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A review by bookishlyjae
Knot My Type by Evie Mitchell
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I wanted to love this book more than I did. I mean, a sex positive spicy book that focuses safe and accessible sex AND emphasizes safe words and aftercare in a BDSM scene was sure to grab my attention.
And it did.
I must say the rep was my favorite part. Frankie's (FMC) disability was a big part of the plot. But in a way that felt realistic and natural. Of course, her life (intimacy and otherwise) is going to be impacted by her disability. But it never became her entire characterization. Frankie felt very fleshed out. There was no tokenization either.
As a mobility aid user myself, I felt really seen. I could connect with her on a personal level because of similar disabilities, yes, but also because she was a real person. (As real as a fictional character can be).
And Jay, the love interest, was written well. He took the time to learn Frankie's needs in the bedroom and how her disability affected them. And he was even sweeter outside of the bedroom.
The chemistry could have used some improving. The banter was good (even if sometimes overly cheesy). But their connection seemed surface level. It relied mostly on the physical aspects, which would have been okay in an erotica but that's not what this is marketed as.
As a contemporary romance, the emotional connection was lacking. This could be because of the time jump. Or, the emphasis on explaining or telling the reader what the characters felt rather than showing it. But either way, it didn't seem fleshed out enough.
But on a physical level? On a spicy level? The chemistry was great. The focus on accessibility never took away from the scene. The chemistry was there in that area for sure. But I rated it a 3/5 🌶️ because while there was a lot of steamy scenes, I never felt flustered or engaged. It was just another scene to me. Which, in my opinion, is never good when it comes to the spice. But for the sheer amount of spicy scenes, I gave it a 3/5.
I did take away a few stars because of the overly cheesy, borderline cringe dialogue, the lack of emotional connection, and the weird time jump that felt unnatural and like more of a convenience than an effective plot device. These things took me out of the story and earned several eye rolls.
But I'd still recommend this book to someone looking for positive disability rep, safe and accessible BDSM scenes, and a focus on sex positivity. Or, someone looking for a book with friends to lovers, reluctant to love, and romance/sex tutoring tropes.
I just wish I loved it more.
And it did.
I must say the rep was my favorite part. Frankie's (FMC) disability was a big part of the plot. But in a way that felt realistic and natural. Of course, her life (intimacy and otherwise) is going to be impacted by her disability. But it never became her entire characterization. Frankie felt very fleshed out. There was no tokenization either.
As a mobility aid user myself, I felt really seen. I could connect with her on a personal level because of similar disabilities, yes, but also because she was a real person. (As real as a fictional character can be).
And Jay, the love interest, was written well. He took the time to learn Frankie's needs in the bedroom and how her disability affected them. And he was even sweeter outside of the bedroom.
The chemistry could have used some improving. The banter was good (even if sometimes overly cheesy). But their connection seemed surface level. It relied mostly on the physical aspects, which would have been okay in an erotica but that's not what this is marketed as.
As a contemporary romance, the emotional connection was lacking. This could be because of the time jump. Or, the emphasis on explaining or telling the reader what the characters felt rather than showing it. But either way, it didn't seem fleshed out enough.
But on a physical level? On a spicy level? The chemistry was great. The focus on accessibility never took away from the scene. The chemistry was there in that area for sure. But I rated it a 3/5 🌶️ because while there was a lot of steamy scenes, I never felt flustered or engaged. It was just another scene to me. Which, in my opinion, is never good when it comes to the spice. But for the sheer amount of spicy scenes, I gave it a 3/5.
I did take away a few stars because of the overly cheesy, borderline cringe dialogue, the lack of emotional connection, and the weird time jump that felt unnatural and like more of a convenience than an effective plot device. These things took me out of the story and earned several eye rolls.
But I'd still recommend this book to someone looking for positive disability rep, safe and accessible BDSM scenes, and a focus on sex positivity. Or, someone looking for a book with friends to lovers, reluctant to love, and romance/sex tutoring tropes.
I just wish I loved it more.