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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
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
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was super excited to read this debut novel for its interesting, fresh concept and its diversity. I enjoyed the mental health, neurodivergence, and plus size representation. The romance fell flat for me as I felt that the two main characters didn’t have much chemistry and contrary to the title, they felt very insta-lusty. It took me a little bit to get into the story, and from there the plot never really picked up for me and it was definitely a slow read because of that.
I was super excited to read this debut novel for its interesting, fresh concept and its diversity. I enjoyed the mental health, neurodivergence, and plus size representation. The romance fell flat for me as I felt that the two main characters didn’t have much chemistry and contrary to the title, they felt very insta-lusty. It took me a little bit to get into the story, and from there the plot never really picked up for me and it was definitely a slow read because of that.
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
The writing was kind of obnoxious and it all felt very obvious and trite.
This was a fun romance read with mental health rep, ghostwriters, and a sprinkling of fake dating.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book - the angst, the back and forth, and the tension between the characters was so fun to read. I’m also a sucker for a chef, so reading about all the food they were making was perfect for me.
Towards the back half, the story slowed down a bit, and became less believable. There was a lot of conflict that felt manufactured, characters seemed to suddenly switch gears, and I began to lose interest. There were also a couple of characters who I wish had more background (like the agent and the ghostwriter boss), and some characters who felt unfinished (like the friends).
Overall I enjoyed reading it, but it left me wanting a bit more!
I was provided a complimentary ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
To Kieran, Ellie is an annoyingly uptight ghostwriter who was hired to write his cookbook. To Ellie, Kieran is an original and useless brat who finds her job ridiculous. Will they be able to work together?
This is a workplace, enemies to lovers romance with ADHD rep, told in dual POV in first person. It was cute and fluffy, but there was lots of what was supposed to be banter but came across as childish bickering, so the level of maturity was lacking for me to truly enjoy this. Also, to have a slow burn, there has to be a bit of burning, yearning, angst, tension along the way, and there was none.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is a workplace, enemies to lovers romance with ADHD rep, told in dual POV in first person. It was cute and fluffy, but there was lots of what was supposed to be banter but came across as childish bickering, so the level of maturity was lacking for me to truly enjoy this. Also, to have a slow burn, there has to be a bit of burning, yearning, angst, tension along the way, and there was none.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
slow-paced
This just wasn’t my cup of tea at all. I didn’t feel anything for Ellie or Kieran, so when the fake dating idea came up, and they shared a kiss, I couldn’t care less about it. My interest in the story waned quickly after that.
The only good things I have to say about the story is it’s good to see ADHD and ace people represented in fiction, even if one of them is a side-character. I felt they were handled well, but I’m neither so I can’t tell for sure.
The plot had tons of potential, but fell short for me. If I had been focused more around the book throughout, then I might not have been put off, but the whole fake dating thing in the middle irked me.
The only good things I have to say about the story is it’s good to see ADHD and ace people represented in fiction, even if one of them is a side-character. I felt they were handled well, but I’m neither so I can’t tell for sure.
The plot had tons of potential, but fell short for me. If I had been focused more around the book throughout, then I might not have been put off, but the whole fake dating thing in the middle irked me.
I really enjoyed this debut novel, especially the dual POV, which gave insight into both Kieran and Ellie's struggles and personal growth. Their chemistry was undeniable, and I enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers plot. This was a charming, fun read overall and I would definitely recommend for fans of sweet, slow-burn romances!
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest 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:
Complicated