hollyking96's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
cakt1991's review
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I’ve had Taj McCoy on my radar for a while, and while I passed on her debut, because I heard it had problematic fat rep that I didn’t feel up to dealing with, I was persuaded to give her a shot based on the premise of her second book, Zora Books Her Happy Ever After. There are some things I liked about it, and while it didn’t veer as much into problematic or harmful territory, I did feel like the execution of the romantic arc was a bit lacking, even though it is ostensibly a romance.
I do really like Zora as a character. I relate to her passion for books and reading, and I was especially drawn to the aspect of her backstory that, prior to taking ownership of her bookstore, she studied library science. She also has the most adorable relationship with her Granny, who is always meddling in her love life in a loving way, asking about when she’ll have great-grandbabies.
As for the romance, on the surface, I do like the way this was executed. I like that both Reid and Lawrence are both viable love interests, and while the blurb clearly suggests who the endgame love interest is, there’s reason to like both. And while I wasn’t a fan of the way Lawrence’s true character was initially foreshadowed, with him being bad in bed, while she has great sex with Reid, especially when navigating a deficit in sexual chemistry is something that has been addressed in other romance novels. Succeeding events revealing Lawrence’s true character render this concept moot, but I didn’t like that immediate leap to “he’s bad because he doesn’t get me off.” I also don’t remember anyone talking about the boundaries of her dating both of them…Lawrence mentions once not wanting to be polyamorous, but isn’t Bro Code also a thing? Do I just not get casual dating…or any dating? *shrugs*
And the pacing of the romance itself was so freaking weird. She’s hooking up with both of them, she can’t decide and gradually gets suspicious, the crisis hits, and then suddenly “I love you?” None of them did anything substantial together to warrant that. I mean, yeah, there was some manuscript sharing and being vulnerable about each other’s dreams, but I just didn’t buy it. It all felt too rushed to suit the standards of the genre that it had to end happily with an “I love you.”
While this was a bit of a miss for me, I do like Taj McCoy’s writing style and am interested in trying another book from her. I would recommend it to those who enjoy contemporary romcoms who don’t have the same hangups that I do, in hopes that they’ll enjoy it more.
triestina85's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
sschultz3's review
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? No
3.0
olivia_v's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Lawrence gave me serial killer vibes.
Figured out ‘the secret’ before there was even a secret to figure out.
Figured out ‘the secret’ before there was even a secret to figure out.
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews because I don’t like leaving them. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not, regardless of the lack of stars. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
I haven’t read a book with a love triangle in a LONG time and I should have known by the cover, but this story pleasantly surprised me! 😍
The quick premise is that Zora owns a bookstore in DC, and one of her favorite big time authors is the guest of honor for a bookstore event. Lawrence, mystery crime thriller novelist, immediately takes a liking to Zora and asks her out for drinks after the event. Zora -who would love to write a romance novel one day- is understandably excited to get to know an author she admires and to possibly date him, because he seems like the whole catch! Plus, her meddling and curious grandma continues to bother her about giving her great-grand babies lol!
During the event though, Zora also meets Reid, who is best friends with Lawrence but seems grumpy and arrogant. He invites Zora to speak at his school, since he is an educator and fellow aspirational writer👀 With the consent of both men, Zora continues to date them both to play the field and figure out who is a better fit. This reminded me a lot of “Because I Said So” because it felt so clear to me who Zora would choose, but I knew she had to get their on her own!
I would say the steam is about 3/5 & this was another big clue as to who Zora would end up with, because the way men behave in bed tells me SO MUCH about how that translates into them as emotionally intelligent partners!
I never ever thought I’d enjoy a love triangle book, ever, and here Taj McCoy is making a liar out of me 😂 I appreciated Zora’s passion for the book community, for inspiring young readers, her zest for unpacking mystery, & her convictions! I appreciated that she really knew herself and trusted her gut. Her dynamic with her best friend Emma and her grandma was one of the highlights personally for me though; they had me cracking up and I could feel the play and care they shared with each other.
One last thing — the food descriptions!!!! I’m so hungry. All of the food sounded delectable and I need an accompanying recipe book 😂
I haven’t read a book with a love triangle in a LONG time and I should have known by the cover, but this story pleasantly surprised me! 😍
The quick premise is that Zora owns a bookstore in DC, and one of her favorite big time authors is the guest of honor for a bookstore event. Lawrence, mystery crime thriller novelist, immediately takes a liking to Zora and asks her out for drinks after the event. Zora -who would love to write a romance novel one day- is understandably excited to get to know an author she admires and to possibly date him, because he seems like the whole catch! Plus, her meddling and curious grandma continues to bother her about giving her great-grand babies lol!
During the event though, Zora also meets Reid, who is best friends with Lawrence but seems grumpy and arrogant. He invites Zora to speak at his school, since he is an educator and fellow aspirational writer👀 With the consent of both men, Zora continues to date them both to play the field and figure out who is a better fit. This reminded me a lot of “Because I Said So” because it felt so clear to me who Zora would choose, but I knew she had to get their on her own!
I would say the steam is about 3/5 & this was another big clue as to who Zora would end up with, because the way men behave in bed tells me SO MUCH about how that translates into them as emotionally intelligent partners!
I never ever thought I’d enjoy a love triangle book, ever, and here Taj McCoy is making a liar out of me 😂 I appreciated Zora’s passion for the book community, for inspiring young readers, her zest for unpacking mystery, & her convictions! I appreciated that she really knew herself and trusted her gut. Her dynamic with her best friend Emma and her grandma was one of the highlights personally for me though; they had me cracking up and I could feel the play and care they shared with each other.
One last thing — the food descriptions!!!! I’m so hungry. All of the food sounded delectable and I need an accompanying recipe book 😂
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, Fatphobia, and Misogyny
Minor: Death of parent and Toxic friendship
jmarchi's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
jodielayne's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
3.75
Looking for a bookish romance that will sweep you away and ground you in a warm feeling of family? Zora is for you!
There’s so much to love about this book — the coziest setting (Zora’s bookstore where her bestie/roommate also works and everyone is like family), a great FMC support system, genuinely witty and delightful dialogue, a steamy slow burn, and even a romantic fall getaway.
I deducted points, however, for forced conflict and because it was pretty easy to guess what the main conflict was going to be from the jump — it felt like everyone could see Reid was a huge jerk and I couldn’t see what Zora saw in him. It diminished my affection for Zora and made her less likeable when she really was such a delight!
There’s so much to love about this book — the coziest setting (Zora’s bookstore where her bestie/roommate also works and everyone is like family), a great FMC support system, genuinely witty and delightful dialogue, a steamy slow burn, and even a romantic fall getaway.
I deducted points, however, for forced conflict and because it was pretty easy to guess what the main conflict was going to be from the jump — it felt like everyone could see Reid was a huge jerk and I couldn’t see what Zora saw in him. It diminished my affection for Zora and made her less likeable when she really was such a delight!
askiddo's review
2.5
I was kind of dissapointed by this book, it felt like unnecessary conflict, an obvious connection even though the main character kept waffling, and honestly just super uncomfortable conversations with the grandmother that I just found too over the top.