The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
kaydeedickins's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I really wanted to like the story but struggled to connect with the characters. It felt like there were too many details at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Alcohol
Moderate: Body shaming, Toxic relationship, and Fatphobia
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Cancer, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Medical content
emmas_bookshelf's review
emotional
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? Yes
4.0
Whoo, rating this book is actually really difficult with me because I love love loved the main character. She’s fat (and seems to have accepted her body or is at least body neutral), she’s in grad school, and a million more little similarities that I’m not going to detail here, but trust me, I felt everything she felt so deeply. I also repeatedly asked myself why didn’t I read this damn book sooner!
That said, I hateddddd the love interest. The two of them dated in college, broke up, and are now in a second chance romance but also enemies to lovers situation in graduate school. I found both the recollections of Colin 1.0 to be trash as well as Colin 2.0 to be trash, and while he had a ‘redemption arc’ of sorts, I didn’t think he actually improved and was still hella awful.
All that said, I did like the book, and it gave me a lot to think about. I definitely look forward to more titles from this author.
That said, I hateddddd the love interest. The two of them dated in college, broke up, and are now in a second chance romance but also enemies to lovers situation in graduate school. I found both the recollections of Colin 1.0 to be trash as well as Colin 2.0 to be trash, and while he had a ‘redemption arc’ of sorts, I didn’t think he actually improved and was still hella awful.
All that said, I did like the book, and it gave me a lot to think about. I definitely look forward to more titles from this author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
sarah_thebooknerd's review
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4 ⭐️
1.5 🌶
CW: author has a great note with it- grief, medical content, death of a parent, toxic parent, fat shaming from parent
I really enjoyed this story. Academic rivals in grad school. Body neutrality for fat FMC and male MC also has body diversity- skinny, lanky, second chance romance
I planned to read this for Fat-Ember but it came up through the Library faster than I thought it would. So of course I had to pick it up and read it asap. I’m keeping it on the Fat-ember list so anyone looking can find this.
I loved that this book is not focused on the FMC being fat. I have had some bad runs with books focusing on fat trauma and that has been hard to read all the time. This just did not have it and I’m so thankful for it. There is some fat shaming by a parent in it and some issues that fat people deal with in society. Again, it is not the main focus so if you pick this up know that.
At times the book does move a little slow and there is miscommunication trope with the 3rd act break up which is not always my favorite. I really cannot wait to see what Jenny does next and I really hope we get a book for the FMCS best friend, Sophie who works in fashion, is fat and creates fashion for fat bodies.
1.5 🌶
CW: author has a great note with it- grief, medical content, death of a parent, toxic parent, fat shaming from parent
I really enjoyed this story. Academic rivals in grad school. Body neutrality for fat FMC and male MC also has body diversity- skinny, lanky, second chance romance
I planned to read this for Fat-Ember but it came up through the Library faster than I thought it would. So of course I had to pick it up and read it asap. I’m keeping it on the Fat-ember list so anyone looking can find this.
I loved that this book is not focused on the FMC being fat. I have had some bad runs with books focusing on fat trauma and that has been hard to read all the time. This just did not have it and I’m so thankful for it. There is some fat shaming by a parent in it and some issues that fat people deal with in society. Again, it is not the main focus so if you pick this up know that.
At times the book does move a little slow and there is miscommunication trope with the 3rd act break up which is not always my favorite. I really cannot wait to see what Jenny does next and I really hope we get a book for the FMCS best friend, Sophie who works in fashion, is fat and creates fashion for fat bodies.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia, Alcohol, Medical content, Body shaming, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
kbairbooks's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A huge thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for this arc (in exchange for an honest review).
I don’t think I’ve read a college academic rivals to lovers before and that paired with the second chance romance concept was fun! I will say one of the events that happened in the book really knocked me off kilter and I was actively rooting against the male love interest for a while before that was cleared up for me. There is fat phobia in this book and a really terrible father figure as well as a very unsupportive mother which is very triggering but the female main character never had those feelings about herself that I can recall so there is that. I felt very satisfied at the end of the book and find it comical how strong my feelings were during the read. Lovely debut from this author and I look forward to more!
I don’t think I’ve read a college academic rivals to lovers before and that paired with the second chance romance concept was fun! I will say one of the events that happened in the book really knocked me off kilter and I was actively rooting against the male love interest for a while before that was cleared up for me. There is fat phobia in this book and a really terrible father figure as well as a very unsupportive mother which is very triggering but the female main character never had those feelings about herself that I can recall so there is that. I felt very satisfied at the end of the book and find it comical how strong my feelings were during the read. Lovely debut from this author and I look forward to more!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Dementia, Fatphobia, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Terminal illness, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Medical content
Moderate: Alcohol
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