This one is so much better than twisted love. FMC and MMC are both 12x more interesting, there’s more spice, the relationship builds relatively organically, and the plots are more believable/fun/easier to get invested in. I knew I’d be a sucker for Rhys Larson from the get go though. And Bridget was a delightful surprise 💛

screaming crying throwing up

not at all what I expected, but so me! (a little too me for my liking). It's not a perfect Katrina book but it's pretty darn close.

Julia Whelan has such a way with writing characters with depth who are imperfect, realistic, and endearing.  (her men all have accents which we love, especially when she reads them to us)  Her plots also meander in unexpected ways but never feel too far fetched or wandering.

The friend group in this felt like the quirky British group of friends we've all craved since growing up watching Notting Hill and Bridget Jones.  Just like [book:Thank You for Listening|59314703], I laughed and cried in this.

also I just ordered a used copy because I need this.

My favorite Olivia Dade so far

Super cute
A nice balance of rom com with serious issues and topics
Small town inn keeper and big city doctor
“Reverse” age gap

I loved the setting of Shanghai in the 1920s for a "fantasy" novel.  (I'd argue this is sci fi not fantasy.) But the Romeo & Juliet re-telling and YA-ness of it all pulled me out of it. Yeah Shakespeare's a great and yada yada but when I'm so over the source material before starting this, it's kinda doomed. I liked how she changed the story though!

The YA-ness just meant it was a little on the nose with explaining the patriarchy, class, privilege, and racism. Which is like so important and brought up in interesting ways with a historical and international context here, but I'm not the audience for this delivery.

Also plot-wise I just didn't care? Nothing was shocking or convincing. The characters are all very flat. I literally care about no one but Bennedict, Marshall, and Roma's sister...

And the thing they had to do to defeat the madness... just seemed dumb and lucky and made no sense but I digress.

I'm bummed, but I think I'll read the next one anyway. (listen to the audiobook)

ALSO! It's the same narrator as the twisted series (shoutout Cindy Kay) but like that was a jarring jump as I am currently halfway through listening to that series.

I don't understand the hype for these books... I'm defo missing something. Anyway. It's cringe and bad but also just what I needed to listen to at work the last couple of days so that's awesome!  I'm sorry but in what world is Ana trying to convince us that this is an amazing group of friends but none of them went with Jules to her mom's funeral? Okay. Sure. Whatever.

He's also unforgivably cruel to her at one point....

And like the characters are dumb and self-centered and have bad banter and laugh at things that aren't funny and overexplain jokes.  Nothing smooth about them.  Alex's wordcount was too high in this book because he's the worst romantic hero ever written and they really just make him worse with every book.

Okay that is all.

Rhys wasn't in it enough. <3

need to ponder my overall thoughts on this book and the series as a whole, but I did love the ending in most ways <3

4.5? The pacing was a little all over and the first part dragged. The entire book is made up of a (really long) letter and diary entries from two characters (the letter is from the other to the diary writer). I’m anxious to see the film now because I just kept thinking this would be so much better as a film (but with my boy Harry playing the policeman… I am nervous.)

My favorite character was a side character of course.

All the characters were terribly flawed and super real in a way that I know will stay with me for a while.

A major theme is how we hurt the people we love the most and that’s just heartbreaking.

Slice of life crossed with English Queer history

Who cares; this was fun! It's my first non Dark Olympus book by Katee Robert and I think these are better. They're simpler and spicier? The world building defo felt like Dark Olympus, but the stories are more like Emily McIntyre's Never After series. I think Katee's writing works better for me than Emily's.  I'm excited to explore the rest of the series! We love to see a feisty little fat, submissive Tink! and we all know Hook can get it.

I don't understand why the Never After series gets so much attention and I didn't know about this series until I just searched Katee Robert on Libby.

damn this is my new favorite Dark Olympus (I also thought I already marked this as read and did a review so this is strange

but it's giving
-fake dating
-work place romance
-undercover spies
-murder mystery
-house party like a historic romance
-British narrators
-light bdsm
-one bed
-no third act break up? how am I already unsure
-forbidden love?
-greek mythology retelling (obvi)
-Agatha Christie vibes