Reviews

The Takedown by Lily Chu

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jordieboom's review

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funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

3.0

btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

Whew, that was too relatable, oof. RTC

This book was relatable to the point it felt like a personal attack, and I both resent being called out and also applaud Lily Chu for it.

Dee is a Diversity and Inclusion consultant, Teddy is the heir of a huge fashion business, and chaos ensues when Teddy's family business is thrust in the spotlight for terrible D&I practices (in that there wasn't really any D&I). The main plot was hard to get through - the micro-agressions, white privilege, and outright racism - it was a wild storm. However, so many great conversations came out of it and it was a huge undertaking on Chu's part to write about and shine a light on some of these issues.

The personal attack was Dee's family. The way they sweep everything under a facade of toxic positivity and general avoidance. It was a bit too real at times, and I commend Chu for really hitting me where it hurts. So much of my family was reflected in this book and it was an oof. Dee's growth through it was amazing, even though it takes her a while to fully settle into it (relatable, as well).

While I liked Dee, I loved Teddy. He was my favourite part of the story. Lily Chu always makes her men so real and outside of the conventional "manly man" template. Teddy is a fashion designer who loves art and isn't intimidated by a smart woman and he's almost entirely green flags and I love him for it. He and Dee really click and seeing their relationship with each other develop and grow was a lot of fun, despite the growing pains.

The book was a ride and while I definitely didn't like confronting some of my own issues as I read it, a book where you see yourself reflected and your experiences shared is really a testament to Chu's ability to write real and relatable characters. That ending also was so vindicating, my goodness!

Rep: biracial MCs, bisexual secondary character

TW: toxic positivity, biphobia, racism, micro-aggressions, racial slurs, bullying, sexism; mentions fatphobia, cancer, death of a parent

eARC gifted via Colored Pages Book Tours by Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings

ravenslanding's review against another edition

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5.0

I enjoy Lily Chu's characters and stories, this was no exception. If you have Audible, enjoy an above average rom com (2/3

escapadelaliteraria's review against another edition

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4.0

4.5

styleandsavings's review

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hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

Thank you partner, Colored Pages Book Tours and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the gifted copy of The Takedown by Lily Chu.

Dee works as a diversity consultant and lives in her cozy childhood home left by her parents who have retired outside the city. Things change when Dee’s grandma needs extra care and Dee’s parents and grandma all move back into the home with her. For fun, Dee loves to play Questie, a scavenger hunt game, and is usually at the top of the leaderboard except when her rival takes the number one spot. One day while searching for clues, Dee sees her rival in person! Teddy is strikingly handsome and there’s definitely a spark between them. What Dee doesn’t realize is that he will soon be part of her work life when Dee is assigned to Celeste, a fashion label where Teddy is next in line to be CEO after his father. Improving the corporate culture at Celeste will involve taking down the old guard. Will Teddy and Dee be able to be romantically involved and do what’s best for Celeste?

I really liked that Dee has a corporate career, is close with her family, and unexpectedly finds a romantic relationship. I also appreciated that there were several diverse main characters. The character development was well done. Dee and her family members learned and grew during the story especially in regards to processing emotions and re-thinking old prejudices. Dee and Teddy’s relationship was sweet and I liked how they bonded over trivia.

One part that bothered me was Dee’s possessiveness of the house. She came off as entitled and didn't seem to grasp how privileged she was to have her parents give her a house.

Overall I loved this book and will read more stories by Lily Chu. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys rom-coms that are more sweet than spicy and have diverse main characters.