Reviews with content warning for Chronic illness - A Merry Little Meet Cute

Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone

11 reviews

fanboyriot's review against another edition

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challenging fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Read For:

😬 Insta Love

☃️ Holiday Theme

🫠 Annoying Characters

🎄Christmas Movie Filming

🤢 Overuse of Holiday Lotion

I bought the book on accident (confusing it for a different book with a similar cover) I didn’t notice until I was home and live too far from the bookstore to return it. So this was a spite read if I’m being honest… and I hated this book. Where was the “Meet Cute” in this book because don’t remember reading one? It wasn’t even a Christmas book either it was like the whole title was a lie or joke or something.

Merry ❌

Little (418 pages) ❌

Meet Cute ❌

It was so cheesy and the characters gave off that whiny YA kind of vibe even though it wasn’t a young adult book. The first person point of view made it feel so one dimensional and flat. It was really difficult to care about what happened. I hated everyone the longer I read.

I have never read good fat rep in a book so I didn’t think this would be the exception. You want to normalize fat characters then please stop bringing up all the fat talk, mention it and move on. You don’t need to bring it up all the time. As a fat person it’s super annoying to read about it as if these characters aren’t just normal people at the end of the day. I’m here for the inclusion but my gosh you don’t have to make it their only personality point.

I have no idea how this was 418 pages because it takes half the book for anything slightly interesting to happen, and even then it’s pretty boring. It dragged out for no reason, but I’m so happy to note all the times the one character jerked off with gingerbread lotion so thanks for ruining that holiday scent for me. And don’t get me started on who uses lotion in the damn shower?! That should be a crime.

On that note it was super weird that Bee was way too over sexualized to the point Nolan kept using her porn name in his head all day the time. It like she was just an object the entire time.

“You can take the girl out of the sex work, but you can’t take the sex work out of the girl.” - (Chapter 18, Page 249)

Like what did I just read?

Nolan was so damn annoying and there was more chemistry between Bee and a random stripper than him if I’m being honest. They were just horny. There was zero romance and I’m not sure how the authors thought romance and sex are that same thing but here we are.

Sure there were things like mental health rep, LGBTQIA+ rep, body and sex positivity, sex work and each of these were written so poorly. For example when Bee was bisexual and in the porn business. News flash most people in porn are bi (or gay for pay), why is this so shocking?? Girl on girl is literally fetishized all the time and it’s treated like Bee is the only bisexual porn star.

How was the done so badly?! I knew I wouldn’t like it because it seems very heterosexual (even with bi characters) but my gods, this was so much worse.

So in conclusion this book was awful and felt like banging my head against a concrete wall.

Release Date: 20, September 2022

POV: Dual, First Person

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (mentioned nearly every page)

Rep: Bi (MCs), Trans (SC), Bipolar (SC)

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kleinekita's review

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funny lighthearted

4.0

Cute and funny yet 100% R rated.

I love bi4bi couples!

Content Warnings

monicalaurette's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted sad fast-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

4.25

Cries because this book was so cute and so much fun to read around the holiday season. I even found myself loving the fluff moments more than the smut ones because it was just so heartwarming to see those two in love and sneaking around in this small, Christmas-loving town.

I think it was also fun to see a character like Bee/Bianca that was so confident in her body and into an industry like that because it’s not as common. And that Nolan was just so into her before they even met. I think both of them having an obsession with the other before they met helped it be like…not as creepy when you think about it. Like it cancels each other out.

One thing that got me in this book to not give it a full 5 stars would be how some of the characters behaved because it just seemed too much and too over the top at times. But maybe that was also just me because I wanted more scenes of Bee and Nolan cuddling together.

Also, it was nice that we got to see the truth of the events in Duluth too because it showed that Nolan was always just a caring person and not just with his family or bandmates. And is it wrong for me to compare Dominic Diamond to another certain tabloid-esque person that is just a terrible person? I don’t want to name names but they popped right in my head and I think a lot of people would agree with me.

For the ending the coming back down from the climax (pun sort of intended) I really liked how it was a biggish moment and then it was more personal with the cross-country driving. Having the book also start and end with Teddy’s POV I thought was a fun way to begin the tale and then bring it to a close while opening us up to the next book with Kallum (who might be my favorite?).

