Reviews with content warning for Stalking - Loathe at First Sight

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.

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stasquatch's review against another edition

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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

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paperangel's review against another edition

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nemaria's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.0

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teakanimo's review against another edition

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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.

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alexsanch25's review against another edition

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funny informative tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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rrovezzi's review against another edition

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funny 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? Yes

3.5

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cakt1991's review against another edition

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challenging emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Somehow, Loathe at First Sight escaped my notice when it first came out, until being approved for what I am now happy to find out is not a sequel/companion on NetGalley, and I can understand why. The cover must have skated by me as yet another indistinguishable illustrated cover (I tend to like them more than the naked men, but I admit most of these do look the same), and, having read it, it’s yet another book marketed as a rom-com when it’s actually not primarily a romance, and the cheery exterior hides serious themes only hinted at in the blurb, with no indication of their severity.

Thus, while I enjoy this book, it is with somewhat serious caveats. I did really like and root for Melody and the odds she’s up against. I could relate to feeling like an outsider in a field dominated by white men, especially as an Asian woman myself (with the disclaimer that living in Hawaii has left me fairly insulated). While I did feel like she didn’t demonstrate as much passion for the field of gaming, especially given how she entered it, she still persevered and ultimately I felt, under the right circumstances with the right environment, she was a good fit.

It’s just a shame there was almost nobody who was redeemable in the story. The colleagues, I expected, although the extent of the harassment she faces, to the point of being doxxed and stalked, is dark and relates to my aforementioned concerns about the dark content I was unprepared for. And the worst part is the perpetrators aren’t properly given their just deserts; the story ends with the main instigator being rewarded for his “hard work.”

And her parents…there are some elements that come off as funny, like Melody’s mother’s desire to see her find an Asian boyfriend. But some elements with them are just plain uncomfortable, in how they don’t take concerns about her safety seriously when she’s being targeted, being like, “we hope you’re not dating him” and “stalkers usually go after beautiful girls.” It comes off as super jarring, and it’s hard to say what the intent was.

I did kind of like the romance between Melody and Nolan, even if it wasn’t overly prominent, and it is such an interesting dynamic, because while she’s the employee and he’s just an intern, the office politics of her gender and race and the nepotism that got him the position balance it out. I did like how he tried to call out the bad behavior, and am a bit sad the story didn’t focus a bit more on that once they overcame their gripes with one another. But I was glad to see a love interest that was fairly non-toxic in the midst of all this mess.

This a book that contributes to the larger conversation in romance publishing and marketing missteps, resulting in the loss of trust in the established romance reader base. I have a feeling I could have enjoyed this book a lot more if I had gone in with the proper expectations based on the packaging and clearly defined parameters as to what’s a rom-com and what isn’t, instead of shoving almost everything in there because those are all the rage right now. Judging by how often this conversation comes up and how many books it applies to, I can imagine there are many other readers who feel the same. I won’t discourage people reading it, as it does have its good points, but definitely know what to expect going in.

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