laheath's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
Given the opportunity to interview celebrity, Gabe Parker, who is poised for a comeback, writer Chani Horowitz is having second thoughts. Her first interview with him, ten years prior, helped to launch her career, but not for all the right reasons. Told in alternating chapters of Then and Now, interspersed with Chani's blog posts and articles, as well as other reviews, this was a fun story of can a regular girl get the celebrity? At times, Chani is so self-deprecating that the reader is left agreeing with her, why would the celebrity be interested in her? When they're together, they have great chemistry, though, and at least the ending of this very slow burn finally answers some of those questions.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia, Alcohol, Cursing, and Classism
Minor: Drug use and Antisemitism
jennylarue's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Easily the most unique styled book I’ve read. Loved how it was told and the turns it took through time and this relationship. Super cute read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Sexism, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Misogyny
Moderate: Cancer, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Grief, Homophobia, Antisemitism, and Sexual content
katherinek's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I had trouble getting into this at first. I didn't really like the main characters and it fell pretty flat for the first 75 pages or so, but after that it picked up and I was able to get into it more. I loved the dog!! The timeline jumping confused me a couple times, but it was a good choice for how the story unraveled. There was a lot of fluff that could've been left out, especially a lot of the articles that were sprinkled in.
When it comes to the characters, I wanted to know more about Jacinda and Ollie. I think that was the intention with Jacinda because she was supposed to feel like a perfect, untouchable celebrity, but I wish the author had gone a different direction with her. Ollie was pretty interesting at first but he quickly turned into just a stereotypical gay man which disappointed me.
I felt the same way about Gabe, too; nothing about him really excited me at all. Chani, however, was very well developed, but I just couldn't see why she really liked Gabe, other than the fact that he was her celebrity crush. The chemistry between them was barely there for me.
The plot was still pretty interesting for the most part, though. I loved the theatre and movie references sprinkled in, and the inside jokes that resurfaced throughout the story were a nice touch. I especially loved how Chani's article about her "perfect day" foreshadowed her trip to the bookstore with Gabe.
When it comes to the characters, I wanted to know more about Jacinda and Ollie. I think that was the intention with Jacinda because she was supposed to feel like a perfect, untouchable celebrity, but I wish the author had gone a different direction with her. Ollie was pretty interesting at first but he quickly turned into just a stereotypical gay man which disappointed me.
I felt the same way about Gabe, too; nothing about him really excited me at all. Chani, however, was very well developed, but I just couldn't see why she really liked Gabe, other than the fact that he was her celebrity crush. The chemistry between them was barely there for me.
The plot was still pretty interesting for the most part, though. I loved the theatre and movie references sprinkled in, and the inside jokes that resurfaced throughout the story were a nice touch. I especially loved how Chani's article about her "perfect day" foreshadowed her trip to the bookstore with Gabe.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia and Alcoholism
Minor: Bullying, Antisemitism, Death, Fatphobia, and Grief
kayladaila's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Misogyny
Minor: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Car accident, and Toxic friendship
sian's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
Unfortunately despite likeable characters and engaging writing and an interesting premise, Sussman just wasn't able to sell me on the believability of the romance between the two main characters.
Spoiler
The whole emotional impact of of the "you never called!" "you were still married!" "what did you think would happen when you invited me backstage to your play?!" conversations in the later part of the novel, and the way that Gabe's family knows all about the journalist and are so excited to "finally meet her" (when he's been married for the past decade and this is just some woman who interviewed him a decade ago) really requires the reader to be able to suspend their disbelief a heck of a lot considering this is all over a fumbly hookup ten years ago where feelings were never discussed and wherein neither party had any reason to assume it wasn't a casual thing to the other - and then to have them proclaim their love for each other after having spent a few days together in total over a 10 year span just seemed a little tenuous. I just wasn't able to get there, personally.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Homophobia and Alcoholism
Minor: Antisemitism, Drug use, and Death of parent
lauramparis's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, and Misogyny
Minor: Death, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Homophobia
kaitlinlovesbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent, Antisemitism, Misogyny, and Alcoholism
kirareadssometimes's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Incredible writing. Truly a delight to read. Sweet, funny, loving! Made me cry and tugged perfectly at my heart! Read it via audiobook which made the change of narrator a little confusing at times but I’m sure this isn’t a problem in the physical copy. Loved this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, and Sexism
Moderate: Death of parent and Misogyny
Minor: Antisemitism and Homophobia
lnzava's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Antisemitism
gabyhat's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Addiction, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Alcoholism
Minor: Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, and Death