A review by sri_savita
One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
5.0
You and I have seen the worst of each other.
But I just want to keep looking at you every single day.
I love this book with my whole heart. So happy to have a copy on my shelf to revisit whenever I need, and I can't believe it took me this long to read it. This book honestly elevated my mood and I was SOHAPPY as I finished it sitting outside on a perfect summer evening.
Now, I'm not a person who watches much reality TV (besides THE CIRCLE because that is just pure adrenaline and wholesome), but I LOVED this story - so don't let the Bachelorette comparisons deter you if that's what's holding you back!
What I love about this, and books in general, is the element of unity. Sometimes hope and happiness come in small packages, and that might be gushing over a book (as I'm doing now), watching a show and cheering together and feeling together with friends near and far, or people online you never met, or reading a great article that captured your thoughts perfectly. That feeling that you're not alone and there's a community. This is exactly the kind of atmosphere that makes a concert so enjoyable, or how I felt watching the Cavs on a huge screen in a playoff game with my best friend in downtown Cleveland one summer (despite no interest in sports-ball prior to that point, so I can't guarantee I used any of those terms correctly), or even how it felt to watching that one season of Game of Thrones as it was airing and listening to podcasters that GOT MY THOUGHTS. It's what a lot of us are doing on Goodreads and Bookstagram - that magic of connection and shared interests, there's really nothing better. And after a really long time of not socializing in the same way, this story had me excited to connect with people - in person - again.
Kate Stayman-London captured that magic perfectly in this gem of a novel. I loved all of the characters, and I loved being right about my predictions - though I will say it was a very twisty and surprising road to get there! I kept looking nervously at the number of pages left and saying IT WILL BE OKAY THOUGH RIGHT?? And this is exactly why I don't watch sports or reality TV in the first place - I get too invested! And I get upset when it doesn't work out for the people I'm rooting for. KSL definitely gave me some of those moments too, but the end is so worth it! I won't say any more - you just have to read it.
I think there was a lot of representation that was really done well here!
In the 290 books I've read between last year and this year I've learned that I really am starting to love unusual formats or epistolary formats that take advantage of media elements, I loved the interview format for Daisy Jones & The Six and the multiple/alternating timelines in Malibu Rising and People We Meet on Vacation , and I love the use of media and text messages/emails in this book and Red, White & Royal Blue . If you loved the narrative devices used in these stories too, then you might enjoy this one too.
In fact, KSL uses this format so well, that one of my favorite ships had nothing to do with the central group of characters on the fictional dating show Main Squeeze . Instead, it was the supporting characters - everyday people just like you and me, strangers on the internet - in the form of the fan group for the show, SQUEEZE MANIACS, who are only introduced to us by their usernames, and yet, I was so invested in this group of people connecting via watching Bea try to find a connection on TV. This was so genuine and funny and made me feel all the feels. Because we all know exactly what it's like to love talking with other people who love the same things that we do.
I can't wait to read what KSL writes next!
But I just want to keep looking at you every single day.
I love this book with my whole heart. So happy to have a copy on my shelf to revisit whenever I need, and I can't believe it took me this long to read it. This book honestly elevated my mood and I was SOHAPPY as I finished it sitting outside on a perfect summer evening.
Now, I'm not a person who watches much reality TV (besides THE CIRCLE because that is just pure adrenaline and wholesome), but I LOVED this story - so don't let the Bachelorette comparisons deter you if that's what's holding you back!
What I love about this, and books in general, is the element of unity. Sometimes hope and happiness come in small packages, and that might be gushing over a book (as I'm doing now), watching a show and cheering together and feeling together with friends near and far, or people online you never met, or reading a great article that captured your thoughts perfectly. That feeling that you're not alone and there's a community. This is exactly the kind of atmosphere that makes a concert so enjoyable, or how I felt watching the Cavs on a huge screen in a playoff game with my best friend in downtown Cleveland one summer (despite no interest in sports-ball prior to that point, so I can't guarantee I used any of those terms correctly), or even how it felt to watching that one season of Game of Thrones as it was airing and listening to podcasters that GOT MY THOUGHTS. It's what a lot of us are doing on Goodreads and Bookstagram - that magic of connection and shared interests, there's really nothing better. And after a really long time of not socializing in the same way, this story had me excited to connect with people - in person - again.
Kate Stayman-London captured that magic perfectly in this gem of a novel. I loved all of the characters, and I loved being right about my predictions - though I will say it was a very twisty and surprising road to get there! I kept looking nervously at the number of pages left and saying IT WILL BE OKAY THOUGH RIGHT?? And this is exactly why I don't watch sports or reality TV in the first place - I get too invested! And I get upset when it doesn't work out for the people I'm rooting for. KSL definitely gave me some of those moments too, but the end is so worth it! I won't say any more - you just have to read it.
I think there was a lot of representation that was really done well here!
Spoiler
Asian romantic leads - YES! Linus and Bea taking over the fashion world - YES!In the 290 books I've read between last year and this year I've learned that I really am starting to love unusual formats or epistolary formats that take advantage of media elements, I loved the interview format for Daisy Jones & The Six and the multiple/alternating timelines in Malibu Rising and People We Meet on Vacation , and I love the use of media and text messages/emails in this book and Red, White & Royal Blue . If you loved the narrative devices used in these stories too, then you might enjoy this one too.
In fact, KSL uses this format so well, that one of my favorite ships had nothing to do with the central group of characters on the fictional dating show Main Squeeze . Instead, it was the supporting characters - everyday people just like you and me, strangers on the internet - in the form of the fan group for the show, SQUEEZE MANIACS, who are only introduced to us by their usernames, and yet, I was so invested in this group of people connecting via watching Bea try to find a connection on TV. This was so genuine and funny and made me feel all the feels. Because we all know exactly what it's like to love talking with other people who love the same things that we do.
I can't wait to read what KSL writes next!