I built up very, very high expectations for this - when I read the synopsis a few months back, I was sold, & after seeing such positive feedback from fellow bookstagrammers & reviewers I trust, I got even more excited. This really blew all of my expectations away, & dare I say, I think this just might be my new favorite queer romance - what an amazing, heartfelt debut!

I'm a big Bachelor/Bachelorette fan & have to say Alison absolutely nailed the format of the show - some of my favorite parts of the book were the story notes & seeing just how manipulative edits can be behind the scenes. We had such a diverse, fun group of supporting characters here, & I loved the emphasis on platonic love & surrounding yourself with an amazing support system of friends - Jules, Parisa & Skylar were the best! & of course, the stars of the book, Charlie & Dev - their love story felt so real & authentic, even under the guise of a Bachelor-like reality show. I consider myself to be a big hopeless romantic like Dev & was just a big pile of mush seeing their love story come together, their chemistry was perfect - seriously, your heart will melt for these two! What I loved most about the book, however, was the emphasis on mental health - this was a huge theme throughout the book & played heavily into both Charlie & Dev's character arcs. To see depression & anxiety, amongst other things, depicted so openly & honestly in this way - in a romance centered around queer men, especially - was very refreshing. To truly love someone is to love all of them, even the parts that may not be the easiest to handle sometimes, & Alison captures this message beautifully throughout the story. It was also incredible to see such open conversations surrounding sexual identity that go beyond just the typical labels of gay & straight, something that is so needed!

This totally lived up to the hype for me in every way, I'm just so in love! I can't wait to get a finished copy for my shelves - I highly, highly recommend putting this on your radars if it isn't already. I'm really looking forward to seeing what Alison does next!