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btwnprintedpgs's review against another edition
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.
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
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Bullying, and Sexism
Moderate: Biphobia
Minor: Death of parent, Fatphobia, and Cancer
taylor_perry's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
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? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, and Racism
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, and Medical content
gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
4.75
I love Lily Chu's books. She writes compelling and driven characters that learn and grow by overcoming personal challenges through out the book. On top of the well written characters each of the couples feel real and different from one another. In this case Dee and Teddy had me giggling at how adorable and dorky the two were together.
They were so sweet and loving to each other, even when they make mistakes you can see how they love each other.
Lily Chu also has an amazing way of dealing with common mental and societal issues. For this book toxic positivity and both diversity and change in the workplace. I thought these issues were really well done and brought them to the reader's mind. It makes you think how you are involved with these issues and what you can do to help.
I cannot wait for her next book. Lily Chu is an auto buy author at this point.
They were so sweet and loving to each other, even when they make mistakes you can see how they love each other.
Lily Chu also has an amazing way of dealing with common mental and societal issues. For this book toxic positivity and both diversity and change in the workplace. I thought these issues were really well done and brought them to the reader's mind. It makes you think how you are involved with these issues and what you can do to help.
I cannot wait for her next book. Lily Chu is an auto buy author at this point.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Sexism
Moderate: Cultural appropriation and Misogyny
karydiazc's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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
4.0
It's kind of amazing how the author gives the book a story and a plot while also turning it into some kind of self help book... At least thats how it felt to me.
I don't suffer from toxic positivity, so I would never read a self help book solely based on it, but reading this one felt helpful all the same while being entretaining.
It was cute, it was romantic and you see the characters gow into themselves as the book progresses. Only thing I disliked overall is how fast everything was at the end, like Chu didn't actually knew how to close the story and just rushed trough.
I don't suffer from toxic positivity, so I would never read a self help book solely based on it, but reading this one felt helpful all the same while being entretaining.
It was cute, it was romantic and you see the characters gow into themselves as the book progresses. Only thing I disliked overall is how fast everything was at the end, like Chu didn't actually knew how to close the story and just rushed trough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Gaslighting, Racial slurs, and Biphobia
Minor: Emotional abuse
nursestern's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
The clever way this romance plays out is compelling and heart warming. I enjoyed the representation in this story and the way the main characters work to make a change, while also falling for each other. Soo’s narration just made the story that much better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
actualbookstoregoblin's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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
4.0
Read this if you like trivia games, attractive men, Project Runway, and confronting harsh realities about yourself and others while slowly slipping into an identity crisis.
Okay but really I straight up loved this book and it’s surprisingly fun in its thoughtfulness.
At first I was really put off by Dee’s toxic positivity. Luckily, the allure of Questie pulled me in long enough to realize that was the point. Dee’s character development serves as an excellent and approachable broach of tough topics while still being a joy to read.
Okay but really I straight up loved this book and it’s surprisingly fun in its thoughtfulness.
At first I was really put off by Dee’s toxic positivity. Luckily, the allure of Questie pulled me in long enough to realize that was the point. Dee’s character development serves as an excellent and approachable broach of tough topics while still being a joy to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Cultural appropriation
Moderate: Sexism, Body shaming, and Fatphobia
Minor: Ableism, Abandonment, Xenophobia, and Death of parent
damariica's review against another edition
hopeful
tense
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
As someone who struggles with people pleasing, I loved Dee’s character development. In the beginning, I would yell in my car as I listened because I was so stressed for her. But I trusted the process and knew she was on a trajectory towards growth. I also enjoyed the main cast all being fleshed-out with unique interests and perspectives. Some other things I appreciated: the whole narrative tackling discrimination, the wonderful descriptions of meals, conflict feeling organic, the trivia subplot, and the genuine friendship at the foundation of Dee and Teddy’s relationship.
Listening to Phillipa Soo’s narration was also a treat!
Listening to Phillipa Soo’s narration was also a treat!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
jessikalange's review against another edition
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I enjoyed a lot of the book.
Teddy is likeable and charming. I just didn't understand why Dee was taking everything so personally. I get we should be advocates but she was about ready to lie, cheat, blackmail her way into exposing Michael... but why? For principal?
I still enjoyed the book though. If you like the other books, you'll find this book entertaining. Phillipa Soo is excellent too.
Teddy is likeable and charming. I just didn't understand why Dee was taking everything so personally. I get we should be advocates but she was about ready to lie, cheat, blackmail her way into exposing Michael... but why? For principal?
