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funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I would have given this 4+ stars except for the repeated and annoying inaccuracies about law school. (See below). If those things weren’t constantly annoying me, I would have truly loved this book. I read it mostly in one sitting. The banter was good for “enemies to lovers”. At first I didn’t get the FMC’s anger but as she looked more at herself it made her make more sense. I liked that her “family” was her friends. I’d give it 2🌶️🌶️ - two scenes relatively short and not very detailed with some use of euphemisms for anatomy.
Okay. The things that are wrong and could have been easily fixed. 1. Third year law students are called 3Ls, not L3s 2. The FMC is often grading “assignments” for for 1L class she TAs - the VAST majority of law school classes and almost certainly all 1L classes are graded solely on the final exam. Is that a good way to grade? Hell no. But it’s the way it’s done. 3. In part of one afternoon in which the FMC does a variety of tasks, she reads the “next 3 weeks” of case law readings. I literally laughed out loud. Three weeks of reading for all of her classes would be at least several hundred pages of dense case law. Unless you have amazing comprehension skills, memory, and speed-reading, you aren’t doing that in a few hours. 4. The FMC reads “The Bar Exam & You”. Seriously. No. And she’s not studying for the Bar during 3rd year. That’s what the time from graduation until the Bar is for. Third year classes are way more intense than the author describes. 5. The MMC is not “her colleague,” he’s the adjunct professor that she is a TA for. I’m not saying relationships don’t happen in that situation, but he’d be fired.
Okay. The things that are wrong and could have been easily fixed. 1. Third year law students are called 3Ls, not L3s 2. The FMC is often grading “assignments” for for 1L class she TAs - the VAST majority of law school classes and almost certainly all 1L classes are graded solely on the final exam. Is that a good way to grade? Hell no. But it’s the way it’s done. 3. In part of one afternoon in which the FMC does a variety of tasks, she reads the “next 3 weeks” of case law readings. I literally laughed out loud. Three weeks of reading for all of her classes would be at least several hundred pages of dense case law. Unless you have amazing comprehension skills, memory, and speed-reading, you aren’t doing that in a few hours. 4. The FMC reads “The Bar Exam & You”. Seriously. No. And she’s not studying for the Bar during 3rd year. That’s what the time from graduation until the Bar is for. Third year classes are way more intense than the author describes. 5. The MMC is not “her colleague,” he’s the adjunct professor that she is a TA for. I’m not saying relationships don’t happen in that situation, but he’d be fired.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Sexual content
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Drug abuse
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I almost finished this book in one evening— it is a great predictable but well-written romance
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The perfect enemies to lovers slow burn with a touch of found family type of story. A few predictable parts, but there’s so much going on (in the best way) that some details are kind of forgotten until they are front and center. I loved this one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction
An overstretched law student discovers she must work closely with the divorce attorney for her friend’s soon-to-be ex-husband when said divorce attorney signs on as an adjunct professor at her law school.
It’s too bad that she discovers this after already storming into his office at his high-profile law firm and telling him off. (It is not the most professional moment, y’all.)
They’re in a straight-up forced proximity, workplace situation, where they develop a friendship and—even though she fights it—fall in love.
There are definitely things to love about this book, but Bea does not make it easy. She has a lot of big feelings, and those big feelings tend to come out as anger. (Given how much she had to act in a parental capacity herself at a young age, it’s not surprising that she doesn’t know how exactly to name and navigate all of those big feelings.) When they aren’t coming out as anger, we see her trying to protect herself by self-sabotaging relationships, friendships, and job prospects. Oof, she is prickly on the outside to protect her soft insides.
Bea loves her friends fiercely, but she doesn’t believe in the idea of romantic love for herself. Even though Nate continually shows her who he really is, she refuses to trust him enough to fully let go of the image she rage-crafted of him.
It’s a slow burn.
I enjoyed those moments when Bea gets out of her own way and just lets herself be, the discussions before classes, the details Nate pays attention to, and seeing Bea’s confidence grow.
And I’m a fan of the ending, even if there are some major stumbles that I didn’t love along the way.
As for the audiobook, Allyson Ryan’s narration fits Bea’s personality well. She captures all of the anger, frustration, and irritation. I also enjoyed her voice for Nate.
I received a copy of the book from Gallery Books and a copy of the audiobook from Simon & Schuster Audio. All review opinions are my own.
3.75 stars
It’s too bad that she discovers this after already storming into his office at his high-profile law firm and telling him off. (It is not the most professional moment, y’all.)
They’re in a straight-up forced proximity, workplace situation, where they develop a friendship and—even though she fights it—fall in love.
There are definitely things to love about this book, but Bea does not make it easy. She has a lot of big feelings, and those big feelings tend to come out as anger. (Given how much she had to act in a parental capacity herself at a young age, it’s not surprising that she doesn’t know how exactly to name and navigate all of those big feelings.) When they aren’t coming out as anger, we see her trying to protect herself by self-sabotaging relationships, friendships, and job prospects. Oof, she is prickly on the outside to protect her soft insides.
Bea loves her friends fiercely, but she doesn’t believe in the idea of romantic love for herself. Even though Nate continually shows her who he really is, she refuses to trust him enough to fully let go of the image she rage-crafted of him.
It’s a slow burn.
I enjoyed those moments when Bea gets out of her own way and just lets herself be, the discussions before classes, the details Nate pays attention to, and seeing Bea’s confidence grow.
And I’m a fan of the ending, even if there are some major stumbles that I didn’t love along the way.
As for the audiobook, Allyson Ryan’s narration fits Bea’s personality well. She captures all of the anger, frustration, and irritation. I also enjoyed her voice for Nate.
I received a copy of the book from Gallery Books and a copy of the audiobook from Simon & Schuster Audio. All review opinions are my own.
3.75 stars
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction
emotional
funny
medium-paced
This book delivered those classic 2000’s RomCom vibes for me! The FMC annoyed me throughout the book but I thought she had some pretty valid reasons for her behavior regarding her distrust of love/marriage. The MMC was such a sweetheart and was the exact person Bea needed in her life. Such a sweet story that would be a perfect movie!
I really enjoyed the side characters and their core friendship! There is a side character struggling with addiction, so keep that in mind before picking this up.
I don’t know why but the narrator’s voice turned extra “breathy” in the epilogue and I was laughing yet also slightly uncomfy 😂
I really enjoyed the side characters and their core friendship! There is a side character struggling with addiction, so keep that in mind before picking this up.
I don’t know why but the narrator’s voice turned extra “breathy” in the epilogue and I was laughing yet also slightly uncomfy 😂
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Sexual content
emotional
funny
fast-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
This was a 5⭐️ rom-com! Bea’s anger issues, while a bit annoying at times, made perfect sense with her past trauma. I loved how she and Nate were such nuanced, realistic MCs. Top tier banter, yearning, and spice.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction