chasingpages1's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Homophobia, Stalking, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Sexism, Bullying, Lesbophobia, and Biphobia
Moderate: Gaslighting, Body shaming, Sexual harassment, Fatphobia, and Alcohol
Minor: Classism, Emotional abuse, Cursing, and Drug abuse
megs23's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I read this book without knowing anything about the plot. From the title I thought this was an enemies to lovers trope and that expectation fell a little flat for me. Although there was some tension in the beginning with Nolan and Melody, the hatred between Melody and Asher was so much stronger that for a while I thought they’d end up together. I loved the representation of women, especially Melody as an Asian women, in gaming. Melody’s experience navigating a predominantly white and male industry was realistic and she faced a lot of racism, sexism, and harassment, which at times was captured in such detail that it was hard to read, even though I know this is a realistic portrayal.
I appreciated Melody’s character growth from complete aversion to getting help to practicing asking and accepting help as the book progressed. I enjoyed Nolan, Candace, and Jane’s characters too. For the bulk of the book, Melody experienced negative comments about her body from her mom, Jane, and internet trolls. Near the very end, it was revealed she was a size medium and her BMI was 23…
The passage of time in the plot was hard to follow and overall this book was a slower read for me.
I appreciated Melody’s character growth from complete aversion to getting help to practicing asking and accepting help as the book progressed. I enjoyed Nolan, Candace, and Jane’s characters too. For the bulk of the book, Melody experienced negative comments about her body from her mom, Jane, and internet trolls. Near the very end, it was revealed she was a size medium and her BMI was 23…
The passage of time in the plot was hard to follow and overall this book was a slower read for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexism, Stalking, Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia, and Racial slurs
kdailyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
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? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Cursing, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Racism, Body shaming, Bullying, and Fatphobia
Moderate: Pregnancy and Alcohol
stasquatch's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Racism, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Misogyny, Bullying, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Hate crime, and Body shaming
crweber25's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny
the_vegan_bookworm's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.5
Every character in this book was totally unlikeable. They read like caricatures instead of real people with any depth.
In many cases, it feels like the author favoured cheap jokes or punch lines over telling a complete story or creating any real layers with the characters or plot.
Nolan and Melody's relationship has no real substance and just feels like a generic office attraction (and that she's attracted to him because he's not a complete loser like every single other person she works with?).
In many cases, it feels like the author favoured cheap jokes or punch lines over telling a complete story or creating any real layers with the characters or plot.
Nolan and Melody's relationship has no real substance and just feels like a generic office attraction (and that she's attracted to him because he's not a complete loser like every single other person she works with?).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Fatphobia, Body shaming, Misogyny, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Alcohol
nemaria's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Sexism
Moderate: Bullying, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Stalking
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Pregnancy
alireadsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
First of all, I should note that I did enjoy the experience of reading this book. I thought the premise of a young, Asian American woman starting out in the gaming industry was done well, and overall made for a fun page turner. However, I do think this book as a whole suffered from…not really knowing what it was trying to be?
Loathe at First Sight is marketed as a romance, and its title implies an enemies-to-lovers story with a subplot of young professionals working in the video game industry. However, what I actually got from this was “book about being a BIPOC woman in an overtly sexist, racist industry, with a subplot of office romance.” And there was nothing “loathing” about it other than a brief, uncomfortable conversation between two coworkers? Again, none of this was bad, per se, it just…..wasn’t what I was expecting. In fact, I was way more interested in the workplace plot than the romance, so I guess it’s a good thing that it wasn’t what was advertised?
As an avid video game fan and as a woman who has worked in toxic office environments, I was definitely here for this feminist story about Melody Joo overcoming obstacles and doing a kick-ass job leading an underdog game through production. The ending came together really well; everyone got what they deserved, and I was left with an overall satisfied feeling.
Also, I just need to say that this book is a PERFECT example of why dating in the workplace is a horrible idea. Melody and Nolan balancing their disagreements and power imbalance at work with their budding romance made me wildly uncomfortable. Oh, and I know the men were crucial to the sexism storyline, but I really could’ve done without all of them. Even the love interest.
Overall, aside from the overall identity crisis and some awkward pacing issues, this book was a good time. I don’t know if it would’ve resonated me if I wasn’t interested in the video game industry, but it was still enjoyable.
Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a free eARC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
teakanimo's review against another edition
lighthearted
tense
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
2.0
long winded--as in using too many words to restate things like dumbed down for reader. plot seemed promising and i like the author but it felt like i was playing stereotype bingo. too many mentions of Sheryl sandberg. characters are caricatures. the body shaming/mild fatphobia throughout (out of nowhere almost) and the repetitive mention of racial slurs did not add to the story.
cute story idea and main characters but it just didn't land.
cute story idea and main characters but it just didn't land.
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia, Stalking, Sexism, Racial slurs, and Body shaming
the body shaming/mild fatphobia throughout and the repetitive mention of racial slurs did not add much to the story.valeriabee's review against another edition
challenging
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
tense
fast-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
Well, if I'm being completely honest, I was slightly disappointed. But like, BARELY. I think, more than anything, the book is marketed so much for its romance that I got my hopes up and the romantic aspect fell flat for me. I wanted something that would give me butterflies, but it didn't. It is very much possible, but I have no way of knowing, that the progression of the romance is more real and natural. It is definitely a slow-burn, but the tension wasn't so hot and heavy. Part of the reason for this is that our main character, Melody, is a workaholic, but she also just has a lot going on in general. If I were her, I would really do anything in my power to avoid romantic relationships. It would be an added complication to everything she is already dealing with.
You see, Melody Joo (not Melanie, not Joon) recently started as a junior producer at Seventeen Studios, a gaming company. She has very little experience in gaming, but a lot in marketing and project management. Her boss is nothing short of misogynistic and in a playful banter between herself and another woman at the company, Melody comes up with a ridiculous game that flips the sexist script of most games in production. Instead of the hypersexed women, we have beefy men following the lead of strong female characters. The complete joke of a game idea is overheard by the boss, who pitches it to the board. In a lame attempt to be superficially feminist (whilst making constantly sexist jabs), they greenlight the project.
This on top of the fact that the boss's nephew, Nolan, gets hired as an intern and is now working on Melody's project. Of course, she immediately hates him because he gets to walk into a job with all of the privileges that she has to work triple time to earn because she is a junior level Korean-American woman in the gaming industry. She has to jump hurdles, whilst his track is clear of obstacles. And of course he is running the inclusivity initiative at the company: the white guy who got the job due to nepotism. Classic. I would hate him too. But it is so hard to hate him because he is just so cute, and smart, and maybe kind sometimes.
And Melody is now the maid-of-honor for one of her close friends' wedding! Talk about a full plate.
I love everything this book has to say about the gaming industry: it's sexist, it's racist, it doesn't leave room for success for anyone that isn't a cis-het white man.
I think the book would fair better if the blurb and the marketing didn't push the enemies-to-lovers romance aspect as hard as they do. At the end of the day, the romance feels so small compared to the personal issues Melody is facing. Nolan genuinely feels like an afterthought throughout the majority of the novel, much less of a major player than is implied by the cover and blurb.
The writing style is fun, the characters are complex, and the story is very healthy mix of character and plot (I prefer when I can barely tell which is doing the heavy lifting).
So, yeah, while it doesnt have much of that butterflies in the tummy, sweat inducing tension that I appreciate and looked forward to -- the story is good for what it is. A story about a woman beating the odds in an industry that doesn't want her to win.
I definitely think some of the appeal of this book is just how real and natural it is. It doesn't play up the romance, and it doesn't play down the misogyny or the stress of working in gaming. Not everyone lives a whirlwind romance, sometimes we just get a romance. Can't that be good enough? Especially when the main character is so strong willed and inspiring, you question whether she should bother with romance.
The book doesn't live up to what it claims to be, but it is good nonetheless.
I would like to add, upon further reflection, that the title is kind of clever if you think of it both from the romantic point of view, but also from the point of view that the industry Melody works in loathed her at first sight and wasn't willing to give her a chance.
I will add that there is plenty of problematic and irritating content (the parents and the whole of the gaming industry), and it is definitely hard to read at times. However, that is the point. Melody does not condone her parents' behaviors, she is ashamed of it. She has to constantly remind herself that her mom is wrong about the things she says to Melody -- about her weight and her beauty. Shit, I have to do that with my own parents all the time. They're not just mean, sometimes they're plainly hateful. The book does not condone it, it purposely sets the parents up to sound ridiculous, because that's what they are. The same goes for the sexism and the misogyny and the racism Melody faces. You get mad because it's all so real, it's shit you've heard before, it is shit you have been dealing with for so long. It's annoying. That's why Melody has to overcome all of it, rise above the hateful vitriol. Continue to love herself despite the world telling her not to. Know her own worth and make everyone else know her worth.
