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rosie_valadez's review against another edition
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, and Abandonment
koistyfishy's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
3 Room-ance Stars ⭐
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
What do a romance-obsessed nurse bookstagrammer and a grumpy clean freak manwhore firefighter have in common? Yeah, nothing, except they share an apartment and a hot tub, which means they are OBVIOUSLY PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER...
The more I think about this, the more problems I find with it...
This book gives me vibes similar to the Anna Farris and Chris Pine movie, "What's Your Number." Unlike the main character in the movie, who believes her love MUST be one of her exes after being told she'll never find love if she dates more than 20 people, our MC here takes advice from her grandmother, who had a whirlwind second-chance romance. As her gran managed to find her new "one," maybe her "one" is in one of the exes she left along the way. HOWEVER, she also ends up in a forced proximity situation with her best friend's fiancé's old roommate, who is now her roommate. He keeps saving her from awful dates with her exes, leading to the possibility that maybe he might be the one she is looking for after all.
Their first interaction is "memorable" in that Tara walks in on Trevor naked and balls deep in his latest one-night stand. I mean, great relationship foundation right there... learning that your new roommate is basically a manwhore... JUST expected that they become the BEST OF FRIENDS.
On the surface, this is a "sweet" little rom-com, the type you think of when you think of a rom-com book. At the start, I found it funny, I giggled, and might have actually died from some of the second-hand embarrassment. It was pretty low angst but underpinned with a heartwarming, cute relationship that gave commentary on real issues real couples face.
Tara has been hurt by love. She is pretty discouraged by it, but she won't let that get her down or persuade her that love does not exist. She is literal sunshine, optimistic, and has such a positive outlook on life, even if life has burnt her. I also really loved that she is a bookstagrammer—seeing all the little nuggets and Easter eggs relating to the booksta community was cute and relatable. I saw myself in her a lot, especially as she gushed about book boyfriends, has piles and piles of books everywhere, and loves romance tropes as much as I do. She made me laugh, and if I knew her IRL, I would have loved to be friends with her.
Now, Trevor is VERY closed off emotionally and a total grump. He is not known to be open, talkative, or communicative, or just open to ANY communication really. He has not had very good role models in love and relationships, so he has decided to guard his heart and get his release through lust instead. He would rather avoid emotionally connecting with anyone to avoid getting his heart broken.
SO, you would think, given how OPPOSITE Trevor and Tara are, they would be the PERFECT opposites attract...and here is the issue... THIS BOOK IS IN FIRST PERSON, so there isn't really anything that screams WHY TREVOR would love her—and basically love her from the first moment he saw her (which he tells her)—REMEMBER WHEN HIS PENIS WAS DEEP IN SOMEONE ELSE. It made no sense where his love came from. You are never shown how he processes his emotions, how he turns from manwhore to loving only one person, and how he allows himself to love. Given you couldn't see his thinking, there was nothing he shared in common with Tara, besides the fact that they seem to live in the same building and both like to read (even though he reads thrillers and she reads romance)—they HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON; he is a complete neat freak and she is a walking tornado of mess!
Then there is the fact that if you look deeper into it, Tara might actually need to see a therapist. She is told by more than one of her exes that she is clingy, a little overbearing, and "too much." Now, I am not saying her exes are completely right, but sometimes you do have to ask—if multiple people are saying the same thing, it might have some merit to look into it a little more, do some self-reflection, and see if there might be some self-improvement that can be done. The theme of being called "crazy" is brought up quite a bit, and while it's demeaning and sexist, in the words of Rebecca Bunch:
She jumped to extremes with her Ex's from blasé comments - but going to "planning a wedding" because of one flippant comment IS NOT NORMAL...
There was one thing I liked and that was how it used miscommunication as a plot point, with the grandmother making a very valid comment that "Relationships are hard and not all problems can be solved with a single conversation" - It was the one-time the trope being present DID NOT ACTUALLY BOTHER ME....
SPEAKING OF TROPES:
▶ Roommates to Lovers
▶ Strangers to Lovers
▶ Reformed Manwhore
▶ She's a Bookstagrammer
▶ GrumpyXSunshine
▶ Steamy Hot Tub Scene
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Opposites Attract
▶ Miscommunication
Overall, if you want a fluffy sweet romcom, this might be for you - Just don't look into it too deeply or that amazingness of it will UNFIZZLE QUICKLY....