Content Warnings

kristakp's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Great story. The stakes felt appropriately high, but nonetheless the plot was easygoing and entertaining regardless. I was annoyed by some of Nolan's logic and reactions but not annoyed enough to really disrupt my enjoyment of the novel and the main relationship.

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alexisgarcia's review against another edition

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funny hopeful slow-paced

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

3.0

i really liked this book at the start. the plot is interesting, the characters are great, and it was pretty funny in my opinion. however, towards the middle it just started to drag. it was just too long for what it was. i started to find myself getting so bored and not wanting to continue reading because it just felt way way too long.

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thesmutsister_emma's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.25

Winter Wonderland In the Style of Snoop Dogg and Anna Kendrick
I'm going to be so freaking for real right now. I honestly didn't plan on reading this book. I had heard it was very slow from Booktokers and Bookstagramers who I trust and was just going to leave it be. Then I received it in a holiday book exchange (thank you again, Aysha for hosting that) and I thought why the hell not. After having a slummy previous book, I felt like I could trust Sierra Simone with pulling me out of a rut. And boy, did she and Julie Murphy deliver. Before I start giving too much away, let me get to my usuals.

The Characters
Bee: Can I just be Bee?? Pretty please? As someone who is usually the most sex positive of the friend group, to see Bee doing her ahem adult content account as well as the Hallma- I mean... well. you know what I mean. Anyway, to see her doing that as well as her adult content account made my heart happy. It typically is frowned upon and even I have to have to have pseudonyms on this account and my Instagram (go check out @the.smutsisters). It was wonderful to see the openness, even if that was the main conflict a lot of the book. Bee handled things with beauty and grace throughout the book honestly.
Nolan: Nolan. Precious Nolan. This poor, oblivious, privileged, mess of a bisexual. Lord bless this child's heart. Honestly, I get it though. I understand needing to be the crutch of the family. It is something I have come to understand much much more in the last 2 years. The constant need to always be there is something I get. It's also something I am working on as well. I feel like Nolan did such a great job with it honestly.

Things I Loved
I quite frankly loved so much of this book that I'm not sure what is missing for it to make 5 🌟 but something just feels like it is missing. I loved the social commentary because it didn't feel forced at all. The LGBTQ+ representation was wonderful, the only way to improve that would have been to have an ace character and a trans character. The chemistry that Bee and Nolan have is palpable even on the page, I can't imagine what the rest of the cast and crew saw on the set. I loved the side characters and would love to see more.

Things I Didn't Love
I can't put my finger on it, but there was something about it that made it come just shy of a 5 🌟 review and it really bothers me that it didn't because I don't have any specific complaints about the book!

The Final Verdict
This honestly is going to be a holiday book I come back to every holiday season. It was enjoyable and comforting while also having the levels of spice I love. If you need to raise the temp a few degrees on your holiday plans, be sure to grab this book!!

Content Warnings

livermoresweetheart's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

3.0

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone 
PoV: First person, past tense, dual pov
ToN (Type of Narration): Dual by Joy Nash and Sebastian York
Audio book length: 11h
Genre and Sub genre: Romcom, Christmas
Location: Christmas Notch, Vermont; Arlington, TX; Los Angeles, CA
Time(s): Current/Contemporary
Tropes: Secret identity, secretly dating, famous
TW/CW's:

mental health, body shaming, misogyny, biphobia, chronic illness, alcohol, drug use, medical, medical drama detailed, grief, death, death of a parent, sexual harassment, ableism, domestic abuse, vomit, bullying, panic attacks, stalking

Language Rating: 5/5
Sex Rating: 5/5 graphic sex warning:

oral, spanking, desecrating of a religious alter (a Sierra Simone specialty)

Representation: LGBT+

Synopsis: Bee Hobbes (a.k.a. Bianca Von Honey) a successful plus-sized adult film star with a huge following online has been cast last minute to step in to fill a role for another star who got sick at a hot yoga retreat. Many other adult-film workers were also brought on when a bunch of workers were hurt at a burning-man type venue, because the director is “going straight” and rebranding from the adult film industry to the very family friendly industry. Bee’s co star will be the former boy-band pop sensation she has been madly in love with since her teen years.

