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higglebee's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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? It's complicated
5.0
Gamer nerd and queer representation ftw! Also both main characters are around 50 years old. This romance book was one of the best I've read ever. The topics that were addressed were poignant and emotional. Divorce, coming out, self discovery, social pressures, and familial connections. This book was chock full of hilarious gaming references and the MMC is an anime nerd. It was heartwarming and the love story is true to life! This feels like it could actually happen. I'm so impressed!
dana_naylor's review against another edition
emotional
funny
fast-paced
5.0
LOVED it!
It’s rare to find romances with middle aged characters. Loved the characters, loved the snark, loved the slow build. I’m sure I’ll be rereading this and I’ll be checking out her other books too!
It’s rare to find romances with middle aged characters. Loved the characters, loved the snark, loved the slow build. I’m sure I’ll be rereading this and I’ll be checking out her other books too!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia and Homophobia
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Car accident and Death of parent
redlikeroses's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia
bibliophilesiren's review against another edition
4.0
“She scoffed. If she didn’t stand up now, they’d start in. She knew it. It was prison-yard rules. Don’t show fear. Don’t show weakness. Establish dominance immediately.”
-Maggie
“I’m not saying that other women can’t wear whatever the hell they want and feel however they want to feel. My point is, at this age, I don’t want to get negged by some fifty-year-old douchebro who thinks I care about his opinion, just because he wants to sleep with me. I don’t want to wear makeup or shave my legs or buy matched underwear . . .”
-Maggie
“Most people drain me like an old cell phone battery. You don’t exhaust me either. I feel better after I hang out with you.”
-Maggie
“If you can’t handle me in sweatpants, you don’t deserve me in stilettos.”
-Maggie
Dude!!! Maggie is me. 1000000% percent! She is snarky, bitter, lonely, funny, and fucking amazing. Just wanted to site everything she said because it spoke to my soul. All. The. Things!!!
-Maggie
“I’m not saying that other women can’t wear whatever the hell they want and feel however they want to feel. My point is, at this age, I don’t want to get negged by some fifty-year-old douchebro who thinks I care about his opinion, just because he wants to sleep with me. I don’t want to wear makeup or shave my legs or buy matched underwear . . .”
-Maggie
“Most people drain me like an old cell phone battery. You don’t exhaust me either. I feel better after I hang out with you.”
-Maggie
“If you can’t handle me in sweatpants, you don’t deserve me in stilettos.”
-Maggie
Dude!!! Maggie is me. 1000000% percent! She is snarky, bitter, lonely, funny, and fucking amazing. Just wanted to site everything she said because it spoke to my soul. All. The. Things!!!
ravenslanding's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
relaxing
tense
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
I loved this. A warm story with not-often seen protagonists who have complex lives and softly fall in love and then handle the relationship maturely.
The family relationships are complicated and don't entirely resolve but the most important relationships are nurtured. I also appreciated the gaming representation. And protagonists who were not only middle aged but average in appearance
The family relationships are complicated and don't entirely resolve but the most important relationships are nurtured. I also appreciated the gaming representation. And protagonists who were not only middle aged but average in appearance
kokenyreka's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to love this book because it included a lot of interesting, novel aspects that you don't see a lot in romance writing (middle-aged couple, bi/demi rep), but I was perpetually disappointed by all of them.
The main couple met in person very late in the book, around 120 pages in. Their online interactions were often glossed over, and we read immature exchanges but only get told about how they have deep conversations and grow closer over the weeks. For example, we read three conversations between Maggie and Rosita/Mac/Kit about Aiden, but we don't see Maggie talking to Aiden in a meaningful way. The misunderstandings around their ages were immature and unrealistic (not to mention annoying), and I hated the much-too-frequent use of "lol." I enjoyed reading about the individual life struggles that Maggie and Aiden were facing, but somehow both of their characters were one-dimensional, and I didn't really like either of them. Oh but don't worry, every single side character was also unbearable!
I found the writing quite repetitive, sometimes even on a sentence level, but many scenes were either repeated to us numerous times or were similar enough that they could have been cut. I was frustrated that certain topics were described in such a didactic way that it felt like the author was explaining her political stances; it felt so unnatural to lay out that "oh yeah, it's awful that women have to worry about going to a stranger's home! oh no, bisexuals get a bad rep and people think they sleep around with the entire population!" And I agree with everything she said, but these descriptions don't belong in a novel, people don't talk like this. The same goes for Trev's appearance, he was a textbook narcissist with zero subtlety in his depiction.
Overall, I didn't get the same cute cozy vibe that the cover promised me, and I have a lot of hang-ups about the writing and pacing.
The main couple met in person very late in the book, around 120 pages in. Their online interactions were often glossed over, and we read immature exchanges but only get told about how they have deep conversations and grow closer over the weeks. For example, we read three conversations between Maggie and Rosita/Mac/Kit about Aiden, but we don't see Maggie talking to Aiden in a meaningful way. The misunderstandings around their ages were immature and unrealistic (not to mention annoying), and I hated the much-too-frequent use of "lol." I enjoyed reading about the individual life struggles that Maggie and Aiden were facing, but somehow both of their characters were one-dimensional, and I didn't really like either of them. Oh but don't worry, every single side character was also unbearable!
I found the writing quite repetitive, sometimes even on a sentence level, but many scenes were either repeated to us numerous times or were similar enough that they could have been cut. I was frustrated that certain topics were described in such a didactic way that it felt like the author was explaining her political stances; it felt so unnatural to lay out that "oh yeah, it's awful that women have to worry about going to a stranger's home! oh no, bisexuals get a bad rep and people think they sleep around with the entire population!" And I agree with everything she said, but these descriptions don't belong in a novel, people don't talk like this. The same goes for Trev's appearance, he was a textbook narcissist with zero subtlety in his depiction.
Overall, I didn't get the same cute cozy vibe that the cover promised me, and I have a lot of hang-ups about the writing and pacing.
kelsdancole's review against another edition
4.0
Reverse grumpy/sunshine, gamers, small town romance, friends first, found family.
Honestly I adored this story. Maggie and Aiden’s awkward friendship is so sweet and relatable. I smiled at their awkwardness and laughed at their banter. I also enjoyed Maggie’s (grumpy) tough exterior but deep love for her people.
Apparently I love books about gamers, even though I’m not one myself. The world of gaming feels so akin to the world of books - you can be anyone you want to be.
Honestly I adored this story. Maggie and Aiden’s awkward friendship is so sweet and relatable. I smiled at their awkwardness and laughed at their banter. I also enjoyed Maggie’s (grumpy) tough exterior but deep love for her people.
Apparently I love books about gamers, even though I’m not one myself. The world of gaming feels so akin to the world of books - you can be anyone you want to be.
itsmechelly's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
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
kawusia25's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Cute story
_missbianca's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0