Reviews

The X Ingredient by Roslyn Sinclair

emilyseim25's review

emotional medium-paced

5.0

mischievous_monkey's review against another edition

5.0

1-3-21

I love this book. I enjoyed reading it twice last year so much that I bought the audiobook. I was happy to find that I enjoyed listening to the book as much as I enjoyed reading it myself.

3-27-20

I couldn’t get this book out of my mind so I had to read it again.


1-26-20

The hype is justified. This was a satisfying read.

sapphiclitlover's review

medium-paced

4.5

lesburrata's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful reflective 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

4.25

tatsbookishlife's review

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

aljj's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted tense 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

4.75

It's not a perfect book by any means.. but the more times I listen to it the more I like it. It's a comfort book for me now and I don't know why. I didn't really like it that much the first time I listened to it, but after the second time I just love it. I'd say give it a shot.

cc2's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

zelle_ash's review

lighthearted relaxing tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

If you want more spice than plot then read this. The book was fine, I breeze through it but I don't really like Diana. The way she just (SPOILER!!) suddenly kissed Laurie in the lift and them sleeping together immediately after. It's like half the book is just them fooling around. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Minor: Lesbophobia, Animal cruelty, and Racism

maureenky's review

2.0

Honestly I read this for a sapphic ABC reading challenge and it’s really hard to find titles starting with X so even though this book was not my cup of tea, I stuck it out.

I really have to be invested in characters for me to enjoy their intimacy and I just didn’t connect with either of them.

lezreadalot's review

4.0

“Just once. Only once.” I mean it. I can live with once. I can’t live with never.

This was really fun and sexy! And age-gap office romance, kind of a trope reversal. Laurie is desperate for a new job, and is ecstatic to land one as an assistant for a powerful lawyer. At first, it seems like she and her standoffish, ice-queen boss have nothing in common, but there's an attraction sizzling beneath the surface that can't be denied.

So far, Sinclair is two for two on writing ice queens that actually, fully appeal to me, which I'm notably picky about. It can be difficult to land that perfect balance between a haughty, self-possessed, powerful and cold woman, without tipping right over into mean/cruel/annoying. Diana hit the spot for me, and that probably has a lot to do with the way Sinclair evened out the power imbalance. (Of course, in a boss/employee situation, it can never be totally even, but she made it work for me.) Self-discovery/coming out is super near and dear to my heart in romance, and the journey we take with Diana, who starts out super closeted, was so great. And like, really hot. Laurie not only thaws the ice queen, but also reduces her to a puddle.