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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
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:
Complicated
I loved the Kiss Countdown but I loved The Love Simulation even more! For reference, both are complete standalones. Tbh I almost thought I had the wrong book at first because I went in blind (something I rarely do) because this starts off at the FMC's workplace, a school where she works as the Vice Principal. Until Mars came into play as a simulation challenge a teacher convinces her and other coworkers to partake in, in efforts to win $ prize for themselves and a bonus for the school if they make it all 6 weeks.
Okay, the simulation sounded so freaking COOL. Where do I sign up?! I loved all those details. This book went by so fast because I was so locked in. There was humor of course that it was literally a simulation but at the same time this author really pulled off high feeling stakes. I also painfully related to the FMC creating boundaries with her colleagues in efforts to stay professional while feeling like an outsider looking in as a result. The side characters were also hilarious and had their own mini arcs. Loved the ace rep with one of them btw!
The romanceeee. Omg this man had been admiring her from afar for a WHILE. No notes. It was swoony and excellent. There is eventual on page spice, I'd say like 1.5 scenes and it takes a slow burn.
Thank you Berkley for the free book!
Okay, the simulation sounded so freaking COOL. Where do I sign up?! I loved all those details. This book went by so fast because I was so locked in. There was humor of course that it was literally a simulation but at the same time this author really pulled off high feeling stakes. I also painfully related to the FMC creating boundaries with her colleagues in efforts to stay professional while feeling like an outsider looking in as a result. The side characters were also hilarious and had their own mini arcs. Loved the ace rep with one of them btw!
The romanceeee. Omg this man had been admiring her from afar for a WHILE. No notes. It was swoony and excellent. There is eventual on page spice, I'd say like 1.5 scenes and it takes a slow burn.
Thank you Berkley for the free book!
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:
No
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-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
Thanks so much to Berkley Pub and Berkley Romance for the free book! #BerkleyPartner
The Love Simulation was such a fun, quick read—it was also incredibly educational? I'm not really into/in the know of the happenings in space or what astronauts tend to get up to up there, so experiencing a portion of it via a simulation was actually very fun, and Etta Easton does a great job of not overwhelming the reader with this information in a way that is boring or unengaging.
Brianna and Roman were a magnetic force, and their love story was multilayered and interesting. I loved how they immediately resolved things each time they had conflict, even if that resulted in some distance or avoidance—it somehow didn't feel like things were being left unsaid, which I really appreciated. However, I did think that Brianna was a little too into Roman before she knew exactly how he felt, and I think this book would have benefitted from dual POV for that reason. Bri tended to have these internal conversations with Roman that were entirely one-sided, and it just would've been nice to be in his head instead of pretending these characters were having these conversations without saying a word. I haven't read The Kiss Countdown yet, but now I definitely want to, as the family dynamic between Bri and her siblings was something I really enjoyed, especially as the youngest sister in the family.
All in all, I don't know if I could ever go to space, let alone do a space simulation, but this was a lot of fun, and I overall really enjoyed Easton's writing style!
4 ⭐️
1 🌶️
🚨 Pub Date: 3/4/25
The Love Simulation was such a fun, quick read—it was also incredibly educational? I'm not really into/in the know of the happenings in space or what astronauts tend to get up to up there, so experiencing a portion of it via a simulation was actually very fun, and Etta Easton does a great job of not overwhelming the reader with this information in a way that is boring or unengaging.
Brianna and Roman were a magnetic force, and their love story was multilayered and interesting. I loved how they immediately resolved things each time they had conflict, even if that resulted in some distance or avoidance—it somehow didn't feel like things were being left unsaid, which I really appreciated. However, I did think that Brianna was a little too into Roman before she knew exactly how he felt, and I think this book would have benefitted from dual POV for that reason. Bri tended to have these internal conversations with Roman that were entirely one-sided, and it just would've been nice to be in his head instead of pretending these characters were having these conversations without saying a word. I haven't read The Kiss Countdown yet, but now I definitely want to, as the family dynamic between Bri and her siblings was something I really enjoyed, especially as the youngest sister in the family.
All in all, I don't know if I could ever go to space, let alone do a space simulation, but this was a lot of fun, and I overall really enjoyed Easton's writing style!
4 ⭐️
1 🌶️
🚨 Pub Date: 3/4/25
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5 ⭐️ 1.5🌶️
If you enjoy Abbott Elementary, I think you'll enjoy this book as well. I really enjoy the show and I can see the similarities in this book. If not for anything else, it'll make a great rom-com for streaming! Bri and Roman remind me of Jeanine and Gregory from Abbott. The energy was very much like Jeanine and "we have to do it and it has to be perfect for the kids!"
The story was fine but at times the main characters felt a little childish and it was hard for me to connect with them as a reader. I found myself wanting a dual POV. And that just may be my preference because I wanted the same in The Kiss Countdown. I long for Roman's POV and exact thoughts.
The forced proximity, workplace romance, and slow burn were definitely giving major, major trope vibes. At times, Bri felt like she was isolating herself and in her head A LOT about whether or not Roman liked her. I longed for a better romance build up between the two. I love a good slow burn but I needed more chemistry between the couples. The romance was the backburner to the story and it made it hard for me to just NEED them together.
