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A review by kerosenelit
Not in My Book by Katie Holt
3.0
I absolutely loved the first 50% of this one. I was certain it would be a solid four star, maybe even five star. So many books are marketed for fans of The Hating Game, but this is one of the few where I actually agree with that comparison!
Graduate students Rosie and Aiden were true enemies, absolutely ruthless with their writing critiques. It leans into the I-like-you-so-I’m-mean-to-you dynamic, which isn’t always my favourite, but the banter was just so incredibly entertaining!
And I loved their book excerpts! I admittedly tend to skim these sections in other stories, but it really added something here. While getting to know each other outside of class (I loved seeing them explore New York through the seasons), they also communicated through their written characters, creating a sort of dumping place to express their true feelings. It was so cute!
But without spoilers, there were some irrational and immature reactions toward the end that I found really frustrating. And the spice was too much for me. One of those instances where it felt forced, as if added just for the sake of it, you know? If it doesn’t fit the tone of the story, it completely pulls me out of the scene, and that was definitely the case here.
(heat level: 4 open-door scenes, explicit details)
Graduate students Rosie and Aiden were true enemies, absolutely ruthless with their writing critiques. It leans into the I-like-you-so-I’m-mean-to-you dynamic, which isn’t always my favourite, but the banter was just so incredibly entertaining!
And I loved their book excerpts! I admittedly tend to skim these sections in other stories, but it really added something here. While getting to know each other outside of class (I loved seeing them explore New York through the seasons), they also communicated through their written characters, creating a sort of dumping place to express their true feelings. It was so cute!
But without spoilers, there were some irrational and immature reactions toward the end that I found really frustrating. And the spice was too much for me. One of those instances where it felt forced, as if added just for the sake of it, you know? If it doesn’t fit the tone of the story, it completely pulls me out of the scene, and that was definitely the case here.
(heat level: 4 open-door scenes, explicit details)