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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Damn!
Listen, I predicted the whole twist at the end --Mat destroying Ava's car, being her SHRNK, and the one who killed her family in the hit and run. I predicted it ALL, pretty early on in the book. Did that make me enjoy the ride any less? Honestly, no. This is one of those predictable and formulaic books that are still so entertaining and engaging!
I had a great time getting to know Ava and Jaime, and their grief and tragedy plucked at my heartstrings. I found the pseudo-realistic corporate setting to be clever, so cringey, and too relatable – All the Items Named Like This, the over-the-top office party, the Positivity Mandate. The subway ads! All the stuff Mat bought from millennial subway ads! It all hit so close to home!
I also liked that this book is very bi. Great queer read!
Listen, I predicted the whole twist at the end --
I had a great time getting to know Ava and Jaime, and their grief and tragedy plucked at my heartstrings. I found the pseudo-realistic corporate setting to be clever, so cringey, and too relatable – All the Items Named Like This, the over-the-top office party, the Positivity Mandate. The subway ads! All the stuff Mat bought from millennial subway ads! It all hit so close to home!
I also liked that this book is very bi. Great queer read!
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
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:
Yes
3.5 stars
Having worked in a variety of offices during my ten-year career, I’ve witnessed all of the cliches. From being told to ‘create a viral video’ and ‘find better looking people to photograph’ to being shouted at and sexually harassed… office life is just divine.
So I wasn’t sure what to expect from this. It pokes fun at all of the stereotypes of working in an office, like the entire ‘well-being’ programme being an app and the DEI council being a tick box exercise. It’s very well-observed and extremely true to life. The furniture titles were nice touches at first but after a while became quite irritating.
It’s entirely predictable. Many people won’t mind this, but for me it felt a bit too obvious very early on who Mat is, and his role in SHRNK, which made the book less exciting.
It’s an enjoyable read for sure and there are a lot of amusing sections where I laughed because I’ve experienced the same thing in an office environment. It’s also lovely to watch Ava grow as a person and overcome her past. I would have liked more information on Ava and Andie’s relationship as this would have helped understand how it differed from the one with Mat and how Ava had perhaps changed as a person.
I do feel that Ava’s story itself was excellent, especially her determination to move on. However, without Mat as a romantic interest, the story would have been much better and less stereotypical.
Overall a good read, but didn’t quite match up to the expectation.
Having worked in a variety of offices during my ten-year career, I’ve witnessed all of the cliches. From being told to ‘create a viral video’ and ‘find better looking people to photograph’ to being shouted at and sexually harassed… office life is just divine.
So I wasn’t sure what to expect from this. It pokes fun at all of the stereotypes of working in an office, like the entire ‘well-being’ programme being an app and the DEI council being a tick box exercise. It’s very well-observed and extremely true to life. The furniture titles were nice touches at first but after a while became quite irritating.
It’s entirely predictable. Many people won’t mind this, but for me it felt a bit too obvious very early on who Mat is, and his role in SHRNK, which made the book less exciting.
It’s an enjoyable read for sure and there are a lot of amusing sections where I laughed because I’ve experienced the same thing in an office environment. It’s also lovely to watch Ava grow as a person and overcome her past. I would have liked more information on Ava and Andie’s relationship as this would have helped understand how it differed from the one with Mat and how Ava had perhaps changed as a person.
I do feel that Ava’s story itself was excellent, especially her determination to move on. However, without Mat as a romantic interest, the story would have been much better and less stereotypical.
Overall a good read, but didn’t quite match up to the expectation.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
this was a fun, twisty book that ended up being very different from what I thought it would be! the beginning reminded me a lot of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, and that’s kind of how I thought the story would progress, but it ended up being more high stakes and mysterious than I would have guessed. some of the elements of the plot seemed a little underbaked, but it all came together in such a compelling way that I didn’t mind. great audiobook listen!
i absolutely was going to give this 5 stars until the last like... 4 chapters. the twist was so predictable i assumed it wasnt the actual twist because it was TOO predictable. this was so massively disappointing
medium-paced
Will pick up later too many books to read
fast-paced
this book made me realize that the romance+thriller is really not my thing. especially straight romance. i’m generally not fond of men in books sooooo Mat was a no-no from his first appearance lol
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:
Yes