The epilogue was fun and saved a lot of the story for me. It was good to see some familiar characters from The Kiss Countdown. I always love a friend or sibling group with updates! All in all, this was a nice read, I just wish I connected with the characters more.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
If you enjoy Abbott Elementary, I think you'll enjoy this book as well. I really enjoy the show and I can see the similarities in this book. If not for anything else, it'll make a great rom-com for streaming! Bri and Roman remind me of Jeanine and Gregory from Abbott. The energy was very much like Jeanine and "we have to do it and it has to be perfect for the kids!"
The story was fine but at times the main characters felt a little childish and it was hard for me to connect with them as a reader. I found myself wanting a dual POV. And that just may be my preference because I wanted the same in The Kiss Countdown. I long for Roman's POV and exact thoughts.
The forced proximity, workplace romance, and slow burn were definitely giving major, major trope vibes. At times, Bri felt like she was isolating herself and in her head A LOT about whether or not Roman liked her. I longed for a better romance build up between the two. I love a good slow burn but I needed more chemistry between the couples. The romance was the backburner to the story and it made it hard for me to just NEED them together.
The epilogue was fun and saved a lot of the story for me. It was good to see some familiar characters from The Kiss Countdown. I always love a friend or sibling group with updates! All in all, this was a nice read, I just wish I connected with the characters more.
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
I was so excited for another book by Etta and it was as fun as the first.
Brianna is a middle school vice principal who yearns for a new library and is promised a new one by the Principal..... Until he decides they need the football field redone instead. So Brianna enters a "Mars simulation" another teacher had asked for volunteers for before and she rejected. If this team of teachers win, they could get prize money to get a library back on track.
6 weeks of trying to get the teachers to see her as not only their semi-boss but as a friend without her getting too close at the same time. Roman, the science teacher and Principal's son makes it hard.
I liked the 4 tasks they had to do in the simulation. Tempers can run high, Jordan (the team leader) is bossy, the "food" sucks and close quarters are not always ideal. There is an incident with the school nurse and a spider and I felt bad for what happened to her, though...SAME GIRL! I would have freaked too!
I really loved that this gave Brianna the courage to pursue something that is a better fit for her. I never felt suspicious of Roman though he gave some valid reasons TO suspect him sometimes.
Brianna is a middle school vice principal who yearns for a new library and is promised a new one by the Principal..... Until he decides they need the football field redone instead. So Brianna enters a "Mars simulation" another teacher had asked for volunteers for before and she rejected. If this team of teachers win, they could get prize money to get a library back on track.
6 weeks of trying to get the teachers to see her as not only their semi-boss but as a friend without her getting too close at the same time. Roman, the science teacher and Principal's son makes it hard.
I liked the 4 tasks they had to do in the simulation. Tempers can run high, Jordan (the team leader) is bossy, the "food" sucks and close quarters are not always ideal. There is an incident with the school nurse and a spider and I felt bad for what happened to her, though...SAME GIRL! I would have freaked too!
I really loved that this gave Brianna the courage to pursue something that is a better fit for her. I never felt suspicious of Roman though he gave some valid reasons TO suspect him sometimes.
I loved The Kiss Countdown and was super excited for this but it’s so boring and the way that Brianna stupidly makes up scenarios about how she is viewed or what other people are thinking is annoying
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Full rtc
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Cursing
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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
Thank you to Berkley Romance for the advance reader copy and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.
The Love Simulation stands alone, but I found it nice to have read The kiss Countdown about her brother, Vince, the astronaut. A few scenes from that are referenced, and we get to know Brianna's family there.
Brianna is a vice principal and has advocated for money to be spent on upgrading the school library. The principal instead reallocates the money to a middle school athletic field. And his son, Roman, seems to be working with him against Brianna.
The story felt as much focused on the Mars simulation and the efforts for the library as on the romance. My favorite aspects were learning about what the simulation experience included. And of course, I was thrilled to see the emphasis on valuing a well stocked school library where all kids can find books about kids who look like them.
For me, the romance was fine. But the pacing felt a little off, with some parts being quite slow and others being too quick. Relatedly, I would have preferred more chapter breaks. One chapter was more than an hour long in the audio format. Other chapters were much shorter.
Sisi Aisha Johnson narrated the 10 hour audiobook. I loved her narration. I found myself switching to the audio format to enjoy her performance. I was especially impressed with her voicing of Roman.
The Love Simulation stands alone, but I found it nice to have read The kiss Countdown about her brother, Vince, the astronaut. A few scenes from that are referenced, and we get to know Brianna's family there.
Brianna is a vice principal and has advocated for money to be spent on upgrading the school library. The principal instead reallocates the money to a middle school athletic field. And his son, Roman, seems to be working with him against Brianna.
The story felt as much focused on the Mars simulation and the efforts for the library as on the romance. My favorite aspects were learning about what the simulation experience included. And of course, I was thrilled to see the emphasis on valuing a well stocked school library where all kids can find books about kids who look like them.
For me, the romance was fine. But the pacing felt a little off, with some parts being quite slow and others being too quick. Relatedly, I would have preferred more chapter breaks. One chapter was more than an hour long in the audio format. Other chapters were much shorter.
Sisi Aisha Johnson narrated the 10 hour audiobook. I loved her narration. I found myself switching to the audio format to enjoy her performance. I was especially impressed with her voicing of Roman.