whatthedeuce's Reviews (1.39k)

The prose randomly turned into word vomit to the point of distraction at times. Like this average Joe with his everyman vocabulary (which is fine and realistic and completely understandable) all of a sudden has his inner monologue peppered with $10 words. It completely took me outta the book at times, and I’m shocked an editor didn’t suggest cutting some of those descriptions or at least rephrasing them. 

Also, as much as I was rooting for Colton, it was so laughable that he became a top-notch chef so quickly. I mean it’s almost insulting to actual chefs to depict somebody who has no passion for cooking being made into a sous chef outta the blue and magically being amazing at it pretty much overnight. He and Luann just being great at anything they try had me rolling my eyes to be entirely honest.

If it weren’t for the requisite ”break up” in the final act that tries my romance-loving nerve, this book would’ve been perfect. I legit laughed out loud so many times, which I wasn’t expecting at all, and I love how supportive yet kinda bumbling Alex was. He’s not quite perfect but pretty damn close, and he and Lenore definitely deserve each other!

It’s always great to see an author tackling the important concepts of self-worth and overcoming a toxic relationship, but my god, Hallie’s inner monologue was so unbelievably repetitive. Like the book would’ve been 100 pages long if it weren’t for the exact same thoughts about knowing Cade was awful and that she deserves better but finding it hard to accept that spewed ad nauseam. I’m extremely aware that it’s actually realistic for someone who’s only ever been in a toxic relationship to believe they deserve good things, but beating the reader over the head with that concept over and over again was tiresome as hell. It doesn’t make for a fun read regardless of it being grounded in truth.

Also Cade was such a cartoonish villain. Like he doesn’t even try to be subtle about undermining Hallie, which is ridiculous cuz guys like him get away with awful shit BECAUSE they’re subtle and not making it glaringly obvious that they’re pieces of shit. He wasn’t even manipulative. He was outright hostile to her at every turn in front of others.

While I appreciated the author tackling the idea of someone being a people pleaser and how burdensome that is, Sadie was incredibly tiresome and stubborn. And Julius was exactly the same. I couldn’t find it in myself to root for either of them much less them together. I think this book would’ve been vastly improved if they had started forming an actual friendship somewhere in the middle. But they pretty much are awful and sniping at each other the entire damn book even when you know they’re supposed to be attracted to one another. I’ve read some great YA romance novels before, and this is far from one of them.

As someone currently working in public education, I found too many parallels between the events in the book and the constant barrage of ridiculous crap that happens at my elementary campus. I adored this book more than I can say, and it was elevated by the fact that I imagined my own colleagues as the characters. 😂