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literarylinds's review against another edition
4.0
Okay so I was really into it and then the out of nowhere accidental overdose and heart failure kind of hit me out of nowhere and I didn’t love that it became the motivator for character development but I did like the ending so 4 stars!
notinjersey's review against another edition
4.0
This was a good read for Pride Month – The Love Song of Ivy K Harlowe is a new adult, queer, polyamorous, and unique love story. It follows Ivy and Dot, though it is told from Andie’s point of view. This was a unique love story in that it is told from the outside viewpoint of Andie, who is also in love with Ivy. The main love story is about Ivy and Dot. As stated in the author’s note at the beginning of the book, “Scenes depicting alcohol consumption, drunkenness, drug use, and drug overdose appear in the novel.” This was a fast read for me, although not what I was expecting and without great characters to care about!
jugglingpup's review against another edition
3.0
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC of this book.
I am a sucker for a blue book if my fiancé is to be believed, but I never listen to them about things when I should so I am going to say it wasn’t the cover that sucked me in and made me want this book.
I at first thought this was going to be some fluffy, mild heartbreak sort of romance novel. It really isn’t. There is no fluff here. It is a lot of heartbreak and a lot of messy people. There are a ton of complex relationships, which I normally love. The issue is I just didn’t like a single character that got a lot of page time. I loved Andie’s mom and that was about it. Everyone else could go and I would be ok with it. Everyone else was so flawed to the point I was having any issues seeing any good in them.
If it was not for someone else’s review that promised that the book picked up in the last third, I would not have kept reading. I almost DNF at around 70% because I was just so bored with the same messiness over and over again. Then the big twist I did not see coming happened. The last 25% or so is what carried this book and made me finish it. I devoured that. I loved that section. It just took so long to get there.
I had some issues with the book, but they mostly came down to the slow pacing and just how flawed everyone was. The MC seriously dated a biphobic lesbian, despite being bi. She then claimed it was a preference and she couldn’t blame someone for it. I’m sorry, but no. That was just gross. It really fit her, but I was so grossed out at the same time. That was most of the book. So much of what happened made sense from a toxic place, but the characters really did grow. Some of the growing was all at once and some took the entire book to really become clear. So I have to be impressed that Moskowitz was able to take these characters that really needed to grow up and helped them grow up in a way that made sense and for the most part in a story that was enjoyable to read.
If you are looking for something quick and about people who are more put together than not, this is not for you. If you like disaster lesbians then this just might be for you. I went into it looking for more fluff than there was. I was not ready for something as serious as this turned out to be. A lot of my own red flags in a relationship were thrown constantly so I had issues engaging with the characters.
I got an ARC of this book.
I am a sucker for a blue book if my fiancé is to be believed, but I never listen to them about things when I should so I am going to say it wasn’t the cover that sucked me in and made me want this book.
I at first thought this was going to be some fluffy, mild heartbreak sort of romance novel. It really isn’t. There is no fluff here. It is a lot of heartbreak and a lot of messy people. There are a ton of complex relationships, which I normally love. The issue is I just didn’t like a single character that got a lot of page time. I loved Andie’s mom and that was about it. Everyone else could go and I would be ok with it. Everyone else was so flawed to the point I was having any issues seeing any good in them.
If it was not for someone else’s review that promised that the book picked up in the last third, I would not have kept reading. I almost DNF at around 70% because I was just so bored with the same messiness over and over again. Then the big twist I did not see coming happened. The last 25% or so is what carried this book and made me finish it. I devoured that. I loved that section. It just took so long to get there.
I had some issues with the book, but they mostly came down to the slow pacing and just how flawed everyone was. The MC seriously dated a biphobic lesbian, despite being bi. She then claimed it was a preference and she couldn’t blame someone for it. I’m sorry, but no. That was just gross. It really fit her, but I was so grossed out at the same time. That was most of the book. So much of what happened made sense from a toxic place, but the characters really did grow. Some of the growing was all at once and some took the entire book to really become clear. So I have to be impressed that Moskowitz was able to take these characters that really needed to grow up and helped them grow up in a way that made sense and for the most part in a story that was enjoyable to read.
If you are looking for something quick and about people who are more put together than not, this is not for you. If you like disaster lesbians then this just might be for you. I went into it looking for more fluff than there was. I was not ready for something as serious as this turned out to be. A lot of my own red flags in a relationship were thrown constantly so I had issues engaging with the characters.
deathh_by_tbr's review against another edition
3.0
2.5⭐️ rounded up
The Love Song of Ivy K. Harlowe shows what it’s like for young adults to find out who they are, what they want, and just dissect their feelings.
The queer representation is the best part of the book. You get to meet many lesbian characters and a polyamorous couple. The poly couple are side characters, but you don’t see that rep often enough.
The characters in this book were very unlikeable.
Ivy was trying too hard to be the bad girl who doesn’t care about anything to the point that it was exhausting to hear about. She also had a tendency to lead people on, then take no fault for it.
