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mrosejsmith 's review for:
Will They or Won't They
by Ava Wilder
I'm a big fan of cute, funny romance novels that give me the warm and fuzzies, and this one is no exception. However, this one is a 5-star banger for me because there is much more depth than most of the romcoms on the market.
"Will They or Won't They" is about two stars of a popular primetime television show whose characters fall in love with each other, but in real life they can't stand to be in the same room with one another. When Lilah, one of the stars of the show, comes back after being gone for a few seasons to focus on her movie career, old feelings come bubbling back to the surface for the two actors, and they must navigate through the many conflicting emotions they bring out of each other.
This novel resonated deep with me because I related so much to the main character Lilah. Like her, I have the same struggles we see her experience throughout the book. I really liked how the author handled Lilah's mental health and normalized getting help by utilizing tools like therapy. It was a breath of fresh air. It was even a delightful surprise to find out she wasn't the only one to do so.
The pacing of the book kept me thinking, "Just one more chapter..." until 2AM because I needed to know Lilah and Shane's history. I could feel the loathing these two had for each other, and it was delicious because the love they had for each other was simmering just underneath that layer of disdain. It was intriguing to see their story laid out through flashbacks and little morsels of information from different characters. Their dislike stemmed from more than just "They took my job promotion" or "We had a terrible first date" or "They're so beautiful I hate it" kind of "hatred" you see in most romcom-style novels. These two had good reasons to dislike each other, but the chemistry and heat between them was just too much to ignore. The self-sabotage of their relationship should've frustrated me but instead I felt genuine empathy for the characters as well as a visceral emotion that had my heart screaming "must protect at all costs."
Shane's vulnerability about whether he can make it as an actor once the show is over and Lilah doing everything she can to keep her heart hidden in a gilded cage with thorny vines surrounding it is heartbreaking to see, but the way the ending played out shows that while deeper issues aren't fully resolved, there is an air of hope for the two of them. After all, having everything tied up in a neat little bow is something for movies and TV, not real life, so it was refreshing to see that while it may not be absolutely perfect, it's perfect enough.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication: June 27, 2023
"Will They or Won't They" is about two stars of a popular primetime television show whose characters fall in love with each other, but in real life they can't stand to be in the same room with one another. When Lilah, one of the stars of the show, comes back after being gone for a few seasons to focus on her movie career, old feelings come bubbling back to the surface for the two actors, and they must navigate through the many conflicting emotions they bring out of each other.
This novel resonated deep with me because I related so much to the main character Lilah. Like her, I have the same struggles we see her experience throughout the book. I really liked how the author handled Lilah's mental health and normalized getting help by utilizing tools like therapy. It was a breath of fresh air. It was even a delightful surprise to find out she wasn't the only one to do so.
The pacing of the book kept me thinking, "Just one more chapter..." until 2AM because I needed to know Lilah and Shane's history. I could feel the loathing these two had for each other, and it was delicious because the love they had for each other was simmering just underneath that layer of disdain. It was intriguing to see their story laid out through flashbacks and little morsels of information from different characters. Their dislike stemmed from more than just "They took my job promotion" or "We had a terrible first date" or "They're so beautiful I hate it" kind of "hatred" you see in most romcom-style novels. These two had good reasons to dislike each other, but the chemistry and heat between them was just too much to ignore. The self-sabotage of their relationship should've frustrated me but instead I felt genuine empathy for the characters as well as a visceral emotion that had my heart screaming "must protect at all costs."
Shane's vulnerability about whether he can make it as an actor once the show is over and Lilah doing everything she can to keep her heart hidden in a gilded cage with thorny vines surrounding it is heartbreaking to see, but the way the ending played out shows that while deeper issues aren't fully resolved, there is an air of hope for the two of them. After all, having everything tied up in a neat little bow is something for movies and TV, not real life, so it was refreshing to see that while it may not be absolutely perfect, it's perfect enough.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication: June 27, 2023