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A review by justinkhchen
We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian
5.0
4.5 stars
Affectionate and immersive, having read M/M romance from Cat Sebastian prior (The Lawrence Browne Affair is a personal fav), We Could Be So Good is a welcoming switch of time and place (1950s New York City), yet still retains her expertise at crafting characters and building scenes one can't help but fall head over heels for—a must pick up for romance readers looking for a love story set during a less depicted time in the genre.
We Could Be So Good has a slow build (the story didn't fully clicked for me until around the 20% mark), which is partly due to its setting: being neither contemporary nor the Regency period, Cat Sebastian took her time to really visualize the late 50s America. Despite its gradual start, I come to appreciate all the historical factoids throughout, such as the general sentiment on homosexuals at the time, as well as the incorporation of one of the earliest novels featuring same-sex romance. The well-researched presentation makes the world feels lived-in, and not just a superficial window dressing.
When it comes to the romance, it is absolutely top-notch; one can't help but falls deeply for these flawed, yet lovable characters. Nothing overly revolutionary, but the sexual tension, banter, and desire are assembled with such sleek precision, one can't really ask for more. One thing I may add, however, as someone who typically prefer a plot-driven story, We Could Be So Good feels a little padded out in some spots—especially noticeable when catching flu is turned into a multi-chapter story arc (laugh). I wish there's a little bit more involving drama regarding the newspaper publishing, as well as being a reporter during that period (the elements are present, but are definitely on the peripheral).
We Could Be So Good is another strong effort from Cat Sebastian, definitely prompts me to return to her backlist and pick up more of her books (I'm eyeing the Page & Sommers series). Another M/M romance that has a similar vibe to this would be Honeytrap by Aster Glenn Gray (a Soviet and an American agent fall in love during the Cold War).
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
Affectionate and immersive, having read M/M romance from Cat Sebastian prior (The Lawrence Browne Affair is a personal fav), We Could Be So Good is a welcoming switch of time and place (1950s New York City), yet still retains her expertise at crafting characters and building scenes one can't help but fall head over heels for—a must pick up for romance readers looking for a love story set during a less depicted time in the genre.
We Could Be So Good has a slow build (the story didn't fully clicked for me until around the 20% mark), which is partly due to its setting: being neither contemporary nor the Regency period, Cat Sebastian took her time to really visualize the late 50s America. Despite its gradual start, I come to appreciate all the historical factoids throughout, such as the general sentiment on homosexuals at the time, as well as the incorporation of one of the earliest novels featuring same-sex romance. The well-researched presentation makes the world feels lived-in, and not just a superficial window dressing.
When it comes to the romance, it is absolutely top-notch; one can't help but falls deeply for these flawed, yet lovable characters. Nothing overly revolutionary, but the sexual tension, banter, and desire are assembled with such sleek precision, one can't really ask for more. One thing I may add, however, as someone who typically prefer a plot-driven story, We Could Be So Good feels a little padded out in some spots—especially noticeable when catching flu is turned into a multi-chapter story arc (laugh). I wish there's a little bit more involving drama regarding the newspaper publishing, as well as being a reporter during that period (the elements are present, but are definitely on the peripheral).
We Could Be So Good is another strong effort from Cat Sebastian, definitely prompts me to return to her backlist and pick up more of her books (I'm eyeing the Page & Sommers series). Another M/M romance that has a similar vibe to this would be Honeytrap by Aster Glenn Gray (a Soviet and an American agent fall in love during the Cold War).
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**