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amarreth's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
tense
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
5.0
Ready! Set! Bake! It's another season of The Great British Baking Show Bake Expectations and Paris is ready to take home the win – if he can keep his crumpling anxiety in check (he can't) and his growing relationship with a fellow contestant on track (he can't). Paris is an excellent, if frustrating main character as he frequently experiences panic attacks or, just generally, being mashed potatoes under the stress of generally existing. But under Alexis Hall's pen you feel for him and want to see him navigate these issues, while not being demonized for them. Hall's patent style is flirty, fun, and funny while remaining grounded is shown to great affect here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Racism and Sexual content
Minor: Homophobia
nightjar656's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I definitely agree with another reviewer- this isn’t for everyone. I liked it, though. As someone who both has been in Paris’s shoes (to a lesser extent) and someone who has friends with anxiety, I really appreciated of an honest portrayal of it as a genuine mental illness. I also liked how instead of Paris being fixed, he took the time and effort to work on himself before trying a relationship again. Paris was annoying to read about at times, but it almost felt like the book put us in Tariq’s shoes a bit? Anyway, the character growth was terrific.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Islamophobia
pkc's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Racism, and Toxic relationship
oliviathebookwyrm's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Moderate: Racism and Homophobia
amanda_reads13's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Paris is going on a baking show despite his severe anxiety.
Paris has undiagnosed anxiety, severe anxiety. Since this is a single POV book, we are stuck in Paris' head for the entirety of the book. It was a lot. I wish there were multiple POVs in this book, because I got tired of Paris' self-destructive behaviour and whiny attitude very fast.
I don't like how Paris' selfishness was passed as a symptom of his anxiety. As someone who actual has generalized anxiety disorder, I find this a really disrespectful and irresponsible angle to take. Yes he is anxious and has catastrophic thinking, but that doesn't make you an asshole.
I like that we saw Paris getting help and part of his healing journey.
Tropes: competition, friends to lovers
Paris has undiagnosed anxiety, severe anxiety. Since this is a single POV book, we are stuck in Paris' head for the entirety of the book. It was a lot. I wish there were multiple POVs in this book, because I got tired of Paris' self-destructive behaviour and whiny attitude very fast.
I don't like how Paris' selfishness was passed as a symptom of his anxiety. As someone who actual has generalized anxiety disorder, I find this a really disrespectful and irresponsible angle to take. Yes he is anxious and has catastrophic thinking, but that doesn't make you an asshole.
I like that we saw Paris getting help and part of his healing journey.
Tropes: competition, friends to lovers
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
tnbeena's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
First, and foremost, this is NOT a Rom-Com. I wouldn't even classify it as a romance. The cover is deceiving! With that out of the way, I almost DNF'd this book several times. This is more of a coming-of-age, where our main character suffers from a crippling anxiety disorder. The romance was incidental.
As someone who struggles with anxiety, this is one of the most accurate depictions I've ever read. At times, it was painful and exhausting to read Paris spiraling and seeing myself reflected. Many other reviews note that "Paris is exhausting". That is the point! Anxiety is exhausting and for the majority of the book we are struggling right beside an undiagnosed main character. Once you get about 80% through the book, Paris decides to receive help, and I heaved a sigh of relief. I may have rated it higher if I didn't have so many personal reactions to this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
bunnz's review against another edition
funny
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
kgc8's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I wouldn't categorize this as a Romance novel. It's really the m/m equivalent of Women's Fiction (a genre name I hate) or New Adult. The focus of the book is on Paris who has pretty debilitating anxiety and his realization he needs to make changes. Meeting cute Tariq is part of the journey, but not the main reason for the changes.
You get a very good look inside Paris' head and his anxious thought spirals - which may be difficult or stressful for some readers. There were some laugh out loud moments and some cringe-inducing ones too. I enjoyed the baking show elements and felt that Paris showed a realistic amount of growth and awareness by the end of the book, which left me feeling hopeful about his future.
You get a very good look inside Paris' head and his anxious thought spirals - which may be difficult or stressful for some readers. There were some laugh out loud moments and some cringe-inducing ones too. I enjoyed the baking show elements and felt that Paris showed a realistic amount of growth and awareness by the end of the book, which left me feeling hopeful about his future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
soph_la's review against another edition
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Islamophobia
Minor: Violence and Murder
kaistephan's review against another edition
emotional
funny
5.0
Alexis Hall once again delivers a story that is seamlessly laugh-until-you-can't-breathe funny, a sharp critique of the British class system, a visceral portrait of living in a brain with mental illness, and a very sincere romance that, even though it is single POV, still have very balanced character arcs. Heck, even the Best Friend manages to feel like a real person and not just a plot device, a true rarity for romance novels.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Homophobia and Islamophobia