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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
I was so excited when I found out Mason Deaver was writing an adult novel! I have loved some of their other YA books that I've read (I Wish You All The Best and The Ghosts We Keep).
I loved that the chapter titles were different movies and the fact that Peter has only seen Spider-Man 2 was so funny to me and honestly made me want to go rewatch it. I loved this romcom and I'm so excited to see what other novels Mason releases in the future!
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thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review. all thoughts are my own.
I loved that the chapter titles were different movies and the fact that Peter has only seen Spider-Man 2 was so funny to me and honestly made me want to go rewatch it. I loved this romcom and I'm so excited to see what other novels Mason releases in the future!
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thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review. all thoughts are my own.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I absolutely LOVED this! Both Eli and Peter were complex and REAL characters and I loved them both. Eli is stuck with where his life has taken him both with his romantic life and work life and is trying to avoid his friends' attempts at setting him up with someone. After a disastrous first date with Peter after being set up by mutual friends, Eli has definitely given up on dating. Peter was late, spilled food on Eli, didn't ask questions about Eli, was distracted by his phone, and then also missed the movie dealing with work calls instead. After overhearing Eli's complaints at work, his boss suggests a "Boyfriend Project" to fix Peter. Eli would much rather write about Peter's experience growing up queer and Asian in a small southern town instead which is what he proposes to Peter in addition to teaching him how to date.
With a mixture of fake dating and dating lessons, Eli and Peter's relationship develops in a different way. I appreciated the article that Eli is writing about being queer and Asian in a small town and I think this specific background for Peter allowed Mason to talk about important topics in a great way that enforced their importance but also wasn't preachy or out of place in the overall rom-com tone of the story. This book has been comped to the (incredible) rom-com "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days", a lot already but I definitely agree! There are lots of similarities between Eli and Andi (from the movie) and I think that this novel used that film as inspiration and did it in a great way where it still has similar beats but is it's own thing.
I absolutely LOVED this! Both Eli and Peter were complex and REAL characters and I loved them both. Eli is stuck with where his life has taken him both with his romantic life and work life and is trying to avoid his friends' attempts at setting him up with someone. After a disastrous first date with Peter after being set up by mutual friends, Eli has definitely given up on dating. Peter was late, spilled food on Eli, didn't ask questions about Eli, was distracted by his phone, and then also missed the movie dealing with work calls instead. After overhearing Eli's complaints at work, his boss suggests a "Boyfriend Project" to fix Peter. Eli would much rather write about Peter's experience growing up queer and Asian in a small southern town instead which is what he proposes to Peter in addition to teaching him how to date.
With a mixture of fake dating and dating lessons, Eli and Peter's relationship develops in a different way. I appreciated the article that Eli is writing about being queer and Asian in a small town and I think this specific background for Peter allowed Mason to talk about important topics in a great way that enforced their importance but also wasn't preachy or out of place in the overall rom-com tone of the story. This book has been comped to the (incredible) rom-com "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days", a lot already but I definitely agree! There are lots of similarities between Eli and Andi (from the movie) and I think that this novel used that film as inspiration and did it in a great way where it still has similar beats but is it's own thing.
emotional
funny
reflective
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
Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook. I think the narrator was a great choice and did a fantastic job.
Now onto the plot, it gave true rom-com vibes with a bunch of queer representation and I really really appreciated the representation and it's authenticity. The plot was very how to lose a guy in 10 days coded and I loved that aspect but Eli's aim to pull a fast one on his boss seemed ill-conceived at best and stupid at worst. His boss's decision at the end was very messed up and not okay (as is Eli's ex's involvement) but it gave Eli the push he needed to quit his job which he sorely needed to do. The biggest issue for me was that we didn't see a lot of character growth from Eli or the resolution with his career and that felt a little lazy to me. I did really appreciate that Peter didn't immediately forgive Eli for his deception and that he had to work to earn his forgiveness and replaie their relationship, but this again was something we didn't get to see.
For the characters, I was 50/50 on both of the MMCs at one point or another. Eli, the main character through whom the story is told, is a trans man struggling with his career and the direction the company he is working for has been going over the last several years. Peter, the love interest, doesn't mind his day job but wants to be a romance novelist. Overall, I liked Peter more than Eli who gave off the vibe of "I'm not the problem, everyone else is" until the end of the book when he had to face his actions head on and figure out what he needed to change about himself and his life to actually get what he wants. However, Peter's general social and romatic ineptitude also irritated me and made me think that there was some level of unspoken neurodivergence at play that heavily impacted the way his character behaved.
I would probably rate this book a 3.5 in general because I did enjoy it even though I had several frustrations at the end and that I didn't love the MC as much as I hoped I would at the beginning.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review.
emotional
funny
medium-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
4 ⭐ 2 🌶️ 3 🎧
I really enjoyed this story. Peter and Eli were absolutely adorable, Eli's mom was amazing and I loved their friends. There were a few things I wish we got and one thing I wish we didn't... But overall I adored these two and their story.
That third act break up. Ugh. Saw it coming a million miles away and still hoped it wasn't happening... I also wish we got to see them in their actual relationship a touch more. We went from yeah, maybe we can try again to epilogue and the reconciliation felt a little rushed.
The epilogue was so perfect though and made me so so happy!!
The audio was good. Logan Rozos was great at times, but I felt like he was missing some range, especially in a third person POV MM book that made it hard to tell who was who via context sometimes. But overall I really enjoyed this listen. Thank you so much Harper Audio for the advanced copy!
I really enjoyed this story. Peter and Eli were absolutely adorable, Eli's mom was amazing and I loved their friends. There were a few things I wish we got and one thing I wish we didn't... But overall I adored these two and their story.
That third act break up. Ugh. Saw it coming a million miles away and still hoped it wasn't happening... I also wish we got to see them in their actual relationship a touch more. We went from yeah, maybe we can try again to epilogue and the reconciliation felt a little rushed.
The epilogue was so perfect though and made me so so happy!!
The audio was good. Logan Rozos was great at times, but I felt like he was missing some range, especially in a third person POV MM book that made it hard to tell who was who via context sometimes. But overall I really enjoyed this listen. Thank you so much Harper Audio for the advanced copy!
Thank you to HarperAudio Adult and NetGalley for a free advanced reader’s copy. I received this copy in exchange for my honest review.
I was so ecstatic picking up this book for the first time because I knew I just needed a good, messy, late-90’s to early-2000’s rom-com vibe and this book delivered. If you aren’t prepared to sit with a flawed and self-sabotaging main character, this isn’t the book for you, but I really enjoyed that aspect. I feel like Eli was really human in how frustrating he was in the decisions he made but he also was so perfectly set up to be the kind of person who would make these kinds of decisions. You, as the audience, are kind of stuck being his well-meaning friend who wishes he would stop making choices that hurt him in the end.
I think the one flaw that this book has, in my eyes, is that I wanted more from our love interest, Peter. Peter felt almost too kind and too good in a way that felt like he never fully actualized as a full-bodied character. I loved when he and Eli were happy and together, but he felt like he was written for Eli, rather than to exist on his own. His anger is so quiet, and his discomfort never fully dissipates in a way that made me feel like he never got to let loose or feel fully comfortable. That, paired with a bit too little of Eli’s groveling and a bit too much of the narrative doing the Eli-punching in the end, is what docked a few stars for me.
Narration wise, Logan Rozos embodied Eli well but I feel like he leaned really heavily into very dry delivery to translate sarcasm, and it lent a quality to dialogue exchanges that felt flat. I would have loved to see Logan Rozos go bigger in some of his performances to add a bit of warmth to the characters around Eli so Eli, as a naturally dry and sarcastic character, stood out more.
