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khylabevibin's review
4.0
This is my first book by this author and I’m a bit... disappointed.
Kieran is a single almost forty year old woman ready to mingle. She joins a dating app and with the help of her best friend creates her profile.
Now first I wanna talk about the marketing/ first look at this book. The cover is fine and definitely better than a lot of the books I’ve seen on here but the description is my first small problem. It gives away too much of the book. Leaves nothing to mystery which may work for some people but it just left nothing much to my imagination. Created such a predictable atmosphere.
Characters- despite appearing to be in her 30’s herself the author presented characters who I felt were immature and talked like people my age (early 20’s). The book is told from Kieran’s point of view which even though amplified that immature view I had of her character was as I must admit, entertaining. The characters being aged lower could’ve fixed this- would’ve been more realistic if they were in their 20’s
The stream of consciousness of this character however was- and I hate to use this word to describe things but- cringy. The insight of this character was over saturated. There was too much random knowledge on random things. In my opinion this could’ve easily been swapped out for more information on Pen! Which leads me to my other issue with this book.
I took absolutely nothing away from her character. What was her deal? Is she charming? Funny? Great in bed? Selfish? This character felt very underdeveloped and in the last few chapters I observed a slightly weak attempt to build character.
The plot, to be honest bored me a bit. The whole true love was right there the whole time thing didn’t work for this book. Maybe if the author spent more of the book highlighting or hinting at that love instead.
Now, to the things I enjoyed about this book- the humor. Kieran’s inner monologue did present several laughable moments though I found my self wondering when the author was gonna give this girl a break from the constant embarrassment she got.
I also enjoyed the inclusivity!
3.5 stars!
Do I recommend- sure! This book could easily pass as a light read for anyone else.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in return for an honest review!
Kieran is a single almost forty year old woman ready to mingle. She joins a dating app and with the help of her best friend creates her profile.
Now first I wanna talk about the marketing/ first look at this book. The cover is fine and definitely better than a lot of the books I’ve seen on here but the description is my first small problem. It gives away too much of the book. Leaves nothing to mystery which may work for some people but it just left nothing much to my imagination. Created such a predictable atmosphere.
Characters- despite appearing to be in her 30’s herself the author presented characters who I felt were immature and talked like people my age (early 20’s). The book is told from Kieran’s point of view which even though amplified that immature view I had of her character was as I must admit, entertaining. The characters being aged lower could’ve fixed this- would’ve been more realistic if they were in their 20’s
The stream of consciousness of this character however was- and I hate to use this word to describe things but- cringy. The insight of this character was over saturated. There was too much random knowledge on random things. In my opinion this could’ve easily been swapped out for more information on Pen! Which leads me to my other issue with this book.
I took absolutely nothing away from her character. What was her deal? Is she charming? Funny? Great in bed? Selfish? This character felt very underdeveloped and in the last few chapters I observed a slightly weak attempt to build character.
The plot, to be honest bored me a bit. The whole true love was right there the whole time thing didn’t work for this book. Maybe if the author spent more of the book highlighting or hinting at that love instead.
Now, to the things I enjoyed about this book- the humor. Kieran’s inner monologue did present several laughable moments though I found my self wondering when the author was gonna give this girl a break from the constant embarrassment she got.
I also enjoyed the inclusivity!
3.5 stars!
Do I recommend- sure! This book could easily pass as a light read for anyone else.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in return for an honest review!
00leah00's review
4.0
4 Stars
“Swipe Right” is a rom-com-esq, friends-to-lovers romance that was quick and fun to read.
Kieran is single and finally ready to start dating again. Being in her mid-thirties, it’s not as easy for her to find dates so she turns to online dating with the help of her best friend, Penelope (Pen.)
This was very cute and had me laughing out loud several times. Kieran goes through several dates and has very different experiences each time. She’s pansexual so we see dates with lesbians, cis men, and non-binary folks. Each disastrous date was that way because of circumstances or personality issues, it was never about the orientation/identity of that person and that was a refreshing take.
This story is told Kieran’s pov so I felt like I got to know her really well. She’s ready to move on from her last relationship but doesn’t really know how to go about doing it. She gets her best friend, Pen, to help her set up an online profile since she figures Pen knows her better than anyone. Kieran’s got a sense of humor but also comes across a little bit desperate but also just wants to meet the right person and can sometimes be impatient about it. She’s not sure the right person is out there but she has to keep looking, in part to Pen’s nudges. Kieran and Pen meet up after every date to discuss the date what went wrong and this seems to be the highlight of their night.
