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popthebutterfly 's review for:
Like a Love Song
by Gabriela Martins
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Like a Love Song
Author: Gabriela Martins
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Brazilian Anxiety Rep MC, F/f side character romance , Lesbian side character, Bisexual side character, Jewish bisexual love interest
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, romance, Brazilian, LGBTQIA+, fake dating trope, one bed trope
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: August 3, 2021
Publisher: Underlined
Pages: 304
Recommended Age: 12+ (Slight Language, Slight drug reference)
Explanation of CWs: There's probably less than 5 times where there's swearing in the book and there's one mention of drugs in passing.
Synopsis: Fake boyfriend. Real heartbreak?
Natalie is living her dream: topping the charts and setting records as a Brazilian pop star…until she’s dumped spectacularly on live television. Not only is it humiliating—it could end her career.
Her PR team’s desperate plan? A gorgeous yet oh-so-fake boyfriend. Nati reluctantly agrees, but William is not what she expected. She was hoping for a fierce bad boy—not a soft-hearted British indie film star. While she fights her way back to the top with a sweet and surprisingly swoon-worthy boy on her arm, she starts to fall for William—and realizes that maybe she’s the biggest fake of them all. Can she reclaim her voice and her heart?
Review: I really loved this book. I really liked the two tropes that were used in the book, fake dating and the one bed, and I felt like overall the book did well to discuss not feeling connection to your culture as I've heard from immigrants friends and friends of immigrants parents sometimes feel. I really loved how the author added commentary about calling countries third world (it's elitist especially when you're an American calling a country third world when we have so many issues ourselves) and I loved how the main focus of the book wasn't the romance but ultimately was the adventure of getting Nati to accept who she was and to not listen to what others say. I also loved how the book didn't fall into the trope of "main character needs to relearn her culture and be proud of where she came from" because the main character already is proud and knows the culture. She just needed to accept it as part of herself and learn she didn't need a persona to play up for the American audience and I think that's more relatable to the targeted audience. Furthermore, the writing was well done, the message was subtle and sweet, the character development was amazing, and overall I really enjoyed reading this book. Lastly, if you're a Swiftie, this book gives major Taylor Swift vibes.
The only issue I had with the book is that the book is super short. It's 304 pages but it feels like it's 150. The story goes by so fast and I'd love it if it was slowed down or if there was more. I'd love to see Nati reunite with her family and speak with them in Portuguese and have that special bond be reenforced again. I'd also love to see more of the anxiety rep play through as there wasn't a real conclusion with that rep.
Verdict: It's so good. Highly recommend.
Book: Like a Love Song
Author: Gabriela Martins
Book Series: Standalone
Diversity: Brazilian Anxiety Rep MC, F/f side character romance , Lesbian side character, Bisexual side character, Jewish bisexual love interest
Rating: 5/5
Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, romance, Brazilian, LGBTQIA+, fake dating trope, one bed trope
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: August 3, 2021
Publisher: Underlined
Pages: 304
Recommended Age: 12+ (Slight Language, Slight drug reference)
Explanation of CWs: There's probably less than 5 times where there's swearing in the book and there's one mention of drugs in passing.
Synopsis: Fake boyfriend. Real heartbreak?
Natalie is living her dream: topping the charts and setting records as a Brazilian pop star…until she’s dumped spectacularly on live television. Not only is it humiliating—it could end her career.
Her PR team’s desperate plan? A gorgeous yet oh-so-fake boyfriend. Nati reluctantly agrees, but William is not what she expected. She was hoping for a fierce bad boy—not a soft-hearted British indie film star. While she fights her way back to the top with a sweet and surprisingly swoon-worthy boy on her arm, she starts to fall for William—and realizes that maybe she’s the biggest fake of them all. Can she reclaim her voice and her heart?
Review: I really loved this book. I really liked the two tropes that were used in the book, fake dating and the one bed, and I felt like overall the book did well to discuss not feeling connection to your culture as I've heard from immigrants friends and friends of immigrants parents sometimes feel. I really loved how the author added commentary about calling countries third world (it's elitist especially when you're an American calling a country third world when we have so many issues ourselves) and I loved how the main focus of the book wasn't the romance but ultimately was the adventure of getting Nati to accept who she was and to not listen to what others say. I also loved how the book didn't fall into the trope of "main character needs to relearn her culture and be proud of where she came from" because the main character already is proud and knows the culture. She just needed to accept it as part of herself and learn she didn't need a persona to play up for the American audience and I think that's more relatable to the targeted audience. Furthermore, the writing was well done, the message was subtle and sweet, the character development was amazing, and overall I really enjoyed reading this book. Lastly, if you're a Swiftie, this book gives major Taylor Swift vibes.
The only issue I had with the book is that the book is super short. It's 304 pages but it feels like it's 150. The story goes by so fast and I'd love it if it was slowed down or if there was more. I'd love to see Nati reunite with her family and speak with them in Portuguese and have that special bond be reenforced again. I'd also love to see more of the anxiety rep play through as there wasn't a real conclusion with that rep.
Verdict: It's so good. Highly recommend.