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A review by hanreads__
Make Me by Caroline Masci
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Grumpy x Sunshine ✔️
Forced Proximity ✔️
Rivals to Lovers ✔️
Family Oriented ✔️
CEO x CEO ✔️
*~*~*~*~*
Above are a few tropes that you’ll find within ‘Make Me’ and are the main tropes that I adored.
Before starting my review, I would like to thank Love Notes PR for allowing me this story as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Please note that my opinions and views are mine and only mine.
*~*~*~*~*
"𝗕𝗮𝗯𝘆, 𝗜 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝘁." 𝗛𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺. "𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁? 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗢𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗸𝗲."
Can we just appreciate the above quote? It is incredibly beautiful and I would do anything for a man to talk to me like that, excuse me while I swoon.
*~*~*~*~*
Olivia (Livvy) Blake is someone who’s put sweat and blood into her work to reach the position that she’s in, groomed and prepped into the role she’s desperate to earn, she’s ready to prove herself.
Ryder Fallington comes across as your cliche business man who finds it easy with the ladies and likes his scotch. Money is no object to him and he’s ready to right a wrong, if only people knew just how wonderful he truly is.
Positive Points:
1. The family tree at the start is SUPER HELPFUL. I’m someone who needs visual things to understand things better and the family tree allowed me to refer back to the start when confused by how people related. It was a game changer and different to see!
2. While there were some cliches within the story, I like how the author strayed and changed each cliche one way or another, especially in regards to the plot! I love that while Ryder and Olivia were rivals, they kept things professional and funny rather than allowing things to turn sour and harsh.
3. The pranks were absolutely hilarious and I love the humour. Even during the moments that break your heart, there will be a character who makes that moment that little be better!
4. The plot twist! I was not EXPECTING things to go that way and was a little shell shocked! It was nice to see things done the way that they were and how friends rallied around one another in their times of need!
5. The relationships between Livvy and Ryder’s friends alongside Ryder, his brother and dad. All the relationships bar two in the story were beautiful and relatable in some sort of way.
6. Chronic Illness representation. It was nice to see some knowledge bought to life about a chronic illness and how it affected others who were close to a certain family member.
7. Mental Health representation. To see anxiety represented in the presence of a voice in the head was incredibly relatable and helpful to read about. Some people fail to realise that when a mental illness gets so bad, it can become a voice in your head, one that leaves you feeling horrible and low. It was something I understood very well and allowed me to feel what Livvy was feeling at times.
*~*~*~*~*
If you haven’t noticed, I adored the story. It was full of wonderful and heartfelt moments that had me in awe and occasionally snorting at something funny. I adored the characters and felt connected to Livvy in a couple of ways. It breaks my heart that some people have found Livvy to be spoilt and annoying. I find the woman to be strong and powerful. She did not get to where she was without having to prove herself, she put everything into her work and the passion she has is clear from the get go. She’s not spoilt, she’s not cynical, she’s incredibly down to earth and genuine. I want nothing but the best for her.
Ryder was an ass at the start but man did I fall for him quicker than a rain drop falling from a cloud. He is the perfect man for Livvy and the respect he has for women in business is something to admire. While other men are misogynists, Ryder is one who defends a woman and constantly reminds others of the power they hold within the business world, one where men often think they run it.
I can’t say that Ryder is perfect, he did some things that shouldn’t of been forgiven so easily, but he had good intentions and I have the upmost respect for him in what he did in when getting to know Livvy.
The intimacy between Livvy and Ryder warmed my heart. While it started with a night of passion, it soon turned into a beautiful relationship that wasn’t based on sex but rather two people learning more about one another and exploring the perfect chemistry between them. The heartfelt conversations, the meaningful moments, the inside jokes, everything was perfect and I was in awe of them both.
*~*~*~*~*
Negative points:
1. Devin and Olivia’s father. I felt that Devin and her father were forgiven way too easily for the way they have acted numerous times. It felt as if Olivia was a little bit of a mug, and while Devin redeemed herself in my eyes, I think Olivia should’ve made them both work for her forgiveness.
2. While the plot twist was good, I figured out who the person behind the unhappy moment was way too easily. It was practically handed to you by the author and it would’ve been nice to continue guessing right until the very end rather than find out instantly.
3. The third act break up… I WAS SO INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATED WITH THIS. Everything was going perfectly and I truly thought the story would end without a third act break up, and then when it finally happened I questioned why. Livvy and Ryder were in such a strong place within their relationship, there was so much trust established, why didn’t she realise sooner that Ryder would never hurt her or do anything to jeopardise her future? I understand her anxiety, but it looked as if he trusted her more and she gave up too easily on him.
*~*~*~*~*
All in all, I absolutely LOVED this story and I will never understand how people could DNF it or rate it low. It’s now one of my favourites and I CANNOT wait for the second instalment of the series. There are way more positives than negatives to ‘Make Me’ and I encourage everyone who’s a romcom lover to read this story. And finally, I would be over the moon if ‘Make Me’ was an actual app because I’m so basic with makeup, and I would love to know Olivia!
