ryan_isreading's Reviews (195)

This book is so meaningful. Highly recommend!

For fans of Brandi Carlisle, I implore you to listen to this on audiobook. It was fantastic and she ends each chapter singing a song or three. Loved this memoir. Shot to the top of my list of favorites in this genre.

Kept waiting for the overbearing MMC to have moments of growth but nope. I was really struck by the amount of times the FMC talks about disordered eating and there’s no healing from that either.

This book is fine. I finished it and really enjoyed some moments while others dragged. I think some of the delivery of plot points/revelations/twists were a bit clunky to the point where it took me out of the story a little. I am not sure I will pick up the second book, but sometimes a little time to digest a book makes me want to go back and see.

Fantastic on audiobook. Selma Blair has such a tangible memory of her childhood, is raw and honest about her struggles and relationship with sobriety, and then absolutely brave and unyielding when it comes to her MS diagnosis and treatment.

It’s saving grace is that is it a quick and easy read (the only reason I finished). I am glad I did not spend more time on it. I saw the twist that was to come right away and therefore spent an annoying amount of time waiting for the reveal and being frustrated for the characters for being dumb and not figuring it out. Shoutout Anne for immediately putting it together the first time she spent any real time around them together, but all the excuses the characters give for not clearing things up or coming clean are so bad, I fear. 

Lastly, I think this is more friends to lovers than enemies to lovers? Even though there’s hate mail, it’s largely known to both writers to be sarcastic/a joke.

I liked the beginning and end of this book, but the middle was messssss

High Level Review: Probably the most I’ve ever laughed out loud at a romance book. Bri is written so witty. I was definitely triggered by how accurately anxiety is portrayed at times, but I didn’t feel like this affected me the entire time or even often.

Plot: Two ER doctors, one (Bri) a veteran employee of the hospital, and one (Jacob) a brand new employee, get off on the wrong foot. The anxious Jacob writes her an apology and thus begins some very cute letters, that develops a friendship. Hilarity ensues and emotions fly when Bri agrees to a fake dating arrangement with Jacob. 

Praise: This book and these characters are so wholesome. I love Bri and Jacob and wish I could be their friend. I want to attend Jacob’s family gatherings. As always, I love that Abby uses sensitivity readers and mental health advisors to ensure the story lines she shares are done with tenderness and care. 

Critiques: I feel the miscommunication trope and how it was used in this plot was not believable. It’s very hard to make me believe people would take this long to air their thoughts. Thankfully, everything else is so good this didn’t ruin the book for me.

Content or Trigger Warnings: Chronic Kidney Disease, divorce after infidelity, depression, clinical anxiety, mention of pregnancy loss and suicide

I enjoyed this book overall, but around 60% of the way in I was feeling a bit of whiplash from all the places the story was taking me. I’m not sure what it was, perhaps too many diverting branches in the story at once, but it took me out of it a bit. I did really like the ending and epilogue, so I think it’s a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 for me.