same in the part of the business I manage for my work so I really dug that part of the storyline.

Other bits of the story that were believable and interesting were the atmosphere at the college and Caitlyn's family dynamics. And I really appreciated the way mental health played a role in the story too.

I think Quinn Ivins tells a worthwhile story here. The writing style and the quick resolution at the end relative to the buildup both left me wanting a little more but it was an enjoyable read overall. I probably won't read this one again but it was a good use of some free time.

If I get a hankering to re-read a book which takes place in an academic setting I'm likely to reach for [b:The Headmistress|58674511|The Headmistress|Milena McKay|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1627833667l/58674511._SY75_.jpg|92312411] or [b:Invisible, as Music|48667028|Invisible, as Music|Caren J. Werlinger|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1572718388l/48667028._SY75_.jpg|74011332].

sulphuric's review

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funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes

4.75

lezreadalot's review against another edition

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4.0

As Ruth approached, she squinted at Caitlyn. “Who are you, and what have you don't with Chloe?”

3.75 stars if I'm being a quibbler. This had one of those romance premises that immediately sounded so FUN, but I must admit, I wasn't so sure how fun it would be for me personally. I'm not the biggest fan of mistaken identity or switched identity plot lines; they usually make for the kind of drama and anxiety that I don't enjoy. But a twin swap?? That sounded too fun not to try. Ruth is the president of a small liberal arts college, trying to juggle a faculty that hates her and attempting to solve student retention. Her new-ish assistant isn't the best: clearly not very invested in the job, just going through the motions. Then one Monday morning Ruth comes in and her assistant is acting a bit strange. Something's... different.

We get both POVs; it actually felt like Caitlyn's (imposter twin and love interest) story more than anything. She's a millennial academic, freshly out of post-grad, trying and failing to get jobs in her field, feeling like a failure because she can't. After coming home, she's guilted/nudged into posing as her twin sister in her assistant gig (a job way below her pay grade, but something she starts to find real joy in). It's a wacky premise, but the author did manage to write the scenario in a way where I could see Caitlyn actually agreeing to take Chloe's place at her job, after some cajoling. And I'm glad that the wackiness of the situation is balanced by very real emotional stakes. Caitlyn knows that what she's doing is technically a crime, but I do get why she agreed. It was really entertaining and a little harrowing, seeing those first few days on the job, all that floundering, how she tries to remember everything her sister coached her on, getting acclimated to Ruth. And I loved how she started with the intent to just keep her head down and pose as her sister, but then started enjoying the job.

And this slow burn was just soooo so good. This isn't my favourite ice queen, boss/employee romance, but it's up there. Boss/employee only works for me under very specific circumstances, and this was one of those. Ruth is exacting and demanding and can be a bit of a steamroller at first, but it's a product of being a woman in academia, and her ire never extends to her students, who she just wants to do the best for. I loved those early moments where Caitlyn doesn't know what to make of her, and goes from butting heads with her one minute to feeling compassion for her the next. I loved that they were both anxious in different ways, but they're immediately and sweetly very supportive of one another. The chemistry was really really well-written, and I just loved the slow journey from noticing each other (with Ruth thinking that she's just noticing her strangely acting assistant in a new way) to attraction, to the recognition of that attraction. I loved the forbidden aspect; Ruth in her position of authority, knowing that she can't allow herself to fall for her younger assistant, and Caitlyn with her secret, knowing that she can't develop feelings for a woman that she's lying to. And yet they both do, and it's so good. It felt a little like a forced proximity romance, because they have to work together so much, doing different projects and research, continuously noticing new things about each other. The romance was just so satisfying. I loved how the tension between them was written.

I did enjoy how the inevitable third act conflict came about and was handled. It felt romantic, but also there was drama, but also I felt like they both acted like adults. All very refreshing. I stiiiiiiill didn't enjoy the last third quite as much; time skips just aren't my favourite way to resolve things like this. I feel like we lose so much momentum in the relationship, and while I definitely understand that time apart was needed, the pacing just felt uneven. Especially after we spent so much time following them almost day by day.

Listened to the audiobook as read by Anastasia Watley, and I loved it SO much. She's one of those narrators who doesn't always do different voices, but she doesn't really need to. The quality of her voice and reading is always so good. This was really really enjoyable, even though I would change some things about the latter third. It felt really well-researched, with regard to life in academia and the administration of a college. The writing/prose itself maybe isn't all that memorable, but Ivins is really good at writing realistic characters. Ruth and Caitlyn are definitely what I loved best about this.

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