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lex_291's review
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
bridance's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kat_crowley11's review
3.0
I enjoyed this book and it had multiple twist that killed me.
Even though this is a very used trope I feel it was done differently.
Even though they both have crushes on each other they dont follow the typical fake dating path, IE hooking up while fake dating, are actually dating and just being idiots, blowing everything up in the end (no it happens faster than that).
One of my favorite things in this book is that some of the mini plots arent overused cliches. With some of these (which i all love) it has a lot of the same themes parental issues, lying to your friends, blah blah blah, but the dynamic between Liz’s parents and Coris family life is different. It was a nice change. I really liked how it all played out.
I wish the tension would’ve been built up more though. A little more detail about their relationship.
Even though this is a very used trope I feel it was done differently.
Even though they both have crushes on each other they dont follow the typical fake dating path, IE hooking up while fake dating, are actually dating and just being idiots, blowing everything up in the end (no it happens faster than that).
One of my favorite things in this book is that some of the mini plots arent overused cliches. With some of these (which i all love) it has a lot of the same themes parental issues, lying to your friends, blah blah blah, but the dynamic between Liz’s parents and Coris family life is different. It was a nice change. I really liked how it all played out.
I wish the tension would’ve been built up more though. A little more detail about their relationship.
tseyi's review
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
holliedollie04's review
4.0
rated 3.5, but i’m rounding up for generosity. minor spoilers-ish ahead.
ok, i very much enjoyed this story, however, personally i had to mark to down because of a few things that distracted me from the story.
the first was when laura (liz’s sister) meets her love interest, i think she calls to herself as the wrong last name. if memory serves me right, she refers to herself as “laura stratton” however, stratton is cori’s last name, not liz and laura’s, which is brennan. it’s possible that i had misunderstood the text, but it did distract me from the book.
the second thing was the revelation for the fake dating. it all just felt a little rushed for me. in concept i liked all the the bride at the wedding drama, and all that, i just don’t like how it played out. i also didn’t like how laura “outs” liz and cori’s relationship to pretty much a bunch of strangers, it just didn’t sit right.
however, the latter half of the book i loved. i absolutely adored liz and cori’s relationship development after “the big revelation”, made me feel all the feels.
i wish we would have had a bit more exploration of the real estate side of things, i think that could have been really interesting, but i still enjoyed it a lot.
so, overall, will i buy a physical copy? honestly, depends on how expensive it is. the cover is absolute perfection, so id love to have it on my shelves, and i would re-read, but its not one that im gonna spend more money than i want to on.
final thoughts- if small town, second chance, fake dating sounds like your thing? if accepting and supportive families are your thing? if cute gay romance with a dash of spice is your thing?
well, then i think you should give this a read.
i was lucky enough to receive a free digital ARC of this book via NetGallery, in exchange for an honest review
ok, i very much enjoyed this story, however, personally i had to mark to down because of a few things that distracted me from the story.
the first was when laura (liz’s sister) meets her love interest, i think she calls to herself as the wrong last name. if memory serves me right, she refers to herself as “laura stratton” however, stratton is cori’s last name, not liz and laura’s, which is brennan. it’s possible that i had misunderstood the text, but it did distract me from the book.
the second thing was the revelation for the fake dating. it all just felt a little rushed for me. in concept i liked all the the bride at the wedding drama, and all that, i just don’t like how it played out. i also didn’t like how laura “outs” liz and cori’s relationship to pretty much a bunch of strangers, it just didn’t sit right.
however, the latter half of the book i loved. i absolutely adored liz and cori’s relationship development after “the big revelation”, made me feel all the feels.
i wish we would have had a bit more exploration of the real estate side of things, i think that could have been really interesting, but i still enjoyed it a lot.
so, overall, will i buy a physical copy? honestly, depends on how expensive it is. the cover is absolute perfection, so id love to have it on my shelves, and i would re-read, but its not one that im gonna spend more money than i want to on.
final thoughts- if small town, second chance, fake dating sounds like your thing? if accepting and supportive families are your thing? if cute gay romance with a dash of spice is your thing?
well, then i think you should give this a read.
i was lucky enough to receive a free digital ARC of this book via NetGallery, in exchange for an honest review
crhbrault's review
4.0
Cute sapphic romance, although I was really antsy for the characters to just get their ish straight sooner!
misha_ali's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
As is standard for Georgia Beers books, I enjoyed this as a reasonably light and easy read. It starts off a bit fluffy and ventures into some more angsty topics and ends on a satisfying note.
monikabr's review
2.0
Playing with Matches is like a little gay Christmas Hallmark movie. Very pretty, a well thought out plot with everything tying up really nice, but also very surface level. Like when I watch those, I genuinely think they're nice to look at but none of the big emotions on screen make it to my heart. The book has almost everything I like in a Christmastime romcom, fake dating and a small town with a small business at the center. I was hoping it would give me more and think it would have profited from some first person POV to be more "showing not telling".
Thank you Bold Strokes Books for the ARC exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Bold Strokes Books for the ARC exchange for an honest review.
jeannethinks's review
4.0
Playing with Matches by Georgia Beers
This is a fake relationship story. So, if that's not your cup of tea, you should probably stop reading my review.
Whew, still here, okay, let's proceed.
Cori is her own person. She enjoys her solitude, and she's the exact opposite of her loud, boisterous family. It's a winner she had the energy to run her shop, Whimsy. But the creativity comes through clearly.
Liz is coming home to help with the family bed and breakfast, feeling lost and not sure of her purpose. She's thrown for a loop when one of the big events she's there to help with is her exes' wedding. Insert awkward fake relationship here. But as we know, chemistry can not be faked, and Liz and Cori have it.
Can a one-time crush from high school make a go for happiness together?
This is a fake relationship story. So, if that's not your cup of tea, you should probably stop reading my review.
Whew, still here, okay, let's proceed.
Cori is her own person. She enjoys her solitude, and she's the exact opposite of her loud, boisterous family. It's a winner she had the energy to run her shop, Whimsy. But the creativity comes through clearly.
Liz is coming home to help with the family bed and breakfast, feeling lost and not sure of her purpose. She's thrown for a loop when one of the big events she's there to help with is her exes' wedding. Insert awkward fake relationship here. But as we know, chemistry can not be faked, and Liz and Cori have it.
Can a one-time crush from high school make a go for happiness together?
erynpaige's review
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5