Forced Proximity ✔️
Rivals to Lovers ✔️
Family Oriented ✔️
CEO x CEO ✔️
*~*~*~*~*
Above are a few tropes that you’ll find within ‘Make Me’ and are the main tropes that I adored.
Before starting my review, I would like to thank Love Notes PR for allowing me this story as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Please note that my opinions and views are mine and only mine.
*~*~*~*~*
"𝗕𝗮𝗯𝘆, 𝗜 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝘁." 𝗛𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺. "𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁? 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗢𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗸𝗲."
Can we just appreciate the above quote? It is incredibly beautiful and I would do anything for a man to talk to me like that, excuse me while I swoon.
*~*~*~*~*
Olivia (Livvy) Blake is someone who’s put sweat and blood into her work to reach the position that she’s in, groomed and prepped into the role she’s desperate to earn, she’s ready to prove herself.
Ryder Fallington comes across as your cliche business man who finds it easy with the ladies and likes his scotch. Money is no object to him and he’s ready to right a wrong, if only people knew just how wonderful he truly is.
Positive Points:
1. The family tree at the start is SUPER HELPFUL. I’m someone who needs visual things to understand things better and the family tree allowed me to refer back to the start when confused by how people related. It was a game changer and different to see!
2. While there were some cliches within the story, I like how the author strayed and changed each cliche one way or another, especially in regards to the plot! I love that while Ryder and Olivia were rivals, they kept things professional and funny rather than allowing things to turn sour and harsh.
3. The pranks were absolutely hilarious and I love the humour. Even during the moments that break your heart, there will be a character who makes that moment that little be better!
4. The plot twist! I was not EXPECTING things to go that way and was a little shell shocked! It was nice to see things done the way that they were and how friends rallied around one another in their times of need!
5. The relationships between Livvy and Ryder’s friends alongside Ryder, his brother and dad. All the relationships bar two in the story were beautiful and relatable in some sort of way.
6. Chronic Illness representation. It was nice to see some knowledge bought to life about a chronic illness and how it affected others who were close to a certain family member.
7. Mental Health representation. To see anxiety represented in the presence of a voice in the head was incredibly relatable and helpful to read about. Some people fail to realise that when a mental illness gets so bad, it can become a voice in your head, one that leaves you feeling horrible and low. It was something I understood very well and allowed me to feel what Livvy was feeling at times.
*~*~*~*~*
If you haven’t noticed, I adored the story. It was full of wonderful and heartfelt moments that had me in awe and occasionally snorting at something funny. I adored the characters and felt connected to Livvy in a couple of ways. It breaks my heart that some people have found Livvy to be spoilt and annoying. I find the woman to be strong and powerful. She did not get to where she was without having to prove herself, she put everything into her work and the passion she has is clear from the get go. She’s not spoilt, she’s not cynical, she’s incredibly down to earth and genuine. I want nothing but the best for her.
Ryder was an ass at the start but man did I fall for him quicker than a rain drop falling from a cloud. He is the perfect man for Livvy and the respect he has for women in business is something to admire. While other men are misogynists, Ryder is one who defends a woman and constantly reminds others of the power they hold within the business world, one where men often think they run it.
I can’t say that Ryder is perfect, he did some things that shouldn’t of been forgiven so easily, but he had good intentions and I have the upmost respect for him in what he did in when getting to know Livvy.
The intimacy between Livvy and Ryder warmed my heart. While it started with a night of passion, it soon turned into a beautiful relationship that wasn’t based on sex but rather two people learning more about one another and exploring the perfect chemistry between them. The heartfelt conversations, the meaningful moments, the inside jokes, everything was perfect and I was in awe of them both.
*~*~*~*~*
Negative points:
1. Devin and Olivia’s father. I felt that Devin and her father were forgiven way too easily for the way they have acted numerous times. It felt as if Olivia was a little bit of a mug, and while Devin redeemed herself in my eyes, I think Olivia should’ve made them both work for her forgiveness.
2. While the plot twist was good, I figured out who the person behind the unhappy moment was way too easily. It was practically handed to you by the author and it would’ve been nice to continue guessing right until the very end rather than find out instantly.
3. The third act break up… I WAS SO INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATED WITH THIS. Everything was going perfectly and I truly thought the story would end without a third act break up, and then when it finally happened I questioned why. Livvy and Ryder were in such a strong place within their relationship, there was so much trust established, why didn’t she realise sooner that Ryder would never hurt her or do anything to jeopardise her future? I understand her anxiety, but it looked as if he trusted her more and she gave up too easily on him.
*~*~*~*~*
All in all, I absolutely LOVED this story and I will never understand how people could DNF it or rate it low. It’s now one of my favourites and I CANNOT wait for the second instalment of the series. There are way more positives than negatives to ‘Make Me’ and I encourage everyone who’s a romcom lover to read this story. And finally, I would be over the moon if ‘Make Me’ was an actual app because I’m so basic with makeup, and I would love to know Olivia!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, and Death of parent