Vivian and Mel’s meet was definitely not cute. And honestly, their story isn’t either. It’s much better than cute, because it’s real and sometimes raw, but absolutely awesome as well. I loved every up, down, and in-between as these two bared their souls to each other and found the love they both deserved!

I wasn't immediately sure that this longer book would have the punch of Jackie Lau's novellas, but I was very happy to be quickly proven wrong, and I ended up loving pretty much everything about it. The banter! The texting! The stuffed animals! Between Vivian's difficulty with vulnerability and Mel's insecurities, the obstacles to their HEA felt real and poignant -- yet the book never feels heavy. I loved how much of Mel's stand-up we got -- something else I wasn't sure would work -- and the slow build of their connection over text. Also, I've been waiting for more and better plus-size heroes in romance, and this book absolutely delivers. Vivian loves Mel's bigger, softer body without ever fetishizing him. And don't even get me started on Po Po! (It's worth reading Jackie Lau's entire oeuvre for the grandmothers alone.) I know this is a babbling and less than cohesive review, but I could spend all day listing things I loved about the book. You'd do better to request and read it than to spend any more time reading my rambles!

This would be an *excellent* 2023 pick for A Bookish Affair, and I'm also really looking forward to recommending it to patrons and friends with a wide variety of reading tastes.

Many, many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!