Reviews with content warning for Bullying - Funny You Should Ask

I had trouble getting into this at first. I didn't really like the main characters and it fell pretty flat for the first 75 pages or so, but after that it picked up and I was able to get into it more. I loved the dog!! The timeline jumping confused me a couple times, but it was a good choice for how the story unraveled. There was a lot of fluff that could've been left out, especially a lot of the articles that were sprinkled in.
When it comes to the characters, I wanted to know more about Jacinda and Ollie. I think that was the intention with Jacinda because she was supposed to feel like a perfect, untouchable celebrity, but I wish the author had gone a different direction with her. Ollie was pretty interesting at first but he quickly turned into just a stereotypical gay man which disappointed me.
I felt the same way about Gabe, too; nothing about him really excited me at all. Chani, however, was very well developed, but I just couldn't see why she really liked Gabe, other than the fact that he was her celebrity crush. The chemistry between them was barely there for me.
The plot was still pretty interesting for the most part, though. I loved the theatre and movie references sprinkled in, and the inside jokes that resurfaced throughout the story were a nice touch. I especially loved how Chani's article about her "perfect day" foreshadowed her trip to the bookstore with Gabe.

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leighannebfd3b's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-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

4.5

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kirareadssometimes's review

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funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing 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? It's complicated

4.75

Incredible writing. Truly a delight to read. Sweet, funny, loving! Made me cry and tugged perfectly at my heart! Read it via audiobook which made the change of narrator a little confusing at times but I’m sure this isn’t a problem in the physical copy. Loved this book!

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decklededgess's review

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emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

trigger warnings: alcohol addition, alcohol and drug mention, slut shaming, sexual harassment, infidelity, emotional abuse, toxic relationship, death of family member, car accident, sexual content

A mix of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and How To Fake It In Hollywood, this was a delightful novel about a missed connection and a second chance given ten years later.

Chani is a writer who got to profile the first American Bond which leads to the explosive success of both their careers. Ten years later she gets asked to do another profile on him as he attempts to resurrect his career after conflict and rehab.

Right from the get go, you experience the weight of their relationship. Despite Chani being the pov you see through most of the book, Gabe is a looming influence throughout the book, in the flashbacks and in their present timeline. The book really hammered in that their lives were intertwined. This gave you the incredible experience of being a spectator to their lives through the articles interspersed throughout and also get the insider scoop through Chani's timelines. You get to question their lives and speculate about their relationship while also getting a lot of insider information. It creates this really intriguing dramatic irony of knowing what the public doesn't know while also knowing what perhaps Chani and Gabe weren't privy to about outside opinions on them.

I loved how strategically the story was constructed. News excerpts and flashbacks were not tossed in willy nilly for funsies. Every piece of story provided fed into the next level of development in the story. You built sympathy for the characters before you even knew what pain they were going to experience, making the low points in the book personally painful for you as the reader.

I also really enjoyed how many full circle moments the book provided. Earlier throwaway lines that the characters and even the reader would overlook were given a moment of reprise with a significantly altered a deeper meaning than before. This punctuated the emotional moments in the book beautifully, providing depth to emotional moments without saying much.

This book is a masterclass in stating and withholding just the right amount of information to keep you pondering the story past its conclusion without feeling like you were cut short on a clean ending.

Incredible.

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thatswhatshanread's review

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funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

4.0

I must first say that this is a book you can judge based on its cover, at least I did anyway—fun, cute, light and flirty.

From page one I could instantly see myself as the MC. Everyone has fantasized about meeting their celebrity crush, right? What about interviewing them? Scoring an invite to a premiere and an after party? Such is the case for this story. We follow journalist Chani “Then” and “Now” as she pens a profile piece on Hollywood heartthrob Gabe Parker twice, ten years apart. Can a whirlwind weekend of fame and and glamour and intimate conversations really change the trajectory of your life?

In some cases, yes. Chani’s article goes viral. Gabe isn’t just a Hollywood Hunk from small town Montana, he’s now an A-list celebrity with Oscar buzz. And a new Bond girl wife.

Because it was just that one weekend they spent together. Ten years later everything has changed except the feelings still there between Gabe and Chani, never consummated. And then Chani is asked to interview Gabe again and maybe recreate the magic of the article that launched her career.

This is a really well-written novel, more character-driven than anything. I liked and sympathized with Chani, found Gabe charming but real, and enjoyed the setting and theming. The beginning and end were really great. The middle lost me a little just in the fact that we’re supposed to believe these two characters have been in love with each other for a decade despite only being around each other for a couple days. I suppose that’s the magic of Hollywood, though, and I don’t hold it against them or the author. After all, wouldn’t I want to write the same thing?

I wished for a little more backstory, but overall it delivered on everything I was expecting. Also, it’s smart and sexy the way a romcom should be.

A very cute book :)

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thefatpaperback's review

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

Feels like a Nora Ephron film! I love then & now stories so much so I had a feeling I’d love this one too, but more than that these characters feel real. It’s a detailed and intimate story of insta-love, and while it is delightfully simple it’s also delightfully complicated. And that contradiction makes Chani and Gabe feel real. Their chemistry is everything.

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literaryintersections's review

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emotional funny sad medium-paced

Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.25

Wow did I enjoy this book. It's smart, unique, funny, heartfelt. Has a great balance of past and present. The way Sussman told the story was intriguing and different enough to keep me invested. Lastly, I just imagined Chris Evans as Gabe and it made it even better.

My favorite parts were the small conversations Chani and Gabe had - just those quiet moments where they both showed more of themselves to the other. Chani was such an interesting character, especially her relationship with her ex-husband. I really rooted for Chani and Gabe and wasn't sure how the story was going to end.

I will say, that although some diversity (queer for Matthias and Black for Jacinda Lockwood) - I'd really have loved to see them more. Especially Jacinda. Like what were her motivations besides. the press essentially calling her a slutty opportunist.

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