Content warning:

Spoiler

Parental abandonment; sex work shaming; overstimulation and anxiety attacks; forced kissing and questionable consent; internalized ableism; graphic sex scenes; internalized misogyny; romanticized stalking.

I actually enjoyed Just a Girl a lot more than I expected, which is always a nice surprise. This was a nicely written New Adult Romance that was wonderfully steamy and expectedly swoonworthy, but also managed to offer some depth.

This wasn’t entirely a fluff piece. The story had its fair share of angst and struggle. We have a great protagonist who lost her band, her boyfriend, and her dream all in one swoop, and in the aftermath of her losses, her fears began to outweigh her passion for singing and music. By the end of the day, however, Presley was a strong-willed female lead who was determined to be more than a pretty girl with a pleasing voice. She had a clear vision of the sort of artist she wanted to be, and she never strayed from that. We also have an equally compelling love interest, Paul, who suffered from anxiety and panic attacks, which resulted in him depending on medicinal marijuana and drugs to keep his nerves in check before performing on stage.

One of the things I liked the most about Just a Girl was its honest, painfully realistic portrayal of substance abuse and addiction. It emphasized on the necessity of seeking the right help, instead of feeding readers an idealistic scenario where one character ‘saves’ another character from themselves.

This was quick to read and easy to follow. I finished Just a Girl in one sitting. Ultimately, however, I wasn’t very emotionally invested in anything, and I think, in the long run, Just a Girl won’t be a story I’ll be able to vividly remember.

Quick disclosure: I received a digital copy of Just a Girl from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review.

This is two hours of my life that I'm never getting back. So boring. And with no smut until the last 15% of the book.

Also, I did not appreciate the unaddressed/unchallenged kink-shaming.

Not recommended.

This was fun! Except for the part where I was listening to the audiobook while brushing my teeth and ended up crying because I deeply related to Chloe and Red's fears. Full thoughts to come.

Recommended!

Listen. You need to read this book. Legend has it that whenever a new reader picks up Take a Hint, Dani Brown, a colossal middle finger is raised against toxic masculinity. Do it for the cause, love.

Final impressions:
• Coworkers to friends-with-benefits to lovers!
• Academe workaholic MC and retired rugby player-turned-security guard MC.
• Grumpy/sunshine dynamic where the sunshine MC is grumpy towards relationships and the grumpy love interest is a hopeful romantic at heart.
• This book is The Bisexual Agenda in spades.
• Snark, sass, and delicious banter!!!
• I loved the emphasis on mental health, healing, and fully processing emotions.
• Being inside Dani's head was pretty frustrating at times because she adamantly refused to take the goddamn hint. But at the same time, I related to her fears and insecurities at a terrifyingly personal level. (I love you, Dani, and you deserve the world.)
• I'll also admit to enjoying Dani's book a lot more than Chloe's book because I prefer my leading ladies to be unapologetically horny and unhinged.
• Zafir Ansari can choke me with the utmost respect.
• A hilarious, but still incredibly heartwarming, story where two broken people seek solace in each other and eventually find love.

Highly recommended!

Head empty, heart in sweet, trembling agony.

Dare I say that I enjoyed Foul Lady Fortune far more than the TVD duology? Full review to follow.

Highest of recommendations!
* I received an early copy of the book from the author as a token of friendship (pain notwithstanding). This review is 100% voluntary.