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
What do a romance-obsessed nurse bookstagrammer and a grumpy clean freak manwhore firefighter have in common? Yeah, nothing, except they share an apartment and a hot tub, which means they are OBVIOUSLY PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER...
The more I think about this, the more problems I find with it...
This book gives me vibes similar to the Anna Farris and Chris Pine movie, "What's Your Number." Unlike the main character in the movie, who believes her love MUST be one of her exes after being told she'll never find love if she dates more than 20 people, our MC here takes advice from her grandmother, who had a whirlwind second-chance romance. As her gran managed to find her new "one," maybe her "one" is in one of the exes she left along the way. HOWEVER, she also ends up in a forced proximity situation with her best friend's fiancé's old roommate, who is now her roommate. He keeps saving her from awful dates with her exes, leading to the possibility that maybe he might be the one she is looking for after all.
Their first interaction is "memorable" in that Tara walks in on Trevor naked and balls deep in his latest one-night stand. I mean, great relationship foundation right there... learning that your new roommate is basically a manwhore... JUST expected that they become the BEST OF FRIENDS.
On the surface, this is a "sweet" little rom-com, the type you think of when you think of a rom-com book. At the start, I found it funny, I giggled, and might have actually died from some of the second-hand embarrassment. It was pretty low angst but underpinned with a heartwarming, cute relationship that gave commentary on real issues real couples face.
Tara has been hurt by love. She is pretty discouraged by it, but she won't let that get her down or persuade her that love does not exist. She is literal sunshine, optimistic, and has such a positive outlook on life, even if life has burnt her. I also really loved that she is a bookstagrammer—seeing all the little nuggets and Easter eggs relating to the booksta community was cute and relatable. I saw myself in her a lot, especially as she gushed about book boyfriends, has piles and piles of books everywhere, and loves romance tropes as much as I do. She made me laugh, and if I knew her IRL, I would have loved to be friends with her.
Now, Trevor is VERY closed off emotionally and a total grump. He is not known to be open, talkative, or communicative, or just open to ANY communication really. He has not had very good role models in love and relationships, so he has decided to guard his heart and get his release through lust instead. He would rather avoid emotionally connecting with anyone to avoid getting his heart broken.
SO, you would think, given how OPPOSITE Trevor and Tara are, they would be the PERFECT opposites attract...and here is the issue... THIS BOOK IS IN FIRST PERSON, so there isn't really anything that screams WHY TREVOR would love her—and basically love her from the first moment he saw her (which he tells her)—REMEMBER WHEN HIS PENIS WAS DEEP IN SOMEONE ELSE. It made no sense where his love came from. You are never shown how he processes his emotions, how he turns from manwhore to loving only one person, and how he allows himself to love. Given you couldn't see his thinking, there was nothing he shared in common with Tara, besides the fact that they seem to live in the same building and both like to read (even though he reads thrillers and she reads romance)—they HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON; he is a complete neat freak and she is a walking tornado of mess!
Then there is the fact that if you look deeper into it, Tara might actually need to see a therapist. She is told by more than one of her exes that she is clingy, a little overbearing, and "too much." Now, I am not saying her exes are completely right, but sometimes you do have to ask—if multiple people are saying the same thing, it might have some merit to look into it a little more, do some self-reflection, and see if there might be some self-improvement that can be done. The theme of being called "crazy" is brought up quite a bit, and while it's demeaning and sexist, in the words of Rebecca Bunch:
She jumped to extremes with her Ex's from blasé comments - but going to "planning a wedding" because of one flippant comment IS NOT NORMAL...
There was one thing I liked and that was how it used miscommunication as a plot point, with the grandmother making a very valid comment that "Relationships are hard and not all problems can be solved with a single conversation" - It was the one-time the trope being present DID NOT ACTUALLY BOTHER ME....
SPEAKING OF TROPES:
▶ Roommates to Lovers
▶ Strangers to Lovers
▶ Reformed Manwhore
▶ She's a Bookstagrammer
▶ GrumpyXSunshine
▶ Steamy Hot Tub Scene
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Opposites Attract
▶ Miscommunication
Overall, if you want a fluffy sweet romcom, this might be for you - Just don't look into it too deeply or that amazingness of it will UNFIZZLE QUICKLY....
