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noellegrace8's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This was a good read! The characters have a black-cat-golden-retriever thing going on. This book depicts some issues I wouldn't otherwise be informed about - academia politics in the science profession. I liked watching it play out, and I loved getting to know Olive's background along the way. Her project is interesting. I also liked Adam's emo-ness, as well as the two side-characters Malcolm and Holden. And the demi/sapio representation with Olive!
This being said, there wasn't a terribly detailed plot line; it's mostly just a PhD student trying to get through her program while also navigating her past experiences as well as her current relationships. Additionally, there were many times I wondered why Olive didn't just say no to some things Ahn asked of her during the fake dating, especially because Olive didn't seem the type of person to be pushed around. I also found a few too many similarities between this book and the only other Ali Hazelwood book I've read: Love, Theoretically. I got a little tired of hearing about how the female lead couldn't read anything on the male lead's face, some of the cheesy dialogue or circumstances, about the tallness, washboard abs, and dimples of the dudes, and the best female friend who is kind of loud/obnoxious and pretty much only present to further the lead's story. I also would liked to have seen some more communication between the main couple before they moved along with their relationship, because there was a lot of lying involved initially. And, as just a nit-picky thing, I hate that some of the characters say "Ol." To me, it just doesn't sound like an organic nickname and is too phonetically similar (when you're listening to an audiobook) to Ahn's name.
I love a book that can make me cry, and the aftermath of the incident with Tom did just that. It is worth noting that what happened with him in the book could be a trigger for some people. It was jarring, although well-written.
Finally, while I've heard this began as a Reylo fanfic, I really don't see much of a connection to their story. Olive in particular is nothing like Rey. Adam is merely an indistinct shadow of Kylo. And to be honest, Adam just doesn't have much character at all.
I give Callie Dalton 4/5 ⭐ . She very much has a Valley Girl voice, which is a sensory frustration for me. She can sometimes be a tad overdramatic in her reading efforts, but also, her male voices are quite good.
This being said, there wasn't a terribly detailed plot line; it's mostly just a PhD student trying to get through her program while also navigating her past experiences as well as her current relationships. Additionally, there were many times I wondered why Olive didn't just say no to some things Ahn asked of her during the fake dating, especially because Olive didn't seem the type of person to be pushed around. I also found a few too many similarities between this book and the only other Ali Hazelwood book I've read: Love, Theoretically. I got a little tired of hearing about how the female lead couldn't read anything on the male lead's face, some of the cheesy dialogue or circumstances, about the tallness, washboard abs, and dimples of the dudes, and the best female friend who is kind of loud/obnoxious and pretty much only present to further the lead's story. I also would liked to have seen some more communication between the main couple before they moved along with their relationship, because there was a lot of lying involved initially. And, as just a nit-picky thing, I hate that some of the characters say "Ol." To me, it just doesn't sound like an organic nickname and is too phonetically similar (when you're listening to an audiobook) to Ahn's name.
I love a book that can make me cry, and the aftermath of the incident with Tom did just that. It is worth noting that what happened with him in the book could be a trigger for some people. It was jarring, although well-written.
Finally, while I've heard this began as a Reylo fanfic, I really don't see much of a connection to their story. Olive in particular is nothing like Rey. Adam is merely an indistinct shadow of Kylo. And to be honest, Adam just doesn't have much character at all.
I give Callie Dalton 4/5 ⭐ . She very much has a Valley Girl voice, which is a sensory frustration for me. She can sometimes be a tad overdramatic in her reading efforts, but also, her male voices are quite good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Cancer, Misogyny, Sexism, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: Death, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
lkristin2018's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This is a sweet, new adult book about a grad student and a professor (not her professor) that decide to fake date because it will be mutually beneficial. Of course, it morphes into something real, but there are many misunderstandings along the way. Both of the main characters grow and change throughout the story, and the main female character deals with a great deal of institutional misogyny. There is an engaging LGBTQ best friend, as well as a close friend of Asian descent.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Misogyny, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Ableism, Cancer, Mental illness, Racism, and Sexism
Minor: Alcohol
idk_indigo's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was mixed for me.
The good:
I loved the MMC which is surprising because I don't usually like grumpy male characters. Like, what do you even have to be grumpy about, not enough women to oppress? Shut up! But he was slay, I loved his soft side and I loved that we got to see so much more of him through his friends and through his work and conversations with Olive and stuff. He was cute!!
Olive's small circle of friends was so wonderful, I think they could've been more developed but I really appreciated that she had a little found family while she was navigating stressful situations!
The PhD/academia setting was honestly so much fun, I don't believe I've ever read a romance novel set at a university and I loved seeing all of the little insider things -- people stealing petri dishes, fighting for funding, insufficient research results, etc. it was so cool!
Anxiety representation in an FMC!! Demisexual representation! Yippee!
The sexy scenes! There weren't that many of them (only 2, I did keep count) and they were like a 2/5 in terms of spice: not graphic at all, but I loved them!
The miscommunication! Tbh the trope is growing on me, I really used to dislike it but now I'm like yeah, man, that's life. I thought overall it was pretty realistic, maybe a tiny bit far-fetched (but that was about the fake dating more than the miscommunication) but I was like honestly yeah that would happen to me... I'm a lesbian btw, if that explains anything
The love story itself was so intriguing, I found myself smiling blushing giggling lying on my stomach kicking my feet in the air teehee
The bad:
Olive was very meh for me, I thought her personality was sort of whatever. I struggled to grasp her motives sometimes, and she often felt very helpless and damsel in distress-y. Which, I'll be so honest with you, did not match up at all with what I would hope from a PhD student in STEM. Obviously people (and characters) are nuanced but like sheesh...
And a subsection of my previous complaint, it often felt like Adam was such a stereotypical hero. Buying Olive Starbucks and her saying this is food for the next 2 weeks, which mind you was never addressed again. And that one scene where hepins some guy up against the wall and she's all like "Daddy it's not worth it!" I understand that it wasn't supposed to be cringe but it was and also didn't match up with anything we know about Adam up to that point...
It also felt like, regarding the PhD program, that there were so many inconsistencies with "I'm so busy, I never have any time for anything besides school," and then scene upon scene of them doing anything but studying... Very much, for me, a case of telling not showing.
Olive being afucking virgin but also not really I'm sorry but I'm over it and I hate that trope so much. Shut up!
The MC's backstories, they felt very underdeveloped and it felt like Olive's trauma didn't really have much at all to do with her love story.... not that you need trauma to fall in love or whatever, but I think most MC's with a fair dose of childhood trauma at least have a main "issue" that is counterintuitive to their love story. Eg., FMC with overbearing parents feels intense perfectionist tendencies, leading to a job/career she hates and her eventual breakup (Happy Place, Emily Henry). Or FMC who was betrayed by her brother over a business deal finds it difficult to trust men, especially relating to finances (The Duke Gets Desperate, Diana Quincy). Olive's trauma was like... damn I grew up alone so I have anxiety.... oh, yeah, and like I have a crush on this guy... the two were never connected it just felt like she was talking about it just to talk. Which, like same girly pop I love yapping but I'm also not a MC in a romance novel. Idk
The professor/student relationship, I know it wasn't the worst but it also wasn't the best and the other professor and Olive becoming friends after he startsbanging her best friend and then they meet each others' parents after, like, less than a week of banging seemed a bit inappropriate.
Anyways, 4 stars! #adamandmeshouldbebesties #myfavoritecolorisgreentoo
PS., I will be so honest with you, this feels like a story one might write about the crush they have on their teacher idk I didn't mind it though
The good:
I loved the MMC which is surprising because I don't usually like grumpy male characters. Like, what do you even have to be grumpy about, not enough women to oppress? Shut up! But he was slay, I loved his soft side and I loved that we got to see so much more of him through his friends and through his work and conversations with Olive and stuff. He was cute!!
Olive's small circle of friends was so wonderful, I think they could've been more developed but I really appreciated that she had a little found family while she was navigating stressful situations!
The PhD/academia setting was honestly so much fun, I don't believe I've ever read a romance novel set at a university and I loved seeing all of the little insider things -- people stealing petri dishes, fighting for funding, insufficient research results, etc. it was so cool!
