Heat Factor: Almost but not quite fade to black
Character Chemistry: They actually had pretty good sparring partners chemistry
Plot: You’ve Got Mail meets Cyrano de Bergerac plus other stuff going on
Overall: Fun-with-a-lot-of-caveats 

Shortly after I received a copy of Ghosting: A Love Story, I was updating my Goodreads list with it, and I noticed that author Sarvanez Tash left a review saying that her and co-author Sarah Skilton’s goal was to make each other laugh with a rom-com homage to Nora Ephron, etc. I think this is helpful to understand because this book is a little bit next-level in the twee department. Especially the emails that begin most chapters.

Oh, and I was reading an advance copy, so this may have been changed in the final version (I can only hope), but the way the text conversations were written made me absolutely bananas. It was so difficult to read. They were all inline, but without quotation marks, so half the time I was like, “WTF is happening?” And the authors didn’t have anything against quotation marks when the characters were actually speaking! I don’t understand! 

The absurdity is everywhere! First, the idea that a dating copywriting consulting job even exists (but if it does, of course it’s in New York) is pretty wild. Second, the protagonists are working for competing copywriting providers because the husband and wife duo who created the original got divorced, and that’s a whole mess. Third, these protagonists are supposed to be really great at their jobs (especially Miles), but they are honestly terrible at either listening to or meeting their clients’ needs. Fourth, they frequent the same coffee shop and play a “who got the big table first” sniping game with each other. Fifth, they end up living next door to each other (surprise!). I mean, the list goes on. 

Sometimes, especially after a run of reads that are high-angst or that make me think really hard, all I want is a really fun read. Low angst, low drama, playful, fun. Ghosting is not without its serious moments--Miles just got dumped by his fiancé, who is pregnant with another man’s babies(!), and Zoey was pretty much neglected and then abandoned by her selfish, globe-trotting parents--but I would categorize this as a true rom-com. One that leans more playful than outright funny. I never laughed out loud, but I did snort at the absurdity more than once. That said, in some ways it leans into its humor by relying on stereotypes that some readers may not enjoy. Miles is a “Jewslim”--his dad is an Egyptian Muslim and his mom is an American Jew--so we get jokes about Jewish mom stereotypes, for example. Loads of New York, LA, and Florida stereotypes are played on. (I mean, the Brooklyn artisanal scene kind of did this to itself, right?) So if you’re not interested in a type of humor that “pokes fun”, you might want to give this a pass. 

The idea of being involuntarily jobless and homeless isn’t particularly funny, but that’s what both Miles and Zoey are facing--for slightly different reasons--when they end up on opposite ends of a dating match. Their emotional investment in the match is only the first problem they have professionally. As I mentioned, they become so interested in each other--thinking they’re talking to the date, not another ghostwriter--that they begin to actively sabotage the relationship while also trying to keep the couple together. There were moments when I honestly thought they should be fired, because yikes. 

Then, too, because Zoey is terrified of leaving a 5 block radius around her apartment, I spent at least 60% of the book worried that she had pretty serious depression or anxiety. Which, of course, she couldn’t afford to seek help for because she’s a freelancer who can’t even afford breakfast when the book begins. 

The man who runs the competing ghostwriting company where Zoey works--Clifford, ex-husband of Miles’s boss--is a lawsuit waiting to happen, and he doesn’t even care. Racist, sexist, narcissistic → that’s Clifford, and I had mixed feelings about finding humor in what was honestly an extremely toxic work environment (even if it was freelance). It’s clear he was included to be just the mess he was, but women--especially women of color like Zoey (half-Filipino) and her colleague Aisha (Miles’s cousin)--just brushing off this kind of behavior as “Whatever, that Clifford! He’s a mess! Hahaha!” might skate a little too close to condoning and normalizing that behavior for me. It’s no fun to take everything seriously all the time, but... 

Now I’m going to talk about a problem that occurs at the end of the book, because I think it’s really important, but if you don’t want to get into what might feel spoilery, read no further.

***

When Miles and Zoey finally come together, it’s really lovely. Neither of them gets wildly distressed or angry about the situation they’ve found themselves in, which was nice. The real issue ties back to Miles and that ex-fiancé and her babies. And I’m not sure the conclusion of this book really addressed the situation Miles and Zoey found themselves in. It gets, maybe, 80% there. 

Miles and Zoey are both about 30. Miles thought his life was all squared away, envisioning his marriage and future children with the fiancé until it all crashed down around him. He’s on the farther side of 30. Zoey, on the very near side of 30, perpetually (intentionally) single, and trying to figure out her career, has not been envisioning family and children. They end up having a conversation about wanting children, which almost never happens in romance novels, even though I have seen it be a dealbreaker in more than one of my friends’ romantic relationships. So I was like, “YES! We’re gonna have a meaty conversation!” 

