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4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
hopeful
lighthearted
what a blast! so heart-warming. decent main characters and an easy but balanced story. enjoyed the allusions to reality tv. the ending got me in the best way!
a few cringe moments, who cares!
(kinda hate the cover, and it doesn’t match character descriptions much at all!)
a sweet, easy read. recommended for any fruity bachelor lovers/haters.
a few cringe moments, who cares!
(kinda hate the cover, and it doesn’t match character descriptions much at all!)
a sweet, easy read. recommended for any fruity bachelor lovers/haters.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-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
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
I loved this book! It was amazing to see Dev best caring towards Charlie with Charlie’s disabilities. It was clear Charlie was just so broken and beaten down by other people in his life that it was just so endearing to see him be cared for. I cared a lot about both Dev and Charlie and just wanted them to be happy! It was also very interesting to watch Charlie’s character development; whether it be discovering himself or just giving himself permission to be happy. This was such a good read. I loved it!
I have OCD and I hated the way this book handled OCD / people with OCD and their partners. I looked into Alison Cochrun's interviews on the book and couldn't find anything that said she herself has OCD or that she even knew someone with OCD (if there is evidence of that please lmk) but the portrayal of Charlie's life and how other people handled it was very frustrating for me to read.
Also I hate dating show rom coms so that part of the 2 stars is totally on me.
Also I hate dating show rom coms so that part of the 2 stars is totally on me.
Made me laugh out loud and sob out loud. I thought the mental health representation was so well-done and it hit home. Reading this definitely felt like a little therapy session, which I didn't expect :') I really related to Dev and his tendency to look way too far into the future to the point where he forgets to take chances because he's already decided how it ends for himself. And his little "funks" after a completing a massive project hit home for me lol.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
This was really sweet and it matched my expectations, since it's loved by so many.
Dev and Charlie deserve love, both have their baggage, but also grow quite a lot. I loved the setting with the reality tv show, the over the top parts that can probably only be found in such a setting and I especially loved the representation. Obviously, there's the achillean love story, but there's almost every other shade of colour under the rainbow - demi/gray ace rep (there's also some great talking points about the ace spec in general), lesbian rep, a ton of queer side characters and at least two nonbinary side characters. ALL the female characters were gorgeous (besides one of course) and we love that in MM romance. And I want a Parisa for my own life please.
I did struggle with some minor issues:
- the talk about being "healthy" when you're mentally ill and have been for a while. Most mental illnesses can't be cured, we just learn to live with them and there will be better times, but the symptoms might also be back in some ways. So talking about being "healthy" again gave me the ick, especially when Charlie says in one scene, he can't proceed something further with someone who isn't healthy (or something like not trying to be healthy)?! I wish I could search through the ebook for the exact quote, but I've read the book physically and didn't highlight it...
- as a German, the completely missed proof reading about the scenes happening in Germany bothered me a bit. They're doing "The Munich Group Challenge" and drove into the Black Forest (which is already another state), and suddenly it's taking place besides Schloss Neuschwanstein - which is neither in the Black Forest nor in Munich (at least it's only about 2 hours away from Munich). Neuschwanstein is located in the Bavarian Alps/ Allgäu, and about 3 hours from the Black Forest. Also, the German words used were spelled wrong. And of course this is just a minor point and wouldn't even be considered problematic, but I don't know how stuff like this happens, especially in trad publishing...
-The timeline of the ending didn't really appeal to me, I hate miscommunication and this was a problem here. Of course it made for an emotional rollercoaster which even made me cry a bit, but I'm still pissed off with Dev tbh
Dev and Charlie deserve love, both have their baggage, but also grow quite a lot. I loved the setting with the reality tv show, the over the top parts that can probably only be found in such a setting and I especially loved the representation. Obviously, there's the achillean love story, but there's almost every other shade of colour under the rainbow - demi/gray ace rep (there's also some great talking points about the ace spec in general), lesbian rep, a ton of queer side characters and at least two nonbinary side characters. ALL the female characters were gorgeous (besides one of course) and we love that in MM romance. And I want a Parisa for my own life please.
