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A review by zluvsreading
Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to Ali for giving me an early copy of this book before pub day so that I can devour it (and DID!!!)
This book consumed me in the best way possible.
We first meet the protagonists (wow big word for me, look at me go), in Not In Love and I LOVED that book so I was always thinking of Maya and Hark in the back of my mind. I literally told Ali herself, hmmmm I wonder if the green and pink hearts are for Maya and Hark and LO AND BEHOLD I was right.
Maya was such a fascinating character to me in NIL and this book just honed in my love for her. Perhaps it’s the youngest sibling in me, but she was great.
She’s so unserious and made me laugh too hard. The way that she’s just so HOT and SEXY is just!!!!!! She makes me feral and unhinged and I love that for her. She’s blunt and yet has these anger issues that she’s working through.
Again, I love that therapy comes up in this, I enjoy seeing it in a positive way and not stigmatizing.
OH ALSO!!! THE CAMEOS!!!! I cried seeing the first name and was just as giddy seeing the rest of the characters in the Aliverse. It just makes me so happy cause it’s like “HEY! I know that person and their history with their careers and love interests!”
Hark, my beloved. Sadly, I loved Maya more than him but he’s a close second. He’s unironically funny.
Hark, emotionally unavailable and yet absolutely whipped and DOWN BADDDD for Maya!!! It takes him a little while to not be in denial but once he does, phew watch out yall. 😮💨😮💨😮💨😮💨
Their chemistry and tension was peak. I loved it so bad. Even from the beginning in the flashbacks, there was always something simmering that was palpable between the pages.
THE WAY SHE CAME SO EASILY THE FIRST TIME AND HALF THE TIMES AFTERWARDS?????? Love that for her lmaoooo. Me too girl, me too.
This book was so fun because of all the characters. I loved seeing Rue, Eli, Tisha, and Nyota again.
The friendship Maya had with Nyota was so cute and funny. They fit each others vibe, and they had the whole younger sibling thing going on which was fun. I also liked Jade and Maya as well. We didn’t get to see a whole lot of Jade but I think she was nice.
All in all, another banger from Ali. I usually never gravitate to age gap romances, but this one was written well and in a way that wasn’t odd or perverse or anything. It’s funny that it kept coming up as a topic of conversation, because it was a huge thing for Hark, but I liked how it all resolved, I suppose?
When he was saying he wanted her to be in charge I was like OH FUCK YEAH!!!!!! It’s cool cause he talked about the power imbalance and yet gave her full rein. Idk something about that was just hot.
So grateful to be able to read this, if only a few days, earlier. I love this book down and can’t wait to read it again and again. If I wasn’t broke, I’d preorder all the special editions of this book lmao.
Highly recommend this for the age gap lovers, yearning and pining for years lovers, and brothers best friend lovers. <3
- Z
This book consumed me in the best way possible.
We first meet the protagonists (wow big word for me, look at me go), in Not In Love and I LOVED that book so I was always thinking of Maya and Hark in the back of my mind. I literally told Ali herself, hmmmm I wonder if the green and pink hearts are for Maya and Hark and LO AND BEHOLD I was right.
Maya was such a fascinating character to me in NIL and this book just honed in my love for her. Perhaps it’s the youngest sibling in me, but she was great.
She’s so unserious and made me laugh too hard. The way that she’s just so HOT and SEXY is just!!!!!! She makes me feral and unhinged and I love that for her. She’s blunt and yet has these anger issues that she’s working through.
Again, I love that therapy comes up in this, I enjoy seeing it in a positive way and not stigmatizing.
OH ALSO!!! THE CAMEOS!!!! I cried seeing the first name and was just as giddy seeing the rest of the characters in the Aliverse. It just makes me so happy cause it’s like “HEY! I know that person and their history with their careers and love interests!”
Hark, my beloved. Sadly, I loved Maya more than him but he’s a close second. He’s unironically funny.
Hark, emotionally unavailable and yet absolutely whipped and DOWN BADDDD for Maya!!! It takes him a little while to not be in denial but once he does, phew watch out yall. 😮💨😮💨😮💨😮💨
Their chemistry and tension was peak. I loved it so bad. Even from the beginning in the flashbacks, there was always something simmering that was palpable between the pages.
This book was so fun because of all the characters. I loved seeing Rue, Eli, Tisha, and Nyota again.
The friendship Maya had with Nyota was so cute and funny. They fit each others vibe, and they had the whole younger sibling thing going on which was fun. I also liked Jade and Maya as well. We didn’t get to see a whole lot of Jade but I think she was nice.
All in all, another banger from Ali. I usually never gravitate to age gap romances, but this one was written well and in a way that wasn’t odd or perverse or anything. It’s funny that it kept coming up as a topic of conversation, because it was a huge thing for Hark, but I liked how it all resolved, I suppose?
So grateful to be able to read this, if only a few days, earlier. I love this book down and can’t wait to read it again and again. If I wasn’t broke, I’d preorder all the special editions of this book lmao.
Highly recommend this for the age gap lovers, yearning and pining for years lovers, and brothers best friend lovers. <3
- Z
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Mental illness, Vomit, Pregnancy
Minor: Grief, Death of parent