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kaydeedickins's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I really wanted to like the story but struggled to connect with the characters. It felt like there were too many details at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Alcohol
Moderate: Body shaming, Toxic relationship, and Fatphobia
Minor: Misogyny, Sexism, Cancer, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Chronic illness, and Medical content
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
4.0
Out September 13, 2022 [Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!]
Rating: 4/5 stars
Allison has big plans for her new graduate program—get a great mentor, become a great professor, and earn a spot as a leading scholar of medieval literature. But she doesn’t account for her ex-boyfriend—and academic rival—being back in the picture for all of it…
A rom-com featuring plus size/fat representation, literature academia, and a corgi puppy? Suffice to say I could not get my hands on this one fast enough. And I’ll be honest—I related to Allison and her lived experiences, insecurities, and self-imposed perfectionism a little *too* much, but it made me enjoy this book all the more.
First, the less great—I did think the book felt a hair too slow in parts, and I wanted fewer internal-monologues-stressing-about-situations and more situations-to-stress-over, if that makes sense. I wasn’t bored, exactly, I just didn’t feel like enough had happened for me to be fully invested in the characters until close to the 2/3 mark.
That said, once I got invested, I got really invested, which is what led to sobbing at 1am as I stayed up way too late to finish reading. Colin went from insufferable to an absolute gem very quickly (it’s amazing what communication will do) and Allison’s character growth was really lovely to watch. In short, not a perfect book, but a really wonderful debut, and I can’t wait to see what Jenny Howe writes next!
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: fat representation, academia nerdiness, puppies.
CW: Emotional abuse (including abusive parent/child relationships); loss/illness of loved ones; fatphobia; sexism.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Sexism, Fatphobia, Dementia, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse
arthur_ant18's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Body shaming
Moderate: Sexual content, Sexism, Death of parent, and Cancer
decklededgess's review against another edition
dnf. i skimmed so much to get to some interesting bits but it was just frustrating and annoying. i don’t like ANYONE in this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, and Sexism
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