A review by kj468
An Unexpected Kind of Love by Hayden Stone

funny 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

4.0

A very fun read! I loved the actor x bookseller dynamic. At times, the love interest (Blake) didn’t feel like the most fleshed out character — I didn’t always have a good grasp on who he was outside of his relationship with Aubrey (the MC). But they had good chemistry and he was a great LI to the MC. Sometimes, the writing conflicted itself a bit, like the MC would express one worry, and the. Two paragraphs later state that the worry was impossible because of xyz reason. It wasn’t so common or glaring that it detracted from my enjoyment of the book, though. Also, as a note, this book definitely falls into the "insta-love" category -- within a few weeks of meeting, they are declaring their love for each other and changing their lives to be together. This doesn't bother me, but if you're not a fan of insta love, this probably isn't the book for you.

I enjoyed it a lot, overall. I recommend it to anyone wanting a fun, a bit spicy rom-com that follows the familiar beats of the genre. I liked the ending and epilogue, and also how the author ended the storylines for side characters (particularly Eli, the MC's best friend)

Rep: mlm, gay mc, disabled side character, poly side character, bisexual LI, vegetarian (vegan?) LI

narration style: first person, single POV

tw explanations:
- Homophobia:
Blake's (LI) dad is homophobic. We never meet the dad on page, but we do read about Blake's concerns about his dad's reaction to him being bisexual & hear about his dad's tepid reaction to his coming out

- Outing:
About ¾ of the way through the book, the media reports on Blake's and Aubrey's relationship, without either of their consent, and this outs blake publicly.

- Car accident:
Eli, a side character, was hit on his bike by a car before the start of the book. As a result, he now uses a wheelchair. The accident is not described in detail, but it is referenced several times & Aubrey expresses some guilt because Eli was on the way to visit Aubrey when he got in the accident.
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