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justsmileandread's review against another edition
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting
thirdeyeangel23's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
3.75
Another fun rom-com from Amy Lea, but could’ve earned a higher rating. Exes and Oh’s follows Tara, a bookish influencer and nurse who is infatuated with romance. After moving in with her soon to be brother in law’s best friend Trevor, Tara begins to document her quest to manufacture her own second chance romance by reconnecting with her exes. This story was a fun ride, but I also felt this truly needed to have Trevor’s pov. Trevor is an incredibly closed off character that quickly puts himself into the friend zone with Tara and essentially makes himself her wingman. I absolutely loved their budding friendship, but with the train wreck that was Tara’s exes we didn’t really get any romance until the end. Sometimes I forgot Trevor was the love interest in any capacity. This was a great story but also one of the few I felt needed an extra voice.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Medical content
Minor: Death and Death of parent
jazzy_t's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Started reading this and then took a pause and then finished it following a break up which did add a different flavour to the book 😅
A really lovely message to this book, about being your 100% authentic self. I enjoyed Tara and Trevors development through the book, making you really care for them, especially Trevor. Be warned fictional man crush inevitable!
I liked Trevor's character a lot, perfect romance book hero, but Tara I found more difficult to like sometimes. I found some of her character irritating and a little unrealistic. And found myself frustrated with her actions.
Although in saying that I still really enjoyed the book, and the character development. Very cute!
A really lovely message to this book, about being your 100% authentic self. I enjoyed Tara and Trevors development through the book, making you really care for them, especially Trevor. Be warned fictional man crush inevitable!
I liked Trevor's character a lot, perfect romance book hero, but Tara I found more difficult to like sometimes. I found some of her character irritating and a little unrealistic. And found myself frustrated with her actions.
Although in saying that I still really enjoyed the book, and the character development. Very cute!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
lex_is_bookish's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
kfmcf's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
Listen. Is this book perfect? No. But it made me feel that warm and fuzzy feeling for the majority of it as these characters and their stories in the world of the book developed.
This book is not for people who are plot forward readers. This is a character forward book and that is my favorite. The focus is on who they are and how they're connecting. I also think their chemistry was stellar and believable and I enjoyed it.
People who see Tara as annoying and too clingy are.. just blatantly missing the point of this book. It's a story of her growth of overcoming her own stigmas and reclaiming her definition of sanity. Was she the most mature POV character? No. But if she was then her struggles and flaws would have been wholly unbelievable. The female POV protag doesn't always need to be idyllic or cool or what have you. Having a character with real person personality flaws is good.
There were definitely some issues I had, but they were relatively small. First, the exes being blasted on socials. Like. No. That's a privacy thing and odd. I don't think they would have enjoyed that.
Angie was not a believable child. And Payton telling her *nine year old* that her uncle was like a *revolving door* was unpleasant.
The one thing I do disagree with people on is the miscommunication. Yes it was there but THAT HAPPENS. IN REAL LIFE. And it was only heavy in the last act. And there's a meta comment from Flo about it. It's fine. It's not the greatest but it's BELIEVABLE.
This book is head and shoulders above book 1 in the series and I look forward to Mel's story.
This book is not for people who are plot forward readers. This is a character forward book and that is my favorite. The focus is on who they are and how they're connecting. I also think their chemistry was stellar and believable and I enjoyed it.
People who see Tara as annoying and too clingy are.. just blatantly missing the point of this book. It's a story of her growth of overcoming her own stigmas and reclaiming her definition of sanity. Was she the most mature POV character? No. But if she was then her struggles and flaws would have been wholly unbelievable. The female POV protag doesn't always need to be idyllic or cool or what have you. Having a character with real person personality flaws is good.
There were definitely some issues I had, but they were relatively small. First, the exes being blasted on socials. Like. No. That's a privacy thing and odd. I don't think they would have enjoyed that.
Angie was not a believable child. And Payton telling her *nine year old* that her uncle was like a *revolving door* was unpleasant.