We don’t. :( Miles, having envisioned a certain life, has to consider what’s most important to him: having the family he wanted or having a partner who’s perfect for him but who might not come with the kids he’d hoped for. And the biological clock is ticking!!! Of course, there are no guarantees in life, so it is important to be with a partner for their own sake, not for the possibilities of something that may or may not happen. But one partner wanting children and another partner not wanting children is a serious flag for that relationship. It’s one of those times when love just isn’t enough. Children are for life. No takebacks. 

I’m not sure I would have been satisfied with Miles changing his mind about children being important to him or with Zoey changing her mind because Miles wanted children. That the authors portrayed this as Miles taking the conversation seriously and Zoey not realizing quite how important it was to Miles was probably the only thing that saved it in the end. But the two of them moving forward and not taking the time to consider the importance of this question seriously--when it had been such a problem for Miles in particular only pages earlier!--felt a little bit too easy. I did not have a ton of confidence in the long-term success of their relationship because the one thing that might keep them apart was never truly addressed. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

Ghosting: A Love Story by Tash Skilton | review. ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Genre: Contemporary romance. ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Rating: Four stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Happy Pub Day to this cute book! Miles and Zoey are in a fierce competition every day to get the best table at their favorite coffee shop! What they don’t realize is that they work for rival “ghostwriting” dating apps and they have secretly been talking to each other! Of course, they are soon falling for each other online and throwing sarcastic quips at each other in real life. ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣🤳🏻 I enjoyed the creativity in this story. Miles and Zoey’s online communication was quirky and fun. Plus, they both worked for hilarious bosses who were constantly sending out ridiculous emails. It worked! ⁣
⁣🤳🏻 I loved that this story was set in New York City! And Miles made a sweet tour of his favorite neighborhood that had me swooning. ⁣
⁣🤳🏻 My main complaint- this book was too much of a slow burn. They didn’t realize they liked each other until 80% through the book! Too slow... I need more action! ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Are you a fan of slow burns? ⁣
⁣⁣
⁣𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸  @𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 #𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 #𝘎𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘈𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Ghosting: A Love Story is a contemporary romance written by the writing team of Sarvenaz Tash and Sarah Skilton under the pen name Tash Skilton. Miles Ibrahim doesn’t believe in love anymore, his fiancé dumped him six weeks ago, he’s couch surfing as she took the apartment and now she’s posting on Facebook about her baby bump and he’s pretty sure he’s not the father. These things are making it difficult for him to do his job which is helping people present their best selves on on-line dating apps. Zoey Abot is supposed to be writing a screen play but living in New York terrifies her and she’s making ends meet by also working for a company that helps people with their on-line personas, it just happens to be run by the ex-husband of the the CEO of the firm that Miles works for. The coffee shop where these two meet becomes a battleground as they struggle to get the good table and the last day old biscotti never realising that they have also met online just not as each other. I found this story to be charming and an entertaining read. Medium Steam. Publishing Date May 26, 2020. #NetGalley #GhostingALoveStory #TashSkilton #KensingtonBooks #ContemporaryRomance #bookstagram

Despite finding both characters selfish and annoying for most of the book (like 70% of it, I thought they were horrible people), they won me over in the end or maybe I finally realized they belong together? It reminded me a lot of You've Got Mail - messaging each other but not knowing that the other person was behind the screen name, one person finds out and doesn't tell the other person - but set in today's time. A lot of the story felt contrived but sometimes you just need a mindless chick-lit book.

3.5/5

Who doesn't love a romance that blossoms over exchanged texts? Not moi! I was very eager to pick up Ghsosting because of the premise. I'm also a pretty big sucker for books set in NYC. Along with the fact that Sarvenaz Tash, who has written some of my favorite YA books, is attached to this, I knew this was a book I would devour. And devour I did! I had a great time reading this book and will definitely not shy away from recommending it to romance nerds.

Zoey has just moved to NYC from LA per her boss' insistence that she needs some growing up to do. She's a little grumpy about the whole thing and hasn't really ventured outside the coffee shop she hangs out at all day. This cafe is where she also happens to meet Miles and so begins a daily battle for a nice table and that last day's biscotti. Unbeknownst to either of them, they are also connecting online as their clients, who they ghostwrite for as part of a dating service, are falling for each other. As you can imagine, between the daily back-and-forth between the two, and them trying to halt their clients from heading towards what could be a dating disaster, there were plenty of humorous moments peppered throughout Ghosting. It was a truly fun read for me. If you're a fan of banter that has you grinning from ear-to-ear, this is definitely the book for you. And of course, watching them fall in love through their online personas was a whole other charming experience. It was freaking cute seeing them bond emotionally and slowly fall in love. I thought the final reveal about their true identities was satisfying. I liked that it wasn't dragged out and that the two had a good conversation about it.

