what_alice_saw's review against another edition
3.0
Kindle ebook: If you love friends to lovers, hijinks & a wee bit of drama, you’ll like this book. I think this one is good, but average. I’ve read much, much worse. This one is a cozy read.
kidisitor's review against another edition
4.0
This book has a lot of action for being a rom com. This is a best friends to lovers romance with some ex's shenanigans. He's a rock star back in his hometown to do some song writing. She's a horror book author who recently started receiving some threatening mail. Fans upset with her about how she ended her latest series. Both needing a break from their world, they head to Vegas... and we all know what happens in Vegas. ;) Of course things don't go as planned from the moment they reach their hotel and find a unwanted surprise visitor. Once the adventure starts though, it doesn't let up until the end. The one thing that separates this friends to lovers from most others is the fact that the couple don't draw out the "Should I, shouldn't I?" or the "If we do this, will it ruin our friendship?" things that usually prolongs the romance. There is some of that, but it's more of an afterthought. There is no bad break up between them, thus no grand gesture to win the other back, but they have enough other outside influences threatening their newfound relationship to keep things interesting. Both characters are strong and confident in their own way, and both have vulnerabilities. Despite some of the things they are going through during the book, it is a light-hearted read full of humor. (Some of the humor is the roll your eyes at it kind because of it's silliness.) It alternates between POVs. There is some sexual content and some mild violence.
mischlama's review against another edition
3.0
Nett für zwischendurch aber ein bisschen über drüber. Den Kater namens Murder finde ich noch am Besten.
joskypay's review against another edition
5.0
I swear, I have read some great books lately, but this one is a standout. This laugh out loud romantic comedy is SO classic friends to lovers, and I enjoyed every heart warming twist and turn, from Kirby's awkward weirdness to Colin's dirty talk. I swear I even felt for the 'villains' of this twisted tale. Not enough to say they didn't deserve what was coming to them, I just mean this author captured and conveyed the realness and humanity in all they characters, even the not main ones. Once I started this one I legit could not put it down to the point that I've given myself heaps more work this afternoon because I spent the morning pouring over every single word of Kirby and Colin's struggle to find their HEA. Kirby is SUCH a great heroine! Seriously, if you read this and don't absolutely love her I don't think we can be friends lol. Such a feisty nature! And Colin! I'm glad he finally got the jolt he needed to see Kirby as more than a friend! About time! And Murder, well, I don't want to give anything away, normally I'm not a fan of Murder of any kind, but in this book, well it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun without Murder! I needed this book and boy did this author deliver on every front!
bailey_tennis's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
darktwistedreads's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
leilin's review against another edition
2.0
Bodice-ripper kinda book. Was fun to read but nothing else... I'm writing this review barely a week since I finished it and it took me 2 minute to try and remember what this was about, so yeah, very forgettable. There's no build up at all, which is fine actually, and the sexual tension, sex scenes and all that are obviously well done (I mean, that's kinda the point of the book, so better be!) and the dialogues were mostly fun. The writing was nothing extraordinary, but it was functional and fine.
The narration switch between the male and female protagonists: at first they have relatively distinct voices, but it quickly merges into the same writing/tone, so it's a bit of a wasted effect.
If the read had been any longer, I would have probably put it at one star because the cat obsession was seriously starting to make me roll eyes at increasing frequency. I am assuming the author is a cat-lady? I would need to read other books from her to check that, and I might not bother... still, if I had read one more time the words "fur baby", I might have become violent -_-
The narration switch between the male and female protagonists: at first they have relatively distinct voices, but it quickly merges into the same writing/tone, so it's a bit of a wasted effect.
If the read had been any longer, I would have probably put it at one star because the cat obsession was seriously starting to make me roll eyes at increasing frequency. I am assuming the author is a cat-lady? I would need to read other books from her to check that, and I might not bother... still, if I had read one more time the words "fur baby", I might have become violent -_-
kb33's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
I didn’t expect this to be a bit of action/suspense mixed in with the lighthearted romance. There wasn’t a lot of logic in the story or in the characters’ decisions. It wasn’t tstl, and I was entertained. I liked how hard Colin falls for Kirby, and there isn’t a ton of angst over “will they/won’t they,” which I’m happy about. There was a lot of drama from exes.
Additional CW/TW: dubious consent,
Additional CW/TW: dubious consent,
Spoiler
video recording sex without consent, drugged drink,
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Stalking
Minor: Abandonment and Child abuse
kara_hildebrand's review against another edition
5.0
The Bangover is Lili Valente's newest hilarious best friends to lovers romance. I have read every word Lili has ever written and she never fails to entertain me with the laughs, the tears, the heat and the fun! I especially loved this story of two best friends falling for each other. Colin the sexy rockstar, Kirby the quirky writer. They seem like opposites on paper, but they have been through a lot in their friendship. It's been purely hands off until some whiskey and a spontaneous trip to Vegas. Two friends can bang each other in Vegas and then resume their normal lives, right? Oh, so wrong! Crazy cats, exes, sexy swim suits and hot sexy times are just what Kirby and Colin need to show them sometimes what you've always wanted has been right in front of you the entire time. I loved this story! I laughed out loud, teared up, got mad, smiled and felt hopeful! Colin was sexy, sweet and said all the right things. Kirby was adorable and smart and so funny! I loved the secondary characters and I hope to see more from them!
So when she says, “I vote kissing friends,”
I answer, “Hell, yes, woman. I’m going to break your dry spell like spring on the Serengeti.”
She laughs, kissing me harder as she says, “You’ll taste the rains down in Africa?”
I’m just… excited. Excited to spend a week with one of my favorite people, excited to coax more sexy coming-sounds from her mouth, excited to find out if fucking Kirby is as amazing as I think it will be.
She arches a brow my way and whispers, “Everything to do with it.”
I shake my head. “Nah. It takes two to make a thing go right, Larry.”
“Rob Base and D.J. E-Z Rock?” she asks, her dimples popping.
“I only quote from the masters. Eighties rappers and Shakespeare.”
So when she says, “I vote kissing friends,”
I answer, “Hell, yes, woman. I’m going to break your dry spell like spring on the Serengeti.”
She laughs, kissing me harder as she says, “You’ll taste the rains down in Africa?”
I’m just… excited. Excited to spend a week with one of my favorite people, excited to coax more sexy coming-sounds from her mouth, excited to find out if fucking Kirby is as amazing as I think it will be.
She arches a brow my way and whispers, “Everything to do with it.”
I shake my head. “Nah. It takes two to make a thing go right, Larry.”
“Rob Base and D.J. E-Z Rock?” she asks, her dimples popping.
“I only quote from the masters. Eighties rappers and Shakespeare.”