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A review by arayapapaya
Terms and Conditions by Lauren Asher
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I think I liked this the most out of this series, but not by much. I liked the marriage of convenience, workplace, grumpy/sunshine romance in theory, but their chemistry was lacking now that I’m looking back on it 🤔 I wasn’t fully convinced. Also what was the convenience for Iris other than access to a buttload of money that she didn’t care about? Declan wasn’t even willing to be involved in their future child’s life at first! She already gave up so much to work for him these past several years (where were her girl friends 🥹)and she STILL has to continue working for him now that they’re married. And in these poor conditions?
But what really rubbed me the wrong way is that Iris’s Blackness was mentioned once (maybe twice) at the beginning, and there was nothing else said about it after. Her being Black was just an afterthought. Iris and Declan had zero conversations about it as their romantic relationship developed, Iris didn’t have any inner monologue about being with a white man (honestly no thoughts?), their class differences didn’t even acknowledge the nuances of a Black female assistant to marry her white male boss. That power dynamic was worrisome but completely glossed over. And don’t even get me started on how the media attacked her and Declan was absolutely clueless. Why even make her Black? 🤷🏽♀️
Other than that, Declan was just ridiculously mean—very reminiscent of Rowan but somehow meaner & less redeemable. He treated Iris so badly, idk what she saw in him. She and Cal woulda made a better match, I would have enjoyed that friends to lovers romance much more.
But what really rubbed me the wrong way is that Iris’s Blackness was mentioned once (maybe twice) at the beginning, and there was nothing else said about it after. Her being Black was just an afterthought. Iris and Declan had zero conversations about it as their romantic relationship developed, Iris didn’t have any inner monologue about being with a white man (honestly no thoughts?), their class differences didn’t even acknowledge the nuances of a Black female assistant to marry her white male boss. That power dynamic was worrisome but completely glossed over. And don’t even get me started on how the media attacked her and Declan was absolutely clueless. Why even make her Black? 🤷🏽♀️
Other than that, Declan was just ridiculously mean—very reminiscent of Rowan but somehow meaner & less redeemable. He treated Iris so badly, idk what she saw in him. She and Cal woulda made a better match, I would have enjoyed that friends to lovers romance much more.