Unlike Kieran, Pen wants nothing to do with relationships. She has EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) and doesn’t want to be a burden to someone else. She’s happy with her many hookups and friends-with-benefits. I liked Pen quite a bit. She seems funny, kind, and sure of herself, especially when it comes to other women. I do wish we had gotten to know her a bit better. A lot of her scenes involved her hitting on/being with other women and I wanted more substance from her. Kieran and Pen are pretty different but they respect one another and try to be there for each other as much as possible.
While I really liked Kieran in the beginning, it did lessen a bit as the story went on. She spends a good amount of time whining and crying over things I didn’t see a reason to whine or cry about. Luckily, she has Pen there as a shoulder to cry on. Kieran is oblivious to things and is even called out about it and it still takes someone else to point out what everyone else clearly sees. I found her acceptance of this light bulb moment to be a little quick for her. Her realization was a little unbelievable in that I expected her to sit and think about it for longer than she does.
My only other real complaint is that I do wish there was maybe one less date. The story started dragging a bit and then I think the ending felt kind of rushed. I would’ve liked more out of the relationship and less about dating woes. The epilogue was a nice touch, especially since you don’t see our couple as a couple for long.
All the above comes down to I really liked my first foray into Tagan Shepard’s writing. This was fun and funny and has some heart as well.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books in exchange for an honest review.
“Swipe Right” is a rom-com-esq, friends-to-lovers romance that was quick and fun to read.
Kieran is single and finally ready to start dating again. Being in her mid-thirties, it’s not as easy for her to find dates so she turns to online dating with the help of her best friend, Penelope (Pen.)
This was very cute and had me laughing out loud several times. Kieran goes through several dates and has very different experiences each time. She’s pansexual so we see dates with lesbians, cis men, and non-binary folks. Each disastrous date was that way because of circumstances or personality issues, it was never about the orientation/identity of that person and that was a refreshing take.
This story is told Kieran’s pov so I felt like I got to know her really well. She’s ready to move on from her last relationship but doesn’t really know how to go about doing it. She gets her best friend, Pen, to help her set up an online profile since she figures Pen knows her better than anyone. Kieran’s got a sense of humor but also comes across a little bit desperate but also just wants to meet the right person and can sometimes be impatient about it. She’s not sure the right person is out there but she has to keep looking, in part to Pen’s nudges. Kieran and Pen meet up after every date to discuss the date what went wrong and this seems to be the highlight of their night.
Unlike Kieran, Pen wants nothing to do with relationships. She has EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome) and doesn’t want to be a burden to someone else. She’s happy with her many hookups and friends-with-benefits. I liked Pen quite a bit. She seems funny, kind, and sure of herself, especially when it comes to other women. I do wish we had gotten to know her a bit better. A lot of her scenes involved her hitting on/being with other women and I wanted more substance from her. Kieran and Pen are pretty different but they respect one another and try to be there for each other as much as possible.
While I really liked Kieran in the beginning, it did lessen a bit as the story went on. She spends a good amount of time whining and crying over things I didn’t see a reason to whine or cry about. Luckily, she has Pen there as a shoulder to cry on. Kieran is oblivious to things and is even called out about it and it still takes someone else to point out what everyone else clearly sees. I found her acceptance of this light bulb moment to be a little quick for her. Her realization was a little unbelievable in that I expected her to sit and think about it for longer than she does.
My only other real complaint is that I do wish there was maybe one less date. The story started dragging a bit and then I think the ending felt kind of rushed. I would’ve liked more out of the relationship and less about dating woes. The epilogue was a nice touch, especially since you don’t see our couple as a couple for long.
All the above comes down to I really liked my first foray into Tagan Shepard’s writing. This was fun and funny and has some heart as well.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books in exchange for an honest review.
khieeae's review
4.0
This is my first book by this author and I’m a bit... disappointed.
Kieran is a single almost forty year old woman ready to mingle. She joins a dating app and with the help of her best friend creates her profile.
Now first I wanna talk about the marketing/ first look at this book. The cover is fine and definitely better than a lot of the books I’ve seen on here but the description is my first small problem. It gives away too much of the book. Leaves nothing to mystery which may work for some people but it just left nothing much to my imagination. Created such a predictable atmosphere.
Characters- despite appearing to be in her 30’s herself the author presented characters who I felt were immature and talked like people my age (early 20’s). The book is told from Kieran’s point of view which even though amplified that immature view I had of her character was as I must admit, entertaining. The characters being aged lower could’ve fixed this- would’ve been more realistic if they were in their 20’s
The stream of consciousness of this character however was- and I hate to use this word to describe things but- cringy. The insight of this character was over saturated. There was too much random knowledge on random things. In my opinion this could’ve easily been swapped out for more information on Pen! Which leads me to my other issue with this book.