The one thing I do disagree with people on is the miscommunication. Yes it was there but THAT HAPPENS. IN REAL LIFE. And it was only heavy in the last act. And there's a meta comment from Flo about it. It's fine. It's not the greatest but it's BELIEVABLE.
This book is head and shoulders above book 1 in the series and I look forward to Mel's story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, and Medical content
Minor: Alcohol, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
kirareadssometimes's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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 book prob would’ve been a 4.25 until Trevor’s last speech about her bring everyone joy and how she also deserves that. That pushed it to a 4.5 for me. As a person who has been called “over the top” many times in her life, I really connected with Tara. I loved the friends to lovers and grumpy sunshine tropes. I just wish it was dual pov.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
sydapel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
3.25
This was sweet, if bordering on a bit cringey at times, especially with how Lea weaves in her main character's "book influencer" presence into the book as transcripts of her live streams, which just feels awkward. I thought the core messaging in the book was mostly well done, even if the plot steals a lot from my favorite rom com of all time.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Mental illness
jillkaarlela's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
Taylor swift songs: “blank space”, “sparks fly”, Tara is a “mirrorball” girlie 100%
This is a Swiftie book! I think this book is based on the idea of the song “blank space” (mentioned in epigraph)! I counted 6 direct Taylor Swift references + ATWTMV reference!
This was just a really quick, cute and fluffy (not in a bad way) borderline insta-love Romcom! It also had a really interesting social commentary about how men often call women “crazy” for expressing their emotions without taking responsibility for their faults/making them feel like they can’t trust him. The concept was cute, if a girl going through her Exes to find a date for Valentine’s Day gala! I also like how she’s a book reviewer/influencer (b/c same!) This was forced proximity, extroverted FMC who wears her heart on her sleeve and shy/introverted MMC who is closed off but secret sweetheart. It took me about 30% to get into this, but I did like it. The second half was very cute! I think if you are a more extroverted/“mirrorball” girlie you would like this more than I did (I relate more to the MMC). I liked this enough to want to read the other books in the universe/series (“Set on You”, and I expect the next book to be about Mel). However, if you do read this one first, there is a spoiler for the plot twist/main conflict of “Set on You”, so beware of that.
One thing I’m not a huge fan of is how much the language/slang tried to be current, like millennial and Gen Z. It just wasn’t quite right so it kinda took me out of the book at those points.
Overall, was it my favorite? No. But did I enjoy it and think it was cute? Yes!
Age rating: 15+ (language, lots of suggestive content, but only 2 actual spicy scenes 2/5🌶️)
This is a Swiftie book! I think this book is based on the idea of the song “blank space” (mentioned in epigraph)! I counted 6 direct Taylor Swift references + ATWTMV reference!
This was just a really quick, cute and fluffy (not in a bad way) borderline insta-love Romcom! It also had a really interesting social commentary about how men often call women “crazy” for expressing their emotions without taking responsibility for their faults/making them feel like they can’t trust him. The concept was cute, if a girl going through her Exes to find a date for Valentine’s Day gala! I also like how she’s a book reviewer/influencer (b/c same!) This was forced proximity, extroverted FMC who wears her heart on her sleeve and shy/introverted MMC who is closed off but secret sweetheart. It took me about 30% to get into this, but I did like it. The second half was very cute! I think if you are a more extroverted/“mirrorball” girlie you would like this more than I did (I relate more to the MMC). I liked this enough to want to read the other books in the universe/series (“Set on You”, and I expect the next book to be about Mel). However, if you do read this one first, there is a spoiler for the plot twist/main conflict of “Set on You”, so beware of that.
One thing I’m not a huge fan of is how much the language/slang tried to be current, like millennial and Gen Z. It just wasn’t quite right so it kinda took me out of the book at those points.
Overall, was it my favorite? No. But did I enjoy it and think it was cute? Yes!
Age rating: 15+ (language, lots of suggestive content, but only 2 actual spicy scenes 2/5🌶️)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Cursing
Minor: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Terminal illness, and Fire/Fire injury
infjkiki's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Medical content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse
kottengoesbork's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Sexual content, and Medical content
Minor: Grief