Scan barcode
bringmybooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thank you to Edelweiss, Gallery Books, & Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.
Review: Another winner from Christina Lauren! (Which is good because the last one I read from them was Something Wilder and that was ... not it)
There was a bit of suspending disbelief to make this one work, but in a way that felt fun and escapist instead of ridiculous. I genuinely loved the relationship between the two MCs, and the fake dating trope worked really well here.
There's honestly not a whole lot to say other than I've read 13 of Christina Lauren's books (starting after the Beautiful Bastard series, so I can't speak for those) and I would solidly recommend this one!
★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism
aileron's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Classism
Moderate: Cancer and Abandonment
Minor: Infidelity, Medical content, and Stalking
antidietleah's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Bullying and Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer
shesflippinpages'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? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
emetrock's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cursing and Gaslighting
Minor: Cancer, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment
deltadam's review against another edition
3.25
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Minor: Drug use
abby2207's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Cancer, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Sexual harassment
purplepenning's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Infidelity and Sexual harassment
Toxic relationship:savvyrosereads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Rating: 5/5 stars
Anna believes she got divorced years prior, after a short-lived marriage to get access to family housing in college. But when her husband shows up asking for her help to save his inheritance, she agrees to travel to his sister’s wedding in Indonesia…as his happily married wife of five years.
My favorite CLo so far! I typically love their books, but they’ve absolutely hit it out of the park with this one. It’s laugh out loud funny (literally—I laughed out loud, for real) and super sweet and Anna and Liam have so much chemistry. Fake relationship tropes are usually my favorite and this one hit all the right notes for me. I was up until 2am reading because I literally could not stop.
I truly don’t have any more words besides saying if you like romances you should read this one. I think it will be one of the “it” books of summer, and it absolutely should be.
CW: Emotional abuse/manipulation/gaslighting; discussion of cancer; mentions of sexual harassment
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
thatswhatshanread's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This one was super immersive and escapist with the right elements of romcom success: great spicy scenes, likable main characters, a fun exclusive island setting. The fake dating and marriage-of-convenience trope worked well, which surprised me because usually the fake marriage trope is just so unrealistic to me but made a lot of sense for this story, and really aided the sexual tension. Anna’s personality was a little much for me at first, but I loved how she interacted with Liam and balanced him out. Liam was HOT and closed-off, not quite tall, dark, and mysterious but full of intrigue and a soft center. I really liked them together. “Pretty Woman” vibes.
The plot was fairly predictable, but my main qualm (most of the reason I give it 4 stars) was with Liam’s family. They SUCKED!!!! I understand they are filthy rich but the Westons kinda turned me off the story at times. Liam’s dad especially was awful and gave me so much secondhand rage. The rich vs. lower middle class comparison here felt very “The Menu” as far as outrageous privilege and the insane, malicious stakes of the 1%. The Weston family had no redeeming qualities to speak of.
Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Drug use and Abandonment
Minor: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail