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emilykre's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Minor: Ableism, Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
All trigger warnings apply to side plots and relationships outside of the main couple. Only positive, healthy romance is championed.notmollie's review
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Biphobia, Bullying, Cursing, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Mental illness, Violence, and Medical content
renpuspita's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Quite accomplishment compared to later years when I'm in reading slump, so this is a good news to me, lel. I'm glad I choose this title since I already intrigued when reading the blurb and people reviews despite never reading or watching Much Ado About Nothing. Beatrice (aka Bea) and James (aka Jamie) might be start in rocky steps because Bea's twin (Jules) and her colleagues try to matchmaking Bea and Jamie to be together. Then, they start to fake dating for revenge to those meddlers but when they start to getting know each other better than their first impression aka their meet-disaster, they realize the fake dating suddenly become real. Honestly, a pretty much standard trope, enemies (or frenemies?) to lovers plus fake dating, but Liese execute it very well.
The romance is swoony and full of moments or dialogue that make me go "awwww". I mean despite being uptight, stern and deal with anxiety, Jamie is the greenest flag heroes ever walk, a beta male to the core. He understand Bea's autism spectrum and even his first impression of Bea is not that good, when Bea tell him that she is a neurodivergent, Jamie always prioritize Bea first. I mean, make a veggie puree since Jamie know Bea have difficulty to eat veggie because its texture and constantly ask her condition in the new and strange place? If that's not a green flag, then I don't know what it is. Not only Jamie to Bea, but Bea herself also understanding Jamie's anxiety, slowly heal him from his uncertainty. I did like their dynamics, even though their act seems childish as first with all that fake dating as a revenge plot, but since both are unique individuals, I don't mind at all. Since the book is written in 1st PoV, I liked that Liese successfully write both characters PoV, make them feel and sound different. I also like that Liese incorporated her views about romance genres as well without feel too-in-your-face. Yep, romance need a happy ending, and if there's no happy ending, it's a love story, not romance per se :P.
The sex scenes are steamy, although its happen near the end, lel. This book really take a very long slooooow burn to the next level. The sexual tensions is ofc plenty and since we get to read both Bea and Jamie's first PoV, reader got insight into their inner thought and sexual frustration plus longing as well. So, with the way of their slow burn written, all of them are paid off not only one but two VERY WELL written sex scenes (lube using, edging, Jamie act and talk all French-y to give Bea plenty of petite mort, wew!) and left me a happy reader in the end, lel. From the sexuality aspect, the characters are pretty diverse since Bea is a pan, Jules is a bi and their friend also varied in sexuality as well.
However, I did have complaint. Not only the sex happen near the end (still good, tbh), the main conflict also feel rushed and got solved quickly. In the positive side, I'm glad that the drama that ensues didn't prolong that much, but I also hate that it happen in just 1-2 chapters. The conflict that is
Complaint asides, I pretty much enjoy reading Two Wrongs Make A Right and this is also my first time reading about neurodivergent characters. I feel that I can connect to them and understand why Bea act like that and how Liese also handle Jamie's anxiety as well. The angst itself is still bearable although I wish Liese write the conflicts differently. All in all, a pretty good read to close my 2023! I recommend this book even you already read/watch Much Ado About Nothing or not yet, and also love frenemies to lover trope and fake dating as well.
PS: Another littleeee complaint for the cover. Bea constantly describe Jamie as being tall and Jamie himself confirm that he's 6 ft 4" tall. I got the impression that Bea is maybe shorter by 20-30 cm. But the cover didn't show that XD. Still a pretty good cover, though!
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship
Minor: Biphobia
camillarossi's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Biphobia, Emotional abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
kylieqrada's review
- 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
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Biphobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Gaslighting
Minor: Violence
daniellesharp's review
5.0
Graphic: Biphobia, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
kathrynok's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Biphobia, Emotional abuse, and Alcohol
livreads4fun's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Biphobia, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
onthesamepage's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Steam level: 🌶🌶🌶
I inhaled this book in two days. There were so many parts where the plot could've taken a turn I didn't like, but I kept being pleasantly surprised by the way Bea and Jamie communicated. I loved how both of them really paid attention to what the other needed from them. I thought Jamie was really cute, and there were a couple of "awww" moments when he did something super sweet for Bea. I liked Bea as well, but she does cry/tear up an awful lot in this book. I also feel like Jamie spends most of the story trying to do nice things for her, and that she really doesn't reciprocate all that much. The balance isn't entirely there.
This could've been a 4 star read, but it falls apart on 3 points:
1) While I feel like Bea's autism had a lot of focus within the story, I don't think Jamie got the same consideration. That's not to say that his anxiety is never mentioned, but compared to how often we see him accommodating Bea, or learn about her coping mechanisms, his anxiety felt like it got pushed to the background for the most part. Would've been nice if they had been more equal in that regard.
2) The third act breakup was beyond ridiculous. The reason made no sense at all, and neither did the way it got "resolved", which was super simplistic to boot. Also, considering Jamie wasn't in the wrong, it sucks that he ended up apologizing. Really disliked this, and it probably had the most impact on my rating.
3) I feel like there were a couple of half developed ideas in here that never got resolved. For example, Jamie's ex goes out of her way to check in on Bea, but then that never goes anywhere after that. Jamie clearly has issues with his family, and I was hoping for a scene where Bea stood up for him, but we didn't get to see that, either.
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Biphobia
aromanticreadsromance's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Biphobia and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Domestic abuse