I took absolutely nothing away from her character. What was her deal? Is she charming? Funny? Great in bed? Selfish? This character felt very underdeveloped and in the last few chapters I observed a slightly weak attempt to build character.
The plot, to be honest bored me a bit. The whole true love was right there the whole time thing didn’t work for this book. Maybe if the author spent more of the book highlighting or hinting at that love instead.
Now, to the things I enjoyed about this book- the humor. Kieran’s inner monologue did present several laughable moments though I found my self wondering when the author was gonna give this girl a break from the constant embarrassment she got.
I also enjoyed the inclusivity!
3.5 stars!
Do I recommend- sure! This book could easily pass as a light read for anyone else.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in return for an honest review!
Kieran is a single almost forty year old woman ready to mingle. She joins a dating app and with the help of her best friend creates her profile.
Now first I wanna talk about the marketing/ first look at this book. The cover is fine and definitely better than a lot of the books I’ve seen on here but the description is my first small problem. It gives away too much of the book. Leaves nothing to mystery which may work for some people but it just left nothing much to my imagination. Created such a predictable atmosphere.
Characters- despite appearing to be in her 30’s herself the author presented characters who I felt were immature and talked like people my age (early 20’s). The book is told from Kieran’s point of view which even though amplified that immature view I had of her character was as I must admit, entertaining. The characters being aged lower could’ve fixed this- would’ve been more realistic if they were in their 20’s
The stream of consciousness of this character however was- and I hate to use this word to describe things but- cringy. The insight of this character was over saturated. There was too much random knowledge on random things. In my opinion this could’ve easily been swapped out for more information on Pen! Which leads me to my other issue with this book.
I took absolutely nothing away from her character. What was her deal? Is she charming? Funny? Great in bed? Selfish? This character felt very underdeveloped and in the last few chapters I observed a slightly weak attempt to build character.
The plot, to be honest bored me a bit. The whole true love was right there the whole time thing didn’t work for this book. Maybe if the author spent more of the book highlighting or hinting at that love instead.
Now, to the things I enjoyed about this book- the humor. Kieran’s inner monologue did present several laughable moments though I found my self wondering when the author was gonna give this girl a break from the constant embarrassment she got.
I also enjoyed the inclusivity!
3.5 stars!
Do I recommend- sure! This book could easily pass as a light read for anyone else.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in return for an honest review!
judeinthestars's review
4.0
This book had me laughing by the end of the first page. It’s not a comedy but the relationship between Kieran and Pen includes hilarious moments.
The decision to date again hasn’t come easily to Kieran, after a couple of years of protecting herself following two painful break-ups. But she’s ready. And who better than her best friend Pen to help her set up a profile on a dating app? No one knows her better, no one understands her better. And Pen is always there for her after each bad date. In fact, those after-date moments with Pen become Kieran’s favourite part of the whole dating thing. If Kieran is looking for a relationship, Pen, on the other hand, is more into hookups and fuck buddies. She’s however always ready to ditch any of them when Kieran needs her.
When I read a book set in the world we live in (ie, not sci-fi, or fantasy…), I want to be able to trust that what the author writes about is real. If the author has no personal experience with the topic they choose to write about, I want to be able to believe they did their research or had sensitivity readers or both, depending on the topic. That allows me to relax entirely into the book and let my feelings take over. In this book, it meant learning about Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a condition Pen lives with and which explains a lot about why she acts the way she does. I liked the way Tagan Shepard wrote it in the story, the way it affects Pen and her relationships, especially with Kieran.
The story is told from Kieran’s point of view, and when the reader first meets her, she’s not at her best, which makes it a bit hard to like her at the beginning. As the story unfolds, she gets more and more relatable. Pen, by contrast, is immediately likeable as we see her through Kieran’s eyes. She’s strong, she’s kind, she’s sexy.
There are a few very moving scenes between the two friends but one of the most poignant doesn’t involve Pen, at least not directly: Kieran’s coming-out as pansexual to her then-husband is sad and real and empowering at once. Beyond that scene, I liked the pansexual representation a lot, as well as the diversity of potential partners Kieran meets. Even if most of the dates went wrong, the people’s identity was never the reason why it did.