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Death of parent
Minor: Chronic illness, Death, and Abandonment
brookey8888's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
4.5
This was super cute! I really liked the main character just because I related to her a lot( I’m not a hopeless romantic, but everything else lol). I thought the slow burn to strangers to friends to lovers was well done and just so cute. This was just a nice fun and cute time with a few spicy scenes.i liked Trevor and how he was slowly opening up to Tara. I honestly didn’t mind the third act conflict to much because I felt like it made sense for the characters and they didn’t establish themselves as a couple yet.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
abidavisf's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Exes and O’s is a snappy and funny read, detailing Tara’s quest to track down her ten exes to see if she could strike up a second chance romance with any of them.
As an avid romance reader (obviously) who talks books on social media, reading from the perspective of a very similar character was very meta. Sometimes, it was really relatable and funny. Other times, I felt a bit silly. I’m not sure if that makes sense. It’s almost like Tara’s channel both inspired me to keep going while also making me feel like I’d never be as good as her. Definitely my own insecurity there, but I thought I’d share all the same!
In many sense, Exes and O’s felt very fast-paced as the majority of the exes came and went in a matter of pages. At times, I didn’t like this as it felt rushed but, as the book progressed, I was thankful because it meant we got more Trevor time and who doesn’t want more Trevor time? It was also reflective of the fact that Trevor is our main man. He is the love interest that we’re supposed to be paying attention to and the exes are actually side characters in *his* story, not the other way around.
If you’re looking for a lighthearted, witty and hopeful book, Exes and O’s is for you.
One final thought: did anyone else feel like Crystal was way too dismissive to her sister?!
As an avid romance reader (obviously) who talks books on social media, reading from the perspective of a very similar character was very meta. Sometimes, it was really relatable and funny. Other times, I felt a bit silly. I’m not sure if that makes sense. It’s almost like Tara’s channel both inspired me to keep going while also making me feel like I’d never be as good as her. Definitely my own insecurity there, but I thought I’d share all the same!
In many sense, Exes and O’s felt very fast-paced as the majority of the exes came and went in a matter of pages. At times, I didn’t like this as it felt rushed but, as the book progressed, I was thankful because it meant we got more Trevor time and who doesn’t want more Trevor time? It was also reflective of the fact that Trevor is our main man. He is the love interest that we’re supposed to be paying attention to and the exes are actually side characters in *his* story, not the other way around.
If you’re looking for a lighthearted, witty and hopeful book, Exes and O’s is for you.
One final thought: did anyone else feel like Crystal was way too dismissive to her sister?!
Content Warnings
Minor: Chronic illness, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting
oliviaclaire's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A pretty funny, fairly steamy romcom. All in all, a great summer beach read. I enjoyed both of our protagonists but I did wander if making Tara an 'influencer' (I use quotes because it's established that she barely has a following and not much is done to change that throughout the book) was really necessary. Her Booktok transcripts add little to the story that pushes it along, she gets the idea for the premise of reuiniting with her exes from her grandmother and I feel like she and Trevor found their way toward each other quite naturally without the help of her social media status. It felt a little bit like Amy Lea had pigeonholed herself by titling the series 'the influencers' and therefore Tara had to have an online presence to fit with the other two protagonists across the trilogy. Otherwise, an enjoyable read!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
dailbrae'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
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Grief, Stalking, and Gaslighting
Minor: Death and Fire/Fire injury
pageswithpatrice's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Emotional abuse
feistygarlicroll's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Chronic illness
one_more_chapter96's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.75
Really sweet story, loved Trevor and how steadfast he was even from the beginning. Together they were so cute!
Content Warnings
Minor: Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Abandonment
rickireadss's review against another edition
3.0
this book wasn't bad, it just wasn't really good either. i pushed through to the end because i wanted to see if our fmc would pull her head out of her butt (spoiler: she does but it takes until like the 80% MARK ugh) i wasn't even like engaged and excited about the story until the 70% and the entire last like 10% was horrible.
⚠️: gaslighting, emotional abuse, medical content, toxic relationship, chronic illness (side character), death of parent, death, abandonment
⚠️: gaslighting, emotional abuse, medical content, toxic relationship, chronic illness (side character), death of parent, death, abandonment
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Medical content
Minor: Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Abandonment