I did struggle with some minor issues:
- the talk about being "healthy" when you're mentally ill and have been for a while. Most mental illnesses can't be cured, we just learn to live with them and there will be better times, but the symptoms might also be back in some ways. So talking about being "healthy" again gave me the ick, especially when Charlie says in one scene, he can't proceed something further with someone who isn't healthy (or something like not trying to be healthy)?! I wish I could search through the ebook for the exact quote, but I've read the book physically and didn't highlight it...
- as a German, the completely missed proof reading about the scenes happening in Germany bothered me a bit. They're doing "The Munich Group Challenge" and drove into the Black Forest (which is already another state), and suddenly it's taking place besides Schloss Neuschwanstein - which is neither in the Black Forest nor in Munich (at least it's only about 2 hours away from Munich). Neuschwanstein is located in the Bavarian Alps/ Allgäu, and about 3 hours from the Black Forest. Also, the German words used were spelled wrong. And of course this is just a minor point and wouldn't even be considered problematic, but I don't know how stuff like this happens, especially in trad publishing...
-
If only the Bachelor franchise would take some cues from this book!
(3.5) As with most romances, there is some suspension of disbelief required with this one. But that didn’t stop me from devouring this in under 72 hours. The romance was super sweet and I appreciated the themes of mental illness, although I have to say I definitely preferred the first 2/3 of this book to the ending. It just felt a bit TOO far-fetched for me.
It’s been a long time since I tore through a physical book this quickly, but fluffy romances are usually perfect for helping get me out of a slump.
It’s been a long time since I tore through a physical book this quickly, but fluffy romances are usually perfect for helping get me out of a slump.
4.5 ⭐️
dual pov, brief script sections at the end of chapters, each chapter is 1 week on the show
indian 28 year old producer, has depression, dated ryan for 6 years before they broke up 3 months ago
blonde 27 year old (going on 28) brilliant, tech genius who launched a successful startup until he was fired as CTO. has crippling anxiety, social anxiety/introverted, germaphobe, misses social cues and incredibly awkward, very fit and hot and works out to improve his brain function, ideal date is puzzling and watching the expanse - same
don’t really get how producer roles are assigned. dev was producer and the girls handler, also story producer for ep 1 before he got assigned to be charlie’s producer and the girls got a new handler. ryan gets moved to supervising producer and off being charlie’s handler. then he’s story producer for ep 2 and called senior story producer
at least 3 bisexual/pansexual women and a nonbinary handler, queer (biromantic asexual) black woman director with nonbinary partner, charlie’s publicist is pansexual, chinese bisexual personal production assistant Jules, angie is a bisexual contestant
charlie counts his mississippis when people touch him, wants them to use hand sanitizer first and is a gluten free vegan
Dev is the first person who’s tried to understand charlie and hasn’t run away when he had an episode, charlie the first person who’s tried dev’s let read his script
charlie has OCD, generalized anxiety, and a panic disorder, takes antidepressants
charlie has a hard time stringing sentences together when he’s nervous - same
realizes he likes dev after he reads his desi gay romcom screenplay and it’s similar to how he’s been feeling
love the way dev pays attention to what charlie needs including morse code tapping “calm”
charlie on the show to earn back his reputation and be able to work in tech again after he was deemed impossible to work with - it’s a ridiculous plot that works
they bond over mental health and each has helped the other with their issues
sapphic street artist vendor in cape town
fight because dev cares more about his job and the show than doing the right thing when the drama gets nasty. dev also doesn’t want to go to therapy
love seeing him come out of his shell with dev
dev 6’4” and charlie shorter
so much of reality show is scripted
dev learns he never let ryan in and always closed himself off when he suggested therapy or to talk to him. loved dev but didn’t want a heteronormative happily ever after - i get that
daphne probably a lesbian
“practice” dating
