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lucyhargrave's review against another edition
Paris, the POV character, has really bad untreated generalised anxiety and it’s way too triggering to read from his perspective.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
evelynyle_88's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Abandonment
Moderate: Islamophobia, Racism, and Homophobia
tlholmes's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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
gale_bruckner's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
4.5
Alexis does a great job of giving Paris a unique story that's also in the Bake Expectations universe. I appreciate realistic mental health concerns representation. The boundary setting and character growth felt realistic and compelling. At the end of the story, I was whole-heartedly rooting for Tariq and Paris. <3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Abandonment
Minor: Islamophobia and Homophobia
habibbity's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
I understand that Paris is meant to be unlikable, Alexis Hall makes this clear throughout the entire book. To be fair to Paris, I was probably just as much of a self-loathing, mentally ill mess at 21. Nonetheless, I still found this book unbearable to read. In fact, I only got around to completing it so I could air out my grievances with this review.
Maybe if Paris’ grating personality was surrounded by a likable cast of characters I would have had an easier time reading this? But instead, we have a very one-dimensional, roommate with barely three personality traits and a love interest who is actually very interesting but spends much too much time as Paris’ punching bag and crutch. I loved the concept of the diverse cast of British bakers but we don’t see enough of them to change the quality of the book (in my opinion.)
Ultimately, I appreciate Alexis Hall’s attempt at giving us a self-sabotaging, not so likable protagonist. It was a risky task and for me, it fell flat (insert baking pun about flat cake or bread or something.)
Maybe if Paris’ grating personality was surrounded by a likable cast of characters I would have had an easier time reading this? But instead, we have a very one-dimensional, roommate with barely three personality traits and a love interest who is actually very interesting but spends much too much time as Paris’ punching bag and crutch. I loved the concept of the diverse cast of British bakers but we don’t see enough of them to change the quality of the book (in my opinion.)
Ultimately, I appreciate Alexis Hall’s attempt at giving us a self-sabotaging, not so likable protagonist. It was a risky task and for me, it fell flat (insert baking pun about flat cake or bread or something.)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
I understand that Paris is meant to be unlikable, Alexis Hall makes this clear throughout the entire book. To be fair to Paris, I was probably just as much of a self-loathing, mentally ill mess at 21. Nonetheless, I still found this book unbearable to read. In fact, I only got around to completing it so I could air out my grievances with this review. Maybe if Paris’ grating personality was surrounded by a likable cast of characters I would have had an easier time reading this? But instead, we have a very one-dimensional, roommate with barely three personality traits and a love interest who is actually very interesting but spends much too much time as Paris’ punching bag and crutch. I loved the concept of the diverse cast of British bakers but we don’t see enough of them to change the quality of the book (in my opinion.) Ultimately, I appreciate Alexis Hall’s attempt at giving us a self-sabotaging, not so likable protagonist. It was a risky task and for me, it fell flat (insert baking pun about flat cake or bread or something.)the_reading_kat's review against another edition
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Good points about mental health, but only in the last quarter of the book. Until then it’s literally just the main character being a hot mess, not always relatable. Didn’t feel the chemistry between the mc and the love interest until the last twenty pages or so. Understandable with the plot but difficult to read anyway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Homophobia, and Islamophobia
kharlan3's review against another edition
- 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
wow paris is so anxious
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Islamophobia, Homophobia, and Abandonment
katewutz's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
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
4.0
Hall does a great, empathetic job at depicting the ways anxiety makes one selfish. When one is constantly expecting the world to collapse, that’s all one can think about—to the detriment of others. The irony of Paris always caring about what others think AND his inability to empathize with what others must be feeling is interestingly explored.
The anxiety could have been a little less heavy-handed, but then it wouldn’t have been such a problem for Paris and Tariq. And this is a realistic depiction of some people’s experiences! Just personally I would like to see a character who’s not Harry (“oh yeah I was a bit worried but now I’m on meds, all good”) and Paris (literally engulfed in catastrophizing all the time, has a VERY dramatic panic attack). But that’s literally just about wanting to see my experience, not a problem with Hall’s work at all.
Also, we know Hall can write a FANTASTIC sex scene, but this book shows that they aren’t a crutch. Rosaline Palmer had a similar vibe, but Hall worked the lack of sex into character development here. Excellent work.
The anxiety could have been a little less heavy-handed, but then it wouldn’t have been such a problem for Paris and Tariq. And this is a realistic depiction of some people’s experiences! Just personally I would like to see a character who’s not Harry (“oh yeah I was a bit worried but now I’m on meds, all good”) and Paris (literally engulfed in catastrophizing all the time, has a VERY dramatic panic attack). But that’s literally just about wanting to see my experience, not a problem with Hall’s work at all.
Also, we know Hall can write a FANTASTIC sex scene, but this book shows that they aren’t a crutch. Rosaline Palmer had a similar vibe, but Hall worked the lack of sex into character development here. Excellent work.
Content Warnings
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Homophobia
shellroch285's review against another edition
It was almost too on-the-nose for me sometimes. It might be a good book for someone else but not for me :/
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
aniquegrace's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Homophobia and Racism