Zoey and Miles were pretty great protagonists for this book. While the love story between them is a strong component of Ghosting, I liked how the authors took the time to really build up these characters and their individualities. It was nice that the book was written in dual POV because you got to see what was going on in each others' heads. They are both dealing with their own set of issues. Zoey is a little bit lost in NYC and in terms of her career, and Miles is nursing a broken heart after his fiancee broke up with him. The secondary cast also easily stole the show. In terms of elements that did not work for me, I'd have to say that I found the book to be a bit dense and wordy at times, particularly in the middle. Thankfully, I was able to push through, so it wasn't a deal-breaker for me.

Ultimately, Ghosting kept me entertained and that's all I ask of a good book. It delivered on a cute romance, had some tropes I enjoy, and had a likable cast. I'll look forward to reading more from this author duo.

I received a free copy from Net Galley and the publisher. The two main characters work for online dating services, not knowing that they are chatting to each other when working for their clients.  

This book was fun to read. The dialogue was witty and smart. There were many times I found myself smiling and laughing. At first I didn’t like Zoey all that much. But she grew on me with her sense of humor. I liked the cultural references throughout the book. This was a cute romance!

I could totally see this made into a cute RomCom movie.  Zoey, freshly moved from LA to NYC, hasn’t ventured much beyond the coffee shop across the street from he apartment.  For this California girl, NYC is challenging to navigate.  Plus, she has a favorite table in this coffee shop.  It’s a prime table and she really likes to sit there.  She also likes the free day old baked goods.   One day, the guy in front of her (Miles) takes the last of the baked goods and snags her table.  There might have been some yelling.  There were definitely hard feelings.  And now she’s determined to get the table first-every day!  

Here’s where it becomes like a movie.  Miles and Zoey have the same job for competing companies.  They are ghost writers for people who are on dating apps (genius idea! No idea if it’s truly a job), and they are messaging each other for the people they are representing.  And they like each other, but don’t know that they are talking to each other.

Fun to watch the relationship, both as ghost writers and real people, develop.  There are  supporting characters that are a lot of fun.  This was cute and satisfying.  I was rooting for Zoey!

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve never read either of the co-authors other works but I bet I’m missing out! 

I LOVED this book. It was a trifecta of trope perfection; enemies to lovers, online love and Millennial nostalgia. Add a dash of banter and *kisses fingers* pure gold. 

Miles and Zoey were cute, fun, and hilarious. I loved the characters and their quirks. Mary was the best! 

10s across the board! Would recommend to a friend. 

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute and quick read. At first, I loved Miles and Zoey annoyed me. But, as I got to know her I started to love her too. A very enjoyable read.

Such a cute romance! It took me out of my reading slump and I loved the plot, characters, and writing style!!!!

This was cute.

It definitely had character careers that I hadn't read before (online dating profile ghostwriters!) which I enjoyed and I enjoyed the banter between Zoey and Miles and Mary (what a crazy yet fun character!)

Is it a little slow? Yes, but it's a slow burn romance between two people who have no idea they are actually romancing each other while they have this semi hate/petty competitiveness going on over a coffee shop table (and don't tell me that you don't know what table is the best in your coffee shop, cause I bet you do, lol!) Zoey came off a little reclusive and although we eventually find out what her story is, I felt like that part of her personality was drug out a little bit, but it worked! It helped paint Miles as this native New Yorker who could show her his passion and love for the city while making her comfortable. I personally would have liked the reasons behind her fears revealed a bit earlier though to make her more relate-able. Overall, I enjoyed it!

Online dating has a new spin: someone else manages your profile and talks on your behalf.  While this doesn't feel realistic, it does make for a cute story.  Zoey and Miles find each other through some extraordinary circumstances. First as strangers then as online profile corresponders.  It's a fun light hearted story taking you through their first few months and a look into their future to come.  While there is always twists in the plot, in the end they find their way back.
I recommend this book to anyone looking for a light hearted modern day romance.  Definitely an enemy to lovers type of storyline.

Looking for a book to make you forget life and enjoy all the feelings of a new relationship? This book is for you! I am very stingy with my four- and five stars, but this book definitely earned four stars. 

I love the ghostwriter job that the book describes (and think it’s such a great idea)! The author keeps you entertained throughout the book, and just when you think you know what’s going to happen, PLOT TWIST! I definitely laughed out loud and lost my breath a few times while reading this book. Definitely a summer must read!

