I actually went back and tried to do a re-read. I must have been feeling generous with my first read, because while I didn’t give a full review, I did give it three stars. And I cannot figure out why. I even remember having some issues with it, which is one of the reasons I tried this re-read. I don’t like to give full reviews on books I haven’t read in a while.

I couldn’t make it past the first few chapters. I remember the first time I read this I absolutely hated that Theo is touted as a virgin hero, but he loses his virginity in the beginning of the book. And to some random, not seen again character. I just didn’t like getting an actual virgin hero and then he’s treated as most “manwhore” characters are. All he’s thinking about at the beginning of the book is getting laid. Then the author oddly makes his first time pretty non-consensual, as Theo is blackout drunk. And Theo’s slut shaming also started super early in this book. He’s on an app looking for a hookup, but is hella judgmental when a girl actually wants to hook up. He mentions that he “doesn’t want to get herpes” and that maybe hooking up with guys on this app is the girls “usual MO). Dude. You’re doing the same thing!

I’m cool with casual sex. And had Theo not kept saying how great he was, I think I might not have cared so much about the randomness of the losing of his virginity.

He also talks about how he waited for his ex girlfriend to have sex with him, and then after he “puts in his time” or “pays his dues” (some ridiculous phrase like that) his gf ended up having sex with some other guy she just met. The way he acted like his ex owed him sex because he waited was toxic as hell.

The sexism, his slut shaming girls and “nice guy” of Theo is just too much.

The “heroine” of our story “isn’t like other girls”. Like that is legit said more than once. I feel like that speaks for itself.

There’s also ableism and racism in this one, if you’re wanting to take notes.

Basically this is just a hot mess of things that I’d rather not read in my romance.