3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

When Lark found herself without a job, her friend suggested she try this new sexting app…get paid to have sext conversations with strangers! But as embarrassing and funny as that seemed, she didn’t know how to tell Toby, her best friend and longtime crush. As they became closer it became even harder to hide her secret. Would he approve, or would it scare him away just as they seemed to be making progress?

This book was cute and funny, albeit predictable. The banter between the friends and relations was funny and a little steamy. Toby sounds like an adorable boy-next-door kind of guy that I really wanted to root for.

The STEM connection was a small part of it, unlike Ali Hazelwood’s STEMinist style. Lark wanted to break through barriers, but found herself blocked and knocked down at every turn. To have to turn to a sex-work side of web development seemed like it was less of a positive thing and more like that’s all she could do, not the more serious stuff. Although I see the side of the sex-positivity too, that Lark was free to write, work, and make money off of her own sexuality, I think the bigger part of that was learning about herself, not promoting the empowerment of sex work in itself.

I would recommend this one to anyone looking for a cute, sex-positive romcom, with lots of open conversations and LGBTQ+ themes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

DNF % 60 percent.

I am so sad about this book. I love a good epistolary novel, but this just did not work for me at all. I had no connection to any of the characters, in fact I disliked nearly all of them. The couple had no chemistry.

I will not be posting on my socials, since I did not finish.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Lark gets unfairly fired from her job, that is when she begins sexting online to pay the bills.

She likes it more than she originally thought.

Lark has a crush on her best friend (Toby) for years.

This is a friends to lovers slow burn.

It does not really have a lot of romance but a lot of character development.

***DNF at 33%***

when I read the synopsis for the book I was really HYPPED bc I love a sex positive story with a side of pen pals but I am sorry the execution for this was not it AT ALL. I didn’t like the writing and it made the story unbearable to follow, too much pop references, info dump and the narrative ellipses were not done fluidly

the main character was quite the pick me vibes, with a touch of Im a good girl and don’t want to get it dirty, which I didn’t enjoyed.

I wanted to finish the book bc the plot got my interest but after a while I couldn’t stand the writing no more, it felt like readin gibberish

Thank you so much for my eARC.

This book is definitely not one that I would usually pick up, but I am so glad that I requested it, as it was the perfect, easy read for summer, and has some hilarious bits woven in throughout.

I loved the concept of it and thought it did a great job of putting a positive spin on the sex worker industry, rather than shaming and degrading them. I loved the main character and her complete innocence at the beginning, but I thought it was great how her character developed throughout the book.

This book brings a lot to the table with strong friendships, cute dates, blossoming romances and funny sexting, but not forgetting: strong female characters!

I loved it! It's a great romcom and I really recommend it to anyone who is a lover of that genre.

Rating: 3/5 ⭐️

Publication Date: August 8thst 2023

Author: Amber Roberts

Review: This book was just fine for me .. I did struggle through a lot of it and I think besides a women in stem it just didn’t click with me. I usually am all for the enemies to lovers my go too but this just didn’t spark my interest. I felt myself going down a hole while reading this.

I knew I didn’t want to DNF it I just also didn’t want to finish it if that makes sense

Thank you to the publisher the eARC in exchange for an honest review #NetGalley #bookstagram #kindle #kindleedition #eread

I was really excited for the premise of Text Appeal. The story overall had a strong start. I liked the characters and the anticipated romance. Unfortunately, the book just wasn't my favorite. I found the chemistry between Lark and Toby a bit lacking. While the author makes an effort at tension, it just wasn't enough for my liking. Of course this is a personal preference. I would have honestly preferred the book focused on Lark's journey, her friendships and growths instead. Aside from my personal tastes in regards to the plot, I do think Roberts is a talented writer and I found the flow of the book good. It was just okay for me.

Decided to DNF this one at 34% on audio. I definitely had high hopes for this one! LGBTQ woman in stem! YES PLEASE. However; once one of the main events happens to Lark, the way author Amber Roberts writes from there left me feeling kind of meh. I felt like
a. the author was putting it out there that sex working is a last resort for some people - grant it, I don't have experience with this but I'm not open to yuck someone's yum
and
b. the snide comments about sexual experiences as Lark was texting people- not the way that shedding positive lights should feel

Thank you Alcove Press for my earc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Text Appeal review
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 2⭐️/not for me

The synopsis of this one gave me The Nanny vibes, but unfortunately this book didn’t work for me. The relationship between Lark and Toby didn’t have tension and anticipation, and I’d hoped for more fun banter. Lark being a new sex worker had a ton of potential that I’d hoped to see developed into something fun and sexy, which never quite came to fruition. I also never understand stubbornness in characters when they try to justify why they shouldn’t be together, when there’s no real reason why they shouldn’t, and that was the case here. Finally, the friend group was also lacking a bit here. Teagan, while trying to be a fun, carefree character, came off as wild and over the top… although I’d be interested in reading if she ever gets her own book, maybe my feelings would be swayed! Overall, a miss for me but I’d certainly try this author again in the future.