All of the adult-film workers have been asked to keep their pasts quiet so that the director can make this squeaky clean family movie. Except that the workers spend their after hours at places like The North Pole, and getting drunk at the local bar, all spouting their mouths off about themselves, and everyone already knows who they are anyway.

Nolan Shaw has some skeletons in his past that he is trying to bury, and is hoping to do so with this fluffy family movie. And he was on track to do so.. Until his sex idol Bianca Von Honey waltzes onto the set, and now Nolan wants nothing more than to put his hands all over her every chance he gets. He has been following her ClosedDoor account for 6 years now, he’s a top tier member! Now he is trying to hide his feelings for Bee, when the reporter who ruined his career comes waltzing onto the Christmas set, snooping around for the new scoop, hoping at every turn that Nolan will live up to his bad boy rep.

This book was full of funny one liners, and a few well written scenes, but it seriously needed a heavy handed editor and possibly a rewrite. The premise was great, but this book could have been amazing if it had gone through a few more editing processes! Here are some things I hated-

-The words “gingerbread lotion” is used no less than 11 times. And if I have to ever read that again in this context I might be sick. Gross.

-The reader is lead to believe toys would come into play WAY more often than they actually did, and I for one was quite disappointed that the fun trunk was never utilized.

-The horrible euphemisms need to stop. Like. Right. TF. NOW. Now, I get it, we don’t want to use the same words over and over, that is repetitive and boring! But when you describe ladybits as a “well” and her cl*t as a “needy button”, it makes me think of the big, red “easy” button on the staples commercial that one can just press and org*sms just occur. In our dreams, ladies, in our dreams…

-Honestly, the way Nolan keeps talking about Bee’s body as if it is his to own, just because he paid for a subscription to it for the past 6 years makes me really sick. In fact, they both have these weird fascinations and infatuations with each other as objects and not as people, and that is super cringy.

-I love a good plus-size FMC or MMC! Seriously, make all the characters plus size! But there is a difference between subtle hints that the readers can infer from, and the constant reminder that yes, she is in fact over weight. That is what we hear. All.the.time. The inner dialogue is about the size. The characters mention the size. Everything revolves around the size (like, her not fitting into any of the dresses, or the chairs, or things were made for skinny people, etc etc etc)

-I also love a good story about business women (and for that matter, good business practices, and ethical managers and businesses) but again, every few sentences all the book talked about was how Bee was a p0rn star. We hear ya, she, and the others, worked in the adult-film industry. Loud.and.clear.

-Again, I love books with good representation! But every few sentences it talked about how Bee had two moms. She was OBSESSED with having two moms. We RARELY hear about any of the other characters' parents, why is that? Why is it so important we know that Bee has two moms? Did you know Bee had two moms? Bee has two moms. Two moms. The two moms Bee has. Two moms had Bee. Two moms. One mom, two mom.

-We are told over and over how Christmassy this Christmas town is. From the snow, to the silly street names, even to the “North Pole” pole dance/strip club with strippers with reindeer names. Clever? Maybe. Or maybe just over the top.

I love Sierra Simone, I have read all of her work! And I love Julie Murphy, I have read most of her work! This is the first time I have been *meh* about their books. I have more to rant about, but 2 pages is more than enough…. After all of this, though, I do hope they write two more books. I'd love to have books about Kallum and Isaac. BUT ONLY if the editing is done SO MUCH BETTER!!

Audio book review: The audiobook narrators were good. Sebastian York could read me the childhood story “The Night Before Christmas” and it could sound sexy. He is probably the only reason I listened to this book as long as I did.

**Audio book notes do not change my GR/SG book rating, it is only here for reference. This entire review is also cross posted to Amazon and Audible**

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Content Warnings

annahamburger's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

A very sweet and spicy holiday romance. This book is self aware which is to its benefit! It easily and skillfully plays on tropes from holiday films, and the fact that our MCs are former boy and members and a sex worker.

I was not sure how they were going to pull off a HEA, but I think they managed to do it in a sugarcoated but realistic way.

Content Warnings

katmahalia's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted relaxing fast-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

tbd

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purplepenning's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

Body-positive, sex-positive, and about as sweet and steamy as you can get in one holiday rom-com package. ("Package" pun not intended but definitely would've been remarked on in a book that manages to be both very frank and filled with innuendo.)

Content Warnings

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