One of the things I love best with the friends to lovers trope is that authors have to make me believe that friendly touches are really chemistry filtering between the characters unbeknownst to them, or at least to one of them. For the major part of this book, Kieran marvels at Pen’s soft skin, relaxes in her arms after a bad date, can’t get a comforting kiss on her forehead out of her mind. Then when she realises the reason she feels so good with Pen isn’t friendship at all but love, she revisits all these tiny moments which, in hindsight, tell the whole story. Shepard writes these really well. As the reader, we know what is going on even if the character doesn’t, and the line between plausible and eye-roll-worthy is thin. Shepard stays on the right side of the line. The culmination comes in several steps, a first kiss that is at once tender and hungry, a first time and another first time, each hotter than the one before.
The pace is okay for most of the book but there’s a slump in the middle. Keep reading, the characters are worth it. And don’t read the official blurb, it gives away too much.
Also, it’s not a huge flaw but it surprised me: in one scene, Kieran gets all snobby about sloppy penmanship, which feels completely out of character. Not only does she come across as a kind person, but she’s also very aware of hidden disabilities, thanks to being friends with Pen, so how come it doesn’t cross her mind that bad penmanship could be something other than distraction? She should see the way I write…
There are also a few very well-written secondary characters which, even if they don’t play a big part, add a lot to the story. I loved Kieran’s colleague Arthur, Abby the bartender/artist, Ashley, and even Pen’s father, despite his very short appearance.
Tagan Shepard writes sweet stories with deeper meaning cleverly hidden beyond the romance. Swipe Right is another enjoyable and satisfying read.
ARC provided to Les Rêveur for an honest review.
The decision to date again hasn’t come easily to Kieran, after a couple of years of protecting herself following two painful break-ups. But she’s ready. And who better than her best friend Pen to help her set up a profile on a dating app? No one knows her better, no one understands her better. And Pen is always there for her after each bad date. In fact, those after-date moments with Pen become Kieran’s favourite part of the whole dating thing. If Kieran is looking for a relationship, Pen, on the other hand, is more into hookups and fuck buddies. She’s however always ready to ditch any of them when Kieran needs her.
When I read a book set in the world we live in (ie, not sci-fi, or fantasy…), I want to be able to trust that what the author writes about is real. If the author has no personal experience with the topic they choose to write about, I want to be able to believe they did their research or had sensitivity readers or both, depending on the topic. That allows me to relax entirely into the book and let my feelings take over. In this book, it meant learning about Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a condition Pen lives with and which explains a lot about why she acts the way she does. I liked the way Tagan Shepard wrote it in the story, the way it affects Pen and her relationships, especially with Kieran.
The story is told from Kieran’s point of view, and when the reader first meets her, she’s not at her best, which makes it a bit hard to like her at the beginning. As the story unfolds, she gets more and more relatable. Pen, by contrast, is immediately likeable as we see her through Kieran’s eyes. She’s strong, she’s kind, she’s sexy.
There are a few very moving scenes between the two friends but one of the most poignant doesn’t involve Pen, at least not directly: Kieran’s coming-out as pansexual to her then-husband is sad and real and empowering at once. Beyond that scene, I liked the pansexual representation a lot, as well as the diversity of potential partners Kieran meets. Even if most of the dates went wrong, the people’s identity was never the reason why it did.
One of the things I love best with the friends to lovers trope is that authors have to make me believe that friendly touches are really chemistry filtering between the characters unbeknownst to them, or at least to one of them. For the major part of this book, Kieran marvels at Pen’s soft skin, relaxes in her arms after a bad date, can’t get a comforting kiss on her forehead out of her mind. Then when she realises the reason she feels so good with Pen isn’t friendship at all but love, she revisits all these tiny moments which, in hindsight, tell the whole story. Shepard writes these really well. As the reader, we know what is going on even if the character doesn’t, and the line between plausible and eye-roll-worthy is thin. Shepard stays on the right side of the line. The culmination comes in several steps, a first kiss that is at once tender and hungry, a first time and another first time, each hotter than the one before.
The pace is okay for most of the book but there’s a slump in the middle. Keep reading, the characters are worth it. And don’t read the official blurb, it gives away too much.
Also, it’s not a huge flaw but it surprised me: in one scene, Kieran gets all snobby about sloppy penmanship, which feels completely out of character. Not only does she come across as a kind person, but she’s also very aware of hidden disabilities, thanks to being friends with Pen, so how come it doesn’t cross her mind that bad penmanship could be something other than distraction? She should see the way I write…
There are also a few very well-written secondary characters which, even if they don’t play a big part, add a lot to the story. I loved Kieran’s colleague Arthur, Abby the bartender/artist, Ashley, and even Pen’s father, despite his very short appearance.
Tagan Shepard writes sweet stories with deeper meaning cleverly hidden beyond the romance. Swipe Right is another enjoyable and satisfying read.
