Very reasonably paced slow burn. I say “very reasonable” because you really understand why both sides want to go slow. I do wish Jack told Sadie more of what he was thinking and feeling. All his processing is internal and we don’t get his POV, so it’s hard to know specifically what he’s dealing with when he says “I need more time.”

This book does make me wonder - what does it mean to know someone? How much do you need to know about someone’s past to love who they are today? How many details does it take to know someone’s character and values, and does that hold equal weight with deep knowledge of their past? All questions, no answers from me!

Highly relatable quote:
“Why are you mad at yourself?”
“How do I count the ways? I’m 28, and in a job I despise, and everyone in my life is happy and successful, and I still can’t decide what the fuck I want to do.”

First half of the book: incredible, so insightful, such good metaphors about coming out should be not about the closet but about a snail in a shell, painful, emotional, couldn’t believe people had a negative thing to say in a review.

Second half of the book: lots of humble bragging about getting into multiple Ivy colleges, name dropping, lots of “did I mention I got into Harvard,” and discussions of the many numerous awards won and honors granted. Turned a bit braggadocios.

Overall: very good, have never read anything like this before, still recommend. Will be thinking about my own gender now - I feel like I know it but maybe I should contemplate how it impacts/limits/empowers me!

You don’t expect a book like this to be excellent but boy did the author deliver!!

Obviously I’m into gay fake dating which is why I started reading this series but this still went above and beyond. The first one was fine, and this one knocked it out of the park.

I liked:
-that Matt was a football player from the South
-his whole family dynamic (don’t want to spoil it but this was an unexpected bonus that gave Matt a lot of depth)
-that Noah is biracial
-Noah’s ultimately squishy and philanthropic side
-both of them standing up for each other and realizing they can be MORE - more than they thought of themselves, more than their parents thought, more than their friends thought
-the whole character universe was mentioned naturally and I’m excited to learn more in the next two books
-no random unnecessary conflict (yes I’m specifically referring to the last chapter in the first book)
-THE SPICE

This book made me shout, gasp, and swoon. Highly recommend!

Read this in one sitting. Very sweet.