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jusaoirse's review against another edition
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Minor: Misogyny
annieundomielf's review against another edition
I LOVED the body positivity/fat mc and the fandom/a03 kind of setting but ultimately UGH. just didn't work for me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Moderate: Misogyny
valeria_gzz's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
3.0
This was entertaining, too much fanfic for me and too many “yeah that wouldn’t happen irl moments” but it’s a book so. I definitely skipped the fanfics and the writing fanfiction about fellow cast was weird too, but I did like the way April’s thoughts on her body and everything to do with that were written so three stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, and Fatphobia
Minor: Misogyny
casey_sunshine's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
divine529's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I really loved this book. If you know me, I'm not a huge romance novel person (I usually prefer it in other forms for whatever reason), but this one won my heart (and when I read the author's note and saw it was basically a Braime fix-it (I kind of saw that anyway) I loved it even more).
This book follows our two main protagonists; Marcus - an actor from a well-known GoT-like TV series (it's an Aeneid retelling), and April a geologist. Both of them are involved in the Gods of the Gates fandom - writing and reading fanfic, going to cons, part of an online community...when April, who is fat, posts a picture of herself cosplaying on of her favorite characters from the show on twitter, and gets hate for her body, Marcus asks her out on a date, and things go from there.
The writing was well done, pacing was pretty good and I loved the dual perspectives we got with excerpts from fanfic, DMs and scripts for extra immersion.
The plot was pretty much what I mentioned above and primarily follows their relationship with each other, but also with their parents and coworkers.
The setting was really great. Most of it takes place in CA in various ways, but it was also great seeing the fandom things. Clearly the author has been involved in fandom life in the past because it was some of the best fandom representation I've arguably ever seen - from the servers to the toxicity, to fawning over the actors, complaining about content, fanfic, all of it. That aspect was one of the things that drew me to the book in the first place.
Finally, the characters. I really loved both April and Marcus, flaws and all. They're both highly flawed characters, but that's what made it feel real. Both of them have a lot of baggage from their pasts that cause some bumps along the road of their relationship, and overall I really love how that was handled. Several of the side characters were also great, but the book was primarily about April and Marcus and their journey. The fat representation was really strong, I didn't always love how it was executed, but that doesn't mean it was bad by any means, it was some of the best I've seen in books and done in a really respectful way (and it might be own voices?). I also liked the dyslexia representation. That's not something that always makes an appearance in books, or is done well. Here, it was both and I really appreciated it.
I had a few issues with the book like the lawyer stereotyping (very much a personal thing) and classics stereotyping (also very personal thing), but it was pretty minor, so it didn't detract from my experience much. Finally, some aspects of their relationship got under my skin from time to time, but that mostly goes to the flawed characters thing. They didn't always make the best life choices. Also I should say, if you're not a fan of smut, or steamy romance scenes, this might not be the best choice for you.
All in all, this was a fantastic read, and one I struggled to put down. I'm definitely going to reread it again in the future.
This book follows our two main protagonists; Marcus - an actor from a well-known GoT-like TV series (it's an Aeneid retelling), and April a geologist. Both of them are involved in the Gods of the Gates fandom - writing and reading fanfic, going to cons, part of an online community...when April, who is fat, posts a picture of herself cosplaying on of her favorite characters from the show on twitter, and gets hate for her body, Marcus asks her out on a date, and things go from there.
The writing was well done, pacing was pretty good and I loved the dual perspectives we got with excerpts from fanfic, DMs and scripts for extra immersion.
The plot was pretty much what I mentioned above and primarily follows their relationship with each other, but also with their parents and coworkers.
The setting was really great. Most of it takes place in CA in various ways, but it was also great seeing the fandom things. Clearly the author has been involved in fandom life in the past because it was some of the best fandom representation I've arguably ever seen - from the servers to the toxicity, to fawning over the actors, complaining about content, fanfic, all of it. That aspect was one of the things that drew me to the book in the first place.
Finally, the characters. I really loved both April and Marcus, flaws and all. They're both highly flawed characters, but that's what made it feel real. Both of them have a lot of baggage from their pasts that cause some bumps along the road of their relationship, and overall I really love how that was handled. Several of the side characters were also great, but the book was primarily about April and Marcus and their journey. The fat representation was really strong, I didn't always love how it was executed, but that doesn't mean it was bad by any means, it was some of the best I've seen in books and done in a really respectful way (and it might be own voices?). I also liked the dyslexia representation. That's not something that always makes an appearance in books, or is done well. Here, it was both and I really appreciated it.
I had a few issues with the book like the lawyer stereotyping (very much a personal thing) and classics stereotyping (also very personal thing), but it was pretty minor, so it didn't detract from my experience much. Finally, some aspects of their relationship got under my skin from time to time, but that mostly goes to the flawed characters thing. They didn't always make the best life choices. Also I should say, if you're not a fan of smut, or steamy romance scenes, this might not be the best choice for you.
All in all, this was a fantastic read, and one I struggled to put down. I'm definitely going to reread it again in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Sexism
memorable's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This is one of those books that you can’t put down yet you don’t want it to end. It had me laughing, almost in tears and it definitely did something to my heart. This is just so pure! And so important! All people regardless of their size are to be loved!
I loved both April and Marcus, their vulnerability, but also their fierce behaviour to set boundaries and to stand up for each other. And also the fanfic storyline is definitely something the younger part of myself can still identify with.
The only thing I didn’t love as much as the rest was the stretched and very public ending; that was simply a bit too much for my taste. Other than that, I loved it!
It’s definitely not the last time that I’ve read this book and I guess I gotta get the paperback as well, since this cover is just stunning!
I loved both April and Marcus, their vulnerability, but also their fierce behaviour to set boundaries and to stand up for each other. And also the fanfic storyline is definitely something the younger part of myself can still identify with.
The only thing I didn’t love as much as the rest was the stretched and very public ending; that was simply a bit too much for my taste. Other than that, I loved it!
It’s definitely not the last time that I’ve read this book and I guess I gotta get the paperback as well, since this cover is just stunning!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Ableism and Fatphobia
Minor: Body shaming, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, and Sexism
andmaggie's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, and Sexual content
This is the Braime/You've Got Mail/She Loves Me/Shop Around the Corner/superhero with a secret identity fusion of my fandom heart.setgalvin22's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Fatphobia, and Misogyny
Moderate: Body shaming
planreadrepeat's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Misogyny
Minor: Sexism and Violence
maiagaia's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.75
Things I liked:
- The maturity and self-reflection on display from both main characters. Whenever one of them would have a knee-jerk negative reaction to something, it was only temporary. Once the initial defensiveness or anger dulled, they thought through the interactions and considered that they may have misinterpreted the other person's intentions. What a concept.
- The main plot. Cute, fluffy, sweet. Everything I wanted from this type of book.
- The rep. Fatness, dyslexia, gayness, adhd all get a part in the story. It was refreshing.
- Fandom love. I have definitely read fanfic in my time (Game of Thrones's final 4 seasons were increasingly blights upon humanity), but I've never written fanfic or participated in fandom to the extent that the characters do here. However, I loved seeing ADULTS unapologetically participate in something they love. It was a refreshing pushback against certain creators who have not-so-subtle disdain for their more involved fans.
Things I'm on the fence about:
- April's parents. I understand that for many people, the fatshaming starts with their parents. However, I wasn't expecting that struggle to be such a big part of this book, and it was honestly depressing. On the one hand, I wish that entire subplot had been removed or at the very least toned down, but on the other hand, I understand how important that story is for some people. It dampened my enjoyment because of how depressing it was, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was a bad addition.
- The make-up scene. I don't like grand gestures as the climax of a story. They always gloss over the issue that caused the split and don't allow the characters to really work it out. I was hoping for more discussion to happen between these two since their communication had been really strong throughout. Instead, the reconciliation felt very surface-level. It wasn't a bad scene, and the characters were on the same page at that point, but THEY didn't know that because they never actually said that.
- The media excerpts between chapters. I loved some of them while others felt more obligatory. Like, the author had great ideas for a handful of them but then realized she needed to have more and slapped some stuff together. I loved the messages between the main characters and excerpts from the actual show, but I was not at all interested in the spoofy excerpts from the love interest's former roles. Those were a little too over the top for me, and some of the fanfic excerpts were a little to on-the-nose.
Things I didn't like:
- the final scene. Let me clarify, I like where all the characters end up. Let's just say there is a suggestive through-line in the chapter that's very out of place and left me mostly feeling perplexed by its inclusion.
- The number of sex scenes. Thankfully, they were not integral to the plot and easily skipped. I don't have anything against sex scenes, there were just too many. It felt like every scene had to end with sex, and I just didn't care. They were very well-written, so for anyone looking for a sexier book, this will probably be a knock-out. It's just not what I was looking for.
- The maturity and self-reflection on display from both main characters. Whenever one of them would have a knee-jerk negative reaction to something, it was only temporary. Once the initial defensiveness or anger dulled, they thought through the interactions and considered that they may have misinterpreted the other person's intentions. What a concept.
- The main plot. Cute, fluffy, sweet. Everything I wanted from this type of book.
- The rep. Fatness, dyslexia, gayness, adhd all get a part in the story. It was refreshing.
- Fandom love. I have definitely read fanfic in my time (Game of Thrones's final 4 seasons were increasingly blights upon humanity), but I've never written fanfic or participated in fandom to the extent that the characters do here. However, I loved seeing ADULTS unapologetically participate in something they love. It was a refreshing pushback against certain creators who have not-so-subtle disdain for their more involved fans.
Things I'm on the fence about:
- April's parents. I understand that for many people, the fatshaming starts with their parents. However, I wasn't expecting that struggle to be such a big part of this book, and it was honestly depressing. On the one hand, I wish that entire subplot had been removed or at the very least toned down, but on the other hand, I understand how important that story is for some people. It dampened my enjoyment because of how depressing it was, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was a bad addition.
- The make-up scene. I don't like grand gestures as the climax of a story. They always gloss over the issue that caused the split and don't allow the characters to really work it out. I was hoping for more discussion to happen between these two since their communication had been really strong throughout. Instead, the reconciliation felt very surface-level. It wasn't a bad scene, and the characters were on the same page at that point, but THEY didn't know that because they never actually said that.
- The media excerpts between chapters. I loved some of them while others felt more obligatory. Like, the author had great ideas for a handful of them but then realized she needed to have more and slapped some stuff together. I loved the messages between the main characters and excerpts from the actual show, but I was not at all interested in the spoofy excerpts from the love interest's former roles. Those were a little too over the top for me, and some of the fanfic excerpts were a little to on-the-nose.
Things I didn't like:
- the final scene. Let me clarify, I like where all the characters end up. Let's just say there is a suggestive through-line in the chapter that's very out of place and left me mostly feeling perplexed by its inclusion.
- The number of sex scenes. Thankfully, they were not integral to the plot and easily skipped. I don't have anything against sex scenes, there were just too many. It felt like every scene had to end with sex, and I just didn't care. They were very well-written, so for anyone looking for a sexier book, this will probably be a knock-out. It's just not what I was looking for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Eating disorder and Misogyny