You see, Melody Joo (not Melanie, not Joon) recently started as a junior producer at Seventeen Studios, a gaming company. She has very little experience in gaming, but a lot in marketing and project management. Her boss is nothing short of misogynistic and in a playful banter between herself and another woman at the company, Melody comes up with a ridiculous game that flips the sexist script of most games in production. Instead of the hypersexed women, we have beefy men following the lead of strong female characters. The complete joke of a game idea is overheard by the boss, who pitches it to the board. In a lame attempt to be superficially feminist (whilst making constantly sexist jabs), they greenlight the project.
This on top of the fact that the boss's nephew, Nolan, gets hired as an intern and is now working on Melody's project. Of course, she immediately hates him because he gets to walk into a job with all of the privileges that she has to work triple time to earn because she is a junior level Korean-American woman in the gaming industry. She has to jump hurdles, whilst his track is clear of obstacles. And of course he is running the inclusivity initiative at the company: the white guy who got the job due to nepotism. Classic. I would hate him too. But it is so hard to hate him because he is just so cute, and smart, and maybe kind sometimes.
And Melody is now the maid-of-honor for one of her close friends' wedding! Talk about a full plate.
I love everything this book has to say about the gaming industry: it's sexist, it's racist, it doesn't leave room for success for anyone that isn't a cis-het white man.
I think the book would fair better if the blurb and the marketing didn't push the enemies-to-lovers romance aspect as hard as they do. At the end of the day, the romance feels so small compared to the personal issues Melody is facing. Nolan genuinely feels like an afterthought throughout the majority of the novel, much less of a major player than is implied by the cover and blurb.
The writing style is fun, the characters are complex, and the story is very healthy mix of character and plot (I prefer when I can barely tell which is doing the heavy lifting).
So, yeah, while it doesnt have much of that butterflies in the tummy, sweat inducing tension that I appreciate and looked forward to -- the story is good for what it is. A story about a woman beating the odds in an industry that doesn't want her to win.
I definitely think some of the appeal of this book is just how real and natural it is. It doesn't play up the romance, and it doesn't play down the misogyny or the stress of working in gaming. Not everyone lives a whirlwind romance, sometimes we just get a romance. Can't that be good enough? Especially when the main character is so strong willed and inspiring, you question whether she should bother with romance.
The book doesn't live up to what it claims to be, but it is good nonetheless.
I would like to add, upon further reflection, that the title is kind of clever if you think of it both from the romantic point of view, but also from the point of view that the industry Melody works in loathed her at first sight and wasn't willing to give her a chance.
I will add that there is plenty of problematic and irritating content (the parents and the whole of the gaming industry), and it is definitely hard to read at times. However, that is the point. Melody does not condone her parents' behaviors, she is ashamed of it. She has to constantly remind herself that her mom is wrong about the things she says to Melody -- about her weight and her beauty. Shit, I have to do that with my own parents all the time. They're not just mean, sometimes they're plainly hateful. The book does not condone it, it purposely sets the parents up to sound ridiculous, because that's what they are. The same goes for the sexism and the misogyny and the racism Melody faces. You get mad because it's all so real, it's shit you've heard before, it is shit you have been dealing with for so long. It's annoying. That's why Melody has to overcome all of it, rise above the hateful vitriol. Continue to love herself despite the world telling her not to. Know her own worth and make everyone else know her worth.
Spoiler
I will say that there was that one comment from Nolan about how Melody dismissed him because he's inexperienced and that she's being hypocritical. Except, it's not the same thing Nolan because you got the internship through nepotism. People don't dismiss Melody because she is inexperienced. People dismiss her because they don't believe that someone that looks like her could even try. Nolan was given a task despite being inexperienced, and she dismissed not because he seems like someone that wouldn't know how, but because he is someone that doesn't know how. Others wouldn't even bother to find out if Melody is inexperienced, they already "know" because they can't imagine that she could know. It is not the same to say "hey, you dismissed me because I'm not qualified" and "hey, you dismissed me because you don't think an Asian woman could, or even should be qualified. you don't want me here, you don't think i belong." One is based on fact, the other on prejudice. That was something that bothered me, and Melody doesn't question if Nolan is right in this situation. She immediately agrees that she was being a hypocrite, which no she was not.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism