savvyrosereads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-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? Yes
3.5
Out June 6, 2023 [Thank you so much the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!]
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Jess is a Black liberal woman who takes a job at Goldman Sachs after graduation, working alongside her college nemesis, a white conservative man named Josh. But when sparks fly between the two, what might otherwise be a “will they-won’t they” becomes a “should they-shouldn’t they” romance.
This is an extremely difficult book to review—I read it a few days ago and I’m honestly still not entirely sure how I felt about it. On the positive side: the writing itself was excellent and the book was engaging and flowed quickly (I read it in a few hours spaced over 1.5 days). There were a lot of thought provoking moments and themes, including a really great section on being a POC growing up in a predominantly white community and the unique challenges that can result.
That said, I had a lot of difficulties with the “romance” side of this book—I hated the MMC, and didn’t feel like he ever redeemed himself or demonstrated anything that would justify her love for him. The ending of the book also made me viscerally angry—I think I see what the author was going for (a kind of political satire reminiscent of a Jordan Peele film), but it did not land for me in the slightest and just made the entire “point” of the novel feel all the more confusing. My reaction can definitely be seen as a kind of positive (a book that can inspire emotion is usually a good thing!) but overall the ending dampened my reading experience.
Recommended if you like: literary romance; political novels; Jordan Peele
CW: Racism/misogyny/misogynoir; death of parent; grief
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cancer, Death, and Physical abuse
bookishmikay's review against another edition
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Drug abuse, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Racism, Grief, and Medical content
Minor: Emotional abuse, Cancer, Physical abuse, and Antisemitism
More...