Scan barcode
amandalorianxo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Sexual content
vj_thompson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Medical content, and Sexual content
happyreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Misogyny
Minor: Medical content
inkdrinkers's review
- 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
5.0
Tara Chen is fresh off the heels of a hot-ass mess of a failed engagement. After things ended horribly with her ex, Seth, ending in her giving her entire already booked wedding away - she's floundering. Combine that with a move into an awkward roommate situation (her future brother-in-law's best friend has a vacant room for her, of course) and the fact she's still working with said ex, Tara is certain her future is only going to be full of fictional men from here on out. That is, until she gets the idea to just go through her list of exes and revisit the men that didn't quite work out, effectively cutting out the awkward get-to-know-you period and jumping right back into a second-chance romance. Only Tara's head over heels approach to romance has caught the attention of her new (very hot) fireman roommate and under his tutelage Tara is certain she won't mess it up this time, or she will, and she'll fall for the very off-limits man who she shares an apartment with.
This book brought me to tears. It made me laugh out loud too many times. It had me closing the pages in sheer desperation that the next pages would hold what I hoped for - and then it delivered on all my hopes and dreams and even more. Cheesy? Maybe, but I freaking love Amy Lea and I would fall to my knees in front of her to thank her for the gift that is Trevor Metcalfe. I loved Set On You, I actually made it my entire personality last year and it still has a grip on me, but Exes and O's is a whole-ass love letter to the book community, the hopeless romantics, and the swifties wailing the lyrics to You Belong With Me.
I adored how this book approached Tara's romance. She's thirty, she's been through her fair share of exes, and they've all treated her kind of garbage in one way or another. Including the fact that she can't shake the gaslighting behavior of Seth, this just felt like a stupendously self-aware book that tackles the stereotype of the "crazy" ex, the clingy girlfriend, and all the horrible things women are called in and out of relationships. I loved seeing Tara embrace and unpack the names and labels she was given, just as much as I loved Trevor unpacking his own labels and understanding his own pitfalls. They danced around each other beautifully and I'll die on this hill, but Amy Lea's third acts are the best part of her books. Each character reaches a moment where they have to come to terms with themselves first and I adore that there's no question about it, there's no falling back on the love interest to save them, everyone figures their own shit out first and then you get the happily ever after you deserve.
This book was everything I hoped for and more, which is honestly so incredibly satisfying considering it was my biggest hopeful of the year. I thought Amy couldn't pass my love for Set On You, but she did and I love Exes and O's in ways I didn't even anticipate. No notes, I'm going to blast some Taylor Swift and maybe go stalk a fire station.
Content warnings: sexual content (a few very steamy scenes), gaslighting (from an ex/coworker), emotional abuse (from an ex), medical content (Tara is a nurse, Seth (ex) is a doctor, and Trevor has a plot point revolving around the hospital, it's present throughout the novel), toxic relationships (various), death/death of a parent (discussed in a couple scenes), and abandonment (discussed throughout)
Graphic: Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Medical content and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abandonment, Death, and Death of parent
hazelgirl21's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
Minor: Medical content
theespressoedition's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing and Terminal illness
Minor: Grief, Abandonment, and Death of parent
ruthypoo2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The first book in the Influencer series, Set on You, was better all around for creating a strong, confident, self-reflective FMC and a MMC who was believable as her counterpart with a history where you could see their compatibility and shared physical attraction to each other. Maybe if Exes and O’s had two POVs I could’ve understood why Trevor was interested in Tara as any more than a little sister who needed moral support. And again, where does the Lieutenant of a firehouse find all that free time to shadow Tara, counsel her full-time, and sit around watching hours of movies after adopting her couch potato lifestyle (I thought they were supposed to have opposite and demanding work schedules so it’d be rare they’d be home at the same time)? LOL… I guess I just didn’t relate to Tara’s aimless life plan and dish rag personality.
The plot of this book had so much potential. I love Amy Lea’s writing style and clever quips… though I have to say, people groaning while just kissing seems more awkward than sexy, especially if you’re out in public or in a little girl’s hospital room. No mas, por favor! 😖 On a final note, maybe the next Influencer to find hot steamy love (Mel, I’m assuming) will end up with an ordinary guy as opposed to the most physically perfect lust-worthy white male dude within climbing proximity… you know, climb him like a spider monkey, ladder, koala, etc. I’m just sayin’.
I listened to the audiobook edition and thought the narrator, Natalie Naudus, did a very good job capturing Tara’s manic and sometimes cute personality, as well as Trevor’s male character.
Moderate: Alcohol, Stalking, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Medical content, and Sexual content
chloelj27's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Medical content, and Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
ccouey's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Gaslighting and Sexual content
Minor: Misogyny
amanda_reads13's review against another edition
- 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
I love how this book tackles some heavy topics while remaining pretty light and funny. It addresses her disgusting ex and his manipulation, misogyny, and gaslighting. It also addresses how the term "crazy" is used as a weapon against women. It mentions that through therapy, Tara and Trevor have learned how to communicate in a healthy way (yay, therapy!).
Friends to lovers, slow burn, miscommunication
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Chronic illness