Andy was exhausting simply because she whined about everything to do with Ivy and hated every girl that Ivy even looked at. Her whole personality was being obsessed with Ivy. She then starts a relationship with Elizabeth knowing full well that she is in love with Ivy and won’t be able to love Elizabeth until she sorts that out, but refuses to have that tough conversation, even though it is long overdue.
Dot was infuriating. I did start to like her at the end more, but I’m not sure if that was because I pitied her or not. Dot just kept showing up everywhere Ivy was and it was lowkey weird. This book romanticized the idea that even when you’re told to go away, you should keep trying and keep inserting yourself in someone’s life until they give in and decide/realize they want/need you in their life.
The relationships were even more unlikeable.
Andy and Ivy’s relationship felt so forced to me. There was no depth to it. It was just Ivy stringing along Andy and Andy obsessing over Ivy and her sex life. They rarely talked about anything other than women and sex. Andy had said at one point that she only ever sees the “real Ivy” one day per year, and that sealed the fact that their friendship is superficial for me. Ivy also continually kissed Andy and when Andy confessed her love to Ivy, Ivy admitted she knew. If she knew the whole time, Ivy never should have been giving Andy the idea that there was maybe a chance there when Ivy never felt the same way.
Ivy and Dot’s relationship was so weird to me. Ivy initially only talked to Dot because she suspected she was underaged, which is creepy. Their personalities also do not seem like they would mesh very well. And again, Dot’s persistence came off as mildly manipulative, she kept insisting that Ivy would figure out at some point that she needs her.
Andy and Elizabeth’s relationship was kind of a shock because Elizabeth seems so much more mature and in a different place in her life than Andy was. They had the potential to be good, but Andy was not ready for her and Elizabeth had a life to live. I wasn’t surprised how it ended, but I’m glad Elizabeth was able to move on and get that great job.
Dot’s incident could have been avoided if the adults in this book acted more like adults and didn’t let a child party with them all the time. I think Dot was in over her head trying to fit in and get with Ivy.
The writing in this book was good overall, however, I thought the way the story was told was odd. I thought we would be reading about Andy’s love story as it developed with Ivy, but it turned out to be Andy telling us Ivy’s story. This is the first time I’ve read a romance told like this and I’m not sure I liked it. We missed out on so many details between Dot and Ivy and their relationship. Maybe if the story was told from Ivy’s point of view, I could have liked Dot and their relationship more than I did.
“It’s not that I’m the secondary character in my own story. It’s just that this one was never my story.” -Andy
Since it wasn’t Andy’s story, it shouldn’t have been hers to tell.
The Love Song of Ivy K. Harlowe shows what it’s like for young adults to find out who they are, what they want, and just dissect their feelings.
The queer representation is the best part of the book. You get to meet many lesbian characters and a polyamorous couple. The poly couple are side characters, but you don’t see that rep often enough.
The characters in this book were very unlikeable.
Ivy was trying too hard to be the bad girl who doesn’t care about anything to the point that it was exhausting to hear about. She also had a tendency to lead people on, then take no fault for it.
Andy was exhausting simply because she whined about everything to do with Ivy and hated every girl that Ivy even looked at. Her whole personality was being obsessed with Ivy. She then starts a relationship with Elizabeth knowing full well that she is in love with Ivy and won’t be able to love Elizabeth until she sorts that out, but refuses to have that tough conversation, even though it is long overdue.
Dot was infuriating. I did start to like her at the end more, but I’m not sure if that was because I pitied her or not. Dot just kept showing up everywhere Ivy was and it was lowkey weird. This book romanticized the idea that even when you’re told to go away, you should keep trying and keep inserting yourself in someone’s life until they give in and decide/realize they want/need you in their life.
The relationships were even more unlikeable.
Andy and Ivy’s relationship felt so forced to me. There was no depth to it. It was just Ivy stringing along Andy and Andy obsessing over Ivy and her sex life. They rarely talked about anything other than women and sex. Andy had said at one point that she only ever sees the “real Ivy” one day per year, and that sealed the fact that their friendship is superficial for me. Ivy also continually kissed Andy and when Andy confessed her love to Ivy, Ivy admitted she knew. If she knew the whole time, Ivy never should have been giving Andy the idea that there was maybe a chance there when Ivy never felt the same way.
Ivy and Dot’s relationship was so weird to me. Ivy initially only talked to Dot because she suspected she was underaged, which is creepy. Their personalities also do not seem like they would mesh very well. And again, Dot’s persistence came off as mildly manipulative, she kept insisting that Ivy would figure out at some point that she needs her.
Andy and Elizabeth’s relationship was kind of a shock because Elizabeth seems so much more mature and in a different place in her life than Andy was. They had the potential to be good, but Andy was not ready for her and Elizabeth had a life to live. I wasn’t surprised how it ended, but I’m glad Elizabeth was able to move on and get that great job.
