Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
rep: fat biracial (Chinese, white) protagonist, biracial (Chinese, white) side character; (Chinese-Canadian author)
aww this was cute! initially I thought the writing wasn't going to work for me (the first chapter or so) but it really grew on me and I found a lot of the book to be funny. also liked the characters and can't can't wait to read the second book!
aww this was cute! initially I thought the writing wasn't going to work for me (the first chapter or so) but it really grew on me and I found a lot of the book to be funny. also liked the characters and can't can't wait to read the second book!
Super cute contemporary romance. I loved the gym setting and the focus on moving your body to feel good and not loose weight.
The enemies part of the enemies to lovers is over pretty quick, but then some slow burn is built in in other ways.
The enemies part of the enemies to lovers is over pretty quick, but then some slow burn is built in in other ways.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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:
Yes
Very easy romance read but I found myself wanting more. Most of the scenes are set in the gym with our two main characters and I wanted them to encounter more scenarios together.
There was a strong family plot line which was charming, but was not for me personally. I wanted a bigger build up before the first kiss. They seemingly hated each other and then suddenly mack on each other. If it was hate fueled it would have worked..but it felt too sudden.
Overall, a great read for someone who wants a relaxing romance!
I loved the author’s work Exes & O’s a little bit more than this one. Looking forward to reading The Catch.
There was a strong family plot line which was charming, but was not for me personally. I wanted a bigger build up before the first kiss. They seemingly hated each other and then suddenly mack on each other. If it was hate fueled it would have worked..but it felt too sudden.
Overall, a great read for someone who wants a relaxing romance!
I loved the author’s work Exes & O’s a little bit more than this one. Looking forward to reading The Catch.
I immediately recommended this one to all the fitness-loving ladies in my life. It's just not every day you find a main character who loves working out and getting stronger. I have not thought about meeting a dateable guy at the gym since I went to the rec center in college, so this brings back fun memories and is a great backdrop for a love story.
Crystal, a fitness trainer and influencer, is super annoyed when a new guy at the gym keeps stealing the squat rack she wants to use. They can't stop bickering, and then it gets even weirder when she sees him at a family function. It turns out that Crystal's widowed grandma and Scott's widowed grandpa have fallen in love and plan to get married. It looks like they'll be forced to spend more time together, and they quickly discover they have wild chemistry. But they try to take it slow so they don't mess anything up before their grandparents' wedding.
Crystal and Scott's interactions are so adorable, but this book also has some substance too. It deals with body image issues, racism, sizeism, and insecurity, and the author handles these topics in a very sensitive way. I was rooting for this love story but also for Crystal's self-love story. This is a quick, fun read. I can’t wait for the second book in this series (about Crystal’s sister) to come out next month.
instagram.com/anexcusetoread for my other reviews!
Crystal, a fitness trainer and influencer, is super annoyed when a new guy at the gym keeps stealing the squat rack she wants to use. They can't stop bickering, and then it gets even weirder when she sees him at a family function. It turns out that Crystal's widowed grandma and Scott's widowed grandpa have fallen in love and plan to get married. It looks like they'll be forced to spend more time together, and they quickly discover they have wild chemistry. But they try to take it slow so they don't mess anything up before their grandparents' wedding.
Crystal and Scott's interactions are so adorable, but this book also has some substance too. It deals with body image issues, racism, sizeism, and insecurity, and the author handles these topics in a very sensitive way. I was rooting for this love story but also for Crystal's self-love story. This is a quick, fun read. I can’t wait for the second book in this series (about Crystal’s sister) to come out next month.
instagram.com/anexcusetoread for my other reviews!
4.25 :)
I really enjoyed this!!!! I can’t wait for the next two books in the series
I really enjoyed this!!!! I can’t wait for the next two books in the series
Ughhh I do not like this man 😭😭😭 he is so gym bro and just not for me.
I can see the positive parts of this book: discussions about toxic body positivity culture, gym access and support/discussion of folks not going for weight loss, discussions of hyped up and unachievable beauty standards, discussion of cyber-security and bullying, and that loving yourself isn't a linear process, and even if you're there, it doesn't always mean you'll be on a rock bed of confidence 24/7.
But even with all the themes I appreciated and enjoyed seeing written about, I still couldn't get into this.
It might have been the setting (I realized the gym setting isn't one that I care about, particularly like, or relate to), the plot points (I have zero interest in reading about influencers or gym bros, even if this one was positive), or the characters (the romantic interest was too perfect and clearly written by a woman, and the MC was a pain in my butt for most of this, with my audibly sighing and wishing out loud that they would go to therapy for the love of everything good in this world).
I liked that the MC (and author?) was a plus sized, half-Asian person who mentions (albeit briefly) about how her parent's marriage faced obstacles, but it might be just my experience with mixed families, but it came to the discussion really late, and you didn't see any of the dynamics in the family's relationships that are sure to exist. I would have thought that the dynamic would have influenced our MC's vision of the world and their relationships, but it didn't seem like it did very much.
As a debut novel, it's a solid start and it's not the worst I've read, but I couldn't get into it and lost patience fairly early (and actually...at the end too, with one of a weird declaration of love where I literally said "NOPE," out loud). That being said, I wouldn't mind giving this author another try down the line...they just wouldn't necessarily be at the very top of my TBR.
I won a Kindle version of this in a Goodreads giveaway...Not sure if they wanted the honest review, but they got one.
But even with all the themes I appreciated and enjoyed seeing written about, I still couldn't get into this.
It might have been the setting (I realized the gym setting isn't one that I care about, particularly like, or relate to), the plot points (I have zero interest in reading about influencers or gym bros, even if this one was positive), or the characters (the romantic interest was too perfect and clearly written by a woman, and the MC was a pain in my butt for most of this, with my audibly sighing and wishing out loud that they would go to therapy for the love of everything good in this world).
I liked that the MC (and author?) was a plus sized, half-Asian person who mentions (albeit briefly) about how her parent's marriage faced obstacles, but it might be just my experience with mixed families, but it came to the discussion really late, and you didn't see any of the dynamics in the family's relationships that are sure to exist. I would have thought that the dynamic would have influenced our MC's vision of the world and their relationships, but it didn't seem like it did very much.
As a debut novel, it's a solid start and it's not the worst I've read, but I couldn't get into it and lost patience fairly early (and actually...at the end too, with one of a weird declaration of love where I literally said "NOPE," out loud). That being said, I wouldn't mind giving this author another try down the line...they just wouldn't necessarily be at the very top of my TBR.
I won a Kindle version of this in a Goodreads giveaway...Not sure if they wanted the honest review, but they got one.