Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - Just My Type

Personally, I think Falon Ballard is highly underrated. She writes quippy, fun dialogue banter with endearing characters. Is this book perfect? No. Does it have to be? Also no.

Lana is very relatable (almost to a fault). As a serial monogamist, I was very invested in her journey of discovering independence. There of course was always going to be the hiccup of the fact that this is a romance book so she's not going to end up alone. But it was still cute. I do think the Marvel references were a little heavy handed and she's started to lean into pick-me territory. Also I did appreciate the self awareness of her privilege but she still did come across and a "poor little rich girl" a times.

Seth was fun. Their back-and-forths were fun to read and I liked getting to see his layers peel away.

Spoiler

I do think his being in love with Lana the whole time was meh and I wish we'd got a bit deeper of a look into his time away from her. I also think their reunion 'issue' was weak and I really wish that it handed being infidelity adjacent.

Let me tell you tho, him calling her Parker was *top notch*.

Ballard is a go-to for me. I'm excited to see how her writing and storytelling continue to develop. My only ask of her really is to diversify her casts a bit.

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hailsbooknook's review

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-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

4.25 stars
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TW:

Sexual content, Abandonment, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Cursing
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In Just My Type, we follow ex-high school sweethearts Lana and Seth as they are competitively pitted against one and the other in a highly coveted columnist spot that either could only dream of. For Lana, this means she must learn to love herself when she's single. while Seth must learn to become boyfriend material and settle down. I loved watching the two of them interact and slowly shift from enemies to lovers. I loved the growth that Lana went through, it felt really personal (coming from a similar point of view).

I'm a huge sucker for a second-chance romance, so this was a perfect and easy read for me. It's a binge-able book (even if we can spot the ending from a mile away) with loveable side characters (minus the boss). Overall the cast was well fleshed out, and I loved the group chat messages that broke up the chapters as we check-in and see who was in the lead for the "friendly" competition.

Although the plot seems unrealistic to real life, I could really see this being made into a rom-com movie. If I had to change one thing about the book, I would have liked it if we had gotten a dual-POV and heard from Seth and his emotions, and feelings.

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theespressoedition's review against another edition

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Strong character development? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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hellowildflower's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.5

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juliana_reads's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted 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

3.5

I was underwhelmed by this book! When Seth said Lana was

Spoiler

his compass pointing him home or whatever

I was honestly surprised? I just didn’t get much from them in terms of chemistry or pining. Maybe if we had his POV or flashbacks. It wasn’t terrible, just not as good as I wanted it to be since I loved “Lease on Love.”

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alisonreadsitall's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

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

5.0

Happy Pub Day!! 🥳🥰

Whew! This was my first read by Falon Ballard, and it most certainly won't be my last! A huge thanks to NetGalley, Falon Ballard, and Penguin Group Putnam for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book has all the vibes of a early 2000 romcom, and I was totally here for it! (think How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days)

Lana Parker is a love and relationships columnist for a LA- publication, who gets the shock of her life, when her ex-boyfriend shows up as the new hire for her company. Lana has been a serial-monogamist since Seth broke her heart 12 years ago, and she suddenly finds herself single right before he arrives in town. To make matters worse, her boss uses her single-ness to her advantage to pit Lana and Seth against each other for a position in her dream job.

You could feel the tension between Lana and Seth, and there was the perfect blend of chemistry, angst and banter. I love a single first POV and a good slow burn, and this checked both of those boxes. 😍 (also - sunflowers 🌻😭 IYKYK)

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶🌶 (two open door scenes)

Tropes: Second Chance Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Workplace Romance

CW: abandonment

This book is published today, so definitely grab a copy if you haven't pre-ordered!

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purplepenning's review

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-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

3.0

Just okay for me, but definitely check it out if you're a fan of People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry (longtime friends rediscovering/redeveloping their relationship after some mysterious misadventures/break in the past), Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman (East Coast transplant in LA, dealing with past trauma/family issues), and The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon (relationship shenanigans for workplace advancement, rivals to lovers).

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