Dot’s incident could have been avoided if the adults in this book acted more like adults and didn’t let a child party with them all the time. I think Dot was in over her head trying to fit in and get with Ivy.
The writing in this book was good overall, however, I thought the way the story was told was odd. I thought we would be reading about Andy’s love story as it developed with Ivy, but it turned out to be Andy telling us Ivy’s story. This is the first time I’ve read a romance told like this and I’m not sure I liked it. We missed out on so many details between Dot and Ivy and their relationship. Maybe if the story was told from Ivy’s point of view, I could have liked Dot and their relationship more than I did.
“It’s not that I’m the secondary character in my own story. It’s just that this one was never my story.” -Andy
Since it wasn’t Andy’s story, it shouldn’t have been hers to tell.
leapearlreads's review
3.0
I'm not really sure what to feel about this story. It's got a group of friends situated in a seemingly unhealthy dynamic...I can't put my finger on the exact message this group of ladies was trying to send, but it just felt off.
The character development fell flat for me, I was hoping for more depth. Andie's friendship with Ivy, Ivy's jealousy over Andie's relationship...it was all very dramatic being that this is a 'new adult' title. Sadly, all the characters were just unlikeable for me and because I couldn't really connect with any of them, it was hard to root for a happy ending.
The Love Song of Ivy K. Harlowe is a just-scratches-the-surface, quick read for someone looking for something light to pass some time with. The writing is solid and the story is interesting enough, but I wouldn't recommend this one if you're hoping for some depth as it's just not there.
Thank you Entangled Publishing for the e-arc to read and honestly review.
The character development fell flat for me, I was hoping for more depth. Andie's friendship with Ivy, Ivy's jealousy over Andie's relationship...it was all very dramatic being that this is a 'new adult' title. Sadly, all the characters were just unlikeable for me and because I couldn't really connect with any of them, it was hard to root for a happy ending.
The Love Song of Ivy K. Harlowe is a just-scratches-the-surface, quick read for someone looking for something light to pass some time with. The writing is solid and the story is interesting enough, but I wouldn't recommend this one if you're hoping for some depth as it's just not there.
Thank you Entangled Publishing for the e-arc to read and honestly review.
midnightbelles's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Death of parent, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual content and Biphobia
whiteflowerose's review
4.0
The Love Song of Ivy K. Harlowe by Hannah Moskowitz was a quick but a roller coaster ride.
Literally everything happens in this book. There’s never a dull moment in this reading experience.
In the beginning I thought the setting of the book was quite unrealistic.
I mean literally a house burns down and the owner is not informed at all about it and a minor works front desk at a strip club. It doesn't sound very realistic.. or legal.
But as the story went on, either it got more realistic or I didn’t notice as much, but I really started to enjoy the book.
I loved how the characters developed, showing their multiple facets as the story went on. The characters are complex and conflicted, it made them realistic and relatable.
What starts out as your average contemporary book/romance actually deals with more serious topics as the story progresses.
I really appreciated how the book is full of queer characters but doesn’t focus on coming out or exclusively of the fact that the characters are queer. It is just a known and natural fact about the characters. It feels so refreshing to read.
Overall, I recommend this book.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Literally everything happens in this book. There’s never a dull moment in this reading experience.
In the beginning I thought the setting of the book was quite unrealistic.
I mean literally a house burns down and the owner is not informed at all about it and a minor works front desk at a strip club. It doesn't sound very realistic.. or legal.
But as the story went on, either it got more realistic or I didn’t notice as much, but I really started to enjoy the book.
I loved how the characters developed, showing their multiple facets as the story went on. The characters are complex and conflicted, it made them realistic and relatable.
What starts out as your average contemporary book/romance actually deals with more serious topics as the story progresses.
I really appreciated how the book is full of queer characters but doesn’t focus on coming out or exclusively of the fact that the characters are queer. It is just a known and natural fact about the characters. It feels so refreshing to read.
Overall, I recommend this book.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
lyowo's review against another edition
4.0
4.25* sobbing actual disabled asian tears over dot rn
andie was Not really a vibe but I can see the unreliable narrator take and overall was a big fan of ofc dot and the evolution of ivy and andie finally getting some disenchantment
andie was Not really a vibe but I can see the unreliable narrator take and overall was a big fan of ofc dot and the evolution of ivy and andie finally getting some disenchantment
devonelt's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
piastri's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
it was kind of insane how i went from liking andie and hating ivy and dot to hating andie and loving ivy and dot. like mad kudos to the author for being able to make me pull a 180 like that.
idk i just really like ivy and dot’s relationship and how it developed and how they managed to create something that worked for the both of them. and how that wasn’t easy, but they did it.
idk i just really like ivy and dot’s relationship and how it developed and how they managed to create something that worked for the both of them. and how that wasn’t easy, but they did it.
the idea that the, like, ultimate goal in life doesn't have to be as capable as possible.
Why did I think the only real
Ivy was who she is when she's miserable?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Mental illness
Moderate: Drug use and Chronic illness
Minor: Death of parent