It’s rare we’ve ever had a reason to hug, but those moments stick out enough in my mind that I’m already anticipating the way he shifts his arms up slightly, the way he scratches lightly at the base of my neck.

This was so effing adorable and funny!

Keep your friends close and your lifelong academic rivals you’ve imagined kissing multiple times against your will closer. It’s all just a part of our years-long game.

4.75 stars

I actually went into this with like negative expectations. I didn’t like Tweet Cute but I liked the synopsis on this one and I’m auto-approved, so I grabbed it. OHMYGOOOOD I was shook. This was so good!

“If you say one more word, Seb, I swear on all that is holy, I will bury you. I will pretend to look for you. I’ll shed pretty tears at your funeral and die in bed eighty years from now peacefully and without regret.”

We have childhood friends to rivals in high school and now university, competing for the same prestigious job at the school’s newspaper. I love a good rivals competition.

Unfortunately, somewhere in the last thirty seconds I got emotionally invested against my will, and if I don’t walk out with a jar of pickles in my hand and a crown on one of these boys’ heads I will simply not be able to live.

The banter. The whit. The funny comments. Everything was just great! I loved both MCs and it had good reps in here as well (bi MMC, lesbian and non-binary side characters). It also had some good family dynamics and emotional parts, so a well-rounded rom-com lmao

“If you say one more word, Seb, I swear on all that is holy, I will bury you. I will pretend to look for you. I’ll shed pretty tears at your funeral and die in bed eighty years from now peacefully and without regret.”

But what really stood out was the fact that this was so funny! I know I mentioned the banter and funny comments but this type of back-and-forth is something I love in books and it’s not always done organically, it can be cringe, but this was *chefs kiss*

“So where are you headed?” Seb asks.
Maybe if I just keep walking he’ll disappear. He’s just a panic mirage, is all. The ghost of academic rivals past. “Apparently hell, if you’re here.”

It loses .25 stars because I wish the rivalry lasted much longer than it did.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, Netgalley, and the author for an ARC!

I’m starting to feel like Sisyphus. Except instead of lugging a boulder up a hill I’ve been trying to shove Seb off a cliff.