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A review by kp_hobbitreads
Like I Wished by Charlie Novak
4.0
#0.5 Like I Pictures: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
#1 Like I Promised: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
#2 Like I Wished: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
This is cozy, slice of life love story between two friends that is perfect for when you just want something that's going to make you smile.
Noah is an excellent chemistry teacher, but an abysmal baker. So when it's time for the science department bake-off he's convinced it's going to be a disaster again this year. Until he realizes that he can ask Spencer for baking lessons and kill two birds with one stone: spend extra time with his long-time crush and hopefully make something edible for the competition. Spencer has always been the token straight friend in the group until he sees Noah lick buttercream off a whisk and he stars having some decidedly not-straight fantasies. And, the more time they spend together, the more Spencer realizes that everything he's been looking for might have been right there in front of him all along.
While I typically prefer my romances with at least a little angst (either inside or outside of the relationship), I had a lot of fun reading this. Noah and Spencer are super adorable together, and the found family vibes in this series are fantastic. It was nice to read a romance with no big miscommunication or drama. Spencer didn't have any internalized homophobia that he needed to work through or need to have a big coming out moment. It was just two adults who talked about their feelings and were willing to work together to navigate a new relationship. This is a story full of queer joy, and I'm not mad about it.
Three Things:
1. Alex may be a snarky asshole (complimentary), but I love how supportive he was of Noah and Spencer once he found out about their relationship.
2. I really liked that Noah is explicitly described as fat, but doesn't have any internalized fatphobia. There was no negative self-talk or body images issues for him to work though which was so freaking nice to see. And, of course Spencer finds him sexy - as he should.
3. I liked the side plot of Spencer deciding if he wanted to play soccer again, and seeing him have to work through all his complicated feelings about something that was so important to him that he thought he'd never get back. And, of course, the positive view of therapy is always nice to see.
I was really hoping that book 3 was going to be Alex's, but I am excited to see Will get his own happily ever after. He seems like such a steady, dependable friend and the blurb has me very interested. (Even if I am still keeping my fingers crossed for an Alex-centric book). But, let's be honest: if Charlie Novak writes it, I'm probably going to read it. *shrug*
content warnings: discussion of fatphobia, body positivity, and body neutrality, sex work (not a mc), sex (on page), anxiety
**I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**
#1 Like I Promised: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
#2 Like I Wished: ★★★★☆ | 4 stars
This is cozy, slice of life love story between two friends that is perfect for when you just want something that's going to make you smile.
Noah is an excellent chemistry teacher, but an abysmal baker. So when it's time for the science department bake-off he's convinced it's going to be a disaster again this year. Until he realizes that he can ask Spencer for baking lessons and kill two birds with one stone: spend extra time with his long-time crush and hopefully make something edible for the competition. Spencer has always been the token straight friend in the group until he sees Noah lick buttercream off a whisk and he stars having some decidedly not-straight fantasies. And, the more time they spend together, the more Spencer realizes that everything he's been looking for might have been right there in front of him all along.
While I typically prefer my romances with at least a little angst (either inside or outside of the relationship), I had a lot of fun reading this. Noah and Spencer are super adorable together, and the found family vibes in this series are fantastic. It was nice to read a romance with no big miscommunication or drama. Spencer didn't have any internalized homophobia that he needed to work through or need to have a big coming out moment. It was just two adults who talked about their feelings and were willing to work together to navigate a new relationship. This is a story full of queer joy, and I'm not mad about it.
Three Things:
1. Alex may be a snarky asshole (complimentary), but I love how supportive he was of Noah and Spencer once he found out about their relationship.
2. I really liked that Noah is explicitly described as fat, but doesn't have any internalized fatphobia. There was no negative self-talk or body images issues for him to work though which was so freaking nice to see. And, of course Spencer finds him sexy - as he should.
3. I liked the side plot of Spencer deciding if he wanted to play soccer again, and seeing him have to work through all his complicated feelings about something that was so important to him that he thought he'd never get back. And, of course, the positive view of therapy is always nice to see.
I was really hoping that book 3 was going to be Alex's, but I am excited to see Will get his own happily ever after. He seems like such a steady, dependable friend and the blurb has me very interested. (Even if I am still keeping my fingers crossed for an Alex-centric book). But, let's be honest: if Charlie Novak writes it, I'm probably going to read it. *shrug*
content warnings: discussion of fatphobia, body positivity, and body neutrality, sex work (not a mc), sex (on page), anxiety
**I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**