ARC provided to Les Rêveur for an honest review.
eyrinreads's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-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
nonbinaryknight's review
4.0
I saw this book a bit ago when I was checking out some of Bella Books upcoming releases. I really enjoy friends-to-lovers relationships, especially when one of them is a bit oblivious. I was intrigued and really wanted to read this book. I was lucky enough to be able to request and receive a copy from Netgalley. Thank you so much for allowing me to read this book!
Kieran is finally feeling like she can try for another relationship, and she decides to use apps. She enlists helps from her friend Pen to create a profile for her. She gets responses and goes on a date that goes badly, and she meets with Pen to commiserate with after. This keeps going on: bad date, then meet with Pen where Kieran is looking forward to the meetings with Pen more than the actual dates. She has to look at her friendship with Pen differently when one of her dates poses the idea that she might have feelings for her friend.
I really liked Kieran and Pen. The two of them had a great and solid friendship with each other. Kieran was a very nice character who had insecurities that were realistic and well-portrayed. She was written as a character that I genuinely cared about. I wanted her to go on a good first date and I was annoyed with her dates when they turned out to be less than ideal. Pen just sounds amazing. It’s clear that she cares about Kieran and her other friends. She’s honest and true and I really liked her as a character. It was also interesting to see a character with Ehler-Danlos Syndrome. I’ve never heard of that before, but it added an interesting dynamic with Pen.
I really enjoyed the bad dates that Kieran went on. They seemed, at times, almost comically bad but it was entertaining and kept me invested. I also liked wondering how the date was going to screw up. The bad dates made for good side characters as did the friends. I wouldn't mind learning more about Abby, Marlene, and Charlie. (Just to clarify, not necessarily as a threesome. I just want to know more about them in general.)
The biggest problem with this book is that it’s missing development points. Someone points out that Kieran has feelings for Pen and, in like ten minutes, she’s fully comfortable and behind that idea. There was a piece of their dynamic that we were told about in the epilogue that would have been much better if it had been included in the story. I just feel like if there had been more pages and chapters, that this book could have been amazing. It just feels like key development points in Kieran and Pen’s relationship was left out.
My other issue was kind of a minor one, but it seemed like at times Kieran just started thinking about her past with no actual lead up. It wasn’t horrible or anything, it just didn’t feel like there was a purpose and we were just being given backstory to have backstory.
This book is good, but it could have been better. I wish there had been more development, but there was enough given history with Pen and Kieran that I wasn’t feeling as though the relationship was unfounded. If you want a simple book with a happy ending, go for it.
Kieran is finally feeling like she can try for another relationship, and she decides to use apps. She enlists helps from her friend Pen to create a profile for her. She gets responses and goes on a date that goes badly, and she meets with Pen to commiserate with after. This keeps going on: bad date, then meet with Pen where Kieran is looking forward to the meetings with Pen more than the actual dates. She has to look at her friendship with Pen differently when one of her dates poses the idea that she might have feelings for her friend.
I really liked Kieran and Pen. The two of them had a great and solid friendship with each other. Kieran was a very nice character who had insecurities that were realistic and well-portrayed. She was written as a character that I genuinely cared about. I wanted her to go on a good first date and I was annoyed with her dates when they turned out to be less than ideal. Pen just sounds amazing. It’s clear that she cares about Kieran and her other friends. She’s honest and true and I really liked her as a character. It was also interesting to see a character with Ehler-Danlos Syndrome. I’ve never heard of that before, but it added an interesting dynamic with Pen.
I really enjoyed the bad dates that Kieran went on. They seemed, at times, almost comically bad but it was entertaining and kept me invested. I also liked wondering how the date was going to screw up. The bad dates made for good side characters as did the friends. I wouldn't mind learning more about Abby, Marlene, and Charlie. (Just to clarify, not necessarily as a threesome. I just want to know more about them in general.)
The biggest problem with this book is that it’s missing development points. Someone points out that Kieran has feelings for Pen and, in like ten minutes, she’s fully comfortable and behind that idea. There was a piece of their dynamic that we were told about in the epilogue that would have been much better if it had been included in the story. I just feel like if there had been more pages and chapters, that this book could have been amazing. It just feels like key development points in Kieran and Pen’s relationship was left out.
My other issue was kind of a minor one, but it seemed like at times Kieran just started thinking about her past with no actual lead up. It wasn’t horrible or anything, it just didn’t feel like there was a purpose and we were just being given backstory to have backstory.
This book is good, but it could have been better. I wish there had been more development, but there was enough given history with Pen and Kieran that I wasn’t feeling as though the relationship was unfounded. If you want a simple book with a happy ending, go for it.
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