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margaretrose's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I originally gave it 4.5 thinking that because I sped through it I was biased. Nope. Still thinking about it and don't really want to read anything else. The author's use of the Philadelphia Story sneaks in way more than I first thought.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
mahaofhyrule's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Kinda fun and kinda boring at the same time, but mostly fun.
What I DID like though was the following:
- The Writing Style: Very easy on the brain. I also liked the inclusion of the media outlets here like Chani's blog, news articles, etc. to support the narrative too. Very creative!
- The talks on female journalist stereotypes and actor typecasting: Probably my favorite parts of the book. Chani's addresses on breaking that stereotype that female journalists sleep their way to good stories, and actors being criticized for taking roles that break their usual mold (and what it means to be a public figure). I really like these parts of the book and lowkey I wish this book was more of a character study on that vs. the romance.
- Oliver Matthias: What a gem. Also ties in with actors as a public figure point.
- This line: “He laughed. It was a great laugh, all low and dark and rich. If chocolate cake had a laugh, it would be that.” Like what does that even mean? I love it.
And now the dislikes:
For one thing, I didn't connect with Chani and Gabe's romance. To me, their whole dynamic felt like insta love, which is a trope I don't really like that much in romance novels. (Though this might be on me, I probably could have inferred that from the title.)
Chani and Gabe as individual characters were kind of a hit or miss for me too. Chani's insecurities made sense when she was younger and made the choices she did , but the way it carried onto her later years was crazy. Girl was still hung up on her no good ex after so many years. (On that note, it got a little annoying that she mentioned Jeremy in pretty much every other sentence.)
I also didn't really like that ending. It felt a little too rushed. More in the spoiler tag.
But anyway this was a quick fun read!
Graphic: Alcohol and Alcoholism
Moderate: Addiction
aaliyajaensch's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use
cdingler07's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Sexual content, Addiction, and Homophobia
Minor: Death and Death of parent
solinel7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
It's confusing and annoying at times with all the back and forth and more so at very important parts.
There are few spoilers. Read at your discretion.
Every chapter started with a news article which was cool but also it had me confused. The protagonist's main article was extremel important to the story but it was split in 4 so I don't remember anything about it.
They fell in love in one weekend 10 years ago and then we never get to see how their relationship developed as a full grown adult with a good head on their shoulders.
The story is engaging but it wasn't until ch 3 or 4 that I grasped what was really happening.
Author's writing style is good but the story left me wanting more.
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
sisters26's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction and Alcoholism
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual content, and Death of parent
beckpair's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Alcoholism and Addiction
nicollettereads's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Addiction
filipacmiranda's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Addiction, Toxic relationship, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Death of parent and Homophobia
abbeyroad1410's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.25
One of my favorite parts of this novel is that it doesn't just rotate between the present day and the past, but it also includes articles from both times. The articles really push the theme of reputation, and readers can see how the media portrays both characters despite not knowing anything about them or their relationship. It is also fun to see how Chani herself plays into her role as a journalist and painting a picture that is slightly less than true from her articles. My only disappointment on this front was that we didn't get Chani's follow-up article on Gabe Parker - the main plot point of the book.
Of course, this book loses me at times because I have a lot of trouble believing that characters can fall in love in such a short time. This isn't quite the insta-love that really takes me out of a novel, but it is very quick. I think this book strengthens the plot by having Chani ask the same questions the readers may have about how quickly things progress.
Additionally, I was very upset because the novel had me convinced for awhile that the dog was dead, and the whole time I was thinking "but she would only be 10! She has to still be alive." Dog death messes with my anxiety.
However, this novel had one of the strongest romance novel endings that I have read. I love the idea of Gabe watching an article for the newsletter and getting his perspective rather than Chani's to end the novel. The ending is heartfelt, emotional. One quote hit me so hard that I texted my boyfriend about it.
Overall, this book is worth the read and was a nice light-hearted book for exam week.
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Addiction, and Alcoholism