Overall, this was a really fun read, and if you’re looking for a cover-your-eyes-but-peek-through-your-fingers kind of mess a la ‘How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days’ please give this book a try!
this book was everything to me. I sat down to listen and finished it in one sitting because i could not get enough of our MCs.
This is giving how to loose a guy in 10 days but make it queer and trans and the writing is just honestly perfection. The vibes were immaculate and the narration on the audiobook was superb.
The practice dating was such a fun way to learn
about each other and us as the reader to learn about them. The rock climbing date was such a sweet moment to read and see their bond truly blossom.
the romance aspect of this book felt so AUTHENTIC. i think more often than not romance books don’t necessarily feel authentic (AND THATS OK) but the way their chemistry naturally built and their full cooperation to being vulnerable with each other was so beautiful to read.
TRULY, i love this book and i need everyone to read it immediately.
The Vibes:
-Queer Romance
-Trans Rep
-Fake/Pretend/Practice Dating
-MC that reads romance
-SO SWEET
This is giving how to loose a guy in 10 days but make it queer and trans and the writing is just honestly perfection. The vibes were immaculate and the narration on the audiobook was superb.
The practice dating was such a fun way to learn
about each other and us as the reader to learn about them. The rock climbing date was such a sweet moment to read and see their bond truly blossom.
the romance aspect of this book felt so AUTHENTIC. i think more often than not romance books don’t necessarily feel authentic (AND THATS OK) but the way their chemistry naturally built and their full cooperation to being vulnerable with each other was so beautiful to read.
TRULY, i love this book and i need everyone to read it immediately.
The Vibes:
-Queer Romance
-Trans Rep
-Fake/Pretend/Practice Dating
-MC that reads romance
-SO SWEET
Eli is in a rut. He's stuck doing a job he hates while trying desperately to get promoted to the role he really wants, all while having to work beside the man who broke his heart. His roommates set him up on a blind date with Peter, which ends up being an absolute disaster. When Peter comes to Eli's workplace to apologize, Eli's boss overhears and comes up with an idea. He wants Eli to pretend to date Peter and use the experience to write an embarrassing article. Seeing an opportunity to finally get the writer gig he's been hoping for, Eli decided to pretend to write his boss's article, while he actually works on a serious article about Peter growing up queer in the south.
3.5 stars
There was so much good in this book. It felt like a classic rom-com with a crazy, disastrous first date, fake dating, meddling family and friends, etc. The queer and trans representation was excellent and it just felt so joyous, which I loved.
Where this loses some points for me is Eli's character. I found myself getting frustrated with him at times. In particular, his attitude towards his job was hard for me. He hates the content the company produces, and he has a terrible boss who treats him horribly. He seems so confident in the other areas of his life, so I find it hard to believe that he would have stayed in that job for so long. It just made me want to scream a little bit.
The narrator did very well. My only complaint was that he played Peter almost too timid at times. It made his character feel flat in parts of the story that were very emotional.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the ARC!
3.5 stars
There was so much good in this book. It felt like a classic rom-com with a crazy, disastrous first date, fake dating, meddling family and friends, etc. The queer and trans representation was excellent and it just felt so joyous, which I loved.
Where this loses some points for me is Eli's character. I found myself getting frustrated with him at times. In particular, his attitude towards his job was hard for me. He hates the content the company produces, and he has a terrible boss who treats him horribly. He seems so confident in the other areas of his life, so I find it hard to believe that he would have stayed in that job for so long. It just made me want to scream a little bit.
The narrator did very well. My only complaint was that he played Peter almost too timid at times. It made his character feel flat in parts of the story that were very emotional.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the ARC!
emotional
funny
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
This was a fun listen. I will say that I liked Peter much more than Eli. There were parts where Eli came across as a little too condescending. Sometimes it felt like Eli thought he could do no wrong and everyone else was the problem. Peter really was my favorite part of this story. I loved seeing him grow more confident in himself and figure out how to better integrate himself into social settings.