fun dev to hide his depression, mention when he doesn’t wash his hair no
weird that dev backpeddles on calling him queer and then asks him what letter of the lgbtqiap+ alphabet he is after he just said he doesn’t know and isn’t ready to come out…
charlie may be demisexual or grey sexual
panic attacks
everyone knows about their secret relationship; i don’t think dev is fair to ryan, he seems like a good guy
charlie tells everyone he’s gay
third act breakup which makes sense. they both needed to find themselves. dev’s in therapy (nonbinary therapist) and using stim toys now. shitty thing for dev to do but did make their reunion on live TV more dramatic
a story about reality tv with lots of queer characters and mental health rep
no spice and only brief mentions of how their relationship was progressing sexually
doesn’t mention what dev is doing career wise after the show
like so many books, the ending redeemed itself for me. i love that they’re going forward with a queer Ever After
dual pov, brief script sections at the end of chapters, each chapter is 1 week on the show
indian 28 year old producer, has depression, dated ryan for 6 years before they broke up 3 months ago
blonde 27 year old (going on 28) brilliant, tech genius who launched a successful startup until he was fired as CTO. has crippling anxiety, social anxiety/introverted, germaphobe, misses social cues and incredibly awkward, very fit and hot and works out to improve his brain function, ideal date is puzzling and watching the expanse - same
don’t really get how producer roles are assigned. dev was producer and the girls handler, also story producer for ep 1 before he got assigned to be charlie’s producer and the girls got a new handler. ryan gets moved to supervising producer and off being charlie’s handler. then he’s story producer for ep 2 and called senior story producer
at least 3 bisexual/pansexual women and a nonbinary handler, queer (biromantic asexual) black woman director with nonbinary partner, charlie’s publicist is pansexual, chinese bisexual personal production assistant Jules, angie is a bisexual contestant
charlie counts his mississippis when people touch him, wants them to use hand sanitizer first and is a gluten free vegan
Dev is the first person who’s tried to understand charlie and hasn’t run away when he had an episode, charlie the first person who’s tried dev’s let read his script
charlie has OCD, generalized anxiety, and a panic disorder, takes antidepressants
charlie has a hard time stringing sentences together when he’s nervous - same
realizes he likes dev after he reads his desi gay romcom screenplay and it’s similar to how he’s been feeling
love the way dev pays attention to what charlie needs including morse code tapping “calm”
charlie on the show to earn back his reputation and be able to work in tech again after he was deemed impossible to work with - it’s a ridiculous plot that works
they bond over mental health and each has helped the other with their issues
sapphic street artist vendor in cape town
fight because dev cares more about his job and the show than doing the right thing when the drama gets nasty. dev also doesn’t want to go to therapy
love seeing him come out of his shell with dev
dev 6’4” and charlie shorter
so much of reality show is scripted
dev learns he never let ryan in and always closed himself off when he suggested therapy or to talk to him. loved dev but didn’t want a heteronormative happily ever after - i get that
daphne probably a lesbian
“practice” dating
fun dev to hide his depression, mention when he doesn’t wash his hair no
weird that dev backpeddles on calling him queer and then asks him what letter of the lgbtqiap+ alphabet he is after he just said he doesn’t know and isn’t ready to come out…
charlie may be demisexual or grey sexual
panic attacks
everyone knows about their secret relationship; i don’t think dev is fair to ryan, he seems like a good guy
charlie tells everyone he’s gay
third act breakup which makes sense. they both needed to find themselves. dev’s in therapy (nonbinary therapist) and using stim toys now. shitty thing for dev to do but did make their reunion on live TV more dramatic
a story about reality tv with lots of queer characters and mental health rep
no spice and only brief mentions of how their relationship was progressing sexually
doesn’t mention what dev is doing career wise after the show
like so many books, the ending redeemed itself for me. i love that they’re going forward with a queer Ever After
funny
lighthearted
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes