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mardell's review
I'm consistently impressed with the contemporary queer romances Carina Adores has released and so am always willing to give one of their titles a shot. I also really appreciate a cute hook to get the action rolling (a guy with a six year dating ban post disaster wedding who is suddenly back in the pool), having bi/pan representation (main character identifies as queer), and having a romantic lead that isn't cis (although the nonbinary love interest doesn't narrate any of this book). Unfortunately I just couldn't get past the lack of any real conflict between these two leads and decided to DNF at 50%. Which is a kind of a weird place to stop but once they shifted from dating other people to dating each other, any tension just evaporated for me.
sara11_reads's review
2.0
I'm not exactly sure why this didn't click with me. For one thing it felt very YA although the characters are close to 30. Declan's friends annoyed the shit out of me - they constantly tease him about something that happened 6 years ago and was traumatic enough that he had a panic attack and needed months of therapy. I would have found new friends. I never really felt the connection/romance between Sidney and Declan. There's lots of consent talk that I usually like but here it just felt awkward and clunky.
joanav's review
3.0
Review originally published at Romancing Romances.
I received an eARC at no cost from the publisher, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.
2.75*
Although this is a 2.75* stars review, I feel like I should make a few distinctions, and mention a few things. First of all, I’m not queer/part of the LGBTQIA+ community. I do, however, have very good friends who are. Second, I feel like the story of the book and the meaning of the book almost deserve different ratings (intellectual chemistry anyone?).
For me, the best part of the book was closer to the end, when and after Declan, our main character, does this huge thing that changes his life immensely, as well as the life of Sidney, the person he was dating. And why? Because I think that’s when we had more emotion, when we actually saw who Declan was, and what he was dealing with.
The plot itself didn’t really clicked for me, I loved the chemistry between our characters, but I always felt like it was all a bit fake… Maybe that was the point? Because the end leads to that, to the question of what we want for us, for our lives, and the most important one of who we really are. No masks, no “doing what society thinks it’s right”, etc. This is the part I actually liked. So, for the questions it raised, I would probably give it a 4*. But for the enjoyment of the book… It just didn’t work for me. Maybe 2*?
I really liked the YouTube stuff, how they planned the love study, the dates, etc. It was interesting to see a project like that come to life. And it was fun to see Declan and Sidney connect. But that was about it.
I’m sure it’s a great book for many people, for me it just was a bit boring story wise, but great in pointing out the problems with society and with what society makes us feel.
I received an eARC at no cost from the publisher, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.
2.75*
Although this is a 2.75* stars review, I feel like I should make a few distinctions, and mention a few things. First of all, I’m not queer/part of the LGBTQIA+ community. I do, however, have very good friends who are. Second, I feel like the story of the book and the meaning of the book almost deserve different ratings (intellectual chemistry anyone?).
For me, the best part of the book was closer to the end, when and after Declan, our main character, does this huge thing that changes his life immensely, as well as the life of Sidney, the person he was dating. And why? Because I think that’s when we had more emotion, when we actually saw who Declan was, and what he was dealing with.
The plot itself didn’t really clicked for me, I loved the chemistry between our characters, but I always felt like it was all a bit fake… Maybe that was the point? Because the end leads to that, to the question of what we want for us, for our lives, and the most important one of who we really are. No masks, no “doing what society thinks it’s right”, etc. This is the part I actually liked. So, for the questions it raised, I would probably give it a 4*. But for the enjoyment of the book… It just didn’t work for me. Maybe 2*?
I really liked the YouTube stuff, how they planned the love study, the dates, etc. It was interesting to see a project like that come to life. And it was fun to see Declan and Sidney connect. But that was about it.
I’m sure it’s a great book for many people, for me it just was a bit boring story wise, but great in pointing out the problems with society and with what society makes us feel.
jazmin's review
4.0
"Dec, romance is… paying attention. You know? It’s listening and sharing and enjoying each other."
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Love Study in exchange for an honest review.
To start off with the characters in this book, I loved Declan! He was awkward in a funny way and had hilarious thoughts that we got to experience because this book is in first person. His nervous rambling was relatable and made me connect with his character.
”Have you ever cosplayed before?” Sidney asked.
“A few times, with friends.”
I batted my eyelashes at them. “I make a very fetching Princess Leia.”
Sidney was a bit more mysterious. It took a while for us to learn more about them, but when they opened up near the middle of the book I really enjoyed their personality. I do have to say I wish they opened up more! It still felt like I didn’t really know them well at the end of the book.
Unfortunately, one thing I wasn’t a fan of was Sidney and Declan’s chemistry, especially earlier on. While I enjoyed both of them individually and their interactions were always fun, throughout the novel they just didn’t seem to have a spark.
Of course, maybe that was the point because this book really focused on the mental health aspects of relationships and what makes people compatible. No spark doesn’t mean the relationship won’t ever work out, just like an initial connection doesn’t guarantee the couple will stay together.
That being said, I loved the mental health aspect of The Love Study. It addressed difficult real-life situations in a truthful and honest way and brought attention to things that we need to talk more about in society as a whole. One of my favourite points was how having problems with your mental health can be different for the LGBTQ+ community. The characters voiced concerns over how any advice they got from therapists was usually advice aimed at straight people and that any trained professionals wouldn’t be well versed in things like Body Dysmorphia or feeling pressured to get married when same-sex marriage became legal (in 2015 because the book is set in the US). That whole conversation was so interesting and was something I had never thought about before.
As for the side characters, most of them made up Declan’s friend group. They made this book 100 times better and every single scene with them was HILARIOUS. I loved how every friend brought a different quality to the table, especially because most Romances don’t feature a large cast of friends, just one or two best ones.
Overall: This was a really good read! While I wasn’t a fan of some aspects, overall I enjoyed it!
*3.75
miller1983's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.0
practicingshelfcare's review
4.0
This is a completely charming read! The story is about Declan, who has chronic commitment issues (seriously-- he left his last boyfriend at the altar 6 years ago and has not dated since) and Sidney, a popular nonbinary YouTuber who invites Declan on his show. Their segment is called The Love Study and it tracks Declan as he reenters the dating world. The only problem? He isn’t interested in meeting someone new-- because Sidney has already caught his eye. This book was really wonderful. Although the plot was not anything unexpected the open discussions the characters in the book had about nontraditional relationships, open communication in relationships, and consent were truly fantastic. I loved the candid way queer relationships were discussed and felt that I learned a lot about pressures and societal expectations. This book is a rom com on the outside but it is truly a book that will push you to think about relationships differently as well.
randommichelle's review against another edition
3.0
TLDR: I wanted so much to love this, but I just didn't.
https://klishis.com/reading/archives/18408
https://klishis.com/reading/archives/18408
bettielovesbooks's review
5.0
I found this book so cute and the narrator was spot on with the voices.
cheye13's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
I loved the concept and the characters, but this writing style was absolutely not for me. It felt like a lot of telling rather than showing, and as much as I loved the friend group and wanted to know the characters, I was held at arms' length.
I think I wanted the story to lean further into hard topics – a mental block about commitment, queer (specifically trans) loneliness, even loss of family members. I think dual POV could've helped the romance land better and made a more rounded story. I am the loudest champion of closed-door romances, but even more direct discussions of negotiating a new queer sexual relationship would've given the story more depth.
I think I wanted the story to lean further into hard topics – a mental block about commitment, queer (specifically trans) loneliness, even loss of family members. I think dual POV could've helped the romance land better and made a more rounded story. I am the loudest champion of closed-door romances, but even more direct discussions of negotiating a new queer sexual relationship would've given the story more depth.
dsauriol1991's review against another edition
4.0
I think this book was a great look at finding the right kind of relationship for you. Declan and Sidney work so well together. They’ve got wonderful banter and communication. I will say some of the way they talked to each other kind of came off clunky, but that could just be my impression. It’s still a cute story with some really good character growth.