I still enjoyed the book though. If you like the other books, you'll find this book entertaining. Phillipa Soo is excellent too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Lesbophobia, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, and Body shaming
javafenn's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
5.0
I love Lily Chu! And Philippa Soo is an excellent narrator. Dee Kwan is exactly what her parents want her to be but very quickly her mother’s always positive (no matter how bad things are) attitude starts eating away at her. Her mother is white and her grandmother is too plus grandma is racist! Add to it Dee’s sister is married to a woman and has children. This all comes to a head when Dee not only loses her job but is told her parents and grandmother will be moving in with her to help grandma out after an illness. They all live in Dee’s childhood home her parents gave her. It’s a lot! Dee’s father teaches Dee how to love her mother, love her grandmother, and love herself through his own love and acceptance of a mother-in-law who has been vile towards him. Dee also meets Teddy through a fun game she plays around the city. Turns out Teddy isn’t just hot, he works for his dad’s company that Dee was hired to come in and assess diversity for. They fall in love and try to take down the people at Teddy’s company who are running it into the ground with bad ethics. This was a fun and easy listen plus she more formally blended her other books! That was so beautiful! So give it a listen!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Classism, Racism, Chronic illness, Sexual content, Death of parent, Sexism, and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Lesbophobia
ktbeth143's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
This was different than anything I’ve read recently, and overall I enjoyed it.
It has a romantic subplot that takes precedence over the main plot in the beginning and is very much intertwined with the unfolding of the story, so romance readers will enjoy it. I also really appreciated the depth and the relationship growth of the two main characters. There isn’t really any spice, but we get to see them fall in love with each other in a way that feels very natural but is also appealing.
The main plot point is centered around our heroine, a diversity consultant who’s been assigned to help a luxury fashion brand make some changes after an insider leaked a not-so-great report about their internal work culture. Surprisingly, despite her job title and her passion for the job, Dee has a lot to learn about diversity and how it plays out in relationships—both personal and professional. Some readers might find her to be annoying as she’s obsessed with manifesting and has a serious problem with toxic positivity. But if you can stick it out, you’ll find yourself cheering for her as she learns humbling lessons and becomes a better person. There’s also a subtle lesson about how to deal with different types of ignorant people.
This book is highly relatable to young professionals who are struggling to make a difference in their work place or for people with family members who are ignorant to other worldviews and experiences other than their own. Family trauma, and specifically how to acknowledge it and work towards moving past it without the family falling a part, is a tertiary theme to this story.
(Note: since this story revolves around trauma, racism, sexism, etc., please take in account of your personal experiences and triggers. It’s a good story, and things are made right in the end, but some of the events of the plot or things discussed might be triggering if you’ve personally dealt with some of these things.)
For mystery and heist lovers, the main plot consist of our heroine and hero uncovering surprising and unjust reasons behind the fashion brand’s lack of diversity and their ploy to set things right. You’ll enjoy the suspense of their investigation and how their fight for justice plays out.
Phillipa Soo does a great job narrating the audiobook!
It has a romantic subplot that takes precedence over the main plot in the beginning and is very much intertwined with the unfolding of the story, so romance readers will enjoy it. I also really appreciated the depth and the relationship growth of the two main characters. There isn’t really any spice, but we get to see them fall in love with each other in a way that feels very natural but is also appealing.
The main plot point is centered around our heroine, a diversity consultant who’s been assigned to help a luxury fashion brand make some changes after an insider leaked a not-so-great report about their internal work culture. Surprisingly, despite her job title and her passion for the job, Dee has a lot to learn about diversity and how it plays out in relationships—both personal and professional. Some readers might find her to be annoying as she’s obsessed with manifesting and has a serious problem with toxic positivity. But if you can stick it out, you’ll find yourself cheering for her as she learns humbling lessons and becomes a better person. There’s also a subtle lesson about how to deal with different types of ignorant people.
This book is highly relatable to young professionals who are struggling to make a difference in their work place or for people with family members who are ignorant to other worldviews and experiences other than their own. Family trauma, and specifically how to acknowledge it and work towards moving past it without the family falling a part, is a tertiary theme to this story.
(Note: since this story revolves around trauma, racism, sexism, etc., please take in account of your personal experiences and triggers. It’s a good story, and things are made right in the end, but some of the events of the plot or things discussed might be triggering if you’ve personally dealt with some of these things.)
For mystery and heist lovers, the main plot consist of our heroine and hero uncovering surprising and unjust reasons behind the fashion brand’s lack of diversity and their ploy to set things right. You’ll enjoy the suspense of their investigation and how their fight for justice plays out.
Phillipa Soo does a great job narrating the audiobook!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexism, Xenophobia, Racism, and Bullying