This book started out strong for me, but it ended up losing me by about 50%. Based on the concept of the book, I was certain I was going to love it. It just ultimately ended up falling flat for me. I will not be likely to read more from this author.

It wasn’t my cup of tea. I think that a lot of it felt forced and fell flat. While the first part of the story was going great it seems like it kinda petered out the last half. It was an interesting premise but it wasn’t exactly as I’d hoped. I was hoping for fun banter and I got awkwardness. The cover really drew me in as well as the blurb.

I was super excited to read this book! I wasn't able to finish it in time, but I enjoyed the part that I read. It was quite what I was hoping for, but it was still good.

"Text Appeal" by Amber Roberts is a fun and flirty romantic comedy that had me laughing and rooting for the characters' romance. This novel is a delightful blend of humor, chemistry, and the modern-day challenges of digital communication.

Roberts' writing style is witty and engaging, immersing readers in a world of playful banter and endearing interactions. The chemistry between the main characters is electric, and their exchanges via text messages add a contemporary twist to their budding romance.

At the heart of the narrative is a lighthearted exploration of modern dating dynamics and the ups and downs of getting to know someone through technology. The author skillfully navigates the challenges and joys of building a connection in the digital age.

"Text Appeal" successfully balances humor with moments of genuine emotion, resulting in a narrative that is both entertaining and heartwarming. The themes of love, miscommunication, and the power of taking chances add depth to the story.

In conclusion, "Text Appeal" is a delightful and entertaining read that delivers a perfect mix of laughter and romance. If you're looking for a book that offers a feel-good escape with characters you can't help but root for, this novel is a fantastic choice that will leave you with a smile on your face.

This was a case of perfect on paper, but not quite hitting the mark in actuality. It had all the elements that I'm all for in real life, with sex positive characters and women in technology, but after reading a few books with these themes, I've found that I just don't connect and relate to them as much as I think I would.

Lark is a self-taught junior developer at a dude-bro infested tech form, where she is always looked over for promotions and generally harassed. When her chaotic best friend Teagan sets forth a chain of events at a night out at the bar that ultimately results in her being fired, she finds herself freelancing as a sexter on a pay by the minute app to make ends meet. Despite her lack of relationship experience, she slowly finds her nerdy niche by using her love of fantasy and role playing games. She soon makes a connection with a regular texter as more of a friend, and has to weigh her growing feelings for the mystery man against her long term pining for her college friend, Toby. With a predictable and lackluster ending, Text Appeal had great potential for me but just couldn't quite hit the spot.

This book did not at all live up to the blurb. I wanted so much more, but alas. I felt absolutely zero connection between Toby and Lark, to the point that even the sex scenes were boring and felt forced. I don't hav much more to say. I wished for better.

"my deep-rooted wish to be respected despite my gender , rather than objectified because of it."

After Lark finds herself jobless and broke, with bills and rental looming she knows she needs to find a way to accumulate funds. Thanks to her over eager best friends she ventures into the world of becoming a professional sexter (to her detriment it's the only option she has to making a quick buck). With some advice, exploration and a little copy and paste, Lark soon becomes familiar with the ropes. There's one problem though, she doesn't want her best friend and ultimate crush, Toby finding her secret out. .

A funny, witty and light read that will have you cringing with embarrassment on Larks behalf.

Firstly I’d like the thank the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!! 🥰😘

I really enjoyed the sex positive and female positive feel to Text Appeal ❤️❤️ Lark really is a badass!! The book is brilliant at showing the sexism in the industry she works in versus how she takes control of her life after they shame her horribly (not that they don’t already take the complete advantage of her at any opportunity).

It’s a super cute read as well, Toby is lovely and their friendship is adorable but I did find it frustrating on the romance side…I wanted them to be…well spicier. They were just not quite naughty enough for me. I’m not taking actually smut, I’m talking them as people together. They just seemed a little lacking somehow even though they were perfect? She had spicer conversations with her friends than with him?

Over all I did enjoy the book and would recommend it 🥰❤️ Larks brilliant and the storyline is a great one 3.5✨

I liked this book but had a hard time getting into it. Once the story picked up, I liked it. The concept of the book was super cute. It was spicy and funny which I definitely can appreciate.

The cover is so cute for this book. Unfortunately the book falls flat. I didn't really connect with the characters or the plot. I didn't hate it but I didn't enjoy reading it.

Great debut novel.
The writing is quirky and very inviting. I love the premise and felt it was executed well.
I think it could have used the tiniest bit of swoon factor a bit more, since it was very "admire from afar" but overall a great debut!