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A review by cleo_reads
Can I Steal You for a Second? by Jodi McAlister
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
A-/B+ Adorable Sapphic bi romance between two contestants on a fictional version of The Bachelor, set in Melbourne during the 2021 pandemic lockdowns.
I really enjoyed this, despite some pacing issues at the end. It's told from a single, first person POV, which I think tends to be less romantic than getting both / all MC's POVs. I enjoyed the story and the setting so much that I didn’t mind that. YMMV.
Amanda, our narrator, is recovering from being dumped - her ex really did a number on her confidence. I think how much you enjoy this will depend on how well you tolerate Amanda putting herself down and her general passivity. She does eventually take more control of her life and I enjoyed her character growth.
Some readers may also be cautious about reading an escapist romance set during the pandemic lockdowns. The setting worked for me - having the whole show in a bubble during production meant that the characters were believably insulated from the pandemic but with some anxiety about what was going on in the outside world seeping in. For me that was the right mix.
I enjoyed the MC's developing friendship and romance and I really enjoyed the behind the scenes feel of the book. The author clearly is a fan of The Bachelor but not blindly so and the same is true of the MCs, who are fans but aren't actually expecting to fall in love with the guy they're all competing for, even though he seems like a much more interesting and all around better human being than any of the American Bachelors I'm familiar with.
It's the 2nd in a series and it takes place concurrently with book 1. It worked as a stand alone for me (books 1 and 3 are m/f and it looks like they're both straight romances, so I was less enthusiastic about paying full price for them, even if they're not usually available in the US).
I really enjoyed this, despite some pacing issues at the end. It's told from a single, first person POV, which I think tends to be less romantic than getting both / all MC's POVs. I enjoyed the story and the setting so much that I didn’t mind that. YMMV.
Amanda, our narrator, is recovering from being dumped - her ex really did a number on her confidence. I think how much you enjoy this will depend on how well you tolerate Amanda putting herself down and her general passivity. She does eventually take more control of her life and I enjoyed her character growth.
Some readers may also be cautious about reading an escapist romance set during the pandemic lockdowns. The setting worked for me - having the whole show in a bubble during production meant that the characters were believably insulated from the pandemic but with some anxiety about what was going on in the outside world seeping in. For me that was the right mix.
I enjoyed the MC's developing friendship and romance and I really enjoyed the behind the scenes feel of the book. The author clearly is a fan of The Bachelor but not blindly so and the same is true of the MCs, who are fans but aren't actually expecting to fall in love with the guy they're all competing for, even though he seems like a much more interesting and all around better human being than any of the American Bachelors I'm familiar with.
It's the 2nd in a series and it takes place concurrently with book 1. It worked as a stand alone for me (books 1 and 3 are m/f and it looks like they're both straight romances, so I was less enthusiastic about paying full price for them, even if they're not usually available in the US).