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inkdrinkers's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
5.0
"You really think you're a sidekick?"
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)
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)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Medical content and Toxic relationship
Minor: Abandonment, Death, and Death of parent
hazelgirl21's review
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gaslighting, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
Minor: Medical content
citymouse's review against another edition
2.5
This book would have been much better had we gotten Trevor's point of view as well. Only seeing Tara longing for her roommate when he's told her in no uncertain terms that he's not into relationships and doesn't have the time or energy for a commitment makes it hard to root for Tara and Trevor. The two characters are too immature to make the one-sided pining tolerable. If we'd had Trevor's point of view it would have broken up Tara's unrequited crush to show that it is, in fact, requited.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness and Medical content
dlrosebyh's review against another edition
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
Tara Chen, a lover of romance novels, has had 10 different men break her heart, all of whom left her because she was a "stage-five clinger." Tara is nonetheless committed to finding The One. The sole issue? Because of today's dating applications, traditional meet-cutes are extinct. In order to find her own second chance relationship that fits the stereotype, Tara seeks to reconnect with her ex-lovers.
Trevor Metcalfe, a Boston fireman, will be the last to hurry into a relationship but the first to rush into a blazing structure. Simply put, he's not into love. He grudgingly agrees when Tara, his new roommate, asks him to assist her in getting in touch with her ex-lovers. However, Tara's adventure is inspiring him to write a new chapter in his own life.
As their relationship develops, Tara becomes increasingly aware that Trevor is the only one who truly values her dramatic, honest self. Can Tara and Trevor read between the lines of their developing relationship to secure their happily ever after?
This book is for 1989 stans who enjoy watching rom-coms and are hopeless romantics themselves. This novel is the offspring mad woman and Blank Space might have had. I can't emphasize enough how tone-wise, this novel was quite similar to Broken Hearts Gallery. In contrast to my normal dislike of contemporary romance literature, I like the writing style in this book. It wasn't particularly overwhelming, it was simple to grasp, and it was yet distinctive, in my opinion.
I was really enjoying the book up until the climax. If you've read any romance books at all, you're aware that there are usually these awful "third act breakups" brought on by misunderstandings. and I just detest those. Although it fits with Trevor's character, I wish it had been executed well. I kind of started to lose interest in the book after that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Chronic illness, Medical content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Death and Abandonment
ruthypoo2's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- 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
Overall, the book had a lot of fun bits and humor, but for me, I didn’t get any chemistry between Tara and Trevor. I don’t understand why a self-assured and professionally-satisfied man would be deeply enamored with a scattered, emotionally immature woman full of self-doubt (which became tedious) - who’s not passionate about either her nursing career in a neonatal care ward (how is she not???) or strongly-aligned with her BookTube/Bookstagram presence. Her social posts were sadly anemic… maybe because she doesn’t seem to read books that often, even though she sure has a lot of free time for someone who works a nurse’s schedule while also being a book influencer. 🤷♀️
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.
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.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Stalking, Chronic illness, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Medical content, and Sexual content
cinderellasbookshelf's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
EXES AND O’S by Amy Lea is my first favorite read of 2023. I told you all before I read it that it was going to be five stars, and it still is now that I’ve finished it. Just as much as I enjoyed Set On You, the first standalone in Lea’s Influencer series, Exes and O’s was made for book lovers and us bookstagrammers that love reading romance.
Tara Chen and Trevor Metcalfe were the main reasons I loved this book. Going in, I knew it was going to be a “room-ance” (a romance between two roommates) and friends to lovers, but I didn’t expect how much more we were going to get as Lea took the time to flesh them out and build their friendship. I thought it was done so well that I had a great time reading their banter as friends before it even got romantic. I think it was only once it started to get intimate on an emotional and personal level, as both Tara and especially Trevor began to let their guard down, that I was patiently waiting and anticipating for them to become more than friends. That whole build up between them tied in with Tara meeting her exes to see if there was a possibility of a second chance romance with any of them, made this book fun, as any rom com would, but also heartfelt.
I also really liked how Lea was able to play with and explore this idea about tropes and stereotypes, similar to what she had done in Set On You. Tara has such a kind heart and a beautiful personality. She was never annoying or self-righteous and just always saw the good in people. The way some of her exes claimed that her clinginess or how she acted was “crazy” bothered me because they failed to truly see and accept her as she is. Trevor meanwhile may seem like a flirt, but he’s actually quite sensitive and guarded for deeper reasons. Tara and Trevor aren’t your average grumpy-sunshine or room-ance trope, they have sincere qualities beyond what may be initially perceived.
I could go on and gush about all my favorite moments (ch. 26 had me swooning!), but I will just leave you to read it and enjoy it yourself. I can’t wait for Mel’s book that was previewed at the end. Anything Amy Lea writes, I will read it - she is the ultimate romance queen.
Content Warnings
Minor: Gaslighting, Medical content, and Death of parent
chloelj27'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
After reading Set On You back in November, I couldn’t wait to read about Tara and Trevor’s story. I was intrigued from Set On You about what kind of person Trevor was and what happened between Tara and Seth (most infuriating man EVER!). It was interesting delving into both of those topics.
I really loved Tara. She was funny, sweet, caring and one we can all appreciate - A BOOKSTAGRAMMER! It was fun seeing her talk about different romance tropes and getting slight glimpses of them with her exes. I did feel that I wasn’t reading about a 30 year old at times though (probably more early/mid 20’s). Trevor was a great representation of a grumpy character with a heart of gold. I loved his sarcastic interactions with Tara, but his sweet gestures were adorable! I wish we got to delve into a bit more detail with his past as I think there was more to unpack there and I love knowing about a character’s past, so I can connect even further with them.
In terms of the plot, although I enjoyed it, it may not be for everyone. It was interesting to see Tara’s exes, to go through that journey with her and see her learn a lesson about love and herself. I don’t mind a couple of pop culture references in a book, but there was quite a few which is one reason why I felt Tara was younger than she was.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and was able to relate to both main characters in different ways. I think I preferred this slightly over Set On You, but both make for good, entertaining reads.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Medical content, and Sexual content
Minor: Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
ell_n'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
4.0
I was not keen on Set on You, but I really loved this book. Maybe Trevor is a little too perfect but I really enjoyed reading this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting
Minor: Medical content
amystks's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Okay, so I really enjoyed this book and thought it was better than the first one in the series! You don’t need to read the first one in the series but it kinda gives an introduction to some of the characters.
Would recommend!
Would recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual assault, and Mental illness
Moderate: Medical content and Death of parent
katrinaward's review against another edition
emotional
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Medical content, and Misogyny