Anxiety representation in an FMC!! Demisexual representation! Yippee!
The sexy scenes! There weren't that many of them (only 2, I did keep count) and they were like a 2/5 in terms of spice: not graphic at all, but I loved them!
The miscommunication! Tbh the trope is growing on me, I really used to dislike it but now I'm like yeah, man, that's life. I thought overall it was pretty realistic, maybe a tiny bit far-fetched (but that was about the fake dating more than the miscommunication) but I was like honestly yeah that would happen to me... I'm a lesbian btw, if that explains anything
The love story itself was so intriguing, I found myself smiling blushing giggling lying on my stomach kicking my feet in the air teehee
The bad:
Olive was very meh for me, I thought her personality was sort of whatever. I struggled to grasp her motives sometimes, and she often felt very helpless and damsel in distress-y. Which, I'll be so honest with you, did not match up at all with what I would hope from a PhD student in STEM. Obviously people (and characters) are nuanced but like sheesh...
And a subsection of my previous complaint, it often felt like Adam was such a stereotypical hero. Buying Olive Starbucks and her saying this is food for the next 2 weeks, which mind you was never addressed again. And that one scene where he
It also felt like, regarding the PhD program, that there were so many inconsistencies with "I'm so busy, I never have any time for anything besides school," and then scene upon scene of them doing anything but studying... Very much, for me, a case of telling not showing.
Olive being a
The MC's backstories, they felt very underdeveloped and it felt like Olive's trauma didn't really have much at all to do with her love story.... not that you need trauma to fall in love or whatever, but I think most MC's with a fair dose of childhood trauma at least have a main "issue" that is counterintuitive to their love story. Eg., FMC with overbearing parents feels intense perfectionist tendencies, leading to a job/career she hates and her eventual breakup (Happy Place, Emily Henry). Or FMC who was betrayed by her brother over a business deal finds it difficult to trust men, especially relating to finances (The Duke Gets Desperate, Diana Quincy). Olive's trauma was like... damn I grew up alone so I have anxiety.... oh, yeah, and like I have a crush on this guy... the two were never connected it just felt like she was talking about it just to talk. Which, like same girly pop I love yapping but I'm also not a MC in a romance novel. Idk
The professor/student relationship, I know it wasn't the worst but it also wasn't the best and the other professor and Olive becoming friends after he starts
Anyways, 4 stars! #adamandmeshouldbebesties #myfavoritecolorisgreentoo
PS., I will be so honest with you, this feels like a story one might write about the crush they have on their teacher idk I didn't mind it though
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual harassment
Minor: Grief and Death of parent
sunshinekmp's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Cursing
Minor: Vomit and Alcohol
samantha914's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Sexual content, and Grief
Moderate: Sexism, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
slowburnsrus's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Fatphobia
ecmiller's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Sexism, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
notamouse's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
1.5
🌶️
Content Warnings
Minor: Cancer, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
imds's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
mari_library's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This book was a solid 4-star read. I have to praise Ali Hazelwood for making me like the type of main character I normally hate. Was the story predictable? Yes. Was it enjoyable? Also, yes.
The object permanence was definitely not there since every time I put this book down, I forgot I was reading it. BUT when I was reading the book, it was enjoyable and engaging. The story is your typical fake-dating romance, the characters and plot were predictable, and in all cases, it was a solid romance. There is very little to say against it other than the main character's best friend is shitty. I don't think Anh played the part well as a best friend, and I don't think she showed the same level of investment in her friendship as Olive did. However, Adam Carlsen???? My man! He was *chef's kiss* the definition of a man written by a woman. I love him.
Overall, an enjoyable and solid read.
The object permanence was definitely not there since every time I put this book down, I forgot I was reading it. BUT when I was reading the book, it was enjoyable and engaging. The story is your typical fake-dating romance, the characters and plot were predictable, and in all cases, it was a solid romance. There is very little to say against it other than the main character's best friend is shitty. I don't think Anh played the part well as a best friend, and I don't think she showed the same level of investment in her friendship as Olive did. However, Adam Carlsen???? My man! He was *chef's kiss* the definition of a man written by a woman. I love him.
Overall, an enjoyable and solid read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cancer, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment