quick thoughts :

• I liked this a lot,, but I didn’t quite love it.
• it made me laugh out loud multiple times and pulled a smile out of me even more times
• it was light and sweet with a touch of emotion… but it’s just somehow a forgettable read
• I loved that Nina, our mc, was so down-to-earth and real. I love a flawed character.
• She was so scared of upsetting people, a real people pleaser at heart, and she reminded me a little of myself at times. which I always appreciate!
• but I just didn’t give a shit about the romance, and that really pulled me out of the story
• I mean, Jamie was a sweetheart, and I do love me a soft boy, but they had zero chemistry
• it was all awkward moments and history that felt more like insurmountable baggage than the usual angst of childhood-friends-to-lovers
• the sisterly relationship was *chef’s kiss* though
• I want a Rose spin-off this second
• I also really loved the development of her relationship with her stepfather, Dan
• the radio show was fun!
• and the friendship dynamic between Joydeep, Sasha, and Nina & Jamie was great
• the fandom element was a little unrealistic. I mean, a celebrity just randomly turning up at a high school radio show? Hmm, idk… but like I said, it was a lot of fun
• The entire ‘my boyfriend thinks he’s a tree, PHOLEM!’ thing made me proper Laugh

… so more positives than negatives. I guess it’s more of a gut feeling about this one. It was good but it just didn’t hit me, you know? I don’t have that feeling in my stomach where I’m like ‘this book! ✨