3 Stars
This had a terrific take on the type of idea of being a Cyrano de Bergerac for online daters. 
The idea of Ghostwriting profiles, emails, etc to have another fall for you reflected that and was an interesting concept and way for both of them to exchange their ideas and finally meet.

so I really enjoyed this one guys! I was looking for a fun rom com, light hearted read and this didn’t disappoint. It was entertaining and I loved the characters. I laughed out loud numerous times 😂 it offered a fresh and relatable take on modern dating and did a great job in turning a rivalry into a romance. Lovers of Christina Lauren should give this a try!.
Being published this week!! 5/26 so jump on it 🤗.


I received an ARC of this book from @Netgalley and the publisher: Kensington Books for an honest review 🤗 thank you!

I really wanted to love this book - and I did enjoy parts of it, but here is what didn't work for me:

1. Zoey and Miles' bosses' emails felt like fillers and I didn't understand what their purpose was in the overall plot;
2. Do people really hire ghostwriters to communicate with potential dates and love interests? And then shadow their clients when on dates? I am totally PRO suspending belief when it comes to rom coms, but I found myself questioning the premise of the book constantly;
3. Zoey and Miles' POV didn't feel that different and distinctive and I would have like more personal growth and background;
4. Zoey and Miles didn't actually get to spend that much time together - I would have liked to see them interact more.

Tash Skilton's writing is very witty though and it had lots of funny moments, but I think this was just one of those books that wasn't for me - I am grateful to @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks provided me with a copy in exchange for a review.

Stars 3.5

I loved reading this book. The plot was simple yet unique; it didn't exactly made me feel hooked but it is one of those books which one can read with a leisure mind with only a few expectations, in fact it is kind of a fairy tale and I think I am going to always associate the fairy godmother with Mary Clarkson.....she is truly a deviant, sneaky godmother...lol

I really liked how everything in it seemed as an outcome of other things. Miles is such a sweetheart, a next-door-kinda-guy who ACTUALLY likes watching romcoms *swoons* While majority of female population tend dream about an alpha-rude guy, Miles is totally opposite of that image, he is sweet, caring and did i say that he loves Romcoms? He is the guy that someone wants in their life.

Zoey on the other hand is a much complex character with problems arisen due to her negligent parents. It was a far-fetched idea for me about how uncaring they were towards their only child but still i understand that such people are actually there. What we learn from the brief description of Zoey's parents is how not to be one like them! Oh boy! they really did a number on her. 

There was a lot of character development both with Zoey and Miles. So that's definitely a plus point! The only negatives I could find were that there were many references about people and events and acronyms that someone outside of States could not understand and I believe that many international readers would have struggled to find whatever it was that the character's were discussing. And this is the only reason that I just couldn't rate this book a 4 stars or else it definitely would have been one.

Moreover as a side note I would really want to read Charles story if the author ever likes to write one in the same setting!

Unfortunately this just wasn’t a good fit for me. The writing style just didn’t work for me. I didn’t find enough differentiation between online and real life. Also I didn’t find enough difference between the narrators voices. Finally it was just long and slow. Sorry, but not for me.

I enjoyed this! My star rating is probably more like 3.5. I really liked the realistic dialogue and the honest communication between Miles and Zoey. I didn’t love the slow burn romance. Waiting until the last 20% of the book for Miles and Zoey to get together was annoying, although I did love the scenes when they finally do get together. Ultimately I think this is a great millennial rom com with good pop culture references and characters you care about.

I loved Fame Adjacent by Sarah Skilton last year and she teamed up with Sarvenaz Tash for this book. The premise is that the love interests work as ghostwriters for competing dating agencies. It was a super cute premise and the execution was decent. 

My biggest gripe off the bat is that both characters felt much younger than they were described. Both were late 20’s early 30s but they just seemed younger to me.

There is great banter between them as they go from enemies, to enemies who unknowingly fall in love, to friends who realize they are in love. Zoey is new to NYC. Miles has lived her forever. He is recovering from a bad breakup and she is trying to find her place in the city. She has some anxiety issues about travelling in the city. They meet when they are both trying to get free food at a cafe. 

The story is told in alternating POV which was great to be in both of their heads. Almost every chapter started with an “email” from their respective bosses that was kind of cute but also taking them out would have made the story shorter. It lagged in a few spots. 

Even though I had some issues with their perceived age and it being a little too wordy at times, I was overall very invested in this book and their relationship. I also had some formatting issues with the book that I hope were corrected by publication, specifically in how some of the text exchanges were just mashed in with the regular text and it made it hard to parse out if it was a text exchange or dialogue. 

If you like books that deal with online dating, I think you will enjoy this one.