A review by jass_readingnook
On Rotation by Shirlene Obuobi

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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

5.0

 
A special thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for an ARC of this novel!!! 
 
Rating:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars) 
 
Rep: West African Rep (Ghana), LatinX Rep (Mexican), Black Women in STEM, Black Women in Medicine, LGBTQIA+ Rep, 
 
TW/CW: toxic parental relationships, alcoholism, death of a parent, tragedies in the hospital, cheating 
 
 
Do you like?: black women in STEM, black women in medicine, interracial romance, side-characters who get their own character developments, strangers to slight enemies to lovers, blerd references (superiority complex activated), and a main character who is downright relatable? 
 
If so, then I highly recommend this book for you!! Scratch that, support my girl and BUY THE DAMN BOOK! BUY TWO COPIES! I DON’T CARE JUST BUY IT! 
 
On Rotation is more than just a romance novel, it follows the everyday life of third-year medical student Angela “Angie” Appiah, a Ghanaian-American who has checked off every box in order to be the perfect eldest immigrant daughter. That is, until her boyfriend breaks-up with her and she finds out that she hasn’t done the best on one of her most important exams. She is thrown into a whirlwind of emotions and now must figure out how to keep her residency dreams in tact. Until she meets Ricky Gutierrez, a Mexican-American freelance artist who is obsessed with love and gorgeous in every way. However, Angie is not trying to fall for another potential love flame that will do nothing but fizzle out in the end. Can Angie live up to the standards of her parents, follow her dreams, and learn to truly follow her heart? 
 
So to start off, this book is a straight BANGER! I’ve never felt so seen by a book in my life! This book is more than just the romance between Angie and Ricky. We see Angie in her everyday life. We follow her through her third-year journey. We meet her family and get an insight on Ghanaian culture; we meet her younger sister who’s a complete firecracker and will do anything for her big sister. We meet her friends who are her second family and see the dynamics of friendships. We witness her go through a tough period with her best friend and see how sometimes your longest friendships can even be tested during adulthood. We meet her mentor, who wants nothing but to see her win. Just as the dedication says, this book is for the black girls who need to know thatyou are seen, YOU are loved, YOU can have whatever you dream of. 
 
Characters: 
Now Ricky……Ricky. I like you at the end of the day. But I’m bout to be on yo AHHH! Now, Ricky is not our average love interest. But that’s ultimately what I like about him. He’s a great person. But he shows us that great people, can make piss poor decisions in their personal life at times. I loved how he saw Angie for who he she was. He motivated her despite their different career choices and was always there to give her a supportive shoulder. He cares for her deeply and he shows it through his action. HOWEVER, my boy was on some bully bull for real! I hated the emotional rollercoaster he put Angie on. One minute you don’t like my girl, the next you do. We are too grown for all this and I’m happy that Angie was one to call him out on it instead of making excuses for him. He too was a great character to watch develop despite his excessive red flags lol. 
 
My favorite character was Nia. Nia reminds me so much of my real life best friend. She is supportive of Angie and wants nothing but the best for her. I also love how we got to see some insight into Nia’s personal life as well. She served so much purpose in the story and I loved being able to see more of her personally. 
 
In conclusion as I stated before, THIS IS A BANGER!! Instant buy author! Amazing story! Loved everything about this novel. Prepare to be sick of me because I’m not gone shut about this one for a while!!! 
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